Latest news with #Bhojani
Time of India
15-07-2025
- General
- Time of India
Ganesh pandals to pull the plug on DJs to protect crumbling Mandvi gate!
Vadodara: The pounding bass of DJ music has long been a familiar sound during Ganesh festivities in Vadodara's walled city. But this year, that beat will fall silent — at least around the centuries-old Mandvi Gate. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now With its crumbling arches and weathered stones already under strain, organizers of Ganesh pandals have taken a conscious step back, choosing heritage over volume. For the first time, no DJ systems will blast music near Mandvi and the four historic gates, in a bid to shield the city's fragile architectural legacy from further harm. During immersion processions, DJ speakers often blare for nearly 10 hours at a stretch, pumping out sound levels between 80 and 100 decibels. While the music adds energy to the celebrations, such prolonged exposure to high-decibel, bass-heavy sound can have a serious impact on old and fragile structures. Experts say that sustained noise above 85–90 decibels can cause vibrations strong enough to crack plaster and weaken already dilapidated buildings — a real threat to heritage sites like the Mandvi Gate. The decision was made on Tuesday during a meeting between Ganesh pandal organizers and senior police officials. "It's a historic move. The Ganesh pandal association voluntarily agreed to avoid DJ music after we explained the damage it could cause to heritage structures like Mandvi, which is already undergoing repairs. All the organisers assured us they would abide by the decision," said MP Bhojani, ACP (G Division). The walled city hosts hundreds of Ganesh pandals, and each year, major processions pass through Mandvi Road or the four iconic gates. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The loud music from DJ systems has often caused vibrations that affect the old structures and even the walls of nearby houses. "The police officials shared their concerns, and we understand the seriousness of the situation. Mandvi Gate is a vital part of our city's heritage, and we don't want to contribute to its further deterioration. So we've agreed not to use DJ systems in the entire walled city this year," said Jay Thakore of Pratap Marghani Pol Yuvak Mandal in Mangal Bazaar. Thakore is also a member of the Ganeshutsav Mandal. "Only traditional instruments and dhols will be used during the festivities in the walled city," he added. Another organiser from Dandia Bazaar echoed the sentiment: "The Ganesh festival is about devotion and unity. Our celebrations should not come at the cost of our heritage. We've decided not to use DJ music near any old structure in the walled city." Mandvi Gate, a 16th-century structure, has long been in a dilapidated condition. As reported by TOI in March this year, the Vadodara Municipal Corporation had initiated repair and restoration work, with expert teams brought in to preserve the iconic monument.
Indian Express
22-05-2025
- Indian Express
Vadodara: Man arrested for ‘outraging religious sentiments, vandalism'
The Vadodara Police on Thursday arrested a 45-year-old man for alleged vandalism in a temple, and for outraging religious feelings. He was also booked for obstructing a police officer from discharging his duty. Police said the accused barged into a temple Wednesday night and threatened devotees while rituals were underway, and this led to a brawl. Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP), G Division, M P Bhojani said, 'As per the complaint, the accused, Irfan Mohammad Shaikh, entered the temple… He used abusive language and manhandled the devotees.' According to Bhojani, Shaikh also indulged in vandalism and threatened to kill the person who later went to the police. Bhojani said that following the incident at the temple, officers of the Bapod police station reached the spot immediately and nabbed the accused. When he was taken to a nearby police chowki, Shaikh obstructed the officer on duty and vandalised the furniture on the premises, the ACP said. 'He attempted to assault the police officer and broke a table glass top. He has been booked under a second FIR,' Bhojani said. The accused was arrested under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) Sections 298 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult religion of any class), 299 (deliberate and malicious acts, intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs), 296 (obscene acts), 302 (uttering words, etc., with deliberate intent to wound religious feelings of any person), 324 (mischief), 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), 351 (criminal intimidation), and 329 (criminal trespass and house trespass) following the first FIR. In the second FIR, he was booked under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 212 (voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty) and 221 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions).
