Arif Khan, who advocated abolition of Muslim Personal Law Board, becomes Kerala governor

coastaldigest.com web desk
September 1, 2019

Newsroom, Sept 1: Arif Mohammed Khan, a controversial Muslim leader, who advocated abolition of All India Muslim Personal Law Board, and three other senior BJP leaders were appointed Governors on Sunday while Kalraj Mishra was shifted from Himachal Pradesh to the key state of Rajasthan where the Congress is in power.

While Khan heads to Kerala Raj Bhavan, former Uttarakhand Chief Minister B S Koshiyari (Maharashtra), former Union Labour Minister Bandaru Dattatreya (Himachal Pradesh) and BJP Tamil Nadu chief Tamilisai Soundararajan (Telangana) have also been appointed as Governors by President Ram Nath Kovind. However, the government has not named a Governor for Karnataka even as the term of incumbent Vajubhai has ended. 

A former Congress leader Khan had in 1986 walked out of the Rajiv Gandhi Cabinet over the Shah Bano case. He also has been the most vocal supporter of the controversial law against Triple Talaq by the Narendra Modi government.

He quit the cabinet when the government reversed Supreme Court's Shah Bano verdict granting alimony to a divorced Muslim woman. A staunch critic of Shariah, he had also asked the Congress to abolish Muslim Personal Law. 

Over the years, he has stuck to his conviction that secular parties blatantly playing the Muslim card would only harm the interests of the community.

Khan hit the headlines recently when he said PM Modi quoted a former Congress leader as having said it was not the duty of their party to uplift Muslims and “if they want to lie in the gutter let them be”. The remark the Prime Minister referred to, Khan claimed, was made by PV Narasimha Rao, then a Union minister.

"6-7 years ago, during a TV interview, I was asked whether any pressure was brought upon me to take back my resignation (in connection with Shah Bano case). I told them after resigning, I disappeared from my house." Khan added, “I further said, next morning at Parliament, I met Arun Singh who repeatedly told me I was correct morally but this would cause a lot of inconvenience to the party. Mr Narishma Rao told me ‘tum bahut ziddi ho. Shah Bano ne bhi apna stand badal liya hai’.”

In an interview with a national news portal, Khan was all praise for the Prime Minister after the BJP swept to power and PM Modi assured of taking everyone along. 

Khan began his career as a student leader and became a member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly at the age of 26. He later joined the Indian National Congress and became a member of the Lok Sabha in 1980 and in 1984.

From energy to civil aviation, Khan has held several portfolios. After quitting the Congress, he joined the Janata Dal and BSP. In 2004, he joined the BJP but left three years later, complaining that he felt ignored in the party. 

Comments

abdullah
 - 
Monday, 2 Sep 2019

  BJP loves such name sake muslims who have sold their Iman for money / position.    He is not less than Mir Jaafar.   He is family member of MJ Akbar, Shahnawaz, Mukhtar ansari etc etc who have no respect by any muslims as they are anti islam.   

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
March 8,2020

Mangaluru, Mar 8: A cruise ship with a Panama flag has been turned back at the New Mangalore Port here following the Centre's advisory in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, officials said.

The vessel 'MSC Lirica' was sent back on Saturday as the Union Ministry of Shipping had directed all ports not to allow any cruise ship from foreign destinations to call on Indian ports.

No further details about the ship were disclosed.

New Mangaluru Port Trust chairman A V Ramana said the ministry has directed all ports to deny entry to cruise ships till March 31 in the wake of the coronavirus scare.

Around 25 vessels were expected to call on the port here during the cruise season.

Meanwhile, the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) conducted an awareness programme on prevention of coronavirus COVID-19 at Mangaluru International Airport.

The stakeholders were sensitised on handling passengers affected with covid-19 and precautions to be taken for dealing with affected passengers.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
August 4,2020

Bengaluru, Aug 4: With preparations underway for conducting exams for the final semester/ year students in the state, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister Dr CN Ashwathnarayan on Monday directed the respective universities to conduct exams for the backlog papers as well.

"In the wake of COVID-19, it has been decided to hold exams only for the students of final semester/year courses. It has come to our notice that some universities have decided against conducting exams for final year students who have a backlog to clear from previous semesters. This is unpardonable," the Deputy Chief Minister said.

