Thank you UCA: 'Saint of Letters' Harekala Hajabba enters new house

[email protected] (CD Network | Photos by Suresh)
February 8, 2016

Mangaluru, Feb 8: "I never dreamt of living in a house that is worth Rs 15 lakh in my life. Today I am extremely happy, thankful and I pray for the well-being of the donor, who built a house for me," said Harekala Hajabba, 61, who is popularly known as 'Akshara Santha' or 'Saint of Letters'

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Despite being an uneducated, Hajabba fought tirelessly to build built a government school at Newpadpu in Harekala about 20 kms here by pooling money he earned and by seeking donors help. However, he had forgotten to build a house for his wife and three children. Hajabba was worried about his family very much, but he never showed it to others. At this juncture, the United Christian Association (UCA) has come forward to build 760 sqft house at a cost of Rs 15 lakh for Hajabba. On Sunday, a house warming ceremony was held in the presence of Muslim clergies, UCA president Alban Menezes, Dakshina Kannada MP Nalin Kumar Kateel and minister for health and family welfare U T Khader.

"I am an ordinary man and I have not earned a single rupee for myself. On September 13, 2004, there were no chairs in my house when four journalists came to talk to me about my struggle for a school in my village. Now I own this houses only because of media persons and organisations like United Christian Association," said Hajabba, who left no stones unturned to start a government school in his village and later to construct a new block for it.

Hajabba, who has been selling orange near State Bank bus stand, was literally struggling to meet both ends at his partially damaged tiled roof house, where five member family with ailing wife were living. In fact, it is the initiative of UCA president Alban Menezes, a young builder in the city, that led to construction of a two bed room RCC house for Hajabba.

"I understood the problems of Hajabba when he was admitted to hospital. Doctors, who treated Hajabba, told me that he was suffering from anxiety due to poverty. I felt really sad when I saw a great achiever suffering from poverty and living in a dilapidated house. Hence, I decided to construct a house for him through UCA. While nearly 1.5 lakh was collected through UCA members, I spent nearly Rs 13.5 lakh. Very soon, I will provide compound wall and gate for his house spending additional Rs 2 lakh," said Alban Menezes, who had donated many houses and did several charity works earlier.

Menezes said that a separate space has been provided in the new house for Hajabba to display all awards, citations and mementos he received during his journey as a crusader of education.

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Comments

Ahmed Bava
 - 
Tuesday, 9 Feb 2016

Congratulations UCA President Mr. Alban Menezes and Members really great work done by you for a Great person Mr.HAJABBA. HUMANBEING

A.Ullal
 - 
Tuesday, 9 Feb 2016

We admire you. sir.. I am proud that my fellow countryman have done great contribution towards education. Where he built school for kids when kids reach of school was far at site.
He is a role model for us.

A.Ullal
 - 
Tuesday, 9 Feb 2016

We admire you. sir.. I proud that my fellow countryman done grate contribution towards education. Were he build school for kids when kids reach of school is far at site.
He is role model for us.

rikaz
 - 
Monday, 8 Feb 2016

I hope because of this house he can keep up his health and serve more and better to poorer section of the society.

Government should think of giving him pension monthly basis...and I think it's not right time for him to go in the heat of sun and work and bring money for his social work as well his family...

Sherief
 - 
Monday, 8 Feb 2016

Mr.Alban Menezes and UCA's generous contribution in the form of donating new built home to Akshara Santha Janab Hajabba is truly appreciable. Your donation of a house is an inspiration to all of us. I hat's off for your generosity and commitment for helping the society is sincerely appreciated.

ABUL
 - 
Monday, 8 Feb 2016

Great job and highly praisable noble work by UCA. Bieng a muslim community memeber Janab Hajabba never recognised by his own community people where he stays with many muslim millionaires surroundings.
Hats off once again UCA.Keep it up

Muzaffar Ali
 - 
Monday, 8 Feb 2016

Congratulations ... UCA
Very Good deed by UCA

IBRAHIM.HUSSAIN
 - 
Monday, 8 Feb 2016

It is praise worthy that UCA and Alban understood the pain of Hajabba and built a house for this Akshara Santha. At the same time it is unfortunate, millionaire Muslim people, charity institutions around his area neither understood this Akshara Santha, nor his pitiful life in a lapidated house where he was living. Politician throng on the opening day, but never thought of his need.

