Latest news with #Basavaraj
Deccan Herald
27-07-2025
- Business
- Deccan Herald
Visitors to Chitradurga fort find digital hurdle difficult to breach
Hubballi: A section of visitors to the historical Chitradurga fort either return without seeing the legendary 'Obavvana kindi' or argue with guards at the gate to gain free entry as self-ticketing (by scanning QR code) fails to issue tickets due to poor internet connectivity and lengthy process of uploading details on the ASI-pay ministry of culture, under which the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) protected monument comes, has launched self-ticketing only system across India to minimise deployment of human resources at ticket counters, reduce operation cost (purchase of ticket rolls and vending machines) and reduce queue fort is one of the 25 monuments across India to pilot this initiative. However, forget the benefits, visitors to the fort are facing hardships..A security guard at Chitradurga fort said seven out of 10 attempts fail due to poor takes at least 8-10 minutes for each transaction to complete as visitors have to fill in their details along with uploading identity proof and mobile numbers on the ASI-pay app..'Many visitors don't carry smart-phones or do not have phone-pay/G-pay. The network coverage at the fort is poor. So, it becomes very difficult to manage the crowd,' said another many as 16 centrally protected monuments in Karnataka have entry them, two monuments — Chitradurga fort and Tipu Sultan palace in Bengaluru — allow visitors only under self-ticketing have to scan a QR code placed at the entry gate via digital payment apps and buy the 25 monuments selected by ASI across India for this pilot project, two are in ASI intends to implement self-ticketing system across all 250 centrally protected ticketed monuments in the country..A senior ASI official said the key main intention of the Ministry of Culture to implement ASI-pay app is to give Indian visitors Rs 5 discount and foreign visitors Rs 50 multiple ASI officials and guides at Hampi and Vijayapura informed DH that the app, instead of helping visitors, was resulting in hardships..'Earlier, we used to deploy two staff to issue tickets at Vijayapura monuments. Now, with the government insisting on self-ticketing, we are deploying five staff on weekends to help tourists,' said a Dharwad circle officer of app has also reduced mass booking of tickets. Only five persons can book a ticket per a guide at Hampi, says visitors are facing problems while booking tickets at Lotus Mahal and Vittala temple complex due to poor network coverage..'A majority of visitors buy tickets at the counter though they are a bit costlier than booking through QR scanning method,' he says and adds the process should have been as simple as making a digital ASI officer at Hampi circle said the complaint had been brought to the notice of higher-ups..'The network issue wasn't brought to our notice, we will look into it,' he says..A senior officer in Bengaluru circle, under which Chitradurga fort and Tipu Sultan palace come, says they are just following orders from the ministry of culture..'We have been asked to issue tickets at these monuments only via QR code scanning. Officials in Delhi or regional directors can take a call on reactivating booking counters,' he says.
Time of India
27-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
CPM accuses Union govt of neglecting working class, favouring corporates
Mysuru: CPM state executive secretary U Basavaraj on Sunday accused the Union govt of adopting pro-corporate friendly policies, neglecting the interests of farmers, labourers, and other working-class people in the nation. The Union govt is giving a red carpet welcome to corporate houses, while the common people were affected by inflation and the rise in prices of essential commodities, he stated. He was addressing a rally organised by the district unit of CPM at Gandhi Square in the city. He said that even though the Union govt mobilised over Rs 50 lakh crore revenue every year from the states, with Karnataka contributing Rs 4 lakh crore in the form of tax, the Union govt has failed to protect the interest of the working class to curb inflation. He accused the Union govt of giving a red carpet welcome to corporate houses to loot the forest and mining resources of the nation when the common people were affected by inflation. Basavaraj also stated that even though the Union govt is distributing free ration to the poor under the public distribution system to over 80 crore people, people are dying from hunger. India ranked 105th in the Global Hunger Index, he stated, adding that still 45%t of the population are unemployed. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Pune: Unsold Furniture Liquidation 2024 (Prices May Surprise You) Unsold Furniture | Search Ads Learn More Undo The income gap between the rich and poor has increased at an alarming rate every year. If 10% of the population owns 80% of the resources, while 90% of the population owns only 10% of the property, he said. State executive committee member HS Sunand asked the Union govt to eliminate cross-border terrorism and applauded soldiers for safeguarding the nation. Poor people were affected by inflation. Instead of resolving such genuine issues, the govt is raking up emotive issues to cover their failures, she stated. District CPM secretary Jagadeesh Soorya urged the govt to strengthen govt-run institutions, schools, and public sector banks, besides initiating measures to prevent farmer suicides, and to open govt-run engineering, law colleges, and Mohalla clinics.
