2023, the year of Telangana state elections is here and it has started with a spate of arrests in the run up to the state elections scheduled to be held before the end of this year. The 2023 Telangana legislative assembly election is scheduled to be held in or before December 2023 to elect all 119 members of the state’s Legislative Assembly.
Telangana Congress leaders were placed under house arrest by the police in Hyderabad on Monday, in anticipation of their planned protests over the problems faced by the village panchayat presidents (sarpanches) in the state. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy, vice-president Mallu Ravi and other leaders were placed under house arrest. Police personnel were deployed outside the residence of Revanth Reddy in Jubilee Hills to prevent him from leaving for Hyderabad’s Indira Park, to lead a “peaceful” dharna. The state police department had earlier denied permission for the same.
A “sarpanch” is the head of the “panchayat” at the village level and together with other elected panchayat members, constitute gram panchayats and zilla panchayats. The sarpanch is the focal point of contact between government officers and the village community and retains power for five years.
In Telangana, sarpanches, who have mostly supported the ruling BRS (TRS earlier) party thus far, have been expressing concern over not receiving government funds for about a year. Many of them have come forward to submit their resignations, over their helplessness in discharging their duties at the village panchayat level, on account of a shortage of allocated funds.
The Congress party has said that it had been protesting to highlight the problems of 12,750 panchayats in Telangana. The state Congress leaders allege that the state government run by the BRS party, is misusing funds meant for panchayats, denying them their due share, thus affecting the development of villages who have up to this point, supported the BRS. State Congress president, Revanth Reddy had encouraged sarpanches across the state to assemble at the Congress-led dharna site to express their disappointment with the BRS government and its callous attitude in disbursement of funds rightfully meant for villages.
This round of house arrests of the state Congress party’s leaders, comes just two weeks after the previous December 14, 2022 house arrests, when Congress party leaders including party president, Revanth Reddy were placed under house arrest, when he called for a protest outside the Hyderabad City Commissioner’s office, over the arrest of five party workers from the office of the Congress party’s chief electoral strategist, Sunil Kanugolu, for allegedly posting derogatory comments on Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao.
In battleground Telangana, 2023 is a tough year for the incumbent Bharat Rasthra Samithi (BRS) party, led by K.Chandrashekar Rao (KCR). The BRS party formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samiti party (TRS) has won two consecutive terms since the new state’s elections were held in 2014 and 2018. In the upcoming 2023 elections, the BRS party is under immense pressure to fight growing anti-incumbency after almost ten years in power as well as a strong opposition presence in the state, including the BJP which has seen significant growth in the state, a recently resurgent TDP party led by Chandrababu Naidu, a stubborn Congress party still in the fray inspite of infighting and other setbacks and the newly launched YSRTP party, led by Sharmila, sister of the current Andhra Pradesh chief minister and leader of the YSRCP party, YS Jagan Reddy.
The BRS party’s victory in the last two state elections as well as its national ambitions, have resulted in a confidence (some say, arrogance), that have alienated it from all other parties and previous allies.
The TRS/BRS party was founded on 27 April 2001 by Chandrasekhar Rao with a single-point agenda of creating a separate Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital. It has been instrumental in carrying forth a sustained agitation for the granting of statehood for Telangana. Chandrasekhar Rao was a long-time member of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and remains a fan of the TDP’s founder and famous Telugu actor, N.Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) after whom he named his own son, the current Telangana Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Industries & Commerce, and Information Technology, K.Taraka Rama Rao.
Chandrasekar Rao (KCR) and his BRS party have had a colorful history of alliances. He and his party have been politically associated with the Congress, the TDP and the BJP.
Telangana state was carved out of the erstwhile larger state of united Andhra Pradesh in 2014, under the aegis of the then Congress party-led UPA 2 government at the centre, which agreed to Chandrasekar Rao and his TRS/BRS party’s long standing demand of a separate state for the Telugu speaking region of Telangana, distinct from the Telugu speaking region of Andhra Pradesh, claiming perceived/ alleged discrimination, negligence and differences in history and culture.