Once again salute to Mr. Alban and UCA for this noble work.

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News Network
July 17,2020

Bengaluru, Jul 17: Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa on Friday held a meeting with the Ministers-in-charge of eight zones to take stock of the COVID-19 situation and its management in Bengaluru.

Yediyurappa suggested that it should be ensured that both COVID-19 and other patients get timely treatment. He advised home quarantine for asymptomatic patients and hospitals and COVID Care Centers would provide treatment for those who are severely symptomatic.

He said, Rapid Antigen Testing should be carried out for those who died in the hospital, for immediate delivery of the corpse for funeral arrangements. He also said to conduct Rapid Antigen Test for those who have died at home and take action for the funeral of the dead.

The chief minister said, lockdown is not a solution to COVID-19 control, he made it clear that the government has no plans to continue with the lockdown in Bengaluru.

"To fill the shortage of doctors, the process of filling vacancies is ongoing," he said.

"Volunteers are identified and ambulances are assigned to each ward.  Strict action should be taken if private hospitals do not provide beds to patients," the Chief Minister said.

The chief minister said volunteers and nodal officers would be appointed to provide information on the enrollment and availability of beds to COVID-19 infected persons in private hospitals.

"Welfare pavilions and lodges have been identified in each ward, suggesting the use of quarters to quarantine those who do not have separate rooms," the Chief Minister said.

He said, allocate bed within two hours of the result of the test and the ambulance must take action to take the person to the hospital. The Chief Minister suggested that the system be decentralised, zoned, and monitored.

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News Network
April 12,2020

Raipur, Apr 12: As many as 108 out of the 159 people that were quarantined by the Chhattisgarh government last week for allegedly taking part in Delhi’s Tablighi Jamaat congregation are Hindus, according to reliable sources. 

The names of these 159 people, who were said to be in Delhi’s Nizamuddin area when the Tablighi Jamaat congregation was held mid-March, were mentioned in a list issued by the state home department last month. 

The list has been accessed by the many media outlets. But, Raipur Collector S. Bharti Dasan and the state’s Principal Secretary, Home, Subrata Sahu, claimed no such list was issued.

However, a senior state home department official, who didn’t want to be named, said: “Listing of the names was done on the basis of location of mobile phones traced in Nizamuddin in the month of March during the period when congregation of Tablighi Jamaat was held.

“It was subsequently sent to the chief medical officers in the respective districts for further action,” the official added.

These 159 people have either been quarantined at their homes or at government isolation centres. The quarantine exercise took place between 31 March and 1 April.

Interestingly, almost all the people named in the list have denied attending the massive Jamaat congregation, which had seen the participation of over 3,000 people, including foreigners.

Under quarantine “forcefully”, these people alleged they are facing social boycott as they have been “linked to the Tablighi”.

Those placed under quarantine, told media if their phone locations have shown their presence in the Nizamuddin area that didn’t necessarily mean they had attended the Tablighi congregation.

“My neighbours are no longer like my family. After 31 March, I have received more than 500 calls (from relatives and friends) and had to convince them that I didn’t attend the Jamaat event,” Umesh Pandey, a resident of Ambikapur, said.

“People in my area have started saying that some Brahmins took part in the event. I have no objection to being kept in quarantine, but it should be explained why it is being done,” said Pandey, who is a consumer rights activist.

Pandey said, like every year, he had gone to Delhi in March to participate in a consumer protection programme and had stayed at a hotel in Nizamuddin. “I came back on 17 March. After I was quarantined, a false propaganda is being spread about me that I am linked with Tablighi Jamaat activities.”

Pandey said he and his family are now being “looked at as suspects”. 

Kamal Kumar Popatani, a businessman from Bilaspur district, has faced similar problems. Popatani and his family have been living in isolation since 31 March.

“I am completely flabbergasted by this step taken by the state government. I always visit Delhi to procure items for my shop. This time too I had completed my procurement and had returned home on 16 March. Everything was usual till 30 March, but suddenly after 31 March, when this so-called list of 159 alleged suspects was released by the government, we were placed under isolation,” Popatani said.

“My own family members, neighbours and everyone I know are now accusing me that I had joined the Tabligi Jamaat gathering. How can it ever happen? This strange attitude of the government has made my entire family a victim of social boycott.”

