Monthly Archives: May 2019

‘Moideen’s personality transcended politics’

Books (incl.Biographies - w.e.f.01 jan 2018 ), Community Involvement / Social Issues, Karnataka (under research project), Leaders, , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Mangaluru , KARNATAKA :

There are very few people who are remembered as good politicians and B A Moideen is one of them, former Mangalore University History Prof Surendra Rao said.

Releasing ‘The I within Me’, the English version of Moideen’s autobiography in Mangaluru on Wednesday, he said that the humanitarian values that Moideen believed in and followed transcended the boundaries of politics.

Terming the autobiography rare, Prof Rao pointed out that the work was not a repository of self-praise (as most autobiographies are).

“Instead, it traces the socio-political developments of his time, in an accurate way,” he remarked.

“It seems that Moideen had a soft corner for his party. This is reflected in his opinions on the Emergency rule in India. But, all other incidents in his life are recorded by him without any prejudice. In all, his life is a lesson that no community can live an island; separated from others. This message is reflected in his work”, Prof Rao said.

Releasing the book, Urban Development Minister U T Khader said that B A Moideen had shown the way for modern-day politicians. “He was known for his idealistic politics. Sacrifices made by him are evident in the book,” he added.

The minister opined that good autobiographies in Kannada should be translated to English and vice versa.

Chief Minister’s parliamentary secretary Ivan D’Souza, journalist Abdussalam Puttige, Beary’s Group of Institutions chairman Syed Muhammed Beary and P A Engineering College Principal Dr Abdul Sharrif were present.

source: http://www.deccanherald.com / Deccan Herald / Home> State> Mangaluru / by DH News Service, Mangaluru / May 03rd, 2019

Preparing for the final journey in Kurnool

Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, ,

Kurnool, ANDHRA PRADESH :

Chand Basha and his son Abdullah working on a coffin at Old Town in Kurnool on Wednesday.
Chand Basha and his son Abdullah working on a coffin at Old Town in Kurnool on Wednesday.

Coffin-makers lend dignity to the dead through family occupation

In a corner of Old Town in Kurnool is located a stretch of six shops, where men in their sixties put finishing touches on coffins both big and small.

While all of the coffin-makers are Muslim, their clientele is almost exclusively comprised of poor Christians.

Making a profit out of their business is not their driving force, given the very nature of the product that they are selling. For them, it is a traditional occupation bequeathed to them by their forefathers, meant to be looked at as a form of service rather than a means of making money.

“The coffins cost between ₹1.200 and ₹1,500 depending on the level of detail. We manage to earn around Rs.200 per coffin, which is just about enough to keep us afloat,” says Chand Basha, a 65-year-old carpenter who inherited the business from his father.

Mr. Basha and his ilk had seen better days, when their business was not restricted to building coffins.

“My father used to build furniture and cabinets for homes, and I used to tag along with him. We did well, until bigger carpentry shops and the plastic industry took over. Now, we are confined to just building coffins,” says the 65-year-old.

Mr. Basha will pass on the baton to Abdullah, the youngest of his three sons, who is physically-challenged.

“We attempt to lend some dignity to the dead through our work,” said another coffin-maker of a neighbouring shop.

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> States> Andhra Pradesh / by Tadi Vidura / Kurnool – May 02nd, 2019

Pallappatti Muslim votes to decide winner in Aravakurichi

Community Involvement / Social Issues, , , , , , ,

Pallapatti, TAMIL NADU :

There are 13,000 Muslim voters in other parts of the constituency with an electorate of 2.05 lakh.

Paramilitary forces headed by SP Rajasekaran and Collector T Anbalagan staging a flag march in Aravakurichi and Pallapatti | Express
Paramilitary forces headed by SP Rajasekaran and Collector T Anbalagan staging a flag march in Aravakurichi and Pallapatti | Express

Karur  :

With the AMMK fielding a Muslim businessman for the Aravakurichi bypoll, a split of minority votes in Pallappatti, a traditional DMK bastion where over 20 per cent of voters are Muslims, could tilt the balance against the principal opposition party’s candidate, V Senthil Balaji.

All three major parties – the AIADMK, DMK and the AMMK – have given special attention to Pallappatti. The town panchayat with 28,000 Muslim voters is considered key to deciding the outcome of the election in Aravakurichi, a constituency that has sent four candidates from the minority community to the Assembly between 1991 and 2011. There are 13,000 Muslim voters in other parts of the constituency with an electorate of 2.05 lakh.

The AIADMK has deputed MP A Anwar Raja, A Thamizh Magan Hussain, ministers Nilofer Kafeel and KC Veeramani, and a few other party heavyweights for election work. Campaigners of the ruling party here reiterate that “ideology and coalitions are two different things” and that the party has always been “minority-friendly”. Karur MP M Thambi Durai’s opposition to the bill that criminalised the triple talaq is often cited to buttress the pro-Muslim credentials of the party, which is in alliance with the BJP and the PMK. “In the 2016 election, over 17,000 votes were polled in Pallappatti town, and Senthil Balaji, who contested on the AIADMK ticket, got 5,860 of them. We are working hard to secure more votes in this election,” said AIADMK town secretary Thottam Abuthahir.

The AIADMK has promised to give three cents of land to the homeless people in Pallappatti.
Balaji, now with the DMK, was the first to promise three cents of land to the homeless in the constituency. Incidentally, AIADMK leader and Transport Minister MR Vijayabhaskar termed Balaji’s promise as impracticable on Tuesday. On the other hand, Balaji is banking on the town’s traditional affinity with the DMK. Also, the party’s former MLA KC Palanisamy enjoys considerable support among the Muslims.
“The AIADMK’s coalition with the BJP will not go down well with the people here,” a DMK functionary said, agreeing, however, that the AMMK’s PH Shahul Hameed may split DMK’s Muslim votes.

Hameed, a popular figure among the community, said he would get 70-80 per cent of the Muslim votes. “The Dalits and other communities will also support me. While the AIADMK is in alliance with the BJP, there is no guarantee that the DMK will not join hands with the BJP after the election results,” he told Express.

3,000 cops deployed
Karur: Around 3,000 police personnel have been deployed to monitor the bypoll in Aravakurichi, said DGP (Elections) Ashutosh Shukla on Wednesday after and reviewing arrangements.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> States> Tamil Nadu / by K Ezhilarasan / Express News Service / May 02nd, 2019