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By:

Quaid Najmi

4 January 2025 at 3:26:24 pm

Educated Muslims being hounded: Owaisi

Mumbai: AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi has flayed what he termed as a ‘media trial’ in the alleged TCS Nashik conversion case and claimed that educated Muslims youth are being deliberately targeted as part of planned ‘hate campaign’, here on Saturday. Reiterating full faith in the judicial process, Owaisi said that justice cannot be handed out through media narratives or television debates and the law must be allowed to take its own course. “We are seeing a very dangerous trend… Now,...

Educated Muslims being hounded: Owaisi

Mumbai: AIMIM President Asaduddin Owaisi has flayed what he termed as a ‘media trial’ in the alleged TCS Nashik conversion case and claimed that educated Muslims youth are being deliberately targeted as part of planned ‘hate campaign’, here on Saturday. Reiterating full faith in the judicial process, Owaisi said that justice cannot be handed out through media narratives or television debates and the law must be allowed to take its own course. “We are seeing a very dangerous trend… Now, educated Muslims are being picked out for orchestrated allegations and media campaigns. This doesn’t augur well for society and justice itself with the media playing the role of the judge and jury,” said Owaisi sharply. Flanked by the All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen state President Imtiaz Jaleel, Owaisi also emphatically said that it was wrong to link his party with the TCS case prime accused Nida Khan, “who will be ultimately proven innocent in the courts”. He expressed concerns over the slur campaign driven by malice and political motives against his party as well as Nida Khan in some sections of the media even before the investigations were completed or a judicial scrutiny. “Merely because some allegations have been hurled at a young woman professional, attempts are being made to paint her ‘guilty’ through media trials, even before judicial scrutiny. But, we have complete faith in the judiciary and are confident that the court will eventually exonerate her,” asserted Owaisi. Public Discourse Raising questions on the probe and accompanying public discourse with stress on the alleged recovery of certain ‘evidence’ from Nida Khan’s home, he sharply questioned: “Since when have a burqa, a niqab or religious literature become objectionable… Is wearing a hijab now regarded as evidence of a crime?” He said that these details along with baseless allegations are sensationalism in the media to create further prejudice against the minority community and reflected a deep-rooted hostility aimed at harassing educated Muslim men and women. Owaisi pointed out that a complaint in the TCS Nashik case was filed by a leader linked with the ruling party, and as per the software giant’s statement, Nida Khan was not with its HR Department and transferred even before the controversy erupted, contradicting several media reports. Of the nine cases lodged in the matter till date, in one case, she was accused of hurting religious sentiments, but nobody can comment on it before the court pronounces its verdict, he pointed out. Court Fight Dismissing attempts to drag and link the AIMIM into the row, he referred to a party Municipal Corporator Matin Patel who was booked merely on the basis of certain allegations and vowed to contest the matter in the court. Here Owaisi cited multiple examples of educated Muslims being scrutinised – including in Delhi when some educated youths were arrested for possessing a book by the legendary Urdu poet Mirza Ghalib and they were later released. There was another one from Allahabad where some Muslim boys were targeted for writing an Urdu ‘sher’ (couplet) prompting judicial intervention, and predicted that even in the Nashik TCS case, the truth will ultimately prevail as no criminal charges against Nida Khan may stand. AIMIM to set up voter help-desks AIMIM President and Hyderabad MP, Asaduddin Owaisi said his party is developing a digital application containing electoral records of all 288 Assembly constituencies in Maharashtra for 2002-2024, to help voters in the SIR process. For this, the AIMIM will set up help desk centers in its strongholds to facilitate the process and ensure proper utilisation of voter data. Alleging discrepancies in electoral records, he said such errors create huge problems for the voters, especially the poor or illiterates. Owaisi mentioned how of the nearly 27 lakh names placed in the adjudication list in West Bengal, “90 pc were poor Muslims.” These centers would be open for all Muslims, Buddhists, Christians, Dalits, Adivasis and the general public needing assistance with the electoral records.

BMC to launch AI in real estate sector

AI generated image
AI generated image

Mumbai: In a move aimed at modernizing urban governance and facilitating faster project clearances, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) is set to launch an advanced artificial intelligence (AI)-driven facility dedicated to the city’s real estate sector.


“The introduction of this AI-led facility marks a significant step towards streamlining processes and enhancing transparency in Mumbai’s real estate ecosystem. By leveraging technology, we aim to reduce approval timelines and improve overall efficiency for stakeholders,” BMC Municipal Commissioner Ashwini Bhide said while speaking at the Change of Guard ceremony of NAREDCO Maharashtra on Thursday.


Bhide said, “The introduction of this AI-led facility marks a significant step towards streamlining processes and enhancing transparency in Mumbai’s real estate ecosystem. By leveraging technology, we aim to reduce approval timelines and improve overall efficiency for stakeholders.”


Stating that the proposed facility would integrate multiple civic approval systems into a unified digital platform, enabling developers, architects and consultants to submit and track applications in real time, Bhide said, “By deploying AI tools for document verification, compliance checks and predictive analysis, the BMC aims to drastically cut down approval timelines, which have traditionally been a challenge for the sector.”


“The system would also bring greater transparency and accountability by reducing human interface and standardising procedures. The platform is expected to flag discrepancies, ensure adherence to development control regulations, and provide actionable insights to both applicants and civic authorities. The initiative aligns with Mumbai’s broader vision of becoming a technologically advanced and investor-friendly city. With real estate being a critical driver of economic growth and urban development, the AI-led facility is anticipated to boost investor confidence and accelerate project execution,” she added.


Speaking on the occasion, Mumbai Mayor Ritu Tawade said, “Mumbai is steadily transforming into a model city for ease - of -doing - business in real estate. Today, construction proposal approvals are streamlined within 45 days, driven by transparency and end-to-end digitization. This not only accelerates development; but also builds trust among stakeholders. We are committed to inclusive urban growth prioritizing women’s safety and encouraging developers to actively participate in creating essential infrastructure such as dedicated women’s sanitation facilities. Our vision is clear to get faster processes, safer spaces, and a more accountable system for all.”


The BMC is currently in the final stages of preparing the infrastructure and is expected to roll out the facility in phases. Training sessions and on-boarding support will also be provided to ensure smooth adoption by users. Once operational, the AI-enabled system is poised to redefine the way real estate approvals are managed in Mumbai, setting a benchmark for other urban local bodies across the country.


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