Mangaluru: IIID MRS, IDS join hands to celebrate World Environment Day
Mangaluru (Press release) : The Mangalore Regional Chapter (MRC) of The Institute of Indian Interior Designers (IIID) along with the AK Group of Companies organized a sapling planting drive called ‘Plant a Memory’ in celebration of World Environment Day on Friday, 5th June 2020. This drive was also joined by the Indian Design School (IDS) as a part of their ‘Giving back to the Society’ drive. This marks the second time where IDS and IIID MRC have joined hands for making contributions to the Mangalore City.
The sapling plantation drive was headed by the President of IIID MRC, Ar. Mohammed Nissar, along with Mr. AK Najim and Mr. AK Sajid (Directors of AK Group of Companies), Ar. Ramnath Nayak (Principal of IDS and Executive Committee Member of IIID MRC) and Ar. Nikhilraj P. (Associate Member of IIID MRC and Asst. Professor at IDS). In this drive, 5 mango saplings were planted by each of them as a symbolic gesture for the tree planting drive by the AK Group. The members of AK Group and IIID MRC have made commitment to the environment as an integral part of our strategy. The AK Group have so for planted more than 10000 trees all over South India, strengthening their integration into local communities. The AK Group has pledged 1000 saplings each to IIID NEC (Pan-India), IIID MRC, Indian Design School and The Shepherds International Academy every year for its contribution to the environment. This drive will have 4000 saplings planted every year by these four institutions.
This drive was well received by the IIID National Executive Committee and the IIID MRC along with the architecture and design fraternity of Mangalore, inspiring more people across Mangalore to follow a similar drive that is synonymous with the principle of IDS and IIID MRC – Giving back to the society.
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People must do politics; elected representatives must work, says Actor Prakash Raj
Kalaburagi: Actor and activist Prakash Raj has said that in a democracy, politics must be done by the people, while elected representatives are meant to work and serve after winning elections.
Speaking at the launch of Vartha Bharati's Kalyana Karnataka edition in Kalaburagi on Saturday, Prakash Raj said that once representatives are elected, their only responsibility is service. “This is our tax, our country. Service is the only job of people’s representatives. They come to seek votes every five years; the people do not,” he said.
Releasing the newspaper’s special issue at the event, he asserted that the distinction between people and politicians must never be reversed. “This is our country. Citizens must continuously engage in politics, and politicians must continuously work. Never change this order. Politics belongs to the people,” he said.
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Quoting writer P. Lankesh, Prakash Raj said newspapers, media, artists, and citizens must act as a permanent opposition. “They must be the voice of the people without seeking the patronage of the ruling party. Only then can they work fearlessly,” he said. He stressed the need to clearly tell today’s society who must engage in politics.
Referring to regional imbalance, he said Karnataka has become Bengaluru-centric and confined largely to southern Karnataka. With Vartha Bharati entering the Kalyana Karnataka region, he said the newspaper must contribute to the region’s development by consistently reporting its issues with a strong voice.
Prakash Raj also spoke about the role of independent media, saying that anyone can be swept away in a flood, including dead fish, but to swim against the current requires life. “Independent media have that life. Ravish Kumar, The Wire, and Vartha Bharati have the courage to swim against the flood,” he said.
He warned that fear strengthens authoritarianism. “If we are not afraid, they will be afraid,” he said, alleging that institutions such as the police, Election Commission, courts, and media are being pressured, silenced, and manipulated for political benefit. Expressing concern over the denial of bail to Umar Khalid, he said there is a visible lack of conscience in institutions meant to deliver justice to the people.
Recalling the early years after Independence, Prakash Raj said there was once fear of the police but also faith in the judiciary. “There was confidence that injustice would be addressed in court. Today, that faith no longer exists,” he said. He alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bharatiya Janata Party are responsible for the present situation.
Using a metaphor, he said India is like a pond disturbed by a demon within it. “A lotus blooms on the surface, that is the BJP. We are fighting the lotus, but the real fight should be against the RSS, the root power beneath,” he said.
Drawing parallels with past global authoritarian regimes, he said leaders like Hitler and Mussolini headed political parties and could be defeated electorally. “The RSS is not a political party. Defeating the BJP alone is not enough. The roots must be uprooted,” he said, adding that despite changes in appearance, the ideological growth remains unchanged.
Prakash Raj also raised concerns over Hindi imposition, delimitation, and what he described as political oppression of southern states such as Kerala, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, and Andhra Pradesh in the name of elections. He said people must recognise who is responsible for this oppression and understand the role of newspapers like Vartha Bharati in identifying and exposing it.
The event also marked the formal launch of Vartha Bharati's Kalyana Karnataka edition in Kalaburagi.
