Latest news with #RamachandraGuha
The Hindu
13-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Devanahalli land row: Prominent personalities seek intervention of Congress high command
Ahead of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's July 15 meeting with Devanahalli farmers who are seeking shelving of land acquisition, 65 prominent personalities, including historian Ramachandra Guha and writer Devanur Mahadeva, have sought immediate intervention of the Congress high command to provide justice to farmers. In an open letter to AICC president Mallikarjun Kharge, the prominent personalities have appealed to him to act with urgency and foresight to ensure that the Government of Karnataka honours its word and stands by farmers who are demanding that process of acquisition of 1,777 acres of land in 13 villages of Channarayapatna hobli in Devanahalli taluk for the proposed aerospace park be shelved. 'This is the moment to stand not only with the people — but for the principles they entrusted you to uphold,' said these personalities who include environmentalist N. Yellappa Reddy, theatre artists B. Jayashree and Arundhati Nag, agricultuiral economist Prakash Kammaradi, progressive writer Vijayamma, and film-maker Girish Kasaravalli besides a host of former Vice-Chancellors. They expressed concern over some people in the government voicing apprehensions that meeting the farmers' demands may hinder development or drive industries to neighbouring States. 'This narrative appears to be paving the way for delays or a possible retreat from the commitment (made before the Assembly elections to farmers that their land acquisition will be shelved). Such backtracking will not only erode the credibility of the State government, but seriously damage the Congress party's standing among rural and agrarian communities,' they warned. 'Ahead of the July 15 meeting with farmers, we urge the Karnataka government to initiate inclusive consultations — including industry leaders — to evolve a comprehensive, transparent, and balanced land acquisition and industrial land use policy,' they said. Pointing out that 163 affected farmers belong to the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes, and much of this land was granted to them under land reform schemes, they argued that such land cannot be acquired or transferred without special permissions and protections. Circumventing these would violate constitutional guarantees and the spirit of social justice, they contended.
The Hindu
09-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
NLSIU to host inaugural Justice Ahmadi Distinguished Lecture on Saturday
The National Law School of India University (NLSIU), Bengaluru, in collaboration with the Ahmadi Foundation, will host the inaugural edition of the Justice Ahmadi Distinguished Lecture Series on July 12. Renowned historian and biographer Ramachandra Guha will deliver the keynote lecture titled 'What Would Dr. Ambedkar Make of India Today?' The event is scheduled to take place at the Bangalore International Centre (BIC) auditorium, Domlur II Stage, from 11 a.m. to 12.30 p.m.
The Hindu
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
Devanahalli Land Row: ‘Silence is not neutrality, speak up', Karnataka intellectuals urge industry and tech leaders
Urging industry and technology leaders to stand with the farmers of Devanahalli, as many as 30 scholars, scientists, and public-policy experts from Karnataka have asked them to speak out on the protracted land conflict and displacement of the farming community in the region. In an open letter dated July 1, 2025, the signatories including Ramachandra Guha, Sabiha Bhoomigowda, Chandan Gowda, Janaki Nair among others, demanded that business leaders raise their voice for 'a fairer, more balanced development paradigm' and use their leadership 'for conscience, equity, and a just future.' Farmers from 13 villages in Devanahalli taluk have been engaged in protest for over 1,180 days against the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board's (KIADB) plan to acquire 1,777 acres of fertile farmland for a proposed Defence and Aerospace Park. Legitimacy of the land acquisition process Echoing the concerns of Devanahalli's farmers and residents related to loss of livelihood as well as a 'fair and timely' compensation, the letter said that the protest raises urgent questions about the direction of Karnataka's development strategy. The scholars and scientists flagged the legitimacy of the land acquisition process, pointing to KIADB's 2022 survey that showed that over 80% of farmers were unwilling to part with their land as well as an earlier CAG Performance Audit Report (No. 8 of 2017), which had exposed serious irregularities in KIADB's land acquisition and allotment processes. Using nan-arable land for industries 'KIADB already holds significant surplus, unutilised land across Karnataka that could accommodate such industrial ventures. The persistent focus on acquiring fertile farmland in Devanahalli, despite these alternatives, raises serious concerns about opaque land transactions and possible collusion between speculative interests and elements within the ruling establishment,' the letter said. 'We also ask that you protect food security by opposing the diversion of fertile arable land to industrial use and by insisting that industrial corridors be confined to non-arable land unfit for farming,' it added. Economic success vs ethical leadership Coming days ahead of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's scheduled meeting with farmer representatives and stakeholders on July 4, the letter appealed to industry leaders to seek from the State government a thorough review of the Devanahalli acquisition and support a broader public dialogue on Karnataka's land-acquisition policy. 'Today, your responsibility extends beyond economic success to ethical leadership and the pursuit of inclusive development. In this moment, silence is not neutrality—it is impact,' the open letter noted.