The BRS party won both the first and second elections of the new Telagana state in April-May 2014 and December 2018, respectively. The 2018 election saw the coming together of once arch enemies, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) which formed an opportunistic alliance for the first time. This unlikely, ideologically mismatched alliance, lost the elections to the BRS party. The TDP’s alliance with arch enemies, the Congress and the CPI, also had ramifications in the neighboring Telugu state of Andhra Pradesh, where Naidu’s ruling TDP party was in a shaky alliance with the BJP from 2014-2019. The TDP without an alliance with the BJP, fared poorly in the subsequent 2019 A.P state elections and lost to Jagan Reddy’s YSRCP party.
Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP is now hoping to revive its alliance with the BJP in both the Telugu states- Telangana goes to polls in Dec 2023 or slightly earlier and Andhra Pradesh is scheduled for June 2024 or earlier.
Chandrababu who held a sway over his state tried to position himself against PM Modi in 2019. Today, he is desperately crying and trying to find his feet on the ground.
In the first Telangana state elections of April-May 2014, the then TRS party (currently BRS party) contested state elections on its own without an alliance with the Congress-led UPA or the BJP-led NDA. It won a decisive madate from the people of the new state and emerged victorious in 63 of the 119 Assembly seats. KCR was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of Telangana.
KCR awaits the same fate of Chandrababu Naidu in the coming years if he goes overboard with his unabashed anti-Modism.
Probably, that is why he is toning it down saying ‘Modi is his best friend’.
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Indian Ayurvedic dietary supplement called Chyawanprash / chyavanaprasha is a cooked mixture of sugar, honey, ghee, Indian Gooseberry (amla), jam, sesame oil, berries, herbs and various spices
The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), the two prominent institutions under the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India for regulating medical education and conducting scientific research respectively, have launched ‘SMART’ (Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research in Teaching Professionals) program aimed to boost scientific research in priority healthcare research areas through Ayurveda colleges and hospitals.
The program was launched today by Vaidya Jayant Deopujari, Chairman, NCISM and Prof. Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, CCRAS in the presence of Prof. B. S. Prasad, President of Board of Ayurveda, NCISM and other senior officials.
Vaidya Jayant Deopujari, Chairman, NCISM, lauded the initiative and said, “I am confident that this program has the potential to transform clinical research in Ayurveda. It was observed that the research potential of the large community of Ayurveda teachers remains under utilised mostly. Therefore, the ‘SMART’ program will have a deep long term rejuvenating impact on research in the field of Ayurveda and it will be a great service to the nation, I congratulate CCRAS for this initiative and ensure all support on behalf of NCISM.”
While highlighting key points of ‘SMART’, Prof. Vaidya Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, CCRAS said, “The proposed initiative is conceptualised with an objective to identify, support and promote innovative research ideas in healthcare research areas including Osteoarthritis, Iron Deficiency Anaemia, Chronic Bronchitis, Dyslipidemia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus, Psoriasis, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)”.
He also added, “The eligible Ayurveda academic institutions may apply by 10 January, 2023. All details regarding contact information, eligibility criteria and application process has been shared to all recognized academic institutions and hospitals through NCISM”.
Prof. B. S. Prasad, President of Board of Ayurveda, NCISM, mentioned, “The large network of Ayurveda colleges and hospitals across the country is an asset for the country in terms of its healthcare needs. This network has not only been offering healthcare services in hardest times, but it also has contributed significantly in terms of healthcare research in the country. The ‘SMART’ program will certainly motivate teachers for taking up projects in designated areas of healthcare research and create a large database.”
On Sunday, a commotion erupted during a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam meeting in Chennai attended by DMK MP Kanimozhi, Tamilachi Thangapandian MP, and Virugambakkam MLA Prabhakar Raja after police attempted to detain two DMK functionaries for allegedly molesting a female police constable. While the accused were being detained by police, party cadres surrounded them and prevented them from arresting them, with MLA Prabhakar Raja speaking in support of the accused.
On Sunday, the DMK held a meeting near the Dasarathapuram bus stand in Chennai’s Saligramam neighborhood. MP Kanimozhi, Tamilzhachi Thangapandian, and MLA Prabhakar Raja also attended the event and distributed welfare materials to the general public.
