Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter THE BACK DOOR FORMULA BETTERMENT CHARGES-BBMP’S ALTERNATE TO AKRAMA-SAKRAMA

BY. FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

 THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER 

 THE BACK DOOR FORMULA 

 BETTERMENT CHARGES-BBMP’S ALTERNATE TO AKRAMA-SAKRAMA 

 The BBMP in its budget which was placed before the council two months back had estimated revenue of Rs. 800 crores from the Akrama-Sakrama scheme. This estimate was projected despite the fact that the Governor had refused to sign the Bill. Eventually, there seems to be no chance of the Akrama-Sakrama Bill becoming an act in the near future and this has made a hole in the BBMP’s pocket. Whatsoever, the BBMP has nothing to worry at all. So what if the Governor refuses to sign the Akrama-Sakrama Bill? So what if the High Court which had earlier stayed the Akrama-Sakrama scheme in 2008 finally strikes down the same? The BBMP has the answer. Just ignore the Akrama-Sakrama scheme itself and bring in another scheme of Betterment Charges to regularize the revenue properties through a resolution in the BBMP council. 

 AKRAMA-SAKRAMA STORY

 It may be recalled that Akrama-Sakarama Bill was passed in the Special Session of the Legislature at Belgaum in 2007 when H.D KumaraSwamy was the Chief Minister. The Bill was passed without any discussions. The levy of the Akrama-Sakrama charges for violation of Karnataka Town and Country Planning Act, Karnataka Land Reforms act, Karnataka Land Revenue Act, etc, was left to the official’s committee. And the bureaucrats as a rule, insensitive towards the real problem, fixed abnormal charges for regularization of unauthorized and revenue properties. This was fiercely protested by the public and also the political parties who approved the bill in the Assembly. Some even challenged it in the High Court as well. 

 ENCASHING THE BOOK 

 Such was the arrogance of the bureaucrats that the then BBMP Commissioner Mr. Subramanya even issued stern ads “Now or Never” and threatened disconnection of water and electricity connections, if the properties were not regularized by March 2008. The BBMP also made a big killing by selling the Akrama-Sakrama Book at the rate of Rs.100 per Book. More than one lakh booklets were sold and if the High Court had not intervened, the sale would have touched 6 to 7 lakhs as it was compulsory to purchase the booklet which also contained the application forms. 

 SUPPRESSING THE POLITICS

 The High Court which stayed the scheme asked the Government to find out if relief can be given to the poor. At that time, the state was under President’s rule and the Governor was not prepared to take any major decision. Thus, the scheme remained in cold storage. In May 2008, the BJP came to power and it constituted a cabinet Sub Committee under the Chairmanship of R. Ashoka, the Transport Minister. The committee made some recommendations and reduced the regularization charges on small properties and the matter rested there. Thereafter, for the two following years, the BJP Government did nothing in the matter, except on the eve of BBMP election earlier this year. The Government woke up and pushed for the Bill and sent the Akrama-Sakrama Scheme to the Governor for issuing an ordinance. However, the Governor refused to sign it so as to avoid BJP enjoying any political advantage of the same in the then elections. The Governor sent back the same to the Government advising it to introduce the bill in the assembly for threadbare discussions as many serious aspects are involved. 

 GONE WITH THE WIND

 Let us also recollect that the BJP then put forth the Akrama-Sakrama bill in the assembly and hurriedly passed it in a matter of few seconds without any discussions. This was done so while the opposition was on a dharna against the Government in the wake of Mining scam. 

 ESCALATING FIGURES

 Now, let us understand the BBMP’s proposal for collection of betterment charges and registration of Khatas. The BBMP in its 8000 plus crores budget for 2010-2011 had estimated Rs. 800 crores revenue from the Akrama-Sakrama scheme taking for granted the implementation of the act. The officials who prepared the Budget in March for the same year (as the elected body was not constituted by then) had limited the Budget to 4500 crores and there was no estimate of revenue from the Akrama-Sakrama Scheme. However, the BBMP placed the budget in the council in the month of august that is almost after five months and also increased it to Rs. 8000 crore plus. Here, it also showed the receipt of Rs. 800 crore from Akrama-Sakrama scheme, in spite of the fact that the same is not yet approved by the Governor. 

 INDUCING OFFER!

