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MUDA chief appointment roils senior Congressmen

March 4, 2015Leadersmpositiveone@gmail.com

While Surayya Abrar assumed charge as President of Madikeri Urban Development Authority (MUDA) on Monday, several senior Congress leaders expressed their displeasure over the appointment.

Some members of city unit of Congress Party, decided to tender their resignation to the party positions, claiming that the post of MUDA President has not been given to native members of Congress. They claimed of the alleged involvement of a former MP behind the appointment of the new President. The former MP has taken the decision without the consent of the local leaders, they said.

Names of senior leaders T M Ayyappa, V P Suresh and Chummi Devaiah were apparently heard for the post of the MUDA President. But, the former MP has selected a candidate who had lost deposit in the CMC elections held last year, local Congress leaders said.

The position of MUDA President was lying vacant for two years, ever since Congress government came into power in the state. Local leaders in Madikeri unit of Congress had requested the senior partymen to appoint a senior Congress leader in Madikeri, to the post. A twelve-member committee was also constituted towards the selection of the posts of Presidents of other authorities, including Madikeri Urban Development Authority. The district Congress had recommended the names of T M Ayyappa, V P Suresh and Chummi Devaiah. But the list of the names was subject to changes in the last moment, due to the intervention of the former MP, they said.

Congress leaders said CMC President’s post has already been given to a lady belonging to a particular community and now, the MUDA President’s post has also gone to a lady belonging to the same community. The members belonging to other communities have been neglected, they added.

A Senior leader opined that the Congress has been giving priority to candidates from a particular community, to prevent erosion in its vote bank, as during last CMC elections, SDPI had earned much votes than Congress.

A discomfited aspirant said the current development will affect the results of the upcoming Gram Panchayat elections.

Delegation to KPCC

The Congress leaders in the city have been reportedly planning to take a delegation to KPCC, Bengaluru, to urge to withhold the new appointment and to give an opportunity to a senior leader from the party.

‘Discomfort is natural’

Speaking to reports, newly appointed MUDA President Surayya Abrar said it was obvious for Congress leaders to be disappointed and that things will be sorted out eventually.
She meanwhile thanked former M P H Vishwanath, district Congress unit President B T Pradip, Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and KPCC President G Parameshwar, who made possible her appointment for the MUDA President’s post.

Ibrahim bats for permanent planning board with independence like judiciary

March 3, 2015Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leadersmpositiveone@gmail.com

C.M. Ibrahim, Deputy Chairperson of the Karnataka State Planning Board. File Photo: K. Bhagya Prakash./ The Hindu

C.M. Ibrahim, Deputy Chairperson of the Karnataka State Planning Board, has recommended to the State Government the setting up a permanent planning board with independence akin to the judiciary to review and hold the executive to account.

Speaking after inaugurating a seminar on the state budget by the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy of the National Law School of India University here on Tuesday, he said that the board should have the responsibility to review works in all 36 government departments. He said that the body should have eight members with responsibility of departments divided among them.

The board should meet once every three months to review allocation of money in departments and how it is spent, said Mr. Ibrahim, adding that members should have powers to pull up officials who fail to effectively execute plans. The board should also visit districts and hold consultations, he said.

Mr. Ibrahim said that the Planning Board is meeting in mid-April to review budget allocation and work out a mechanism for implementation.

Focus on spending

Making a presentation at the seminar on gender and budget, K. Gayithri from the Institute of Social and Economic Change (ISEC), said that a thorough analysis of the budget will have to focus not on allocation of money but on how much of it is released and how it is spent.

Bunching together of expenditure in the last quarter was a particular area of concern, she added. More than half the expenditure in many departments happen after December, said Prof. Gayithri.

Manohar Yadav, also from ISEC, in his paper on budget proposals for Scheduled Castes, said that though allocation for the welfare of Dalits has seen a consistent rise in various budgets, allocations in some sectors, such as tourism, have had no direct or palpable benefits to the intended target group.

“It is difficult, for example, to understand how SCs would benefit from such allocation particularly when we find that they are not involved in tourism development,” he said.

source: http: //www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> National> Karnataka / by Bageshree S. / Bengaluru – March 03rd, 2015

21 doors & a fiery spirit

March 3, 2015Arts, Culture & Entertainment, Business & Economy, Community Involvement / Social Issues, Leaders, World Opinionmpositiveone@gmail.com

By:Aliyeh Rizvi

I was standing outside the swank automobile showrooms in India Garage the other day, watching excited owners roll out onto St Marks Road in their ribbon wrapped cars. Ironically, the petrol bunk area inside this graceful building was where around 1920, Hajee Osman Sait, an eminent Cutchi Memon businessman, struck a match and deliberately set fire to all the imported goods sold in the Cash Bazaar as it was called back then.

This brazen act of arson must have seemed incomprehensible to gentile customers in the Cantonment. The Cash Bazaar opposite Bowring Institute (1868) was where they bought everything from pins and provisions to ‘English vegetables’, fruits and flowers. Setting fire to goods was something a flourishing trader just did not do. The popular shopping arcade was also a family legacy. It had been built by his grandfather Yousuf Pir Mohammed who had moved to Bangalore from Kutch. Each of his seven sons received ‘three doors’ from where they managed their business. The building, therefore, had 21 doors that opened onto a wide verandah with cast iron grills.

But while the Cantonment speculated, the Non-cooperation Movement (1920) led by Gandhiji escalated into public meetings and protests across the country. Amongst other things, it also advocated a boycott of British goods. This civil disobedience ran in parallel with the pan-Islamic Khilafat movement (1919-1924) whose leaders, including the brothers Maulana Mohammad and Shaukat Ali, were allied with the Indian National Congress at that time.

