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Hans India
8 hours ago
- Politics
- Hans India
Another controversy hits RG Kar, irregularities in house staff appointment
Kolkata: State-run R.G. Kar Medical College and Hospital in Kolkata, where a woman doctor was raped and murdered last year and multi-crore financial irregularities were detected, is in the midst of a fresh controversy again. This time, the controversy is over the irregularities in the appointment of house staff for the institute, where the main allegation is the abrupt creation of additional seats. West Bengal Junior Doctors' Front (WBJDF), which was leading the mass movement on the R.G. Kar rape-murder issue last year, has flagged this issue of irregularities in house staff appointment in the institute. The additional seats created were allotted to one particular department, they said.. WBJDF pointed out that till the recent past, the number of house staff seats in R.G. Kar, combining the new and old batches, was 105, with 84 seats allotted for new candidates, while 21 seats were allotted for the supplementary batch candidates. However, this year, the controversy has erupted as 12 additional seats under this category were created, and surprisingly, all these additional seats were allotted not only in quota for the supplementary batch candidates but also for a single department of cardiology. WBJDF alleged that the creation of these additional seats, under the supplementary batch candidates and all for the same department, smells of foul play in the process. According to Dr Aniket Mahato, one of the leading faces of the R.G. Kar movement last year, although the request for an increase in the number of house staff seats in the hospital came from the junior doctors, they never expected that the increase would be done in such an arbitrary manner. 'It is surprising to see that 12 seats have been increased in just one department, and all under the supplementary batch quota. How could the seats be increased for one particular department overnight?" he questioned. Trinamool Congress-backed rival junior doctors' body, West Bengal Junior Doctors' Association (WBJDA), had been cautious in giving its reaction on the matter. 'There should not be a controversy on this issue. The principal has assured us that the authorities would look into the matter. If any irregularities have taken place, then the matter should be probed and resolved," said WBJDA office-bearer Sourav Das. R.G. Kar's medical superintendent-cum- vice-principal (MSVP), Saptarshi Chatterjee, has assured that a proper clarification in the matter would be provided to the institute authorities at the right time. It was during the tenure of the former principal of R.G. Kar, Sandip Ghosh, that corruption in the appointment of house staff in the cardiology department surfaced first time. Ghosh, as well as a junior doctor and leader of Trinamool Congress student wing, Ashish Pandey, were arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for their involvement in the multi-crore financial irregularities at R.G. Kar. Both Ghosh and Pandey are currently in judicial custody.
Time of India
21-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Congress pushes for graded aid in backward classes census plan
Bengaluru: As part of its campaign for a national caste census, Congress is exploring a graded internal quota system within Other Backward Classes (OBC) based on their level of backwardness. The proposal was discussed during the party's first OBC advisory council meeting in Bengaluru last week. Led by Lok Sabha opposition leader Rahul Gandhi, Congress is advocating a caste census that captures social, educational, economic, and employment status of every individual to properly identify and empower OBCs. Alongside the census, the party aims to introduce internal categorisation among OBCs to ensure the most deprived receive a larger share of govt assistance. Anil Jaihind, national president, Congress' OBC wing, said the party intends to adopt a data-driven approach. "While the idea is not finalised, the party is considering the slogan 'Jitna Pichada, Utna Madadh', wherein the extent of backwardness of an OBC community will determine the extent of govt assistance. This is what we intend to pursue," Jaihind said. You Can Also Check: Bengaluru AQI | Weather in Bengaluru | Bank Holidays in Bengaluru | Public Holidays in Bengaluru The Haryana-based functionary said categorisation within OBCs could range from four to six groups, with the most backward getting the highest priority in schemes and grants. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Gold Is Surging in 2025 — Smart Traders Are Already In IC Markets Learn More Undo The proposal draws inspiration from Karnataka's leaked caste census, which identified a special category for the most backward classes and recommended higher internal reservation for them. The document was presented during the advisory council's discussions in Bengaluru. Jaihind also said Congress will urge Karnataka to consider the Telangana model of SEEEP (Social, Educational, Economic, Employment, Political) caste survey, which he described as quite scientific. "Everyday science and society evolve. What happened 10 years ago will not be the same today. Today, the Telangana model of SEEEP caste survey is quite good, and we would expect Karnataka to better this model," he said, noting that artificial intelligence had been used to analyse the Telangana data. The Congress-backed council also demanded that the Centre raise reservation ceiling to 75%, pointing to the inclusion of EWS quota as precedent. "The Centre, with the inclusion of EWS quota, has already breached the 50% mark, so there is no hindrance for the Centre to reach 75% in the quota system," it said.