 But the BBMP has to raise funds for its maintenance and must work out an effective alternative. The ‘intelligent’ leaders of BJP thus hit upon a novel idea of collecting Betterment Charges from the revenue properties and issue khatas to the properties? The modus operandi here is very simple. Lakhs of revenue properties in the newly added areas of BBMP are using the amenities provided by the BBMP. The betterment charges can thus be collected from the owners of these properties in lieu of using the amenities like roads, water, parks etc., and offering them khata of their properties is an enough reason to induce them for the same. In short, collect Betterment charges from the owners and give them the khatas for their revenue properties. This is the essence of the betterment charges scheme!

 THE KHATA GAME! 

 Legally, the betterment charges are different from regularization charges under Akrama-Sakrama Scheme. The betterment charges are collected for using the amenities provided by the BBMP while the regularization charges are collected for compounding violations of various acts. At the end of the day, khatas are issued under both the schemes, be it Betterment Charges or Akrama-Sakrama Scheme and the net result is the same. The revenue property gets legal status by receiving the khata from the BBMP. 

 COMPARISON

 In a way, the betterment charges scheme overrides the Akrama-Sakrama Scheme which is yet to become a reality. The betterment charges proposed by BBMP are far less compared to regularization charges under Akrama-Sakrama. The betterment charges fixed for a 30x40 site (never mind the buildings) is Rs 150 per square meter which comes to less than Rs. 15 per sq ft. And the maximum charge is Rs. 400 per sq. meter for properties above 6000 sq ft. However, the stipulated regularization charges under Akrama-Sakrama scheme was a minimum of Rs 200 per sq ft. based on the market value of the property which includes site and the building. 

 In a nutshell, the betterment charge scheme is very cheap and affordable. And the owners get legal status to their revenue properties by getting the khata from BBMP. In the Akrama-Sakrama scheme too, the end result is the registration of khata after paying fines under Karnataka Revenue or lands reforms or Town and Country Planning or Municipality acts, in addition to regularization charges. 

 Once the khata is registered by BBMP after collecting betterment charges, the matter ends there. The BBMP can thereafter collect only property taxes. This is not a new scheme but was earlier already implemented in BMP areas. Even the BDA had regularized many revenue layouts under this scheme. But the same was dropped after it became known that neither the BDA nor the BMP have powers to collect development charges as only the Revenue Department has the powers to levy the charges. It was for this purpose that the Akrama-Sakrama scheme was stipulated by amending all the relevant Acts as a ‘one time’ settlement. 

 As things stands now, the revenue properties can only be regularized under Akrama-Sakrama scheme and that too, as a ‘one time’ scheme. The BBMP’s regularization scheme under the guise of betterment charges will not pass the scrutiny of law. 

 READY ALTERNATIVE

 Arguably, the BBMP is simply bringing the Akrama-Sakrama scheme through the back door camouflaged as Betterment charges. Assuming that the Akrama-Sakrama scheme gets scrapped in the legal or political tussle, the BBMP still has an alternative to regularize the revenue properties and effect receipts through collecting betterment charges.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD THE GREAT GOLD FRAUD REVEALED THE REASON

BY. FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

 THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER 

 ALL THAT GLITTERS IS NOT GOLD 

 THE GREAT GOLD FRAUD REVEALED THE REASON

 Come Deepavali and we witness crowds flocking to Jewellery stores like they flock to the sweet and crackers’ shops. Many such festival seasons are a premium season for purchase of Gold and Silver and thus flourish the Jewellery market. 

 GOLDEN ENTRY 

 Never was anyone bothered about the functioning and practices of the Gold market, until the entry of Shubh jewelers into the segment. The entry of ‘shubh’ a unit of Rajesh Exporters, into the retail market of jewellery changed the entire scene in the gold market. The Shubh chain started its business with a bang by exposing the unfair trade practices of gold merchants and their continuous cheating of millions of customers who as a rule, had showed unadulterated faith in these gold merchants. It revealed out statistics, facts and figures highlighting the continuous cheating of the established and prestigious gold merchants and further to prove their sincerity and integrity, Shubh started offering jewelleries at the original cost of gold, without collecting wastage, making charges etc. 

 Shubh’s advertisements, has indeed in a way provided some insight into the trade and fact of the gold merchants charging more than the due, from the consumers. 

 “Todays price of Rs. ---- per gram, we don’t charge profit, No making charges, only 9.9 percent wastage” and many such misleading advertisements feature in Media almost everyday. People simply do not believe their eyes and make a beeline to the jewellery shops. But, only after they purchase and get the bill, a few among them would realise that they have been taken for a ride and that they have paid more price than the prevailing rates. Nobody can understand the arithmetic of jewellary business. No jeweller will sell the raw gold at the rates advertised by them. 

