Latest news with #Ashoka
Time of India
5 hours ago
- General
- Time of India
Have discussed walking away from Ashoka: Co-founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani in reply to alumnus on Mahmudabad row
New Delhi: Weeks after one of its professors, Ali Khan Mahmudabad, was arrested over a social media post he wrote on Operation Sindoor and the university was criticised for not taking a stand amid a raging argument over free speech, Ashoka trustee and co-founder Sanjeev Bikhchandani made his views clear in an emailed reply to a former student. Activism is not embedded to a liberal arts university, a political post on social media is not academic scholarship, and the founders have considered walking away, he asserted in the email. "Why don't you and other alumni offer to step in and take over?" Bikhchandani wrote in the email that was shared on an internal mailing list. "Pramath, Ashish and I have seriously discussed the option of walking away. Ashoka is too much of a headache... money, even in this day and age, does not grow on trees but it still makes the world go around," he added, referring to fellow trustee Pramath Raj Sinha and founding chairperson Ashish Dhawan. Dwelling at length on activism, he wrote, "Activism and a Liberal Arts University are not joined at the hip. Ashoka is a Liberal Arts and Sciences University. Whether to be activists or not is a conscious choice people make. In the past I have questioned the activism at Ashoka — each time, I have been pounced upon by the activists and their supporters, both within and outside Ashoka: students, faculty, activists, etc. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 5 Books Warren Buffett Wants You to Read In 2025 Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo , saying that 'if you are running a liberal arts university, then activism goes with the territory', that 'I am an arrogant owner', that 'dirty filthy capitalists don't understand how a university runs' (they somehow forget that the same capitalists are paying their salaries)." "You can be a great liberal arts university and not be activist. Anyone who tells you otherwise is a liar," he added. "As an institution, Ashoka cannot take an activist position. It (Ashoka) is governed by the law of the land… It is answerable to regulators and to government authorities. It is not a political party or movement — it is an educational institution." Addressing the row over Mahmudabad's post and his arrest without taking names, Bikhchandani wrote, "A political opinion expressed on Facebook or Twitter (X) or Instagram is not academic scholarship. Consequently, any public outcry about a political opinion an academic may express on social media is not an attack on academic freedom... If a regulator or the government or law enforcement goes after you for a social media post, it is not an infringement of academic freedom. It might be an infringement of freedom of speech; however, there are provisions within the Constitution and the law where you can find protection. You are a grown-up adult. You are responsible for your actions and any consequences thereof. Ashoka is not obliged to support you for political opinions... You did not seek Ashoka's consent before posting on social media, you cannot now present Ashoka with a fait accompli and expect support." "Appropriate timing of what to say, where, when and to whom and how is a sign of intelligence (beyond academic scholarship)," he added. "If you end up offending a whole bunch of people, even though you were not technically incorrect in what you said, then an expression of regret and an apology is a sign of good grace and decency. Hijacking an institutional platform to make it subordinate to your political agenda is an act of institutional capture and selfishness. Expecting the institution to then support you is an act of entitlement and arrogance." In making these points, Bikhchandani identified a "policy issue" for Ashoka's governing body to think over. "Can a full-time academic also pursue a political career? In the private sector, we generally stay away from what are termed as 'politically exposed persons'. Should Ashoka have such a policy?" Mahmudabad, incidentally, has been associated with Samajwadi Party, though he has been inactive in recent years.