Hajee Osman Sait, President, Madras and Bangalore Khilafat Committee, was deeply inspired by India’s freedom struggle. He played host to Gandhiji, Pandit Nehru and the Ali brothers at his home on St Mark’s Road (around present day Hotel Nandhini). He sold his property, donated money and apparently even publicly auctioned off his eldest son to raise funds. Ebrahim was returned respectfully and the money, donated. He opened an Indian National School (1921) on his property, Stafford House (now Bishop Cottons Girls School) and sent his own children to local schools. The Cash Bazaar bonfire was yet another contribution to the movement.

Masood Ali, Yousuf Sait’s son, says his grandfather was an unbelievably wealthy businessman who owned over 20 acres in the area, including several large bungalows of which four were named after his sons — Yakhoob, Ebrahim, Khader and Yousuf Villas. Four white horses drew his famous buggy. They were housed on Residency Road before the Imperial Talkies was built and then moved to stables at the Cash Bazaar which also sold hackney carriages.
The stables were later occupied by Sir Mark Cubbon’s horses and used by the Bangalore Riders Club (1934). Later on, Addison & Co. sold bicycles, cars (Peugeots and Buicks among them) and motorcycles next door. India Garage’s history of hot wheels began here long before shiny automobiles arrived in India.

Haji Osman Sait’s dedication to the freedom movement cost him dearly. He passed away in 1928, in a rented home around the age of fifty-six. Masood Ali says his funeral procession was over 5 kms long and extended from the Jumma Masjid off Commercial Street to the Jayamahal Palace burial ground.

India Garage was subsequently sold in an auction in the 1930s and then became the first showroom of the pioneering VST Group founded by V S Thiruvengadaswamy Mudaliar in1911.The building retains the original structure and some trees he planted. But its doors now open out to a free, liberalised India.

The writer is a cultural documentarian and blogs at aturquoisecloud.wordpress.com

source: http://www.bangaloremirror.com / Bangalore Mirror / Home> Bangalore> Others / by Aliyeh Rizvi, Bangalore Mirror Bureau / May 12th, 2014

BMCRI Achievers Toast Their Success

March 2, 2015Education, Science & Technologympositiveone@gmail.com

Bangalore Medical College students exulting during the convocation at the institute on Sunday I NAGESH POLALI

Bengaluru :

“I want to serve my nation that has given me an identity as a doctor,” said Dr Gowra Chattannavar, who received five gold medals at the convocation ceremony held by Bangalore Medical College and Research Institute for the 2009 batch MBBS students on Sunday.

She secured gold medals in biochemistry, physiology, pharmacology, general medicine and pediatrics.

Dr Kishen Rao, who hails from Sullia, received the best outgoing student award in sports category. He said, “Now I want to pursue my IAS exam to serve my people and make my poor parents proud of me.”

Dr P K Devadas, dean, Bangalore Medical College and Research, said a trauma centre at Victoria Hospital will become operational from next month. The disaster management unit would be the first in the state, and would have 40 beds for disaster management and 40 beds for intensive care.

Dr Devadas congratulated the 150 graduates and asked them to serve patients without any bias. He said BMCRI has already started the construction of a new seven-storey complex, which will have all the latest facilities including a food court and gym. This will be at a cost of `130 crore.

Medical Education Minister Dr Sharan Prakash Patil said more than the students, parents should be congratulated for taking the pain to educate their children.

Dr S S Harsoor, director of medical education, Dr T K Ramesh, director of Minto Eye Hospital, Dr Syed Iqbalulla Khadri, medical superintendent of Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital, Dr Girish, special officer of PMSSY Hospital, Dr I Durganna, medical superintendent of Victoria Hospital, and Dr Gangadhar Velvadi, medical superintendent of Vani Vilas Hospital were present.

source: http://www.newindianexpress.com / The New Indian Express / Home> Cities> Bengaluru / by Express News Service / March 02nd, 2015

Basant sheds its colours on poet Akbarabadi’s tomb

March 1, 2015Arts, Culture & Entertainmentmpositiveone@gmail.com

Agra will on Saturday celebrate the 275th birth anniversary of noted 18th century Urdu poet Nazeer Akbarabadi, popularly known as the “people’s poet”. This year, the anniversary falls on Basant Panchami — the first day of spring.

The modest tomb of Akbarabadi, who wrote on subjects of love and common man’s life, is located just 100 metres away from Taj Mahal. It will be in focus Saturday as his admirers will queue up to pay him homage.

For most part of the year, Nazir’s tomb in the Taj Ganj area lies in a neglected state. Only during Basant Panchami does it springs back to life as a ‘mushaira’, or poets’ conclave, is held.

The Agra Municipal Corporation and the Agra Development Authority took the initiative to provide a canopy over the tomb and spruce up the area to attract tourists who visit the Taj Mahal.

His life in Agra

It was Nazeer Akbarabadi who gave Agra a new identity through his poetry.

He wrote about things that touched the hearts of both Muslims and Hindus and these included festivals, dance and theatre, bird fights and kite-flying.

Nazir looked at the follies of royalty with disdain but sang lyrically about the antics of Lord Krishna and poked fun at the fundamentalists.

Nazir also loved the Taj Mahal ‘deeply’ and there is a story that once he decided to leave Agra for greener pastures but returned after walking some distance when he lost sight of the monument. IANS

source: http://www.thehindu.com / The Hindu / Home> News> In School / by IANS / Agra – January 24th, 2015