"Our intention is to see that the final year students finish their course. In the present situation, conducting only final semester exams won't help. We have to help the students in clearing their backlogs," added Ashwathnarayan, directing all universities to compulsorily conduct these exams.

Meanwhile, Ashwathnarayan thanked the staff and officials of various government departments who were responsible for successfully conducting the CET exams even amidst the difficult situation in the wake of COVID-19 pandemic.

"In all, 1,94,419 students had registered for the CET exams, of which 1,75,428 wrote the exams. The percentage of students who took up the exams this year was equivalent to that of the previous years, in normal times," the DCM informed.

"After we successfully conducted the exams, Arunachal Pradesh is going to conduct the Public Service Commission exams on the lines of how we successfully conducted the exams. Likewise, even our KPSC has said it will conduct the exams. We must appreciate the good work of the Karnataka Examination Authority (KEA), which has set an example for others," Ashwathnarayan said.

The deputy chief minister said that 33 colleges in various districts across the state faced shortage of land and that it is the responsibility of the District Commissioners (DCs) to get the lands sanctioned for all these colleges.
In Bagalkot district alone land has not been sanctioned for six degree colleges, he said.

Reacting to this, Bagalkot DC Captain Rajendra assured to look into the matter as soon as he receives the proposal from department officials.

"Similarly, there is shortage of land for five Diploma colleges and 28 ITI colleges in different parts of the state. The DCs must immediately pay attention to this. Once they get the land, buildings will come up within no time," the Karnataka deputy chief minister said.

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.
News Network
February 6,2020

Thiruvananthapuram, Feb 6: The Kerala government on Wednesday said three foreign nationals were among the 2,528 people under observation in the state for the novel coronavirus infection and no new cases have been reported.

At least 93 people with minor symptoms of the virus have been lodged in isolation wards of various hospitals, state Health Minister KK Shailaja told reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

India's three positive cases for the virus has been from the state's three districts of Thrissur, Alappuzha and Kasaragod.

All the three are students of China's Wuhan university, the epicentre of the virus.

"No new cases of coronavirus has been detected in the state today. At least 2,435 are under observation at home while 93 are in isolation wards at various hospital across the state," Mr Shailaja said.

The minister also said two foreigners have been quarantined in Ernakulam district and one foreign national at Thiruvananthapuram.

"The foreigner in Thiruvananthapuram has been kept at general hospital but not because he was showing symptoms but for observation as he travelled from China," an official said.

The health status of the three patients, who had tested positive for the virus, "remains satisfactory", the minister said.

After three cases were reported, the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government had declared the epidemic as a "state calamity" on Monday.

The health department has issued advisories to the education, tourism and the animal husbandry departments on taking precautions.

"The students, teachers, other staff members residing with families of Wuhan/China returnees who are already in home isolation should not attend classes...," an advisory issued to the education department read.

Rajan Khobragade, Principal Secretary (Health), said the health department has directed the District collectors to hold a meeting with the religious leaders of the district to create awareness during prayer meetings.

"We have directed district collectors to meet religious leaders and talk to them about the seriousness of the situation and create awareness among them and their followers on how to contain the spread of virus," the minister said.

Mr Shailaja also said the department got messages from some Kerala students studying in China, who returned to the state after the virus outbreak, that their Universities had asked them to return and attend classes.

"We have got some messages from the students that they were being recalled by the universities in China. We discussed the matter and it was decided that the centre will contact such universities and convey the message that it was not possible to send the students back to China until the epidemic was under control," the minister said.

Mr Shailaja also said even though there were no positive cases for the second consecutive day on Wednesday, the state needs to remain vigilant and reiterated the 28 days quarantine period for those returning from China.

Of the 2,528 people under observation, the maximum number is from Malappuram (383), followed by Ernakulam (333), Kozhikode (306) and Thrissur (241).

Comments

Add new comment

  • Coastaldigest.com reserves the right to delete or block any comments.
  • Coastaldigset.com is not responsible for its readers’ comments.
  • Comments that are abusive, incendiary or irrelevant are strictly prohibited.
  • Please use a genuine email ID and provide your name to avoid reject.