When the event neared its end, two members of the Youth wing of DMK of the 129th ward acted inappropriately toward the lady police on duty. The police officer was seen crying after two miscreants, Praveen and Egambaram allegedly misbehaved with her. When the cops arrested both of them, the party members present at the public meeting got into a heated argument with them.
After MLA Prabhakara Raja, who was on stage, said, ‘don’t aggravate the situation,’ the police warned both of them and released them. While Kanimozhi was speaking about women’s rights, the DMK member’s inappropriate behavior with a female police officer at a meeting she attended shocked many.
Sources also say that the accused were let go scot-free upon the intervention of Virugambakkam DMK MLA Prabakara Raja, without registration of FIR.
Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai slammed the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for standing by and not taking action against the accused DMK youth wing functionaries who molested a female police officer.
Disgraceful state of affairs in Tamil Nadu. Governance is in deep slumber.
Two DMK Youth wing functionaries molested a police constable on protection duty in a public meeting in which MP Smt @KanimozhiDMK avargal participated. (1/2)
Thirumavalavan, the chief of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, has made a spectacular U-turn on his opposition to ONGC and oil extraction by ONGC, saying that people should be made aware of the good work done by ONGC.
In a meeting organized by the workers union of ONGC in Chennai, VCK Lok Sabha MP Thirumavalavan said,” The members of our union have explained to me using audiovisuals about how the ONGC company works, what difficulties they face, and what their future holds. ONGC is a public sector unit owned by the Union Government. Our comrades on stage are employees and officers of ONGC who work for the people and the government. Their role is to act as a link between the government, which makes policy, and the people.”
He further said,” In this situation, there is presently criticism about the functioning of the ONGC’s activities, particularly on the environmental front. The criticism is not just for ONGC but also for the Kudamkulam plant that generates electricity. People protested against the Sterlite administration, which had been operating for decades, and many people lost their lives in the ensuing firing. Similarly, people are protesting against the extension of the Neyveli lignite plant.”
He added,”People protested and opposed the Chennai to Salem eight-way lane project as they feared that thousands of acres of tress will be cut down, which will adversely affect the environment. Similarly, those affected by the announcement of an airport in Parandur are opposing and protesting the government’s decision. And the list goes on.”
Thiruma said,” It is because of technology and social media that people have this awareness that was lacking 50 years ago. People are creating their own news rather than relying on traditional media. However, social media is used both for spreading correct information and also sometimes for misinformation. It is in this situation that ONGC is also facing a similar problem.”
He went on,”Several workers and officials explained to me how the ONGC works. It is their responsibility to do so. They should, however, explain not only to me but also to the general public. For our survival, we require oil, petroleum, sand, electricity, coal, and other mineral resources extracted from the earth. Large energy production is needed to meet our demands. As a result, the government generates electricity from a variety of sources, including hydroelectricity, thermal power plants, wind turbines, and even nuclear power plants. However, several environmentalists oppose these energy productions, claiming that air, water, and soil are becoming polluted, and water levels in the north and south poles are rising, among other things.”
He added,” Throughout the world, there is opposition to energy extraction, whether it is thermal extraction of power or atomic extraction of power. It is not a problem between the people who live near these projects and companies; rather, it is a problem between modern technology and the human race. The problem is caused by population growth and the demands of that population, which are causing these issues.”
He stated, “We need modern technology and innovations to meet the demands of an expanding population. Oil and natural gas are essential for all of these. As a result, we can only extract where it is present to meet the power needs of the human population. But if we extract, there is opposition from environmentalists. However, this is a problem shared by all companies, not just ONGC. Therefore, it is the responsibility of those who understand technology to explain this problem to the public.”
He went on to say, “No one, including me, is aware that ONGC does not extract oil through hydraulic fracturing, which has a negative impact on the environment. There is a need to explain to the public that extracting oil several hundred meters below the water level will not harm the underground water. But in general, the idea that drinking water is polluted is what reaches the people. It is our responsibility to tell the people that water is not getting polluted. I am bound to say that Thirumavalavan will be a partner in that effort. ”
However, Thirumavalvan had opposed these developmental schemes in the past during the AIADMK regime. He has spoken out against all of the schemes that he supported in his speech today, including ONGC oil extraction, Sterlite copper production, the Koodankulam Atomic power plant, the Chennai-Salem eight-lane project, the Theni Neutrino plant, and others.
