EXPRESS NEWS SERVICEAHEMDABAD, JANUARY 23

THE INDIAN Institute ofManagement, Ahmedabad (IIM-A) will host a socio-cultural event,Chaos, from January 25 to 28.

With speakers like S SRajamouli, director of Baahubaliand Balaji Vishwanathan, theCEO of Invento Robotics, theevent in its 31st edition is fo-cussing on social issues apartfrom being a cultural event.

The event, themed ‘Colors ofLife’, has been planned on alarger scale this year with morethan 50 events showcasing mu-sic, literature, quizzing, art, danceand drama.

Shubham Varshney from themarketing cell of Chaos said, “Aspart of its social initiatives, theevent has collaborated with theBlind People’s Association toplan a ‘Dinner in the dark’ eventwhere people will have a chanceto dine and interact with visuallychallenged persons in completedarkness. Similarly, Abhiyaan-acrowd funding competition inassociation with CRY (Child

Rights and You) will be organ-ised where crowd fundedmoney will be donated to CRY.”

Many other NGOs are alsogoing participate in the event.

The fest will also host a three-day quiz competition - Nihilanth,the annual inter IIT-IIM Quizchampionship. The 15th editionof this competition will featureover seven quizzes for the insti-tutes on topics ranging fromsports, sci-tech, business and oth-ers. The quiz is expected to seethe participation from over 39contingents of19 IITs and 20 IIMs.

For people with an entrepre-neurial outlook, Chaos is hostingSwarnim: Entrepreneur of theYear, in association withSwarnim Start-up andInnovation University (SSIU),Gandhinagar.

The fest will host studentsfrom over 500 national institutesover the four-day period whichwould include participants forevents including hip-notize, awestern dance competition,natya katha, a stage play compe-tition, crescendo, a solo singingcompetition and a parliamen-tary debate.

NGOS TO TAKE PART

IIM-A’s cultural eventtakes a new leap — to address social issues

EXPRESS NEWS SERVICEAHMEDABAD, VADODARA,JANUARY 23

AMID GROWING violentprotests by members of theRajput community againstSanjay Leela Bhansali’s magnumopus Padmaavat, scheduled to bereleased on Thursday, politicalleaders cutting across party linessupported the demand to banthe film.

The latest to join the chorusdemanding a ban on the film arePatidar quota leader Hardik Patel,and OBC leader and newly electedCongress MLA Alpesh Thakor.

In an open letter to GujaratChief Minister Vijay Rupani,Hardik held the BJP government“responsible” for the “conse-quences” of the film releasing inGujarat.

Citing “honour of Rajputcommunity”, which he said has“sacrificed” much for India’sunity, Hardik wrote: “We respectthe Supreme Court of India butthe Kshatriya community(Rajputs) offered their royalstates at the feet of Ma Bharati(Mother India) with closed eyesin order to ensure the unity andstrength of this country.Therefore, it is the duty of oneand all to ensure that the honourof this Rajput community is notlowered (due to a film). IfPadmaavat is released in Gujarat,

the responsibility of the conse-quences and law and order willrest upon the government.”

The film should not be re-leased in Gujarat under any cir-cumstances,he added.

“The entire country, as well asGujarat, is witnessing an aggres-sive opposition from the Rajputcommunity towards Padmaavatwhich hurts the sentiments oftheHindu society. The filmmakershave distorted the history. It is ourresponsibility to safeguard the

pride of our history as MaharaniPadmavati had resorted to jauharto save the honour of her stateand women. I urge you to ensurea ban on the film in Gujarat, con-sidering the law and order issuesas well as the sentiments of thecommunity.”

BJP state president JituVaghani also voiced his opinionin favour of cinema owners de-ciding to not screeningPadmaavat. “The stand of theGujarat government has been

clear from day one. ChiefMinisterVijay Rupani had imposed a banon the film. The cinema ownersare supporting the governmentand are aligning with the feelingsofthe people. When most ofthe-atres are not going to showPadmaavatfilm, I want to requestthat the peace and harmony inthe state is maintained,” Vaghanisaid, adding that the state admin-istration will be talking to cinemaowners and convince them not toscreen the film.

