Bengaluru: Shaheen Group of Institutions on Sunday held a press conference here in the city to detail their latest initiative “Shaheen Kifalah”, a crowd-fundraising platform for the education of poor and needy students.

Speaking at the press conference the CEO of Shaheen Group of Institutions, Tauseef Madikeri said several students from the economically weaker sector drop out of educational institutions due to their financial crisis, adding that their initiative was aimed to provide assistance to such students.

“When we conducted a survey, we found out that most of the students opting out of their studies reasoned the financial condition of their family for their decision. Hence, we have come up with an idea to help students who are seeking help to continue their education.

“The campaign was launched today and we have also created a website for this. Students seeking financial assistance to continue their education can apply and fill in the required details and we will help them.” He added.

“The initiative is not limited to Karnataka. Students from any part of the country can apply and seek help through the campaign. Once the student applies, our team will visit them, and through a screening process will take a call on their applications. We will support them by running a fundraising campaign for them, thereby securing their future.” He further added.

“At least 14 students have so far approached us and we are going through their applications. Students from all sects and communities can apply for donations online there won't be any discrimination on any grounds.” He said.

“With a thorough screening process, we find the honest youth who are good humans with ethics and values, and we work on placing these deserving youth in positions that matter in the fields of medicine, engineering, law, policy/government, journalism, etc.” the official website of the campaign states.

Shaheen Group of Institutions’ Director Asif Ali, Tumkur’s Shaheen Kids’ Umer, and others were present during the press conference.

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Bengaluru, Mar 6 (PTI): The Karnataka Assembly on Thursday passed the Bangalore Palace (Utilisation and Regulation of Land) Bill, reaffirming state ownership over 472 acres and 16 guntas of land here, amid protests by the opposition BJP.

During the discussion, Karnataka Law and Parliamentary Affairs Minister H K Patil said the state government would have to provide Rs 200 crore worth of Transfer of Development Rights (TDR) for each acre of land, which means that for 15 acres, Rs 3,000 crore worth of TDR would be issued.

“If we accept it, then this 2-km stretch of road will become the costliest road in the world. If we accept it then how are we going to develop the city in later stages? How will you carry out development works?” asked Patil.

He also pointed out that this question was raised not only under the Congress government but also during the previous BJP regime.

However, the BJP-led cabinet has opposed the project.

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“Suppose we agree to it then, what will be the valuation of the 472 acres? It will be lakhs and lakhs of crores of rupees. Can we accept?” Patil wondered.

The Minister said the government had previously exercised its executive powers to issue an ordinance, which was approved by the Governor. Now the government is bringing a bill with two amendments.

“In this bill, we have made provisions either to develop or drop the road development work,” Patil explained.

However, BJP state president B Y Vijayendra and BJP MLA Arvind Bellad opposed the move, alleging that the government was targetting Yaduveer Krishna Datta Chamaraja Wadiyar, the scion of the Mysuru royal family, and the BJP MP from Mysuru-Kodagu constituency out of political vendetta.
“We talk of 472 acres of Mysuru Maharaja but here there are many Maharajas who too own 400 acres, 500 acres and thousands of acres of land, which is known to everyone,” Bellad said.

He slammed the Congress government, saying political power should not be misused for personal vendetta.

“Why (the then Deputy Chief Minister) Siddaramaiah brought the law in 1996 pertaining to the Bangalore Palace? Why are you setting eyes on the Bangalore Palace?” he asked.

Vijayendra charged that Wadiyar won the election on BJP ticket so the state government realised that it should acquire it.

“This bill has been brought for political vengeance. We are not discussing whether Rs 3,000 crore is exorbitant or not but the moment Yaduveer became MP, the state government woke up. You should be ashamed. This house should not be used for political vendetta,” he said.

Intervening, Minister Priyank Kharge said Vijayendra should not have raised it because the intention behind building the road was noble.

According to him, the BJP too had the same plan when it was in power.

He sought to know whether thousands of crores of rupees be spent on a road which should have cost significantly less.

In response, BJP MLA B A Basavaraj (Byrathi) said issuing TDR will not be a burden on the state government and appealed to the ruling Congress to reconsider its stance.

Minister Ramalinga Reddy too explained that the Karnataka government acquired the entire land way back in 1996.

The Mysuru royal family went to the High Court, which gave ruling in favour of the state government. The royal family then approached the Supreme Court, where the case is still going on, the Minister pointed out.

“The final judgment is pending in the SC to decide whether the acquisition was right or wrong. If the SC says it’s the royal family’s property then let it be so. If the order is in the state government’s favour then we can take a decision. The bill is only about it,” Reddy explained.

Speaker U T Khader then called for a voice vote and the bill was passed by the Assembly amidst opposition BJP’s discontent.

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