Hans India
20-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
BJP leader Ashoka terms tunnel road project as ‘environmental disaster'
Bengaluru: BJP leader R Ashoka on Saturday lashed out at Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar for pursuing a tunnel road project in the city, claiming this is not just an 'environmental disaster', it's a monument to 'political arrogance, ego and corruption.' With this project, he alleged that the Congress-led government in the state plans to plough through Bengaluru's most iconic heritage zones and lung spaces - Lalbagh, Palace Grounds, St John's Hospital, Race Course, and Hebbal - by digging 100-ft deep shafts to launch giant tunnel boring machines. 'This isn't urban mobility. It's urban mutilation,' he said. Criticising the project, Ashoka, who is also the Leader of Opposition in the state Legislative Assembly, said the people of Bengaluru deserve better, not 'ego tunnels' for a few, but clean air, green spaces, and real, equitable public transport. 'This is not development. This is environmental vandalism masquerading as infrastructure, and Congress-backed betrayal of a city already on the brink. There is loot at the end of this tunnel!,' he said in a post on 'X'. According to a Cabinet decision, the tunnel road will cost Rs 17,780 crore, and it will be implemented under modified Build-Own-Operate-Transfer (BOOT) model. The twin tunnel will run from Hebbal's Esteem Mall Junction to Silk Board Junction, covering 16.745 km. 'DCM @DKShivakumar's tunnel road project is not just an environmental disaster, it's a monument to political arrogance, ego, and corruption,' he stated. Questioning the 'deafening silence' of Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and that of AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge over the project, the BJP leader further said, 'This is the same Rahul Gandhi who raised a hue and cry over environmental concerns in Aarey (Maharashtra) and Hasdeo Aranya (Chhattisgarh). But when his ownparty's Deputy CM is ploughing through Bengaluru's ecology, he suddenly looks away. Why the hypocrisy?.' Targeting the Congress leaders, Ashoka asked, 'If Rahul's environmental concern were reserved only for BJP-ruled states? Or is that the Congress High Command is getting a cut in this crore worth tunnel road project deal? 'Has their silence been purchased through contracts, commissions, and legacy politics? There is loot at the end of this tunnel!' Recently, BJP MP Tejasvi Surya slammed Shivakumar for pursuing an unscientific 'vanity' tunnel road project in the city, claiming that it would only serve the elite while burdening the common man. He urged the state government to abandon the plan and instead invest in expanding public transport infrastructure, warning that the tunnel project could worsen the city's traffic situation.
The Hindu
16-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
KSEB unions welcome draft regulations
While prosumers have slammed the Kerala State Electricity Regulatory Commission's draft regulations on renewable energy, employees' unions in the Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB) have largely welcomed them. Left and Congress-backed unions in the KSEB on Wednesday described the proposals as timely and vital for resolving issues posed by the rapid scale-up of solar power capacity in Kerala. The unions aired their views on the penultimate day of the public hearings organised by the commission on the draft. Over 70% of the solar power generated during daytime was being exported to the grid by prosumers, they said. The cost of having to accommodate this excess energy plays havoc with the KSEB's scheduled power agreements and finances. A situation has now arisen where the gains made by the prosumer population of around 2 lakh are coming at the expense of the entire 1.4 crore electricity consumers of the KSEB, they said. The unions welcomed the proposal to limit the net metering system to 3 kW, but called for more studies on new technologies such as peer-to-peer trading (P2P). Observing that Kerala's solar capacity has grown by 275% over the past two years, the Left-backed KSEB Officers' Association (KSEBOA) welcomed the commission's efforts to encourage energy storage systems through the draft regulations. Welcoming the draft proposals, the KSEB Workers' Association, affiliated to the CITU, called for constructive solutions to balance the requirements of the prosumers and ordinary consumers of the KSEB. The association, however, pointed out that there is a need to correct the propaganda that the draft is against the prosumers. The Kerala Power Board Officers Federation and the INTUC-backed Kerala Electricity Employees Confederation said urgent measures are needed to address the challenges posed by excess injection of solar power into the grid. At the same time, the new investors in the renewable energy sector needs to be encouraged. A demand was also made at the hearing that the commission set a ceiling on the cost of installing solar plants. The series of public hearings held by the commission on the draft will conclude on Thursday.
