Bhatkal students explore career paths at INF Launchpad 2025
Bhatkal: Around 270 Class 10 students from five schools in Bhatkal participated in INF Launchpad 2025, a one-day career and leadership camp organised by the Indian Nawayath Forum (INF) on Thursday at Ameena Palace. The event aimed to guide students on career choices, scholarships, competitive exams, and essential life skills.
Through interactive sessions, multimedia presentations, and quizzes, the camp offered a lively and engaging learning experience. Every participant received a certificate of participation, adding to the sense of accomplishment among students.
The programme concluded with a valedictory ceremony at 4:45 p.m. Chief guest Mohammed Rafi Pasha, Deputy Commissioner of GST, Bengaluru, and author of several books on competitive examinations, praised INF for its commitment to nurturing young minds and assured continued support for similar student development initiatives.
Ameen-e-Mudassar, CEO of CIGMA and a leading career counsellor in Karnataka, commended the organisers for their meticulous planning and noted that the three months of preparation behind the camp reflected in its smooth execution.
Presiding over the event, INF President Aftab Husain Kola expressed concern over the low participation of Muslims in higher education, pointing out that they constitute only 6% of total enrolments and less than 3% among successful Civil Services candidates in 2024. “These numbers underline the urgent need for focused educational efforts,” he said.
Key sessions were led by Ameen-e-Mudassar, Suhail Babu, experiential educator and leadership facilitator from Tirur, Kerala, and Shamsuddin Usman Shaik, Taluk Minority Extension Officer, Bhatkal. All speakers appreciated INF’s initiative for blending learning with motivation.
The event began with a qiraat by Hafiz Mohammed Abyaan Akrami, followed by a welcome address by Mohammed Adil Nagarmath, INF General Secretary. Saalim Kola coordinated the event, with Tanveer Motiya serving as co-coordinator. A vote of thanks was proposed by Saalim Kola, marking the end of an inspiring day for Bhatkal’s young learners.
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LoP Ashoka targets CM govt over corruption, says being 'shameless' in public life not forgivable
Bengaluru (PTI): Targeting Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and the Congress government in Karnataka on corruption, BJP leader R Ashoka on Friday said, being foolish was forgivable, but being "shameless" in public life was not.
The Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly claimed that in just 30 months of its tenure, the Congress administration has broken every previous record on corruption-related controversies.
He was responding to Siddaramaiah's post on 'X' on Thursday hitting back at the BJP, stating that Upa Lokayukta Justice Veerappa's claims of "63 per cent corruption" were based on his report in November 2019, when BJP's B S Yediyurappa was the CM.
"But Ashoka, without understanding the Upa Lokayukta's statement properly, has ended up tying the BJP's own bells of sins onto our heads and has effectively shot himself in the foot," the CM had said, as he accused Ashoka of foolishness for trying to twist Veerappa's statement to target the current government.
Responding, Ashoka said, "it is one thing to be called foolish in politics, that can be forgiven."
"But in public life, especially in the Chief Minister's chair, one must never become shameless," Ashoka posted on 'X' on Friday addressing Siddaramaiah.
Noting that the CM himself had admitted on the floor of the Assembly that a Rs 87 crore scam took place in the Valmiki Development Corporation, he said that when a CM acknowledges such a massive irregularity inside the floor of the House, the natural expectation is immediate action and accountability.
"But instead of taking responsibility, you continue in office as if nothing has happened. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
Pointing out that the CM's Economic Advisor and senior Congress MLA Basavaraja Rayareddy had publicly stated that under Congress rule, Karnataka has become No.1 in corruption, Ashoka said, "Yet, you still cling to the Chief Minister's chair without a moment of introspection. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness."
Senior Congress MLA C R Patil had exposed the "money for House" racket in the Housing Department and even warned that the government would collapse if the details he has were made public, Ashoka said.
"Despite such serious allegations from within your own party (Congress), you neither initiated an inquiry nor acted against the concerned minister. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," Ashoka asked the CM.
Highlighting the "40 percent commission" allegation Congress made against the previous BJP government, the opposition leader said, the commission that the Siddaramaiah government appointed concluded that the accusation was baseless.
"After your own panel demolished your own claim, what moral right do you have to continue repeating that allegation. What should the people of Karnataka call this, if not sheer shamelessness," he asked.
For the last two and a half years, Karnataka has been 'drowning' in corruption, scandals, irregularities and allegations across departments. Ashoka said, "If I begin listing every case that emerged under your government, even 24 hours would not be enough."
"And the most tragic aspect of your administration is this: the unbearable pressure, corruption demands and administrative harassment under your government pushed several officers and contractors into extreme distress - including the suicide of Chandrasekharan which exposed the Valmiki Development Corporation scam - a sign of how deeply broken the system has become under your watch," he said.
Instead of fixing this hopeless environment, the government has tried to bury every complaint and silence every voice, he charged.
"Being foolish is forgivable, but being shameless in public life is definitely not."
"When your own ministers admit scams, when your own advisors certify Karnataka as No.1 in corruption, and when your own MLAs expose rackets inside your departments - clinging to power without accountability is not leadership. It is shamelessness in its purest form." PTI KSU
Earlier on Thursday Ashoka had demanded that the corruption case and allegations in the state against the Congress government be handed over to a CBI investigation, citing a reported statement by Upalokaykta Justice Veerappa alleging "63 per cent corruption", following which Siddaramaiah hit back at the BJP leader.