Trader Abdul Rahman, a resident of Lutra Sharif area of Bilaspur district, also echoed similar sentiments.

“I returned from Delhi along with my wife on 15 March, but my entire family has been kept in isolation since 31 March. All this is way beyond my comprehension… Blood samples of the entire family were taken. Now everyone is keeping a distance from us and calling us corona suspects,” said Rahman, who had gone to Delhi for a holiday.

“People not only from my village but also in the nearby villages are pointing fingers at me and my family… We are the ones who condemn Tablighi Jamaat and their activities. We have nothing to do with them. The quarantine… has brought…infamy to us,” he added.

In another goof-up, the list even includes names of some people who no longer live in the state but carried mobile numbers issued in Chhattisgarh. One such name is that of BSF sub-inspector Shantanu Mukherjee, who was working in Bhilai about two years ago, but is currently posted in Delhi.

“What kind of list is this? Who released it in the first place? At first, I received a call from the Covid-19 control room in Chhattisgarh and then from the State Police Control Centre. They inquired about my health and current place of posting,” said Mukherjee, whose office is located close to the Nizamuddin area. 

Makkhan Singh Yadav, a sub-inspector with the CRPF, is another case in point. Yadav, who is posted somewhere close to Nizamuddin, had bought a SIM card from Dantewada, when he was posted there five years ago.

“I had received calls from both Delhi and Chhattisgarh police after being marked as a corona suspect. But when I explained the reality to them, no calls were made thereafter. I could not understand how all this is taking place,” said Yadav, who is a native of Rampur, Uttar Pradesh.

A first-year Delhi University student, who belongs to Mahasamund district of Chhattisgarh, has been kept under isolation at a local government hospital.

The student, who didn’t want to be named, said she had gone to Nizamuddin railway station to catch a train for Chhattisgarh.

“I came home immediately after it was announced that educational institutions are shutting down. After returning from Delhi, I spent around 19 days at my own home, but suddenly I was admitted to the hospital on 1 April. Why have I been brought here (hospital) if I have no symptoms? All this feels like some sort of torture.”

“Despite my repeated denial, I was brought here by the health department on the pretext of being associated with the Tablighi Jamaat,” she said. 

Asked about the Tablighi quarantine list, principal secretary Sahu said: “The government has issued no such list. We have received inputs from the social media about three such lists but the state government has not officially prepared any list.

“All those put under quarantine have been done as per the orders issued by the state government. This order states that those who came to the state after 1 March should be kept under isolation,” he added.

Raipur Collector Dasan refused to say anything about the list and added that people have been kept under quarantine after obtaining their “detailed travel history” based on the guidelines issued by the ICMR.

On the allegation of social boycott, Dasan said: “No person or their families placed under home quarantine or isolation should be subjected to any social boycott or misconduct. They also need not have any social inferiority complex in their minds.

“If any person placed under quarantine feels like this (social inferiority complex), the government has arranged counsellors for them. Our counsellors are convincing and assuring such people by reaching out to them.”

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coastaldigest.com news network
June 13,2020

Mangaluru, Jun 13: Around people from Bhatkal, who were stranded in United Arab Emirates due to months of covid lockdown, finally reached their hometown today. A charter flight carrying these passengers took from the Ras Al Khaimah International Airport at 11:20 PM (UAE time) yesterday and landed at Mangaluru International Airport at 4.20 am today.

After completing all the formalities, they were taken to Bhatkal in five buses arranged by Bhatkali Jamaatul Muslimeen, Mangaluru. Two hotels and a college hostel have been booked for the institutional quarantine of the returnees. 

The passengers were received at the airport by Majlis E Islah wa Tanzeem executive members, Bhatkali Jamaat Ul Muslimeen executive members, and Bhatkal Muslim Youth Federation executive members. 

Ateequr Rahman Muniri, vice president of Majlis-e-Islah wa Tanzeem and owner of UAE based Nuha General Trading LLC, had taken the initiative of sending stranded citizens of Bhatkal and surrounding regions to back home from UAE.

“After we came to know about the problems of the NRIs stranded in UAE plans were made to charter flights to send them home. I received huge support from the Bhatkal community leaders and youth here in Dubai, who gave their complete cooperation and helped with their efforts in successfully chartering the first flight," Muniri said.

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