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
How to protect your business website from ADA-compliancy lawsuit
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — This week, Bimal Bhojani, founder and CEO of Raining Berries, spoke out about an ongoing a lawsuit filed by a blind woman who claims that the company's website failed to provide proper accessibility for visually impaired users. The lawsuit alleged that her screen reader was unable to interact with the website, making it impossible for her to place an order for a simple cup of coffee. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now This lawsuit highlights the ongoing debate around accessibility and ADA compliance, and what some see as exploitation of the legal system by serial litigants. The woman suing Raining Berries is represented by Aleksandra Kravets, a South Florida attorney who, according to court records, has filed 129 similar lawsuits in Florida's federal courts over the past year. Bhojani says many business owners feel like they are being 'extorted' by such legal action and pressure to settle the lawsuits to avoid expensive litigation. Raining Berries CEO calls ADA lawsuit a 'shakedown' 'I think people are feared, they're distraught, a lot of people are worried about losing their businesses,' Bhojani said, reflecting the growing anxiety among small business owners facing similar lawsuits. Bhojani, who insists his company's website complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), says he plans to fight the lawsuit in court. He holds a Certificate of Accessibility from a website company called Equally AI, which he believes demonstrates that the Raining Berries website meets required accessibility standards. To get a broader perspective on the issue, we spoke with Anastasia Protopapadakis, an ADA defense attorney with the Miami firm Gray-Robinson, with years of experience defending businesses against what some have referred to as 'serial' ADA lawsuits. Protopapadakis said that in her experience, no business owner intentionally creates barriers for disabled customers. However, Protopapadakis also acknowledged that businesses often settle these lawsuits because it can be less costly than going to trial. She explains that plaintiffs in ADA lawsuits are entitled to an injunction, and if granted, they can also receive attorney's fees. For businesses unsure of their full compliance with accessibility standards, the risk of a lawsuit is high, and that's why the majority of cases settle out of court. 'If there is an issue on the website or in a physical space, that plaintiff is entitled to an injunction, and if they get an injunction, they get attorney's fees,' Protopapadakis explained. 'Unless you are absolutely 100 percent sure that you are 100 percent compliant, and are going to be able to support that with evidence before a court, the likelihood is that there might be an issue on the website.' Protopapadakis said federal laws need to change to ensure businesses are better informed about their responsibilities before lawsuits are filed. She suggests that businesses be proactive in ensuring accessibility, recommending regular audits of their websites using automated tools and live users to check for potential issues. In most cases, private businesses can't be sued for damages, Protopapadakis said. Businesses are sued for attorney fees and compliance. Businesses who agree to settlements or lose their cases must pay attorney fees. Experts say these lawsuits are typically settled for between a couple of thousand dollars and $20,000, but could cost much more if defendants chose to fight in court. Further frustrating businesses, there are no federal regulations to give businesses a check list of what they must do to make their websites ADA accessible. The ADA was established in 1990, before websites like we have today. One thing is clear, though, courts have ruled that most websites must be accessible under the ADA. While there are no clear regulations pertaining to websites in the ADA, courts have recognized web accessibility standards called Web Content Accessibility Guidelines 2.0 (WCAG), created by an international consortium of volunteers. Some of the requirements: Content must be coded for audio translation by screen-reader software. There must be on-screen captions in videos for screen-reader software to read to the blind and descriptions for the deaf. Sites must include accessible drop-down menus for those who use a keyboard as an alternative to a mouse. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Raining Berries CEO calls ADA lawsuit a ‘shakedown'
TAMPA, Fla. (WFLA) — Raining Berries, a popular coffee and acai restaurant brand, faces a lawsuit that alleges its website is not ADA-compatible. The plaintiff, a blind woman in Gainesville, recently sued 26 businesses near the University of Florida campus, including Raining Berries. She claimed her screen reader software was unable to fully communicate with the websites so she was not able to conduct business. Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Public records show her attorney, Aleksandra Kravets of south Florida, has filed 129 similar lawsuits in Florida federal courts in the past year. Bimal Bhojani, the founder and CEO of Raining Berries, said he believes in being ADA compliant and went to great lengths to make sure his website is accessible. He said he was in the middle of upgrading the website further when he was hit with the lawsuit in January. Father accused of shooting 3 sons in Ruskin: 'I tried to take your life' Bhojani said his company has a certificate of accessibility from a website compatibility company and added a widget to the website to be further accessible to screen readers. 