Jaffer Sharief, the man behind golden era in Railways sector

Vijesh Kamath for Deccan Herald
November 26, 2018

Bengaluru, Nov 26: Former union minister and senior Congress leader C K Jaffer Sharief, best known for ushering in a golden era in the railways sector in Karnataka, passed away in Bengaluru on Sunday. He was 85.

Sharief suffered a major cardiac arrest at home and was rushed to a private hospital. He breathed his last at 12.30 pm. He will be laid to rest at Jayamahal burial grounds on Millers Road following namaz at Khadria mosque on Monday afternoon.

Born on November 3, 1933, in Chitradurga, Sharief started his political career driving the car of his political mentor and former chief minister S Nijalingappa in the late 1960s.

He was loyal to the Congress, but at times caused embarrassment to the party by making caustic remarks against the leadership.

Sharief was best known for his tenure as railway minister (1991-95) in the P V Narasimha Rao Cabinet. He brought several railway projects to Bengaluru and is credited with the task of broad gauge conversion across the country.

Sharief’s tenure at the helm of the Railways is known as the golden period for the state. He sanctioned 1,000 km of gauge conversion works out of the 6,000 km sanctioned to the entire country. This included conversion of section like Bengaluru-Guntakal, Bengaluru-Mysuru.

He also secured several new lines including Chitradurga- Rayadurga and Mangaluru-Roha. He was instrumental in getting the Wheel and Axle plant to Bengaluru. He played a pivotal role in the establishment of the South Western Railways and securing the Inland Container Depot and Railway Recruitment Board to the state.

It was during Sharief’s time that services like Shatabdi and Rajdhani were introduced from Karnataka and several rail over bridge and rail under bridges built. A seven-term Lok Sabha member, he represented Bengaluru North constituency without a break between 1977-96. He was denied a ticket in 1996 following his initials figuring in the infamous Jain diaries. However, he came back with a bang, winning the seat in 1998.

In 1969, Sharief took sides and joined the Indira Gandhi faction when the Congress split. It is said it was Sharief who sounded Indira Gandhi that senior Congress leaders were planning to expel her from the party for indiscipline.

This earned a reward for Sharief who was inducted into the cabinet as minister of state for railways by Indira Gandhi in 1980. He also served as the minister of state for coal in the Rajiv Gandhi government.

Popularly called “Jaffer bhai” in political circles, Sharief many a time wanted to enter state politics and even cherished the dream of becoming chief minister. However, that was not to be. The last time he contested elections was in 2009 from Bengaluru North constituency and was defeated by D B Chandre Gowda of the BJP.

In the last few years, Sharief fell out with the Congress leadership as he felt he was being sidelined. On several occasions, he threatened to quit the party, sulking for being denied a ticket to him or his family members. Sharief lost two of his sons in 1996 and 2008. He is survived by two daughters.

Comments

Sruti Kotian
 - 
Monday, 26 Nov 2018

True.. such a good man

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News Network
January 4,2020

Karwar, Jan 4: One student died and twelve others were seriously injured when a school bus in which they were travelling from Anantapur district fell into a gorge near Gerusoppa Soolemarki Cross in Honnavar taluk of Uttar Kannada district last night, police said on Saturday.

The deceased student has been identified as T Basha Fakruddin (14).

Police said on that on Friday students of a government school from Anantapur district were on a trip to Jog, Murdeshwar and other places. There were 44 children, nine teachers and four cooking staff in the bus, police said.

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News Network
May 20,2020

Mangaluru, May 20: The Third Vande Bharat Mission flight carrying 63 repatriates from Muscat landed at Mangaluru International Airport at 8.35 pm on Wednesday. It was piloted by Mangalurean captain Michael Saldanha.

More than half of the passengers from Muscat alighted in Bengaluru where the flight landed first. Remaining 63 passengers came to Mangaluru. 

After landing, all the passengers were given health kits, food and mobile SIMs, and arrangements were made to change their currency at the airport. 

A health department team screened each passenger, after which emigration formalities were completed. Their throat swab samples will be tested for Covid-19 on Thursday.

Union fertiliser minister D V Sadananda Gowda tweeted on Wednesday that the next Vande Bharat Mission flight is scheduled on Friday from Doha to Mangaluru. The flight will land at Mangaluru at 9.55 pm. 

The third repatriation flight from Dubai to Mangaluru is scheduled on Saturday. It will first land at Bengaluru and later fly to Mangaluru. However, there are no flights from Bahrain, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait to Mangaluru.