Instances When Thirumavalavan Opposed ONGC
Thirumavalavan had condemned the ONGC organization on June 17, 2021, saying it was shocking for him to see ONGC seeking environmental clearance for setting up exploratory wells in Ariyalur while Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin was writing a letter to PM Modi to stop the implementation of hydrocarbon projects in Tamil Nadu.
அண்மையில் தமிழகமுதல்வர் 'தமிழ்நாட்டில் #ஹைட்ரோகார்பன் திட்டத்தை நடைமுறைப்படுத்தக் கூடாதென பிரதமருக்கு மடல் எழுதினார். ஆனால்,ஓஎன்ஜிசி நிறுவனம் அரியலூரில் ஆய்வுக்கிணறுகள் அமைக்க தமிழ்நாடுஅரசிடமே சுற்றுச்சூழல் அனுமதி கோரியிருப்பது அதிர்ச்சியளிக்கிறது. இதனை வன்மையாகக் கண்டிக்கிறோம். pic.twitter.com/cAJIjof1ip
— Thol. Thirumavalavan (@thirumaofficial) June 17, 2021
On May 13, 2019, Thirumavalavan condemned the central government for granting Vedanta a license to extract hydrocarbons in the sea and on land in the Villupuram and Puducherry areas. He urged both state and central governments to cancel the project immediately.
புதுச்சேரி விழுப்புரம் பகுதிகளில் கடலிலும் நிலத்திலும் ஹைட்ரோகார்பன் எடுப்பதற்கு வேதாந்தா நிறுவனத்துக்கு உரிமம் அளிக்கப்பட்டிருப்பது அதிர்ச்சியளிக்கிறது .அதை உடனே ரத்து செய்ய வேண்டும் என மத்திய மாநில அரசுகளை விடுதலைச் சிறுத்தைகள் கட்சியின் சார்பில் வலியுறுத்துகிறோம் pic.twitter.com/SAWjpH2lik
— Thol. Thirumavalavan (@thirumaofficial) May 13, 2019
Thirumavalavan issued a statement on July 22, 2019, “VCK call on not only farmers but also the public from all walks of life to fight against the hydrocarbon project to protect our soil and people.”
காவிரிப் படுகை பாதுகாப்பு கூட்டியக்கத்தின் ஆர்ப்பாட்டம்
நமது மண்ணையும் மக்களையும் பாதுகாப்பதற்கு ஹைட்ரோகார்பன் திட்டத்தை எதிர்த்து போராட விவசாயிகள் மட்டுமின்றி அனைத்து தரப்பு பொதுமக்களும் பெருவாரியாக பங்கேற்க வேண்டுமென அழைப்பு விடுக்கிறோம். #TholThirumavalavanpic.twitter.com/g8GP8rSHvu
— Thol. Thirumavalavan (@thirumaofficial) July 22, 2019
On June 13, 2021, Thiruma said, “On behalf of VCK, we welcome and appreciate Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Thalapathy MK Stalin’s letter to the Hon’ble Prime Minister stating that the hydrocarbon project should not be started in Tamil Nadu. Let us protect our soil, as well as agriculture and groundwater.”
#ஹைட்ரோகார்பன் திட்டத்தைத் தமிழகத்தில் தொடங்கவே கூடாது என தமிழக முதல்வர் #தளபதி_மு_க_ஸ்டாலின் அவர்கள், மாண்புமிகு பிரதமருக்கு மடல் எழுதியிருப்பதை #விசிக சார்பில் வரவேற்றுப் பாராட்டுகிறோம். நமது மண்ணையும் வேளாண்மை மற்றும் நிலத்தடிநீர் உள்ளிட்ட யாவற்றையும் பாதுகாப்போம்.@mkstalinpic.twitter.com/JppWPiGbr4
— Thol. Thirumavalavan (@thirumaofficial) June 13, 2021
VCK chief Thirumavalavan was arrested on March 29, 2018, along with 800 other people, including political party leaders, who attempted to blockade a crude oil well near Ammapet.