 THE MYSTERY

 Nobody and absolutely nobody can understand the inside out of the gold business particularly the jewellery market. Nobody can say whether the gold they purchase is of the required quality or quantity. Nobody can comprehend why the jewelers who manufacture gold ornaments (silver included) in their factories or workshops collect wastage and making charges which will be a minimum of 10 to 15 percent of the total weight. Nobody can understand the collection of charges for a binding agent at a rate which is ten times more than its original cost. 

 Besides, the purity of the gold also always remains in question. Till today, nobody has taken on the gold merchants who have become a law unto themselves. Neither the government nor the consumer activists have taken the trouble to fight this perpetual cheating for the simple reason that nobody could understand the business in all its complexities. 

 GOLDEN QUESTIONS

 The basic questions that are unanswered are, 

 1) Why should the gold merchants levy wastage ranging from 10 to 20% on the total weight of the jewellery? 

2) When the items are sold straight from the shelf, why should they levy making charges? 

3) Why the gold merchants levy charges for bonding agent (like KDM) on per gram basis? 

 These basic questions are for all the big jewellery merchants. However, in order to understand the fraud we must first understand the functioning of a traditional small time goldsmith or agents who make the jewelleries through such goldsmiths. 

 THE ORDINARY GOLDSMITH 

 Take for example, an agent, (there are in thousands eking out their living by taking orders from their acquaintances to make gold ornaments) takes an order for a jewellery of 100grams. The fact is that he has to go to a goldsmith and provide him at least 130 grams of gold simply because no goldsmith can make 100 grams articles with 100 grams gold. The goldsmith makes the items and returns the excess gold to the agent. The goldsmith charges around one percent as wastage because it is natural that some gold or gold dust will become wastage in the process of grinding or chiseling the gold while making the item. However, this quantity will not be more than 0.25%. Further, the gold dust collected in the shop again will be retrieved by the goldsmiths after some time. Even then, if we must calculate the wastage, it simply cannot be more than 0.5%. The goldsmith however calculates the wastage at a minimum of one percent of the total weight of the item. In addition to this there are making charges. The goldsmith of course has to be paid labour in the form of making charges depending on the design and the labour involved. For some intricate or delicate designs, the making charges will naturally be more. 

 Whatsoever, the wastage at goldsmith shop cannot exceed one percent. The agent who took the order for 100 grams item had to invest for 130 grams and also bore the interest on his investment. Then there is the cost of his running to the goldsmiths often and often as no goldsmith will deliver the items on the promised date. In many cases, the agents also have to bear the fluctuation in gold market. 

 For all this trouble, they charge another 4 to 5% as wastages and also make money by charging heavily to the cost of the binding agent. So, in a way, the agents charging 4 to 5% wastage can be justified in the face of price fluctuations, risks and their livelihood. Here too there are agents who cheat people by giving ornaments of less purity with high wastage, but, this is an exception rather than a rule. Moreover, many people prefer their trusted agents to get their ornaments made because of the faith and no amount of enticements or inducements can make them to change their jewelers. 

 THE EXTRA ORDINARY GOLDSMITHS

 However, this can not be applied to leading and big jewelers and the basic question we asked apply to them. 

 THE WASTAGE STORY 

 Let us take the first question- why charge wastage between 10 to 20%? It is the open secret that these “Big” merchants prepare the ornaments in their factories or workshops. As the ornaments are manufactured in bulk and as they do not depend on the local goldsmiths, they will not suffer any loss in gold. Besides, the items are made in large quantities and therefore the wastage is either nil or minimal. Even if one assumes loss of gold dusts while grinding, it will remain in the premises itself and they are aware of many processes to retrieve the gold. As such there can not be any question of wastage. Even to conclude if we assume that there still was wastage; it can not be more than 0.25% by any stretch of imagination. Also sometimes, these ‘big’ merchants import fancy items like chains, bracelets etc. and charge huge wastage up to 20% in spite of the fact that they buy such products as per the weight and purity of the ornaments. Even the making charges are paid by the importers. By any stretch of imagination, the big merchants can not collect wastage charges which will be 10 to 20% of the rate of the ornaments itself. 

