MAM
“Intolerance is a politicized term which suits everyone including media, ratings, etc”: Shobhaa De
GOA: “India is hugely tolerant. Tolerance and intolerance are very loaded words. India is highly tolerant because we tolerate dirt and tolerant corruption. We are fine about rapes, violence against men, women and children, cold blooded daylight murders, etc. We all consider holy frauds, God frauds, women in saffron, women not in saffron, all of them perpetuating hate in the country.”
Coming from an established writer, columnist, opinion shaper and social commentator Shobhaa De at the first session of Day 2 at Goafest, the words were no surprise.
And reiterating this, the person who is considered an authority on popular culture spoke about being outspoken in an intolerant world.
She said the young persons in the country carry messages strongly and will do what they think is correct. “We have forgotten defining moments. I think India has some short memory issues”.
“Intolerance is a politicized term which suits everyone including media, ratings, etc”. De noted that every person should look ahead of things in his or her own way rather than voicing anyone else’s opinion.
In a room full of stalwarts from media, advertising and marketing industry, she praised ad agencies and termed them as ‘game changers’ for positioning women as well as the nation in a totally different way.
De spoke about how ads can go wrong at times with their content. She mentioned about a famous fairness cream and how she opposes the entire idea behind that ad though she appreciates the ad campaign.
In today’s world, we come across many people who speak their mind out without worrying about the end result. But she referred to how being outspoken gets people in a lot of trouble because challenging a point of view that is not in consonance with theirs is bad. She condemned India’s ‘seemingly’ favourite line for young girls ‘adjust kar le beta’.
De boldly spoke of how accommodating views that are perpetrating and are intrinsically ugly are wrong. “Noone should ever adjust to justice. A person should confront the unfair event, speak up about it, may be intervene and help. Being outspoken is not a bad thing. It requires moral courage. As a citizen of this democracy, you should exercise this or else you will be dead; intellectually, morally and physically”.
When asked whether intolerance is a new phenomena or a social media driving awareness, she pointed out that it is not a new phenomena which the generation has invented. De mentioned referred to the positives and negatives of social media and explained how a message can be misinterpreted because of the language used.
“I tweet and therefore I am. If you don’t tweet you are not there. You can’t say that I will shut these platforms. You have to deal with them.”
Asked about the importance of free speech, De said: “It is not as terrible as the media wants it to be. We live in an augmented, opinionated, volatile and articulated country. But nothing can keep us down. Free speech is ingrained in every Indian and the advertising community is brilliant in capturing the zeitgeist. “
She also referred ti her own observation about how there is a tremendous change in portrayal of women and senior citizens in ads. “The senior citizens are no longer ‘becharas’; housewives have found a voice. These are subliminal messages, but they go a long way in influencing mindsets.”
On gender neutrality, she said society is structured and is weighed against women.
With no regrets, De related how her journey has been and always anticipates what would wait for her at the end. “My life is like a river finding its own coast. Not knowing what is at the end always drives me further”, she said..
MAM
Karnataka clears Rs 4,824 crore investment projects across 13 districts
37 new industries approved, projects expected to create 14,525 jobs.
MUMBAI: If investment is the fuel of economic growth, Karnataka has just stepped on the accelerator. The Government of Karnataka has approved industrial projects worth Rs 4,824.31 crore, a move expected to generate 14,525 new employment opportunities across the state, according to a report by Press Trust of India. The approvals were granted during the 158th meeting of the Karnataka State Level Single Window Approval Committee, chaired by state industries authorities.
Karnataka industries minister M B Patil said the committee cleared 37 new industrial proposals and two additional investment projects spread across 13 districts, including Vijayapura, Bagalkote, Chitradurga, Kolar and Ramanagara.
The projects span a wide range of sectors such as information technology infrastructure, sugar manufacturing, technical textiles, compressed biogas, aerospace, jewellery manufacturing, electronics, software services and hospitality, including five star hotel development.
Patil said the diverse mix of industries reflects Karnataka’s strategy of attracting investments across both traditional manufacturing sectors and emerging technology driven industries.
Of the total proposals cleared, 22 projects fall under the large and medium industry category, each involving investments of more than Rs 50 crore.
Together, these projects account for Rs 3,908.68 crore in investment and are expected to create approximately 12,475 jobs.
Another 15 projects are classified as new industrial ventures with investments ranging between Rs 15 crore and Rs 50 crore. These projects collectively represent Rs 350.60 crore in investment and are expected to generate around 1,750 jobs.
In addition, the committee approved two further projects worth Rs 565.03 crore, which are expected to create about 300 employment opportunities.
Among the notable proposals cleared by the committee is a major information technology infrastructure development project by Bagmane Constructions Private Limited with an investment of Rs 494.65 crore.
Another significant project involves Karnataka Bangaru Sugars Pvt Ltd, which received approval to establish a sugar manufacturing facility worth Rs 443.50 crore.
In the textiles sector, Kleine Pax Ltd secured approval to set up a technical textiles manufacturing unit involving an investment of Rs 376 crore.
The hospitality sector also saw a major proposal, with Trishul Buildtech and Infrastructure Pvt Ltd receiving approval to develop a five star hotel project worth Rs 300 crore.
Meanwhile, the state also cleared a compressed biogas production facility by Troult Grass Pvt Ltd involving an investment of Rs 257.77 crore in Mudhol.
In the electric mobility segment, Tsuyo Manufacturing Pvt Ltd has been approved to set up a motor and controller manufacturing facility for electric vehicles, with an investment of Rs 250 crore.
Officials said the distribution of projects across multiple districts is expected to strengthen regional industrial development and expand employment opportunities beyond the state’s established technology hubs.
With the approvals spanning sectors from traditional manufacturing to next generation technologies, Karnataka aims to reinforce its position as one of India’s leading investment destinations while supporting job creation across diverse industries.