On July 3, 2017, VCK Party leader Thol. Thirumavalavan has insisted that the Tamil Nadu government should cancel the No-Objection-Certificate (NOC) certificate given to ONGC company for setting up oil wells in more than a hundred places in the delta districts.
Opposing ONGC’s hydrocarbon extraction in Tamil Nadu when the AIADMK was in power and now speaking in support of the very same has exposed Thirumavalavan’s hypocrisy.
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Recently, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son and DMK’s crown prince Udhayanidhi Stalin, spilled the beans that he and his wife are Christians while speaking at a Christmas celebration event in Chennai’s Harbour constituency.
Prior to his speech, the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Minister P. Sekarbabu shouted ‘Hallelujah, Hallelujah’ on top of his voice much to the jubilation of the Christian priests on the stage and audience.
This recent cringe fest that unfolded on stage is a manifestation of what the so-called ‘Dravidian Model’ is all about.
It is nothing surprising as the ‘Dravidian Movement’ itself traces its roots to British Christian evangelist Robert Caldwell, whose has a statue for himself in Chennai’s Marina Beach since 1968.
Robert Caldwell established and peddled the Dravidian race identity to detach native Hindus from their faith so that their souls can be harvested into Christianity.
His successor GU Pope went one step further in appropriating classical Tamil Hindu texts by secularizing them so that it can be conflated with Christianity.
The seeds sowed by the two Christian missionaries were watered by the British stooges of Justice Party that has now become a big tree under which the DMK seeks refuge. The DMK with its ‘Christutva’ model tends to this tree with its leaders frequently resorting to Christian appeasement – either by hurting Hindus or cajoling Christians.
Here are a few instances that show why DMK’s ‘Dravidian Model’ is nothing but ‘Christutva Model’ which has been acknowledged by some of the its leaders quite a few times.
Stalin Govt By Christians For Christians Said TN Speaker Appavu
DMK MLA and Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu had declared that the MK Stalin-led government in the state was formed by Christians and for Christians.
Appavu openly admitted that the DMK came to power because of the ‘fasting’ and support of Roman Catholic Christians and that Chief Minister MK Stalin acknowledges that the DMK government was installed with the help of Christians.
“I frequently tell this. This is ‘your’ government. A government that has been formed by ‘you’. A government that has been formed because of your ‘fasting’. A government that has been brought by your prayers and wishes to the Lord. This is a government for ‘you’.” the DMK MLA said while addressing a gathering of Catholic Christians on the occasion of St. Paul’s Seminary held in Trichy on June 29, 2022.
He further added that Christianity and Christian priests were the root causes for the formation of the DMK government which talks about ‘social justice’ and ‘Dravida Model’.
“I’ve already told this to the pastors many times. You don’t have to expect anyone. You can decide among yourselves and figure out the problems that you face and and bring it to the atttention of our Chief Minister. He won’t reject it all because he knows very well that this government was formed by you. So, this is ‘your’ government. He is ‘your’ Chief Minister. You can boldy place any request before him. Make the necessary arrangement for that without any delay. To support you, I am there, brother Inigo (another MLA who won on DMK ticket) is there, our wonderful brother Peter Alphonse (Congress leader and Chairman of State Minorities Commission), is there. We will stand by you, listen to your pleas, and take it to the attention of the Hon’ble Chief Minister for taking necessary action.”, Appavu told the Christian pastors and other Christians assembled.
He also said that Tamil Nadu wouldn’t have developed at all without Christians.
Again while speaking at the Tirunelveli Social Service Society, an outfit of the Catholic Diocese of Palyamkottai in November 2022, Appavu said that the evolution of schemes like ‘Pudhumai Penn’ (₹1000 stifend for girl students) originated from the Church which the DMK government is implementing. He also hailed Macaulay and the Christian missionaries.
When DMK Fin Min PTR Hailed Christian Missionaries
“Be it in India or Tamil Nadu or even Madurai, the contribution of American missionaries is not always talked about much. The link between Madurai and American missionaries goes back to 1881 or even beyond. They contributed to the overall development of the region by providing educational and medical facilities, though they were not the colonising power here,” Palanivel Thiagarajan was quoted saying in The Hindu.
Palanivel Thiagarajan also said that the work of American Christian missionaries across the world championed the cause of people’s welfare, be it the civil rights movement in the USA or the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu.
