Mangalore: Farmers demand India to back out of WTO conference

December 4, 2013

Mangalore, Dec 4: Farmers and members of the South Indian Inter-State Coordination Committee of Farmers' Organisations staged a protest by picketing the harbour operated by New Mangalore Port Trust on the outskirts of the city on Tuesday, demanding that India back out from the World Trade Organization (WTO) conference being held in Bali, Indonesia.

Organisations such as Karnataka Rajya Raitha Sangha (KRRS), Hasiru Sene, Tamil Nadu Farmers' Movement, Kerala Cocount Farmers' Association and Shetkari Sanghatana from Maharasthra also took part in the protest.

Prior to the protest, the farmers also took out a protest march from Mangalore city railway station to the port.

The policies of WTO are against the interests of the farmers and below poverty line families in India. A meeting of farmers' organisations of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Kerala, Goa and Maharashtra was held in Bangalore on November 17 and 18 and it decided to stage protest against WTO conference, said KRRS working president K T Gangadhar.

India has recently passed Food Security Bill which guarantees food grains at subsidised prices for the poor families. India also procures food grains under minimum support price (MSP) from the farmers when there is fall in the price of agricultural produce. The cap imposed by WTO on its member nations on offering food subsidies and extending MSPs are unscientific, he said, urging the government to boycott the WTO conference in Bali in the interest of farmers.

The protestors demanded imposition of taxes on all agricultural imports so that farmers here would get better profits for their yields.

The ninth conference of WTO is being held in Indonesia from December 3 to 6.

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A Tragic End—Mortal Remains of Entrepreneur Mumtaz Ali Found In River

News Network

October 7,2024

Mangaluru, Oct 7: In a heartbreaking turn of events, the search for Mumtaz Ali, chairman of Misbah Group of Educational Institutions, ended with the discovery of his mortal remains in the Phalguni river near Kulur. The somber discovery came after an exhaustive search, leaving a community in shock and sorrow.

He is the younger brother of former MLA Mohuiddin Bawa and former MLC B M Farookh.

The incident has taken a deeply distressing turn with the filing of an FIR against six individuals, including a woman, who are accused of pushing Ali to a tragic end.

The accused allegedly blackmailed Ali, fabricating a story about his involvement in an illicit relationship with the woman. Reports suggest that they extorted Rs 50 lakh from Ali and were unrelenting, demanding an additional Rs 50 lakh from him, casting a shadow over his final days.

The complaint, lodged by Ali’s grieving brother, accuses these individuals of driving him to despair through relentless blackmail and false accusations, ultimately leading him to take the tragic step.

In the early hours of Sunday, Ali left his home at 3 am, heading towards Suratkal, perhaps seeking some solace. A minor accident occurred when his car collided with a private bus near MCF. Despite the mishap, he offered a heartfelt apology to the bus driver and conductor—a gesture that now echoes with the pain of his unspoken struggles. After the collision, Ali made a U-turn near Panambur circle, driving back towards Kulur bridge, where his journey came to a sorrowful end.

Ali’s last moments hold an even deeper sadness, as he left behind a voice message in Byari, naming an individual who had been tormenting him mentally. Sent to his daughter and a close friend, the message revealed the unbearable burden he was carrying, hinting at his final decision to end his suffering.

This tragic loss has left the community and his loved ones grappling with unanswered questions and a profound sense of grief. As the investigation unfolds, the memory of Mumtaz Ali lingers, a reminder of the silent battles that too often go unseen.

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