 To put it plainly, if a person wants a 100 grams item, he will have to pay for 110 to 120 grams depending on merchants. Even if the wastage charges have to be levied, it must be actual and not on his whims and fancies. Further, this too is applicable to the ‘Made to order’, items and not the bulk manufactured ornaments. 

 Interestingly, the ‘Big Merchants ‘do not charge profit Margin! All they charge is the wastage, making charge etc. They pose as if they do not need profit and theirs is a service based business. This is simply unthinkable. How could a big merchant who invests hundreds of crores to start the business, forego his profits? If you look at the interiors of these jewellery stores, one can establish the fact that crores are spent for interior decoration. In addition, these shops are in posh roads and areas where they shell out skyrocketing rent prices. In Bangalore alone, there are dozens of ‘Big’ shops who have invested hundreds of crores into the business. Obviously, these merchants are in gold business not for charity but for profits and that too huge profit proportional to their investment. But they still do not charge any profits simply because their wastage and making charges etc are exorbitant. They are assured of a minimum profit of atleast 20% on the business 

 THE MAKING CHARGES

 Apart from the wastage, they make big money from the making charge business. The making charges really do not subscribe to any standard yardsticks. It depends on the whims and fancies of the merchants. Sometimes, they charge the making charges on per gram basis and sometimes, the charges are in lumpsum. When they charge ‘wastage’ for making ornaments, where is the question of making charges again? One can understand the making charge in respect of ‘Made to Order’ items as it may consume more labour because of a specified designs etc. But this can not be said in cases of mass produced ornaments in factories or workshops. Making charges in addition to wastage beats any known levels of logic or reason. 

 THE BONDING FRAUD

 Further, the bonding element charges which vary between Rs. 50 to 100/- per gram are shocking. Earlier the ornaments were soldered with lead, but now, everybody uses cadmium, for bonding. Cadmium, popularly known as KDM does not harm the gold and as such, when the ornaments have to be sold by the consumers, the ‘normal’ wastage will not be applied. The cost of KDM is around Rs. 10,000/- per Kilo Gram, where as, the merchants who use for soldering charge between Rs. 50/- to 100/- per gram of ornament towards KDM charges. In a way the KDM charges are bonus over the profits to the merchants. 

 STONES ARE NOT GOLD

 In most ornaments precious stones are used which have its own rate depending on the quantity and quality. While a few stones like diamond, Topaz, Pache etc. command high rates, other stones like pearls, American diamonds etc. have much lesser value. The merchants charge separately for the stones and also weigh the finished items which include even the stones fixed to it. This means, they calculate the weight of the ornament including the stones. Thus, they get the cost of the stones and also per gram gold rate for the stones since they are included in the final weight of the ornament. It would also fetch them additional wastage and making charges which they charge per gram of the ornament. By any means, the merchants make money more than the fair margin of 20% in any business. This is why they do not ‘bill’ profit majority as they are making more profits in other heads like wastage, making charge etc.

 PURE EYEWASH

 And what about the purity, the less said the better. Only recently, the Central Government made the BIS Hall mark that is 22 carat implying 91.6 purity as mandatory. Thereafter, these big merchants bang around that they are giving pure gold of BIS Hall mark quality. But the facts are to the contrary. 

 It is the ‘purity’ of gold that leads to multibillion frauds. Seldom, the purity of gold sold; adhere to the BIS Hall mark made mandatory by the Government after realizing the frauds on the people. It is an open secret that pure gold of 999 purity is very soft and ornaments can only be made of it by adding copper. The quantity of copper used in ornaments decides the purity of gold. Normally 8.4% of copper is added with pure gold that is 24 carat, and that implies usage of balance 91.6% of pure gold for making ornaments and this is the standard ornament gold purity. As the purity of gold is described in carats, this ornament gold will be 22 carat. And this is the Hallmark specification. There are also 20 carat, 18 carat and even 16 carat ornaments available depending on the copper used. 

 FOOLING THE INSTRUMENTS

 Coming back to the purity, there are instruments which test the purity of gold. Many big merchants proclaim that consumers can test their purity of gold purchased through these equipments. For a nominal rate, the purity test can be done and the report obtained. The merchants also issue certificate for the jewellery purchased indicating the weight and purity. In most of the cases people do not care about the certificate and all they want is the purity and they are satisfied as they have personally seen the purity test. 