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News Network
January 26,2020

Newsroom, Jan 26: An Indian Muslim youth who had applied for a job in Dubai has been left aghast after his prospective employer, who happens to be an Indian, mailed back chiding him for looking for work and suggested that he should make a living (sic) by joining anti-CAA protestors in Shaheen Bagh in New Delhi.

Shaheen Bagh is the epicentre of ongoing mass demonstrations against contentious Citizenship Amendment Act.

Abdulla S.S, a 23-year-old youth from Kerala, who had applied for a mechanical engineer’s position in Dubai said he is still reeling from the shock of the email he got from UAE-based Indian expat Jayant Gokhale in response to his job application last week.

Hostile response 

“Just a thought. Why u need a job? Go to Delhi and sit in Shaheen Bagh for protest. Every day you will get Rs 1000. Free food i.e Biryani, Unlimited amount of Tea and Milk, some time sweets also,” Gokhale said in the email which has since gone viral.

Scores have shared the email on social media seeking action against Gokhale who runs a consultancy in Dubai. Many said the email is offensive on two counts. First, it ridicules and discriminates a job seeker on the basis of his religious identity and, second, it undermines the credibility of Shaheen Bagh protestors by suggesting that they are being paid to sit in.

Abdullah said he’s sad and appalled. “I shared Mr Gokhale’s email with some friends. Who would have thought it would go viral. I don’t want any controversy. All I want is a job,” he was quoted as saying.

Gokhale apologises

“I am suffering from ill-health and undergoing dialysis. My email is being blown out of proportion. I didn’t mean what I wrote,” Gokhale was quoted as saying by a Gulf based newspaper. 

“My message to candidate was not intended to hurt anyone in any manner or discriminate. I have already sent apology message to the concerned person [Abdullah],” he said in the email reproduced here ad verbum. “I very much value UAE’s outlook, policies and culture. I do not in anyway like to go against values of UAE. In fact I am very thankful to UAE for looking after my health,” he added.

Comments

Vincent
 - 
Wednesday, 29 Jan 2020

This hate monster is commenting as if his Father and God Father are financing the people agitating agaisnt CAA/NCR.    How about the bjp candidates who are distributing money among voters.   Video is viral showing ladiest from bjp distributing cash to people for voting bjp in delhi election.   EC should take note of this and ban bjp from contesting as its against our constitution.   bjp is doing everythign agaisnt constitution and labels others as anti indians.   bjp nhever honours or accept indian constitution.   CAA is the proof for it.   CAA is 100 perent agaisnt our constitution.   Shame on you bjp.    We should unite and make bjp lose all the seats. 

SHAKUR
 - 
Wednesday, 29 Jan 2020

put him in UAE jail to get free biriyani

Jayant Gokhale
 - 
Tuesday, 28 Jan 2020

It is no wonder that this character is undergoing Dialysis. With the hate mentality that he is carrying, it is not wonder that GOD has given him punishment in the form of non-functional kidney. His apology is fake, the moment he lands in Mubai, he wil wag his tale again in his pathological hate for Muslims while licking mUslim shit.

shakeel
 - 
Tuesday, 28 Jan 2020

i appeal UAE govt to gave him severe punishment and sent him back with life ban to uae ...

Gaggle
 - 
Monday, 27 Jan 2020

HYpocricy is one thing common among all RSS terrorists 

Indian Soul
 - 
Monday, 27 Jan 2020

RSS Gokhale..sitting in muslim country, eating muslim money, cleaning muslim shit and talk about discrimination...after that he apologises..

 

he says that he he is suffering from dialysis...why he hate muslim people and the people who protest the anti nation BJP party.

 

if his heart is clean GOD will defenitly give him good life till his death...look at LK advani now..the man who mastermind in demolishing baber masjid now wher he is...GOD humiliate him every minuite in all aspect..GOD knows how he is going to die...

 

so love human who ever it is...hindu, muslim chist, jain, sikh etc..

 

all are the creation of one GOD..help each other and be happy..

sumi
 - 
Monday, 27 Jan 2020

this type of people is very shrewed - follow RSS teaching - eating muslim nations food and blame them only.when tough time comes, start to beg again... he is one of them.. currupt mind blind bhakt.. just imagine if was not in UAE he would not even says sorry....i condemn his statement

 

 

Suresh SS
 - 
Monday, 27 Jan 2020

It is really a Shameful comments of Kokhle, very bad to have such kind of people in the society, people should understand and bycot his business and seize his license.

Abdul Gaffar Bolar
 - 
Monday, 27 Jan 2020

I believe the UAE will adhere to its rules and regulations to everyone. Should take strict action and put him under in Jail. Take a huge penalty from him.

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