Congress MLA Alpesh Thakoralso said that “an attempt is be-ing made to tarnish the glorioushistory of the Kshatriya samajthrough the film”. “We are fullyagainst it (release ofPadmaavat).Chief Minister had banned therelease of Padmaavat, then whyis the state police offering pro-tection to theatres wanting toshowcase it. The coordinationbetween the state governmentand the police administrationraises a big question. When thechief minister has said thatPadmaavatwill not release, thenthere is no question of offeringpolice protection,” he said.

KAMAAL SAIYEDSURAT, JANUARY 23

MUMBAI-BASED ORGANISA-TION, Associate MuslimProfessionals (AMP), is set tohold its first job fair in Surat onJanuary 27, and has invitedyouths from every religion andcaste to participate in the fair.

AMP, a group of 20 profes-sionals, has been working in thefields of educational training,jobs and career guidance inMaharashtra and other states forthe past few years.

Now, the Surat chapter of theorganisation has collaboratedwith the Surat Islam YatimkhanaSociety, Progressive MuslimEducation Trust and NationalCareer Services, and invited over40 corporate companies to par-ticipate in the job fair.

The eligibility criteria for em-ployment at the job fair is 10thstandard and above. Firms fromdifferent sectors like insurance,finance, retail, FMCG, BPO etchave been invited.

Attempts are being made tocreate awareness among the un-employed youth in the city re-garding the fair.

Aamir Edressy, the presidentofAMP, said, “We are putting ourlevel best to make this programa grand success. This is our 21stjob fair in India. Till now over21,000 unemployed youths gotjobs through our fairs”.

“Our teams maintain regularcontact with the corporate firmsand collect data on their vacan-cies, after which we organise jobfairs. We will assess the responsein Surat and conduct similar fairsagain in Gujarat,” added Edressy.

AMP Surat chapter memberKasim Bham said, “This job fair isnot only for Muslims, any youthirrespective of religion or caste,can approach and participate inthe fair.”

“The youths should bringtheir photo identity with neces-sary certificates and fill theforms on January 27 and on thesame day they would be inter-viewed by the representatives ofdifferent corporate companies.The jobs will be given in Suratand not outside the district,”said Bham.

Earlier this month, the AMPhad carried out a similar job fair inMumbai, where over 1,800 candi-dates participated and about 310got jobs on the same day.

Surat Muslim outfitsto hold job fair, 40companies invited

Demonstrators shout slogans outside a multiplex during a protest against the release ofPadmaavat in Ahmedabad on Tuesday. Reuters

Surat: In order to understand theissues of textile, zari and dia-mond industries regarding theimplementation of the Goodsand Services Tax (GST), theGujarat VAT Commissioner P DVaghela, who is also a memberofthe GST Council, visited textilefactories, trading shops and dia-mond factories in Surat onTuesday and assured them thattheir suggestions will be con-veyed to the GST council.Vaghela also visited SuratDiamond Association.

Incidentally, Chief MinisterVijay Rupani visited Surat lastweek to inaugurate “Udyog2018”, an event organised by theSouthern Gujarat Chamber ofCommerce & Industry (SGCCI). MP Shah, president of SGCCI, hadrequested the CM to send gov-ernment officials to Surat to un-derstand the issues faced by tex-tile industry related to the GSTand also to make representationsto the GST Council about the is-sues and sort out their problems.

The Federation ofSurat TextileTraders Association (FOSTTA) alsomade representations to the VATCommissioner on the problemsfaced by traders with regard toGST. FOSTTA president ManojAgrawal said, “Due to the GST andnow e-way bill, the business hasgone down up to 40 per cent. Wehave got positive response fromthe VAT commissioner who hasassured that the issues will be putforward to GST Council for possi-ble solutions.” ENS

VAT chiefmeets Surattraders overGST issue

GUJARAT 5WWW.INDIANEXPRESS.COMTHE INDIAN EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2018

Most theatreowners againstscreening: Dy CMGandhinagar: Deputy ChiefMinister Nitin Patel onTuesday said that most the-atre owners in Gujarat havevoluntarily decided to notscreen ‘Padmaavat’. “Mosttheatres have declined toscreen the film, despite thegreen signal from theSupreme Court. They havetaken the decision volun-tarily. The government istrying its best to maintainlaw and order in the state,”Patel told reporters. PTI

PATIDAR LEADER WRITES AN OPEN LETTER TO CM

Hardik, Alpesh join chorus againstscreening of Padmaavat in state