 But people by and large do not know that the procedure of purity test. The purity of the gold can be accurately ascertained only by melting and by no other means can it be ascertained. In the case of purity test done at the merchant’s stores, the instrument runs rays over the surface of the ornament and gives the result. The rays do not pierce through the inner body of the ornament and this is a fact. Therefore the purity of the gold cannot be true and accurate. However, no individual consumer opts for a melting test but only those who purchase gold from the people insist and perform the melting test. 

 Of course, merchants can also fool consumers in purity test also. Presently the gold is mixed with some other powder/metals in addition to the usual copper. Erodium powder is a common element that is added to ornamental gold and it can still pass the purity test. As stated earlier about 8.4% copper needs to be added to pure gold and here the merchants also add about 4 to 5% of Erodium powder bringing down the gold content to almost 86.5% equivalent to 20 carat gold. Yet, this powder added ornament can easily pass the purity test of 22 carat and the genuine purity test of gold mixed with Erodium powder can be obtained only by melting. 

 THE LATEST MIX 

 Of late another metal called Boss metal is also used for mixing with gold to make the ornaments. Unlike the powder, the Boss metal provides softness to gold and there will be no change in the colour. The quantity of Boss metal mixing is usually very high that is up to 20% and interestingly the ornaments made by mixing this metal in addition to the copper also pass the 91.6% (22 Carat) purity test. And here too, it can be ascertained only through melting. Eventually, one pays for 91.6% purity and gets ornaments of about 70% purity. 

 In case of genuine 91.6% gold, the consumer will be paying about 120% cost which includes wastage, making charge, KDM etc. In case of Erodium powder, the consumer pays 130% for 86.1% purity and 140% for Boss metal mixed gold ornament of 70% purity. Can anyone understand these calculations? Definitely not. All one needs is an ornament with reasonable charges. Nobody can make out head and tail of the gold business. 

 It is because of these unimaginable profits that the big merchants make hundreds of crores. They therefore afford to spent crores on advertisements and establishment expenses, open one after the other glittering stores with exquisite interiors and continue to fool innocent consumers repeatedly reminding them that they do not charge profit. 

 All said and done, whether one understands the Gold business or not, one thing is certain that the gold merchants have been cheating thousands of crores through all these years. And with the entry of Shubh, the entire jewellery market has been exposed of what it is. On the contrary, let us also understand that Shubh is no angel. It has not entered into the jewellery market for charity, but to earn profits. While it has exposed many underlying facts about the manipulations of the Gold market, it also has never talked about the profit margin. If Shubh can sell the gold ornaments at cost price, and that too without profits, how could they continue to be in the business? There definitely is more depth in the shubh practices as well as it is also not transparent on the profit factor. No business establishment can run without profit. In fact, it merely exists to earn profit. And therefore, a business without a profit is definitely a suspect.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter TAKEN FOR GRANTED THE TOLERANT & PEACE LOVING KANNADIGAS BECOME EASY TARGETS

BY. FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER 

TAKEN FOR GRANTED 

THE TOLERANT & PEACE LOVING KANNADIGAS BECOME EASY TARGETS 

 India cherishes itself of being a largest democracy with secular roots and boasts of its vast, rich and varied cultural heritage. Yet, arguably, India is still struggling to practice complete secularism. Our freedom fighters after the Independence thought it ideal to divide India into linguistic and regional boundaries called State for better and smooth administration, but, the same division now has become an agenda for vested interests. 

 Take for example our State of Karnataka. No doubt, that it is a pride for India, but of late it has been targeted by our own fellow Indians for their personal gains. It is widely known that the Kannadigas are basically peace loving and tolerant people and perhaps therefore they have been taken for granted more often. 

 The fact is that the Kannadigas have allowed outsiders that are the Non-Kannadigas to take them for granted. No amount of humiliations, insults etc can move the Kannadigas. Except the Kannada Rakshana Vedike, no other pro Kannada organisations have thought it fit to counter humiliations by the outsiders. It seems that Kannadigas who were once respected for their valour and tolerance, have forgotten the past. May be the Kannadigas have lost their nerve to protest any attack on the Kannada and the Kannadigas. 

 THE BIHARI PROTEST

 When Raj Thackerey, the boss of Maharastra Nav Nirmana Sena made comments on North Indians particularly the Biharis, the politicians of North India took strong exception. The North Indians in Mumbai observed protest which led to large scale violence and Maharastra literally burnt for three days. 