United News of India
15 hours ago
- Politics
- United News of India
BJP leader hits out at Karnataka govt over FIRs against Sangh leaders
Bengaluru, June 3 (UNI) Leader of Opposition in the Karnataka Assembly R Ashoka on Tuesday launched a blistering attack on the Congress government in Karnataka, accusing it of shielding anti-national elements while targeting Hindu voices under the guise of curbing hate speech. Reacting sharply to the FIRs registered against BJP MLC Chalavadi Narayanaswamy, Legislative Council chief whip N Ravikumar, and RSS ideologue Kalladka Prabhakar Bhat, Ashoka questioned the Congress government's silence during an earlier Assembly incident. "Where were you, Congress, when 'Pakistan Zindabad' was shouted in the Assembly? Were you eating mud?" Ashoka thundered. "Today, when our jawans are laying down their lives at the borders in Operation Sindhoor, you remain silent as some run social media campaigns in favour of Pakistan. But you rush to book FIRs against Hindu leaders," Ashoka said. Calling the Congress government one "without a shred of dignity or responsibility," the former minister alleged that law and order in Karnataka had collapsed under Siddaramaiah's leadership. Ashoka also charged the Congress with selectively persecuting Hindus. "If someone says 'Pakistan Zindabad', they are free to roam. But if I say 'I am a Hindu', you look at me with contempt. You need Hindu votes to win, you need Hindus to form the government, but suddenly we are not wanted anymore?" he said. Ashoka's remarks are expected to escalate the political confrontation in Karnataka, especially with Congress already facing flak over its recent moves to rein in right-wing rhetoric. With the BJP turning the debate into one over nationalism, freedom of religion, and selective action, the heat is set to rise both in the streets and inside the Assembly. UNI BDN PRS
The Hindu
2 days ago
- General
- The Hindu
Over 30% of the trees lining the elevated corridor stretches marked for felling
A large number of trees are set to be felled and translocated for the six-lane elevated corridors on the National Highway 44 between Paradise Junction and Dairy Farm Road and on the State Highway 1, between Paradise Junction and ORR near Shamirpet, to be built by Hyderabad Metropolitan Development Authority. Felling permission has been given by the Tree Protection Committee under the Forest department for a total 3,298 trees, HMDA Director, Urban Forestry, K. Srinivas informed. These constitute more than 30% of the total number of trees on both the stretches, estimated by the Tree Protection Committee to be 10,593. Translocation has been advised for 4,230 trees and 3,095 trees are to be retained. Two locations have been identified for translocation of the identified trees — Nehru Zoological Park and the Telangana Sports School at Hakimpet. Majority of the trees, 9,100 belonging to 90 different species, have been enumerated on the Shamirpet stretch and the Dairy Farm stretch housed 1,493 trees. While the Shamirpet stretch is predominantly lined by Subabul (2,244), Gulmohar (1184) and Eucalyptus (333), a sizeable number were also species such as Neem (675), Pongamia (321), and Ashoka (321). Peltrophorum, Sissoo and others too were in good numbers. 'Tree Protection Committee members inspected all the trees, taken note of the height, girth and the status of the tree, before deciding which tree to retain and which to fell,' the official informed.
India Gazette
6 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
"Withdraw decision to impose user fee on Bengaluru residents": Karnataka Assembly LoP
Bengaluru (Karnataka) [India], May 28 (ANI): Karnataka Assembly Leader of Opposition (LoP) R Ashoka on Wednesday criticised the ruling Congress-led state government for burdening Bengaluru residents with excessive taxes and accused them of devising a scheme to extract revenue from garbage. Speaking to reporters at BBMP, Ashoka claimed that Congress imposes the highest garbage tax in the entire country and said, 'Congress has burdened Bengaluru residents with excessive taxes and accused them of devising a scheme to extract revenue from garbage. While Kempegowda earned the title of Nadaprabhu for building the state, Congress leaders have earned the title of those who ruined it.' 'The city previously had a cess. Now, a user fee has been added alongside it. The cess alone collects around Rs 250 crore. While the garbage tender is valued at Rs 147 crore, excessive fees are being collected from the public. With the user fee, the collection could reach Rs 500-600 crore,' Ashoka said. He argued that either the user fee or the cess should be collected, but Bengaluru is being burdened with both. This will increase house rents, as well as rates for commercial buildings, marriage halls, hospitals, schools, and hotels. 'One tax will lead to an increase in all rates. Congress is looting Bengaluru residents. They use the excuse of a central government law, even though no central law mandates imposing two types of fees,' he claimed. He urged the government to convene a meeting of Bengaluru MLAs to discuss this issue. He said no other city imposes such high fees, and this is an 'uncivilised move.' 