Former minister's son sells newspapers for livelihood

Muzaffarpur: Unbelievable but true. A former Bihar minister's son sells newspapers for livelihood.In an era when wards of even low-level functionaries flaunt wealth by driving classy sports utility vehicles (SUVs), Uday Prakash Gupta, son of Mohanlal Gupta, who was a member in the erstwhile Karpoori Thakur cabinet, pedals off to sell newspapers everyday.Fifty-plus Uday, like any other hawker, starts his day at 4.30 a.m. leaving his Nayatola house in this town. He takes bundles of newspapers on his bicycle and delivers them to his permanent customers.After the morning drops at doorsteps, he stands somewhere in the main market here and sells "aaj ki taaza khabar".Uday, who has completed a course in motor mechanics, could not get a job as his father, who believed in principles and values, never sought any favour for his son and other family members.Recalling that former prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru and some other Congressmen, including several freedom fighters had visited his ancestral Nayatola house and had had lunch in 1950, Uday says he is happy with the job.Though he aspired and attempted, he could not get a job in the Bihar State Road Transport Corporation (BSRTC), that too when his father was the minister for Food and Civil supplies in the Bihar government led by veteran socialist leader late Karpoori Thakur in the late 1960s.

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Health Insuarance illegal: Islamic body

News from Economic Times

NEW DELHI: Comparing the benefits of health insurance policy to gambling, key Islamic organisations have termed the policies as "illegal" and directed Muslims to keep away from them.

At a seminar to deliberate whether insuring health was permissible under Islamic law Shariat, the Islamic Fiqh Academy (India) decided that availing such policies was illegal.

Representatives from around 300 Madrasas, including Darul Uloom Deoband, Jamiat Islami participated in the three-day meet, where they reached a conclusion that seeking insurance cover was only another form of gambling.

Health insurance schemes have turned a noble service in to a business activity, hence under Islam it is not permitted, they said.

The Academy, however said, if a person had insured himself under some legal constraints, then it was matter that could be thought over.

It also said that in such a situation, the patient should the spend the left-over amount of the claim he receives from the company on some form service to Allah.

The Ulema suggested that the community could itself organise services to help in the treatment of poor.

Our Comments

Does it make sense?

Who will take care of the People who are suffering with Health problem in today sky rocketing charges of Medical Industry?