Time of India
23-07-2025
- Business
- Time of India
Maoist mouthpiece to corporate voice: Surrendered guerrilla's leap of faith
1 2 Gadchiroli: Aseem Rajaram spent years being a Maoist megaphone in Gadchiroli, booming out messages that industry dreaded. On Tuesday, he was the face of corporate resurgence in the former rebel redoubt. After the 36-year-old's surrender last year, the former Maoist spokesperson is now a key member of the public relations team of Lloyds Metals and Energy Ltd (LMEL). The irony cannot be missed — the former guerrilla had for a decade opposed LMEL's iron ore mining venture in Gadchiroli. As Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis laid the foundation of a mega integrated LMEL steel plant on Tuesday, Aseem hogged the arc lights. The road to the new spotlight was tortuous. Aseem landed in the booby-trapped Maoist headquarters of Abujmarh in 2005 at age 16 from Jind (Haryana), where Naxal frontal groups were active since the late 1990s. Surviving on rat meat and shrubs, Aseem rose through the ranks to pilot the Maoist propaganda machinery for more than a decade. Shifting bases and dalams (rebel squads), he worked as the spokesperson for top guerrillas, including Muppalla Laxman Rao alias Ganapathi, Maoist politburo member Bhupathi alias Sonu and Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraj. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like American Investor Warren Buffett Recommends: 5 Books For Turning Your Life Around Blinkist: Warren Buffett's Reading List Undo Bhupathi had recently given a truce call amid an intensified crackdown, while Basavaraj was shot dead in an encounter this May. In an exclusive chat with TOI about his turbulent past, Aseem said People's War Group (PWG) of Maoists was active even in northern states and their cadres would brainwash schoolchildren. "A shootout that involved my seniors in Jind changed my life. They advised me to flee to Chhattisgarh, and my journey as a Maoist began," said Aseem, who married a fellow woman Maoist, a Gadchiroli tribal who surrendered along with him. According to Aseem, the first six months were an endurance test. "Fresh recruits had to survive on rat meat or pickle made of an extremely sour shrub. I passed the test but preferred to remain in the propaganda wing even though I underwent weapons training and held a Kalashnikov. They groomed me and others for a struggle against the so-called landed class which ultimately took me to Red Corridor (Abujmarh)," said Aseem. The change of heart happened years later when Aseem once helped save the lives of four captured cops. "I reminded them (Maoist seniors) of Geneva Convention (norms). That displeased my seniors, and I was slowly sidelined. Finally, they allowed me to go. It's normal to leave after a cooling period. For six years, I lived under a fake identity in Himachal Pradesh. Realising that I may not be able to live in disguise for long, I surrendered. It was safer in Maharashtra. Police got me a job in LMEL," he said, thanking IG Sandeep Patil. Aseem pointed out that even Maoists had an "amicable exit policy". Disgruntled rebels are allowed to leave peacefully, the only condition being they should not become police informers, he said. In the Maoists' propaganda wing, Aseem recalled having procured an offset printing press that was modified for manual operations --- to print leaflets warning villagers and others. "There were horses for transporting supplies," Aseem said. The rebels depended on weapons looted from security forces, but bullets were limited. "Each guerrilla had no more than 30 to 40 rounds. There were orders to fire only as a last resort. Maoists depended more on landmines to ambush and kill. There were chemical engineers in our teams who would train the cadre in making explosives," Aseem said. Over 40% Maoist cadre are tribal women and the regressive social structure draws them towards Maoism, Aseem said, adding he gradually became disillusioned with violence. "I realised that in a country like India no form of dictatorship either extreme left or right can succeed."
Deccan Herald
19-07-2025
- Deccan Herald
Rowdy sheeter's murder in Bengaluru: BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj questioned on his role, links with suspects
Basavaraj, who was named accused number 5 in the First Information Report (FIR), appeared before Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Prakash Rathod, who is heading the investigation.
Deccan Herald
19-07-2025
- Deccan Herald
Rowdy sheeter's murder in Bengaluru: BJP MLA Byrathi Basavaraj appears for questioning
Basavaraj, who was named accused number 5 in the First Information Report (FIR), appeared before Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Prakash Rathod, who is heading the investigation.
