Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar released after 15 months in Saharanpur jail
Meerut : Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar who has been in prison since his arrest in June last year, was released from Saharanpur jail early Friday morning.
He was arrested on June 8 last year from Dalhousie in Himachal Pradesh and was booked under the National Security Act after caste clashes in western Uttar Pradesh’s Saharanpur, which left one dead and many injured. On November 2 last, the year period of his detention under the NSA was extended for another six months.
Hundreds of Bhim Army supporters who gathered outside the jail, raised of ‘Bhim Army Zindabad’ and ‘Chandrashekhar Zindabad’ as their leader walked out. Overwhelmed supporters garlanded him and distributed sweets to express their happiness over his release after 15 months in jail.
Chandrashekher remained defiant, vowing to continue his fight against injustice.
“The state government misused government machinery... I will continue my fight for marginalised people against injustice,” he said.
Bhim Army’s district president Kamal Walia claimed that Chandrashekhar’s release was victory of peoples’ faith in him and will infuse a new strength and vigour among the outfit’s supporters.
Bhim Army supporters had gathered outside the district jail at night anxiously waiting for release of their leader but district administration strategically released him at around 3 am in order to avoid any chaos.
Chandrashekher’s mother, brother and other family members also arrived there and welcomed him with garland. Bhim Army supporters then took him in a procession.
Chandrashekher had formed Bhim Army along with his associate Vinay Ratan Singh on July 21, 2015 to empower dalits and marginalised people.
The Bhim Army has influence in Saharanpur though it has supporters in all parts of western UP.
Its leaders claim that the organisation has so far opened 300 schools in Saharanpur and neighbouring districts which provide free education to children of dalits and marginalised people.
Amid the Bhim Amry’s rising popularity, Bahujan Samaj Party president Mayawati had accused the BJP of propping it up to target the BSP in order to build an alliance of all castes in UP.
courtesy : hindustantimes.com
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
Karnataka Assembly passes Bill to regulate hoardings, levy advertisement fee
Bengaluru (PTI): The Karnataka Assembly on Monday passed an amendment Bill aimed at regulating outdoor advertisements and enabling municipal bodies to levy and collect fees on hoardings and billboards across the state.
The Karnataka Legislative Assembly adopted the Karnataka Municipalities and Certain Other Laws (Amendment) Bill, 2026, after it was moved by Urban Development and Town Planning Minister B S Suresha.
The legislation empowers municipal councils and corporations to levy an advertisement fee on any person who erects, exhibits, fixes or displays an advertisement on land, buildings, walls, hoardings or other structures within municipal limits. The fee will be determined by local bodies through a resolution, subject to minimum and maximum rates prescribed by the state government.
However, the Bill provides exemptions for advertisements related to public meetings of municipalities or corporations, elections to legislative bodies and candidature in such elections.
It also mandates the display of advertisements in any municipal area by obtaining written permission from the concerned municipal council or corporation commissioner after payment of the prescribed fee. Permission will not be granted if the advertisement violates municipal by-laws or if the applicable fee has not been paid.
The amendment further authorises municipal authorities to remove or demolish unauthorised advertisements erected in violation of the provisions. Officials may issue a notice directing the owner or occupier of the land or structure to remove such advertisements, failing which authorities can enter the premises and remove them.
According to the provisions, unauthorised advertisements will attract penalties and fines. Those who delay payment of advertisement fees or penalties will also be liable to pay interest at 18 per cent per annum from the date the payment becomes due until it is cleared.
Authorities may recover dues in a manner, similar to the recovery of property tax, including seizure and sale of advertisement materials if necessary.
The Bill also validates previous levies and collections of taxes, cess or fees by municipalities and corporations, stating that such actions shall be deemed lawful notwithstanding any court judgment, decree or order to the contrary.
Replying to members during the discussion, Minister Suresha said the legislation aims to curb unauthorised hoardings and ensure revenue flows to local bodies.
“Those who have put up boards unauthorisedly are not paying even one rupee in tax. We will remove such boards and take action against them. We will also bring them under the tender process so that the government gets revenue,” he said.
The minister explained that advertisements placed on different types of properties would be treated accordingly.
“Apart from that, there are other categories. Some boards are on government land, some are on private land, and some are on people’s own property. For all these there is tax,” he said.
While authorities cannot forcibly remove boards placed on a person’s own property, they would still be required to pay a prescribed corporation tax, he added.
Suresha also warned of strict action against unauthorised advertisements on government land.
“If someone has placed a private advertisement on government land, the government or corporation will fix the fee. We will call for tenders, and whoever wins the tender must pay the amount fixed by us,” he said.
The minister said the move would help local bodies generate substantial revenue.
“Altogether, there is revenue worth hundreds of crores from this, and our intention is that it should go to local bodies,” he said.
