When BJ goons terrorised Baroda medicos Saturday, December 1, 2001
SOURCE - TIMES NEWS NETWORK
VADODARA: The notoriety of B J Medical College (BJMC) students, currently embroiled in a major controversy, is not confined to the boundaries of Ahmedabad.
Medicos of Baroda Medical College harbour bitter memories of the incident when organisers of a 'Vibrant', a cultural were bashed up by BJMC students.
The incident took place in July this year following a minor tiff when a BJMC student was prevented from joining a jam session as he lacked an entry card.
The matter didn't end at this. Five organisers were brutally bashed up the next morning at their hostel. The BJMC students , on being outnumbered, summoned reinforcements from Ahmedabad before they launched a final assault on the Vadodara medicos!
A medico, who was an eyewitness to the episode, recalled that that those who came to beat them up were brandishing cricket bats, iron chains and other articles. "They had already identified the rooms of the organisers.... The attack was well planned and nobody came to know about it till they had left."
A resident, Dr H Kagdi, who was another witness said, "They chased me when I came to see what was happening. It was only after they had left that we came to know who they were. The hostelites were shocked as the details started trickling in..."
The mob allegedly escaped with mobile handsets and other valuables. But no police complaint was registered.
The attack marred an otherwise well organised event, said Dr Nipul Vara, another resident doctor. "Such acts do not behove doctors. Tiffs do take place, but that doesn't mean people start using bats and chains. Even our egos were hurt after the incident. But we didn't pick up weapons and rush to BJMC."
However, this incident is not the only one where the Vadodara medicos suffered at the hands of their BJMC counterparts. "They have always resorted to highhandedness and bullying tactics. A few years back residents of the entire state joined a strike for a raise in stipends, but junior doctors of BJMC kept away and played into the hands of politicians there. Not limiting themselves at this, they threatened us when we went to Ahmedabad for a meeting," said former Junior Doctors Association president Dr Sachin Patel.
Former president of Baroda Intern Doctors Association Dr Niraj Desai pointed out that despite having political connections, students in Vadodara maintained a low profile. "This is in striking contrast to the BJMC culture. The students there have been pampered by a few influential elements who protect them."
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Porbandar ::Woman beaten up to prevent contesting polls Saturday, December 1, 2001
SOURCE - TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD: The Congress got its first weapon to hit out at the Samras scheme after a woman - Lakhiben Odedara from Bakharla village in Porbandar - wanting to file nomination for the gram panchayat elections was allegedly beaten up by the rival faction to prevent her from contesting.
Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee president Amarsinh Chaudhary told newspersons on Friday that persons from the gang - belonging to taluka panchayat president Bhima Dula - attacked Lakhiben Odedara, who wanted to file nomination for the post of sarpanch from Bakharla village.
Chaudhary said that Bhima, who is the brother of Kutiyana MLA Karsan Dula, sent his men to her place who broke her limbs with an iron pipe. "This was seen by the staff of the primary health centre," he said. A complaint was lodged in this regard.
When contacted, the Porbandar control room said that such an incident has been reported but could not confirm if a case has been lodged.
He alleged that Bhima's men have been 'patrolling' the villages of Adityana, Borija and Bakharla with guns and swords to ensure that no one files nominations. "It is unfortunate that the chief minister is contemplating to contest elections from a constituency where such hooliganism exists," he says.
Chaudhary said that such complaints have also come from other districts, and criticised the BJP for violating the election code of conduct for launching projects and schemes after the code came into effect. He said the Congress has filed complaints with the state election commission. Everyone from the chief minister to other ministers were violating this code, he added.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Woman beaten up to prevent contesting polls Saturday, December 1, 2001
SOURCE - TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD: The Congress got its first weapon to hit out at the Samras scheme after a woman - Lakhiben Odedara from Bakharla village in Porbandar - wanting to file nomination for the gram panchayat elections was allegedly beaten up by the rival faction to prevent her from contesting.
Gujarat Pradesh Congress Committee president Amarsinh Chaudhary told newspersons on Friday that persons from the gang - belonging to taluka panchayat president Bhima Dula - attacked Lakhiben Odedara, who wanted to file nomination for the post of sarpanch from Bakharla village.
Chaudhary said that Bhima, who is the brother of Kutiyana MLA Karsan Dula, sent his men to her place who broke her limbs with an iron pipe. "This was seen by the staff of the primary health centre," he said. A complaint was lodged in this regard.