'The taxes are being collected to fund Congress's five guarantee schemes and demanded that the decision be withdrawn immediately,' he said. He noted that Bengaluru residents have already started protests, and they will receive full support. He claimed that the state's financial situation has deteriorated due to the guarantee schemes, and efforts are being made to reduce the number of beneficiaries. Only those who voted for Congress will benefit from the guarantee schemes, he alleged. Earlier on Tuesday, R Ashoka visited the rain-affected areas of Sakleshpur in Hassan district and criticised the Congress-led state government for its lack of preparedness and negligence in dealing with the monsoon. Speaking to reporters, Ashoka said that the government had failed to take timely precautionary measures and urged it to expedite compensation for those affected by landslides and heavy rains. 'Monsoon has arrived 15 days early, for the first time in 50 years. The Chief Minister should have held a meeting before the monsoon started. Every time there is damage, there is a delay of one to two months in providing compensation. Landslides are happening in Sakleshpur, Chikkamagaluru, and Kodagu. The government should take precautionary measures and provide compensation, but the government has not done anything till now... Not a single minister has inspected the site...' he alleged. According to the India Meteorological Department (IMD), the southwest monsoon has advanced into several parts of India, including Maharashtra, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and regions of the Northeast. This year, the Southwest Monsoon set in over Kerala on May 24, eight days earlier than its normal onset date of June 1, marking its earliest arrival on the Indian mainland since 2009. Earlier, the Met Centre predicted that heavy to very heavy rainfall is likely to continue over west coast (Kerala, Karnataka, coastal Maharashtra & Goa) during next 6-7 days with possibility of extremely heavy rainfall over Kerala during 27-30 May and Konkan, ghat areas of Madhya Maharashtra, Coastal and Ghat areas of Karnataka, Ghat areas of Tamil Nadu on 27 May. (ANI)
Hans India
6 days ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Cong-led govt has made Bengaluru more expensive than Dubai: Karnataka BJP
Bengaluru: The Karnataka BJP unit has alleged that the Congress-led government in the state has made Bengaluru more expensive than Dubai by increasing prices and hiking taxes. The BJP delegation submitted a memorandum to the Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) Commissioner Tushar Girinath on Wednesday in this regard. The BJP, protesting the proposed steep price hikes over waste disposal, demanded the convening of a meeting of Bengaluru MLAs to explain the reasons for the tax hike and provide details about the rate increases. The delegation demanded to revoke the decision on the proposed cess on garbage and ensure transparency in the garbage management process. The party charged that the proposed cess on garbage is nothing but the government-sponsored loot, and all the credit for this mess will go to Dy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar, who is also Bengaluru Development Minister. Speaking to the media in this regard, the Leader of the Opposition, R. Ashoka, alleged that the Congress party has brought a plan to "extract profit from waste." "It is the Congress government that has imposed the highest taxes in the country for waste disposal," he charged. The Congress-led government has made Bengaluru city more costly than Dubai, he charged. Ashoka stated, Rs 240 crore is being collected through the waste cess, while the tender for waste management is only Rs 145 crore. If user charges are also collected, it will generate between Rs 500 and 600 crore. Ashoka further questioned, 'From whose homes do you intend to collect these charges and destroy them?' He pointed out that in other states, either cess or user fees are collected, not both. 'Here, both are being collected,' he objected. This, he warned, would lead to increased rent and spark disputes between tenants and landlords. 'When our government was in power, the cess was collected based on the weight of the garbage (per kg). Now, they are collecting fees based on the square footage of a plot,' he criticised. 'They are doing this to guarantee funds for themselves,' he alleged. He demanded that a meeting of Bengaluru MLAs be convened to explain the reasons for the tax hike and provide details about the rate increases. 'Only after such a discussion should this be implemented,' he insisted. He reiterated the BJP's demand to levy waste fees based on weight (kg) rather than on the area (square foot). 'If not, the curse of the people of Bengaluru will fall upon you,' Ashoka warned. 'Cities like Chennai, Maharashtra's cities, and Kochi don't have such high taxes. Just to secure financial guarantees, Congress is burdening the people of Bengaluru,' he alleged. He further criticised that prices have shot up on everything from milk to alcohol. "Because of the price hikes, touching electricity now feels like getting a shock," he remarked sarcastically. 'They are not people who build homes; they are people who destroy them,' Ashoka stated. He added, 'In the past, Kempe Gowda was called the founder of the city. The Congress has now earned the title of destroyers of the state.' The BJP delegation included Leader of Opposition in the Legislative Council Chalawadi Narayanaswamy, former Deputy CM C.N. Ashwath Narayan, MLAs K. Gopalaiah, S. Raghu, S. Muniraju, L.A. Ravi Subramanya, Bengaluru North District President S. Harish, Bengaluru Central District President Saptagiri Gowda, Bengaluru South District President and MLA C.K. Ramamurthy, BJP State Chief Spokesperson Ashwath Narayan, State Media Coordinator Karunakar Khasale, Assistant Coordinator Prashanth Kedanji, and other party leaders. --IANS mka/uk
