Builder Avinash Prabhu arrested for duping people of Rs 100 crore; Range Rover, Audi seized

Hassan, Feb 9: Accusing the Centre for treating Karnataka as its enemy Former Minister and Congress leader UT Khader on Saturday said that the state did not get support from the Centre on the Mahadayi issue and flood relief and even the Union Budget.

Speaking to the media here, he said that the state has elected 25 BJP Lok Sabha members. Three from the state were Ministers in the Union Cabinet and another MP has been appointed president of the party’s state unit.

'None of them have spoken about the injustice done to the state in the budget. The budget document announced Rs 18,600 crore for the suburban railway in Bengaluru. But, ultimately the amount earmarked for the project is only Rs 1 crore. How can any BJP leader justify this?', the Congress leader wondered.

New Delhi, Jun 6: With the coronavirus pandemic showing no signs of abating, it seems unlikely that Muslims from India will be able to undertake the Hajj pilgrimage this year.

However, the government will take a final decision on the matter only after Saudi Arabia makes its position on hosting the pilgrimage clear.

A circular issued by the Hajj Committee of India on Friday said only a few weeks are left for the preparatory work in India for Hajj 2020, yet the Saudi authorities have not communicated any further development regarding the pilgrimage.

"In view of the several inquiries received and concerns expressed over uncertainty over Hajj 2020, it has been decided by the Hajj Committee of India that, those pilgrims who desire to cancel their Hajj journey this year, their 100 per cent amount paid so far will be refunded without any deductions," the circular issued by Hajj Committee of India CEO Maqsood Ahmed Khan said.

"Coronavirus cases are increasing in Saudi Arabia and two lakh people have to go from here. We had made preparations, but now there is very little time left. We are waiting for an official word from Saudi Arabia," a top source said.

In response to a question, the source said, "This time, it is unlikely that people will be able to undertake Hajj from India."

Uncertainty has been looming large over this year's Hajj in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and though Saudi Arabia has not made a decision on whether the annual pilgrimage will be held or not, it did ask Muslims to delay their bookings till there is more clarity.

The bilateral annual Hajj 2020 agreement between India and Saudi Arabia was signed last December. In 2020, a total of 2 lakh Indian Muslims were expected to perform Hajj.

Over 95,000 COVID-19 cases and more than 600 deaths have been reported in Saudi Arabia due to the coronavirus pandemic, according to Johns Hopkins University data.

Some countries have decided not to send their people for Hajj this time. The most prominent among these is Indonesia, the country with the largest Muslim population in the world.

The Hajj 2020 is proposed in the period between late July and early August.

The Hajj is one of the five pillars of Islam which every Muslim is required to complete at least once in their lifetime if they are healthy enough and have the means to do so.

Mangaluru: Continuing the relief work they started in the wake of the Corona Lockdown, ‘Team B-Human’ a local social organization is reaching out to the migrant workers who are stuck here in the region, unable to return to the homes.

Team of volunteers of the organization reached out to the migrant workers and distributed essential items including clothes and footwear of men, women, and kids.

Earlier, the organization had reached out to thousands of migrant workers and needy families and had helped them with food kits, Ramadan Kits along with medical assistance to many.

Several migrant workers recently moved back to their respective states, villages with their families, while others, unable to move back for various reasons are stuck here facing several difficulties and plights. The relief work by ‘Team B Human’ has helped several families of migrant workers in these distressing times.