'They are serial lawsuits by a plaintiff and an attorney, and I think the Florida Bar needs to address this because it's not helping anybody,' Bhojani said. He said his attorney told the plaintiff's attorney the website had been upgraded, but she said their software still showed problems with the site. Consumer Investigator Shannon Behnken asked Bhojani what the plaintiff's attorneys asked for to settle the lawsuit. 'Large sums of money,' Bhojani said. 'That's what it boils down to I believe, and what is the motive here? Is that money being distributed to an individual? Are they putting that back in the community to help the community.' In the Raining Berries lawsuit, the plaintiff is described as an 'advocate' and 'tester' who monitors 'whether places of 'public accommodation' are in compliance with the ADA. Among the business sued: a pizza shop, consignment shop, walk-up burger stand and nail salon. In recent years, there has been an uptick in ADA compliancy lawsuits over websites. The law sees a business website as a continuation of its brick and motor store, therefore the ADA states it must be accessible to people with disabilities. In the Raining Berries suit, the plaintiff alleges she was unable to order a cup of coffee. 'We're in compliance. It's a matter of subjective interpretation and there is no government regulation but we have gone above and beyond in making sure our website is accessible to everybody and all,' Bhojani said. He said many of the other business owners have forked over settlements to make the suits go away, but he has no intention of settling. 'I think people are feared, they're distraught, a lot of people are worried about losing their businesses,' he said. Behnken reached out to Kravets, the attorney for the plaintiff, on Friday and was told she would speak about the case on Monday at a specific time. Behnken followed up with phone calls and a text message but was unable to reach her. It is worth noting that the ADA does not permit monetary damages to be awarded to an individual plaintiff, so settlements generally go toward attorney's fees. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
CBS News
01-04-2025
- Politics
- CBS News
Community divided over proposed Muslim-focused EPIC City in Collin County amid state investigations
Dozens of North Texas residents are speaking out about a proposed community catering to Muslims in an unincorporated part of Collin County near Josephine after several state investigations were launched last week into the project and the mosque it is tied to – The East Plano Islamic Center. A four-and-a-half-hour meeting at Collin County Commissioner Court Monday gave residents their first chance to share their comments on EPIC City, the proposed Muslim-focused community that includes a thousand homes, a mosque, a community college and more spanning 400 acres about 40 miles northeast of Dallas. "We all want safe, inclusive communities that require transparency, accountability, and respect for the rule of law. Epic City fails on all three," one speaker said. "To allow a new group to claim and execute a 400-acre segregated city is the height of insanity," said another speaker. "These individuals deserve treatment and real representation. We must advocate for an inclusive Texas," said Collin County resident, Dylan Evans, supporting the project. Monday's meeting comes after the state launched five different investigations into EPIC City, as well as East Plano Islamic Center and investment group Community Capital Partners, which is heading the project. Attorney General Ken Paxton is investigating CCP for potential consumer protection violations. In a news release, Paxton said the development raised several concerns, stating, "Under my watch, there will be zero tolerance for any person or entity that breaks Texas law." On Monday, Gov. Greg Abbott announced the latest investigation into EPIC City, saying in a statement he has directed the Texas Rangers to investigate EPIC and any affiliated entities for "potential criminal activities." "I think this is just adding more fuel to the fire. And, you know, I'm not happy about that," said Texas State Rep. Salman Bhojani, D-District 92. Bhojani is the first Muslim elected official in Texas history and said the attack on the project is a violation of religious freedom. "I'm here to fight for every Texan's right to religious freedom," said Bhojani. "I'm also a real estate attorney. I know a lot of developments in North Texas that exactly mimic [EPIC City]. So, there's nothing illegal about that. This is something that we should be protecting in the state of Texas, not demonizing it. Also, I think this is going to really increase the property value around Josephine." EPIC public relations representative Erin Ragsdale told county leaders that the plan is open to everyone and will comply with local, state, and federal laws. "The idea for EPIC City came from the idea of building a master plan neighborhood that would be for all generations," Ragsdale said. "Their vision is to build an inclusive community for everyone. I don't think that we would be here today at this early stage if there were plans to float around for a master-planned community with a place of worship that was Christian." Commissioners shared their concerns in lieu of the active investigations, making the future of the project even more uncertain. "This is not building a place of worship or attending a place of worship, it's about the vision of building a housing development that would limit access and control housing opportunities," said Collin County Judge Chris Hill. CCP sent the following statement to CBS News Texas: No plans about the EPIC City project have been submitted to the county yet, therefore no decision was made Monday about the project nor has there been another meeting set to discuss the project further as of yet.
