‘Award gold medal for great work in communal harmony’

Karnataka Minority Commission Chairman Abdul Azeem said police personnel, engaged in exceptional work aimed at establishing communal harmony, should be awarded the Chief Minister’s Gold Medal.

“A memorandum will be submitted to the chief minister in this regard,” cop-turned-politician Azeem told reporters at Circuit House in Kadri on Monday.

Azeem, on his first visit to Mangaluru, after assuming charge as chairman of the Minority Commission, chaired a review meeting on law and order with police officials.

“It is observed that crime in the district has come down after 2019. Especially, the drug menace has been controlled to a great extent,” he emphasised.

Azeem, asserting that development cannot happen without harmony, pointed out that people in Dakshina Kannada district have a tendency to get carried away by emotions, over communal issues.

“If people have a keen desire, the district will set an example for communal harmony,” he stressed.

He also felt a need to post honest officials in communally sensitive regions.

‘Vaccine for corruption’

Abdul Azeem said the pandemic of corruption was more dangerous than Covid-19.

“There is a need to find a vaccine for corruption,” he said.

He also urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to implement effective measures in order to prevent large scale corruption in the system.

Azeem claimed that he was honest throughout his 46 years of public life, including 30 years of his career as a top cop and 16 years as an MLC.

Scholarship for students

To another question, he said that the scholarships meant for students pursuing higher studies were not disbursed by the department of minority welfare, owing to fund
crunch.

“A memorandum will be submitted to the chief minister on this as well, requesting a release of grants,” he said.

Wakf properties

To another query, he said that with the help of a concrete plan, encroachers who had grabbed Wakf property in the state will be punished.

Beary Sahitya Academy president Rahim Ucchil, KFDC former chairman Aboobakar, leader Hyder Parthippadi and others were present.

Prior to the press meet, members of SDPI submitted a memorandum to the Minority Commission chairman seeking justice for those arrested for allegedly raising pro-Pakistan slogans in Ujire.

The SDPI members claimed that those who were arrested were innocent.