When contacted, the Porbandar control room said that such an incident has been reported but could not confirm if a case has been lodged.
He alleged that Bhima's men have been 'patrolling' the villages of Adityana, Borija and Bakharla with guns and swords to ensure that no one files nominations. "It is unfortunate that the chief minister is contemplating to contest elections from a constituency where such hooliganism exists," he says.
Chaudhary said that such complaints have also come from other districts, and criticised the BJP for violating the election code of conduct for launching projects and schemes after the code came into effect. He said the Congress has filed complaints with the state election commission. Everyone from the chief minister to other ministers were violating this code, he added.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Change mindset, counsels Irani Saturday, December 1, 2001
SOURCE - TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD: Former Tata Iron and Steel managing director J J Irani believes modernisation of the Indian mindset is perhaps more important than anything else. Addressing the IIM's international business school meet - Confluence 2001 on Friday, he said it was imperative to change in the prevailing circumstances to survive and grow.
They password was the mindset which he felt was more important than superficial changes in financial, mechanical and technical areas.
In contrast to pride and arrogance in the pre-liberalisation era owing to limited competition, TISCO has now propped up customer -friendly and socially conscious face. He said modernisation of the mindset will be the decisive factor in the success or failure of an enterprise.
"In the past decade, TISCO has spent Rs 7,000 crore to bring change at various levels, and now we are in its last phase - the change of mindset," he said. Irani pointed out that today the manager must understand that the service is more important than the quality of the product.
The first morning started off with an IT panel discussion probing the current scenario after the dotcom crash. The speakers included f KV Nori of TCS, Shailendrajith Singh of jalva.com, Mukesh Patel of Applitech, Ramesh Ravan of Saral Infotech and BH Jajoo of IIM-A. Nori emphasised the importance of application of the basic concepts, while Singh was enthusiastic about the revival after the crash.
Patel and Ravan commented about the problems faced by India by way of the attitude of its professionals. They stressed on the inherent potential available and the lack of its conversion to reality.
The afternoon saw the advertising workshop hosted by Shekhar Deshpande of Hindustan Thompson Associates (HTA). The audience went through strategic as well as creative elements of advertising, primarily through games played during the workshop.
Other events included a segmentation game and a corporate takeover game, which involved strategising a bid for the takeover of a company in a hypothetical situation. The events for the night, which are eagerly awaited, include the presentation of the IIMACTS play 'ten little niggers', an adaptation of the play by Agatha Christie and the Business Quiz to conducted by Parnab Mukherjee.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
Corporate houses bid at auction Saturday, December 1, 2001
SOURCE - TIMES NEWS NETWORK
AHMEDABAD: Chief Minister Narendra Modi's gifts, which were put up for auction a few days ago, went for Rs 17 lakh at a grand function on Friday. At least 17 leading industrial houses set their representatives who 'bid' and bought the gifts. The function was held at Gujarat Chamber of Commerce and Industry premises here.
The proceeds are to be spent for programmes for women's welfare as promised by Modi. The gifts were wrapped and given away to the representatives without anyone getting to know what went to whom. The industries presented their respective cheques against this.
The industrialists included Arvind Lalbhai of the Arvind group, Sushil Handa of Claris Life Sciences, Gautam Adani of the Adani group, Hiren Patel from Nirma, Balasubramanium from the Torrent group, Rajendra Shah from Shah Alloys, Jayendra Kharawala from Jaychem, Girish Patel from Paras Pharmaceuticals, P R Joshi from Zydus Cadilla-Cadilla Healthcare, the others being from Rama Multitech, Elegant India, Superbakers, Sagar Dyes and Indian Rayon.
Accepting the amount against the auctioned gifts, Modi said: "This has given me new strength for social service." In reply to an issue raised by GCCI president Kalyan Shah, the chief minister hinted at the possibility of octroi abolition, saying that octroi would eventually go from the six municipal corporations.
Modi saw the development of ports and tourism as necessary for the state's progress. "Ports will be like the gateways to the state's progress, and like natural resources, the seacoast will become the highway for the state's development," he said. He also urged the businessmen to step into the fields of heritage tourism, adventure tourism and eco-tourism.
To another representation made by GCCI about inflated power bills, he said since electricity was generated by coal it was bound to be expensive. He added that efforts were being made to adopt a gas-based method for power generation. He stressed on the need to host a "round table conference" involving the government, business organisations and the administrative wing to create a dialogue for hastening the pace of industrial progress in the state.
News Source : The Times of India [India's best Newspaper]