The Print
10-07-2025
- Politics
- The Print
After 35 yrs, Congress to revive campus elections in Karnataka to reclaim youth base, counter ABVP & Left
'The high command has instructed (the state government) to hold student elections,' B.K. Hariprasad, Karnataka MLC and former AICC general secretary, told ThePrint. It is a significant step for the state Congress, which has relied on student-based support to fill in leadership positions in the past. Bengaluru: The Congress has instructed its Karnataka unit to restart student elections on campuses, resuming a practice that was last held in the 1989-90 academic year. A ban on the same was imposed by the Veerendra Patil-led Congress government in 1989. The Congress high command has written to Chief Minister Siddaramaiah about the same as well, at least three party leaders said. The purpose behind restarting student elections is to counter the tightening grip over the fraternity by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS)-backed Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and Left-leaning outfits, shrinking space for Congress-backed student unions. Congress' student wing National Students' Union of India (NSUI) has seen its influence wane in Karnataka since student elections were seen as dominated by violence, caste-based politics, interference by rowdy elements and politicians, vitiating the atmosphere in colleges. The Karnataka High Court too has held the view that campus elections were responsible for the widespread violence. 'Elections will be first conducted in government colleges. We (government) cannot direct private colleges or universities to hold elections,' Saleem Ahmed, MLC and former working president of the state Congress, told ThePrint. Ahmed was the last national president of the NSUI from Karnataka. The NSUI claims that it has over 40 lakh members across 15,000 colleges in India. But there is little information on its actual ground presence in Karnataka's academic institutions. Seasoned politicians cutting across party lines, such as Arun Jaitley, Sitaram Yechury, Lalu Prasad Yadav, Ananth Kumar, Ajay Maken and Ashok Gehlot, among others, all came up through student movements. But over the years, the space for student leaders has been given to children and relatives of existing leaders or those with money, multiple politicians ThePrint spoke to said. Also Read: DU Students Union election campaigns make grand promises, but no mention of LGBTQ+ or environment 'Breeding ground for future leaders' In the late 1980s, student body elections, especially in Bengaluru's Government RC College and Government Arts & Science College were just as high-profile as any assembly polls. In Karnataka, leaders like Hariprasad dominated student politics in the 1970s, giving Congress grassroots-level support and a constant source of fresh blood for leadership roles. Incumbent deputy CM D. K. Shivakumar too was active in student politics. Other leaders like former Karnataka Speaker Vishweshwar Hegde Kageri, BJP leader N. Ravi Kumar, former minister Roshan Baig and incumbent transport minister Ramalinga Reddy, among others, too came from student movements. But there was violence in colleges and unruly elements roamed campuses, who were often associated with other anti-social elements from outside. Even Shivakumar has openly admitted to having had the backing of Kotwal Ramachandra, a notorious gangster, when he was contesting student elections. Speaking to ThePrint, Ahmed said that in RC College, some members of the students' union had picked up a fight with the principal in the late 1980s. The principal, who was seen to be close to then education minister K.H. Ranganath, asked for a ban on student elections. 'There was at least one murder on account of student elections and Ranganath was given a picture that student elections breed violence,' Ahmed said. It led to the ban on student elections which has remained in effect till this day. Ahmed said that the NSUI gained immense significance after former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi lowered the voting age to 18. 'I had requested Rajiv Gandhi to restart student elections in Karnataka, who in turn referred me to Oscar Fernandes who was KPCC (Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee) president. Fernandes asked Ranganath but he did not budge,' Ahmed said. The Congress, like its counterparts, relied on student movements to shape young leaders. 'It was a breeding ground for future leaders,' he added. But multiple leaders who spoke to ThePrint said the practice of honing student leaders has now been replaced with that of children of established politicians being paradropped into key positions. Leaders like Hariprasad also lamented the decline of the infrastructure that gave the party its strength. In the 2022 hijab-related protests, the Congress literally had no position nor presence on campuses. The Campus Front of India, student arm of the now banned Popular Front of India, stood with the students who demanded the right to wear a hijab in classrooms while several pro-Hindu organisations stood with those opposing this. Student-led movements also played a crucial role in the Emergency-era protests against Indira Gandhi. With ABVP and Left-leaning parties dominating student elections in other states, the Congress hopes that its strong presence in Karnataka will attract young students to its ideology and help increase its base among state youth. (Edited by Nida Fatima Siddiqui) Also Read: Hyderabad university land row: NSUI members oppose own Congress govt, condemn CM Revanth's remarks