The Hindu
01-07-2025
- Business
- The Hindu
‘Silence is not neutrality, speak up': Karnataka activists and intellectuals write open letter to industry and tech leaders
Urging industry and technology leaders to stand with the farmers of Devanahalli, as many as 30 scholars, scientists, and public-policy experts from Karnataka have asked them to speak out on the protracted land conflict and displacement of the farming community in the region. In an open letter dated July 1, 2025, the signatories including Ramachandra Guha, Sabiha Bhoomigowda, Chandan Gowda, Janaki Nair among others, demanded that business leaders raise their voice for 'a fairer, more balanced development paradigm' and use their leadership 'for conscience, equity, and a just future.' Farmers from 13 villages in Devanahalli taluk have been engaged in protest for over 1,180 days against the Karnataka Industrial Areas Development Board's (KIADB) plan to acquire 1,777 acres of fertile farmland for a proposed Defence and Aerospace Park. Legitimacy of the land acquisition process Echoing the concerns of Devanahalli's farmers and residents related to loss of livelihood as well as a 'fair and timely' compensation, the letter said that the protest raises urgent questions about the direction of Karnataka's development strategy. The scholars and scientists flagged the legitimacy of the land acquisition process, pointing to KIADB's 2022 survey that showed that over 80% of farmers were unwilling to part with their land as well as an earlier CAG Performance Audit Report (No. 8 of 2017), which had exposed serious irregularities in KIADB's land acquisition and allotment processes. Using nan-arable land for industries 'KIADB already holds significant surplus, unutilised land across Karnataka that could accommodate such industrial ventures. The persistent focus on acquiring fertile farmland in Devanahalli, despite these alternatives, raises serious concerns about opaque land transactions and possible collusion between speculative interests and elements within the ruling establishment,' the letter said. 'We also ask that you protect food security by opposing the diversion of fertile arable land to industrial use and by insisting that industrial corridors be confined to non-arable land unfit for farming,' it added. Economic success vs ethical leadership Coming days ahead of Chief Minister Siddaramaiah's scheduled meeting with farmer representatives and stakeholders on July 4, the letter appealed to industry leaders to seek from the State government a thorough review of the Devanahalli acquisition and support a broader public dialogue on Karnataka's land-acquisition policy. 'Today, your responsibility extends beyond economic success to ethical leadership and the pursuit of inclusive development. In this moment, silence is not neutrality—it is impact,' the open letter noted.
The Hindu
06-06-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Suspension of police commissioner rankles police establishment
'Karnataka's ruling politicians and cricket administrators are jointly responsible for Wednesday's tragedy. Their greedy lust for reflected glory led to it. To make an outstanding officer a scapegoat is reprehensible.' -- Ramachandra Guha, Historian The unprecedented suspension of the Bengaluru City Police Commissioner over the stampede at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium, that claimed 11 lives, has left the police rank and file across the State deeply disgruntled. While those in service are unable to give vent to it their anger, at least three former Bengaluru City Police Commissioners -- Jyoti Prakash Mirji, Bhaskar Rao and N.S. Megharik -- have openly condemned the government's action and said the police were being made 'scapegoats.' Where is preliminary probe? Mr. Mirji termed the government action 'irresponsible' and done to 'save their own skin.' 'There was not even a preliminary inquiry conducted which found a prima facie lapse. How could a commissioner be suspended like this?' he questioned. Mr. Rao, now associated with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), took to social media and said this was the 'darkest day in the history of Karnataka police' and said this was 'the prize for telling the truth and slogging the whole night to keep Bengaluru safe.' Mr. Megharik said that the police were only a small part of the event and there were bigger stakeholders. 'Mistakes may happen but this is not the way to deal with them. As IPS and former Commissioners fraternity, we are upset,' he said on Friday. IPS officers' Association, Karnataka, was scheduled to meet on Friday evening to chart their next course of action, but the meeting was postponed at the last minute. Plans are on to meet the Chief Minister and register their protest at the decision, multiple sources said. One of the IPS officers suspended is expected to challenge his suspension in the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT). Sources said the police fraternity is trying to build a strong case to counter the political leadership's allegation that they were not kept in loop about the event at the stadium and also to show how the police advice was overruled. Anger against political class A senior officer from the city rued that the political leadership first put pressure on them to hold a big celebration at short notice, overruling their advice, and later 'betrayed' them as a face-saving ploy. 'There is anger in the force even among juniors. How do we pacify or control them when our leadership has disregarded and unfairly made us scapegoats?' asked a senior officer. Another officer said that when things had gone wrong, they were being asked whether they had rejected the proposal for the event in writing. 'If the default mode of thinking of officers becomes how to save themselves from the axe, it will be a blow to policing,' he said. Public support Meanwhile, the city police have been getting public support from citizens online. The campaign #IstandwithBangalorePolice was trending on social media on Friday. City-based historian, who has written extensively on cricket, Ramachandra Guha, took to social media and wrote: 'Karnataka's ruling politicians and cricket administrators are jointly responsible for Wednesday's tragedy. Their greedy lust for reflected glory led to it. To make an outstanding officer a scapegoat is reprehensible'. Suspension has to be ratified by Centre The suspension of Indian Police Service (IPS) officers has to be ratified by the Union Government within 30 days and if they reject it, the suspension gets revoked, sources said. With the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and Janata Dal (Secular) coming to the support of the police, claiming the Congress government has made them 'scapegoats', this procedural requirement may take a political turn, sources said. 'Procedurally, the government should have conducted a preliminary inquiry and suspended officials based on the report. No such inquiry was completed before suspension. This may become a bone of contention,' a senior IPS officer said.