It is understandable for Appavu, who is believed to be a practicing Christian, to praise Christian missionaries. But the fact that Palanivel Thiagarajan himself, who comes across as a devout Hindu and often boasts of his family making donations to Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple and Sabarimala Temple, has no qualms in hailing Christian missionaries who often indulge in forceful religious conversion, clearly establishes that the DMK is a ‘Christutva’ party.
Appointing Crypto-Christians For Managing Hindu Temples
One R. Appu Raja, alleged to be a ‘crypto-Christian’, was to get married at the Mylapore Kapaleeswarar Temple on November 7, 2022. The wedding invitation mentioned Appu Raja as working with the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department.
From the posters stuck for the wedding, it came to light that Appu Raja, who was recruited by the DMK government last year to work in the HR&CE department, was the Deputy Organizer of the DMK Mylapore East student wing.
Thanks to the efforts of Hindu Munnani, the marriage that was to happen in violation of the temple agamas was thwarted and was later held at a private hall.
DMK Min I Periyasamy’s Daughter-In-Law Calls For Vatican Intervention
Mercy Senthil Kumar, the daughter-in-law of DMK minister I Periyasamy and wife of DMK MLA I.P. Senthil Kumar, had urged that a law be enacted requiring the Vatican approval to arrest Christian pastors and sisters around the world. She made this comment in light of Christian pastor Stan Swamy’s death, who had links with Maoists.
She went on to say that education and rationality only came to India following the arrival of Christian Fathers and Sisters, and that the majority of India’s educational institutions are in the hands of priests and sisters, who should teach politics and law.
Maoist Sympathizing Christian Priest Appointed To TNPSC
The MK Stalin-led DMK government appointed Fr. A. Raj Mariasusai, a Christian priest of the Salesian order and a known Maoist sympathizer.
Father Mariasusai has an extremely controversial past as he allegedly had a close relationship with recently deceased ‘Urban Naxal’ and fellow Christian priest Stanislaus Lourduswamy, aka Stan Swamy. The Retreat Don Bosco Yercaud, an organization which he is associated with, undertook a campaign and distributed ‘relief materials’ in honour of terror accused Stan Swamy who died recently.
When Alleged ‘Dalit’ Mayor Met Rabid Anti-Hindu Pastor
The DMK government in Tamil Nadu had reserved Mayor post of Chennai for a woman belonging to the Scheduled Caste. Accordingly, R Priya of the DMK was sworn in as the Mayor of Chennai.
However, Priya’s claims of being a Dalit is being disputed as she is alleged to be a Christian.
Union of Catholic Asian News (UCA News) had published an article in which it has been stated that she is said to be a member of the Evangelical Church of India (ECI). The news outlet’s Twitter handle tweeted the article with the caption that Priya Rajan is a ‘Dalit Christian’.
Priya after taking over as Mayor met with Bishop Ezra Sargunam, a rabid Christian fundamentalist who shares close ties with the DMK and is known for his hate speech against Hindus.
*Mayor of Chennai* is a member of *Ottery ECI Church*. She Went to visit *Bishop Ezra* to receive his blessings Now, any doubt on Gopalapuram connection – Crypto.
“The government that is there in Tamil Nadu today is one that has been created by you. I won’t call it as my government. This is our government.”, CM Stalin said.
In his speech at the event, CM Stalin hailed the Church of South India saying that the Church was a boon to Tamil Nadu which played a big role in building educational institutions and hospitals.
He said that the Church today functions as a movement of ‘social work’ for the Tamil Nadu people.
DMK: A ‘Christutva’ Party
The DMK claims itself as a ‘secular’ party and accuses the BJP of doing ‘Hindutva’ politics. Many journalists and political observers also peddle this narrative. In reality, it is the DMK which is the real ‘communal’ party which has been fanning communalism through its ‘Christutva’ politics. It is this ‘Christutva’ politics that has made the DMK harvest Christian votes en masse.
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Use Aadhaar confidently as per your choice to avail benefits and services, but observe same level of usage hygiene like any other identity documents including Bank account, PAN or Passport, the UIDAI has said.
