Anti-DOGE protests at Tesla stores target Elon Musk's bottom line
Boston (AP): Demonstrators gathered outside Tesla stores across the US Saturday to protest the automaker's billionaire CEO, Elon Musk, and his push to slash government spending on behalf of President Donald Trump.
The demonstrations are part of a growing backlash in North America and Europe to Musk's disruptive role in Washington.
Critics of Trump and Musk hope to discourage and stigmatise purchases of Tesla, the electric car company that is the world's most valuable automaker. Liberal groups for weeks have organized anti-Tesla protests in hopes of galvanizing opposition to Musk's Department of Government Efficiency and energising Democrats still demoralized by Trump's November victory.
“We can get back at Elon,” said Nathan Phillips, a 58-year-old ecologist from Newton, Massachusetts, who was protesting in Boston on Saturday. “We can impose direct economic damage on Tesla by showing up at showrooms everywhere and boycotting Tesla and telling everyone else to get out, sell your stocks, sell your Teslas.”
Musk is taking direction from Trump to slash federal spending and sharply reduce the workforce, arguing that Trump's victory gave the president and him a mandate to restructure the US government. DOGE officials have swiftly gained access to sensitive databases, directed thousands of federal job cuts, cancelled contracts and shut down sections of the government, including the US Agency for International Development.
Musk's critics say his actions defy Congress's power to control the US budget and present a host of ways for him to enrich himself. Musk leads several other companies, notably SpaceX, which conducts launches for NASA and the intelligence community, and the social media platform X.
“Protests will not deter President Trump and Elon Musk from delivering on the promise to establish DOGE and make our federal government more efficient and more accountable to the hardworking American taxpayers across the country," said White House spokesperson Harrison Fields.
Tesla did not respond to an emailed request for comment.
More than 50 demonstrations were listed Saturday on the website Tesla Takedown, with more planned later in March from coast to coast in the United States along with England, Spain and Portugal. News reports showed demonstrations in recent days in US cities including Tucson, Arizona; St. Louis; New York City; Dayton, Ohio; Charlotte; and Palo Alto, California.
Some Tesla owners have also reported their vehicles vandalized with spray painted swastikas amid what Jewish groups and observers fear is a rise in antisemitism.
Federal prosecutors charged a woman in connection with a string of vandalism against a Colorado Tesla dealership, which included Molotov cocktails being thrown at vehicles and the words “Nazi cars” spray painted on the building.
Saturday's demonstration in Boston had a festive atmosphere, with a brass band playing music as protesters carried signs and chanted. Several of the signs mocked Musk and DOGE, with one reading: “Stop Elon and his despicable Muskrats.”
“This government led by Trump and Musk, it's gone completely off the rails and we are here to stop that,” said Carina Campovasso, a retired federal worker. “And I hope they listen.”
About 300 demonstrators protested at a Tesla dealership in New York City on Saturday. Police said nine people were taken into custody but did not elaborate on the charges they faced.
Tesla's share price has fallen by nearly a third since Trump took office, though it's still higher than it was a year ago. Musk's current net worth is an estimated $359 billion, according to Forbes, which calculated his 2024 net worth as $195 billion.
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'Aurangzebi govt': BJP slams Cong-led Karnataka dispensation over saffron shawl ban in schools
New Delhi (PTI): A political row erupted on Friday over the Congress-led Karnataka government's clarification that saffron shawls would not be allowed in educational institutions, with the BJP alleging that it is pursuing "appeasement and vote-bank politics".
The controversy flared up after Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Thursday that saffron shawls would not be allowed in educational institutions under the state government's order on religious symbols, while practices already in existence such as hijab, turbans, rudraksha beads and sacred threads (janeu) would continue to be permitted.
BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla alleged that the Congress government is pursuing appeasement politics and termed it an "Aurangzebi government".
"This government allows the wearing of hijab inside institutions, which the Supreme Court and high court had not allowed. But you cannot wear a 'bhagwa' (saffron) shawl or 'bhagwa' angavastram. This is the mindset of the Siddaramaiah government," Poonawalla said in a video post on X.
He alleged that the Congress government can go to any extent for appeasement politics and accused the party of "abusing Sanatan" in the past as well.
"They have shown Hindu hatred, from terms like 'bhagwa terror' and 'Hindu terror' to abusing Sanatan.
"We have seen how Congress leaders in Tamil Nadu have abused Sanatan. In Telangana, they said Congress means Muslims. They seek Muslim reservation in the name of vote-bank politics and appeasement," he alleged.
Poonawalla further alleged that the Siddaramaiah government has adopted a discriminatory policy and claimed that it had earlier announced a "Muslim-only budget" and "Muslim colonies".
Speaking to reporters in Mysuru, the chief minister clarified that those religious attire which are in practice will be allowed.
The Karnataka government on Wednesday passed an order allowing students to wear the hijab, sacred thread, Shivadhara and rudraksha in schools.
The order scrapped the BJP government's 2022 order, banning Hijab in government schools following the hijab versus saffron shawl controversy.
"Saffron shawls are not allowed. Those shawls cannot be worn. Turbans, sacred thread, Shivadhara, rudraksha and hijab can also be worn," Siddaramaiah told reporters.
"See, it is not just the hijab. People can also wear sacred threads; Shivadhara rudraksha beads everyone can wear, things according to their beliefs.
"This is allowed up to Class 12, whether it is high school, college or primary school. It applies to all," he added.
Asked whether saffron turbans representing saffron identity would be permitted, the chief minister said only practices already in existence would be allowed and no new practices could be introduced.