 Laloo Yadav, a Bihari demanded the arrest of Raj Thackerey and challenged him to prevent him from observing ‘chhath’ festival in Mumbai. Similarly Nitish Kumar, the Chief Minister of Bihar too demanded serious actions against Raj Thackerey. Finally acting under the pressure, the Maharashtra Government arrested Raj Thackerey. He was later within minutes released on bail by the court which passed a gag order against him from making provocative statements. 

 THE DIRTY INSULT

 Now let us compare this with Laloo’s behaviour in Karnataka during his visit to the state to attend the convention of Yadav community. Laloo was very angry with the Kannadigas for having disturbed the recruitment to D group posts in the Railways. If all went according to Laloo’s game plan, most of the D group posts in the state would have gone to Biharis who have descended on the state for recruitment. The Kannada Rakshana Vedike held fierce protests and the recruitment had to be abandoned. This irked Laloo so much that he called Kannadigas as dirty people. There were some strong protests by the Kannada organisations and Laloo cleverly denied that he had made such a remark. He twisted the fact by stating that what he had in mind was dirty issues and not dirty people. What more, he denied the state of its due in new projects and railway lines and Kannadigas and Kannadiga politicians remained quite. 

 MUSICAL HUMILIATION

 While Kannadigas were about to forget the Laloo episode, another shocking incident of humiliating Kannada surfaced. A senior official of a software company penned a derogatory song on the Kannadigas and forced the Kannadiga employees to sing it daily before him. The outsider employees used to take perverted satisfaction while singing this derogatory song! Naturally the news incensed the KRV activists who laid siege to the company and ransacked the office of the company. As usual, the police made their presence and the company who felt embarrassed with its official announced his dismissal. In fact, the police should have arrested this perverted official who had insulted the Kannadigas and filed a criminal case against him particularly so when the official concerned was a foreign citizen. If the same were to have happened either in Tamil Nadu or Kerala, the person would have been tried for treason! But this is Karnataka and the Kannadigas are notorious for their tolerance. So, the traitor was simply fired from his job in Bangalore and no wonder, if he got the posting in another place. 

 Laloo is an outsider to the state. The derogatory song on Kannadigas was penned by a foreigner. Except KRV, the giants of Kannada literature, Culture, Politics etc simply sat tight and some even went to the extent of taking exception to strong arm tactics of KRV activists. 

 MAJORITY POWER

 Everybody knows that the Marathis who started systematic migration from Maharastra are now a majority in Belgaum and surrounding areas. After becoming dominant, they started the demand for merging Belgaum, Nippani etc to the Maharastra. The Kannada speaking people were always at the mercy of this Marathi speaking dominant groups. The MES, that is, Maharastra Ekikarana Samithi, used to win all the assembly seats from this area and the Belgaum Corporation was also in control of MES. Only in the past few years, Kannadigas too started asserting their position. Literally, while the Marathis were consistently supported by the Maharastra politicians, the Kannadigas were completely ignored by the state’s politicians. 

 THE SECOND CAPITAL 

 It was only after HD Kumaraswamy becoming the Chief Minister that the Belgaum received its due importance. In order to show the Government’s solidarity with Kannadigas in Belgaum, Kumaraswamy held a special session of the Assembly in Belgaum and declared Belgaum as the second capital of Karnataka. This gesture by the Government made the Kannadigas to assert their position and things started changing since then. 

 KANNADIGA RISES 

 The following elections to the Belgaum Corporation saw prominent Maratha leaders licking the dust. For the first time, Kannada people got elected in large numbers but still fell short of the majority. Finally, sometime later, a Kannadiga got elected as the Major putting an end to the Marathi dominances. 

 DEMAND FOR MERGER

 This fact might have provoked the Marathi councilors in Nippani to assert their dominance and as a face saving formula, passed a resolution for the merger of Belgaum, Nippani etc with Maharastra. It is another matter that the politicians of Maharastra especially the Shiva Sena is providing all the logistic support to the Marathis in Belgaum and surrounding areas. 

 The resolution for merger with Maharastra by the Nippani Municipality had sent shockwaves across the state. As usual the politicians and leaders of Kannada kept a studied silence. And as usual, the KRV activists held strong protests and the Marathis too came on to streets against the KRV activists and prominent Kannada leaders in Nippani and Belgaum. The city became tense following the clashes between KRV and Marathi elements. However, the proposal was later rejected by the Government. Whatsoever, one thing that is easily ascertained with the incident is that everyone has a casual attitude to Kannadigas including Kannadigas. 