Aadhaar is residents’ digital ID, and it works as a single source of online and offline identity verification for residents across the country. Residents can use their Aadhaar number to verify and validate their identity credentials either electronically or through offline verification.
While sharing Aadhaar with any trusted entity, the same level of caution may be exercised which one does at the time of sharing Mobile number, Bank account number or any other identity document like Passport, Voter Id, PAN, Ration Card etc.
Wherever a resident does not wish to share his or her Aadhaar number, UIDAI provides facility for generating Virtual Identifier (VID). One can easily generate VID by visiting the official website or via myaadhaar portal, and use it for authentication in place of the Aadhaar number. This VID can be changed after the end of the calendar day.
UIDAI also provides the facility of Aadhaar locking as well as biometric locking. If a resident is not likely to use Aadhaar for a period of time, he or she may lock Aadhaar or biometrics for such a time period. The same can be unlocked conveniently and instantly, as and when required.
The UIDAI provides technologically advanced ecosystem to ensure safe, smooth and speedy authentication experience to the Aadhaar number holder. The various provisions of the Aadhaar Act and its Regulations mandate that the entities taking Aadhaar number from the residents use and store it in a secure and legally permissible manner.
Entities seeking Aadhaar are obligated to obtain consent which should specify the purpose for which it is being taken. UIDAI urges residents to please insist for it.
A resident can check Aadhaar authentication history for last six months on UIDAI website or m-Aadhaar app. Also, UIDAI intimates about every authentication over email. Therefore, linking email Id with Aadhaar will ensure that a resident gets intimation every time his or her Aadhaar number is authenticated.
Several services can be availed with OTP-based Aadhaar authentication, and keeping mobile number updated with Aadhaar is a beneficial move.
UIDAI also urges residents not to leave Aadhaar letter / PVC Card, or its copy thereof, unattended. Residents are advised not to share Aadhaar openly in public domain particularly on social media and other public platforms. Aadhaar holders should not disclose Aadhaar OTP to any unauthorized entity and refrain from sharing m-Aahaar PIN with anyone.
In case of suspicion of any unauthorized use of Aadhaar or for any other Aadhaar related query, Aadhaar holders may contact UIDAI on toll-free helpline 1947 which is available 24×7 and/or email at help@uidai.gov.in
In a significant achievement demonstrating strengthening of the country’s health infrastructure, India has surpassed a notable landmark- 150,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) have been operationalised before 31st December. Prime Minister Narendra Modi applauded the efforts of the nation in accomplishing this feat before the set deadline and commended that these centers will serve to provide citizens all across the nation to easily access and avail primary healthcare facilities.
Dr Mansukh Mandaviya Union Health and Family Welfare Minister congratulated the nation on this achievement and expressed his joy stating that India had successfully achieved the goal it had set out to do. Translating Prime Minister Narendra Modi vision into reality, the collected and collaborative efforts of States / UTs and Central Government have catapulted India into a global model for assured comprehensive primary health care services.
1,50,000 हेल्थ एंड वेलनेस सेंटर!
PM @NarendraModi जी ने दिसम्बर 2022 तक, देश में डेढ़ लाख AB-HWCs शुरू करने का लक्ष्य रखा था। मुझे बताते हुए खुशी है की आज हमने यह लक्ष्य प्राप्त कर लिया है।
Fulfilling the principles of “Antyodaya”- leaving no one behind, 150,000 Ayushman Bharat Health and Wellness Centres (AB-HWCs) are transforming the delivery of comprehensive primary health care services which are universally free and cater to all age groups from birth to death, through a continuum of care approach. Ensuring the reach of healthcare services to the innermost regions of the nation through various initiatives, AB-HWCs have surpassed 8.5 teleconsultations via e-Sanjeevni, where nearly 4 lakh teleconsultations take place on a daily basis.
More than 86.90 crore beneficiaries have been cumulatively screened for non-communicable diseases which include 29.95 Crore for Hypertension, 25.56 Crore for Diabetes, 17.44 Crore for Oral cancer, 8.27 Crore for Breast Cancer and 5.66 Crore for Cervical Cancer.
