Development might necessitate a new Airport in city'

The Bharatiya Janata Party workers belonging to Muslim community are bewildered over the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act. A considerable number of BJP’s Muslim workers have distanced themselves from the pro-CAA meetings being organised by the party in different parts of India.

There is a deep divide within members of the BJP minority wing, with many upset and angry with the party. During its membership drive in 2018 for the minority wing, BJP had enrolled lakhs of Muslims across India.

A senior Muslim member of the saffron party in Hyderabad explained, “We are very upset. There is no one listening to us within the party. Majority of the members are introspecting on their future role in the party. Few are vocal about it. Those, who believe they still have a future in the party, have decided to keep quiet on this issue.”

This is the reason why they are not attending the pro-CAA rallies or interacting with people. If anybody approaches and questions them about CAA, they maintain they have no idea, just like the common man. A member of the BJP belonging to the minority community says they have been hurt by the decision of the government on CAA.

“Shia Muslims in Pakistan are suffering. They have been targeted in that country from time to time. The BJP patronised a large number of Shia Muslims. The Shia community in Uttar Pradesh even sided with the BJP. But what has the community got in the end? The persecuted Shia minorities in Pakistan have not got justice,” the party member from minority community lamented.

There are 400 families belonging to the Shia community in Hyderabad, who have relatives in Karachi and Quetta in Pakistan. These Shias had migrated to Pakistan from the Nizam state after its accession to India. These families were hopeful that after aligning with BJP, there would be a reprieve for them. But the stand taken by BJP has left them in lurch. The CAA provides for granting Indian citizenship only to non-Muslim minorities from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh.

“We have been left with nothing. Shias have not been politically active in all the three countries of India, Pakistan and Bangladesh and have suffered due to this reason. There was some hope in India, but even that has been lost now,” the minority wing leader remarked.

National vice president of BJP minority cell Farid Sheikh Liaquat Ali says, “Party workers and common people are asking the same question.”

I have told them what union home minister Amit Shah has said in Parliament, that CAA is not against Indian Muslims. But people are not convinced. Every meeting or social function that I attend, I find that people are angry and upset. I have been with the BJP for 33 years and whatever I hear from the people is being conveyed to the party.”

The incident that occurred at the madarasa in Uttar Pradesh has led to a pointed question: “If this can happen to Muslims in UP, will it not repeat elsewhere?”

Mangaluru, Mar 26: The district Wenlock hospital in

the city will be turned into a dedicated hospital for the treatment of COVID-19 patients, Dakshina Kannada district-in- charge Minister Kota Srinivas Poojary said on Thursday.

Addressing reporters here, he said the 250-bed super speciality wing at Wenlock would be converted to a dedicated hospital to treat coronavirus patients in view of the prevailing situation.

The 20-bed Ayush block will be used for the treatment of suspected cases.

The patients currently being treated for various other ailments at the hospital will be shifted to private hospitals within three days.

The expenses for their treatment will be borne by the government, he said.

The 705 beds available at the hospital wards will be used for coronavirus cases in a phased manner.

The patients visiting the outpatient ward will be directed to go to nearby medical colleges for treatment, he said.

A total of 140 children being treated at the regional advanced paediatric care centre at the hospital will be shifted to nearby medical college hospitals.

The centre will also be used for covid-19 treatment.

Poojary said at present five COVID-19 patients and 140 suspected cases are being treated at the Wenlock hospital.

Mangaluru, Jun 15: NMAM Institute of Technology (NMAMIT), Nitte, is organizing a webinar on 'Engineering Education & Employment Prospects - Post COVID’ on June 20 from 10 am to 11 am.

Dr Niranjan N Chiplunkar, principal, NMAMIT, Prof (Dr) K Rajesh Shetty, dean (Admissions & Alumni Affairs) department of Electronics & Communication Engineering, NMAMIT and Prof Shalini K Sharma, head, Abhyuday, department of Counselling, Welfare, Training & Placement, NMAMIT, will be the resource persons for the event.

The panel will be discussing on engineering streams, career opportunities, how students are groomed for success etc. There will be a question and answer session before the conclusion of the webinar. Dr Grynal D’mello, assistant professor, department of Mechanical Engineering will be the moderator for the event.

Please visit https://forms.gle/nwrLuFoPNs57tfK56 for registrations.