 It is interesting to know that the Maharastra politicians and local organizations who want North Indians to get out of Mumbai, have themselves colonised Belgaum and surrounding areas of Karnataka. And they support the Maratha elements in these areas to get Belgaum, Nippani etc merged with Maharastra. However, their double standards have gone unchallenged because the Kannadigas are peace loving and tolerant. They tolerate and even stomach humiliations. And that speaks volumes about the nature of Kannadigas.

Firoz.T.Totanawala The Bangalore Metro Reporter SILENCING THE MOTHER TONGUE KANNADA IGNORED BY KANNADIGA OFFICIALS

BY. FIROZ.T.TOTANAWALA 

 THE BANGALORE METRO REPORTER 

 SILENCING THE MOTHER TONGUE 

 KANNADA IGNORED BY KANNADIGA OFFICIALS 

 This is the month of celebrations; especially, the celebrations devoted to the cultural activities of the people of Karnataka, their spoken language, Kannada and its promotion, which is the pride of Kannadigas. But some departments and its officials who are themselves Kannadigas have determined to undermine the celebrations. While the Kannada development activists and protectionists are striving to get the classical language’s status and recognition for Kannada, there are careless and selfish Kannadigas who care a damn for the state, its language, and its safeguarding and promotion. 

 THE PLOT 

 The State Bank of Mysore and its associate bank were all indulging in illegal printing and sale of stamp papers, the scam of which has run into multi crores. Later, the same was halted and the then Inspector General of Registration and Commissioner of Stamps and the then Revenue Secretary to the Government, brought out the unique process of franking the amount collected on the document sheets, effective from 2nd November, 2009, with much fanfare. 

 THE EASY SOLUTION 

 The officials offered to supply and install Pitney Bowes’ Franking Machines at Sub Registrars office, where in the Sub Registrar authorities would frank the required amount of stamp duty on the document after receiving the amount for the same. Arguably, this method is regarded as the easiest and safest method for stamp duty payment. 

 THE BLUNDER

 However, the Franking seal prepared for the purpose brought disgrace to the state. The officials had failed to pay due attention to the inclusion of the Kannada language on the Franking seal. It is understandable that the company, whom the contract for franking was given to, is a foreign based one and what goes beyond ones understanding is that the blunder of omission of Kannada was committed by none other than our own Kannadigas. 

 Only the words in English and Hindi languages were used neglecting the use of Kannada in its franking, the act of which has hurt the feelings of the Kannadigas and brought an insult to their language, which they love most. Added to the injury, it was done by these officials in the Rajyotsava month and that too on the very next day after the officials had enjoyed the holiday of the Rajyotsava day. 

 THE SEAL OF INSULT

 Now, let us observe the Franking seal prepared by the Pitney Bowes India Pvt. Ltd., as per the directions of the then IGR&CS and the then Revenue Secretary. The Franking seal contains [1] the department’s name, [2] the amount paid, [3] ‘Karnataka’ and [4] ‘Bharat’, which are either in English or Hindi. The entire seal is in English and Hindi and there is no usage of the Kannada language at all. 

 No body is against the English or Hindi language. India is our nation and of course English as a language is widely used and accepted here and Hindi on the other hand is but our own National Language. But, what about Kannada, the official language of the state? The Franking process is initiated by the State and not by the Central Government; therefore, the State language must have been used on the seal. At least the departments name could have been printed in Kannada along side English. But who cares? The company is a foreign based one and it does not understand the language issue. What it understands is the language of money and so it does not bother whether the seals are in Kannada-Tamil or any other language. 

 SHAME ON YOU! 

 Now the question is about the officials who committed this big blunder? 

 The then Revenue Secretary Parshwanath, the then IGR&CS Niranjan and all other senior officers in the department happens to be Kannadigas. And they should have known the importance of the state language and incorporated Kannada in the Franking seal. Yet, the sad truth is that Kannada has been exterminated from the franking seal. This offence becomes further grave as it was November, the Rajyotsava Month and the arrangement was made on 2nd November, the day after the inauguration of the Rajyotsava celebrations. 

 THE GIFT TO KARNATAKA

 What would a true Kannadiga think of gifting the state, its people and culture on the occasion of Karnataka Rajyotsava Day? Contrary to what you may think, the proud Kannadigas, namely, Sri Niranjan Das, the IGR&CS, Sri Parshwanath, the Revenue Secretary and other senior officials, gifted disgrace to the state of Karnataka. They insulted the Kannada language or rather Karnataka itself.