In light of expansion of AB-HWCs, the number of essential medicines has increased to 172 at Primary Health Centres – Health Wellness Centres (PHC-HWC) and 105 at Sub Health Centres – Health Wellness Centres (SHC-HWC) and essential diagnostics have also expanded to 63 at PHC-HWC and 14 at SHC-HWC. AB-HWCs also encompass wellness sessions on Yoga, Zumba, cyclathons, walkathons, and provide guidelines on diet, physical activity, positive parenting, tobacco, alcohol cessation among other aspects to imbibe a mindset for community well-being.
Till date, more than 1.60 crore wellness sessions have been conducted at these centres.
Additionally, AB-HWCs have also operationalized 2-3 centers in urban sphere under the umbrella of Urban Primary Health Centre-Health and Wellness Centre (UPHC-HWC), strengthening outpatient care, and covering a population of 15,000 to 20,000.
Hundreds of retired transport employees besieged the corporations’ head offices in Chennai, Villupuram, Madurai, and other parts of the state, demanding that the corporations pay them the revised dearness allowance (DA) and release their pending retirement benefits.
Protesters occupying MTC headquarters on Pallavan Salai claimed that the final settlement for those who retired in 2016 had not yet been paid in full. They also claimed that the DA for pensioners was not increased to the same level as that for retired central government employees.
Several stages of protests were held by transport department employees during the previous AIADMK regime, demanding that government transport workers be paid Dearness Allowance, which has been discontinued since 2016.
MK Stalin, the then-opposition leader of Tamil Nadu, promised the transport department employee that if they were elected to power, they would provide them the Dearness allowance that was stopped. However, even after many months of DMK rule, the demand has not been met. Protesting the DMK government’s inaction after being elected, retired State Transport Corporation employees besieged the State Transport Corporation zonal office and staged a road blockade.
In a similar protest in Trichy, the Collectorate Road was completely blocked. The police, who had received the information, rushed in and negotiated with the protestors, forcing them to abandon their protest. As a result, traffic in the district was disrupted for over an hour.
In Coimbatore, police arrested 875 retired government transport employees who were on strike, demanding payment of benefits on their retirement day. They besieged the Government Transport Head Office on Mettupalayam Road and staged a protest.
Protesters stated that demonstrations were held in 9 government transport zones across the state, condemning the Tamil Nadu government for failing to implement a High Court order directing to provide DA for 87 months and for appealing the High Court order against the transport workers.
Isha’s Cauvery Calling movement planted 1.5 lakh timber trees on farmlands across Tamil Nadu today on the Memorial Day of Nammalvar Ayya. The timber trees were planted on 416 acres of farmland in 70 places across 36 districts. Cauvery Calling is a campaign to support farmers to plant 242 crore trees and revitalize the Cauvery river.
Having dedicated his entire life to restoring traditional farming methods in Tamil Nadu and protecting soil fertility, Nammalvar Ayya closely worked with Isha’s environmental projects. Throughout his life, he continuously highlighted the necessity of trees and native cattle breeds in maintaining soil fertility.
Remembering his contribution, Sadhguru once stated, “A simple man of profound wisdom who inspired farmers to nurture the land with traditional natural farming practices. Revered as a travelling saint & a non-didactic storyteller. Remembered in gratitude for his early involvement with Isha Agro Movement.”
Isha’s Cauvery Calling movement has been working steadfastly to take forward Nammalvar’s vision of natural farming and planting trees in the farmlands. They have been providing farmers with the necessary timber sapling at a low cost of Rs 3. per sapling, growing them in the 40 Isha Nurseries across Tamil Nadu.
Practicing Agroforestry, besides improving farmer earnings, also results in increased rain, improves soil fertility, and benefits ecology. Planting trees, especially in the catchment area of the river basin, helps increase the river’s water-holding capacity and rejuvenates the river. Accordingly, Cauvery Calling aims to plant 242 crore trees in 12 years, and four crore trees have been already planted in Karnataka and Tamil Nadu in the last two years. The movement aims to plant one crore of trees in Tamil Nadu, out of which 76 lakh trees have been already planted.
Cauvery Calling has been conducting various training sessions and conferences to raise awareness among farmers about agroforestry. Farmers can participate in these workshops and benefit from these practices. To get saplings at a very low price and to get guidance regarding what sort of trees can be planted according to the soil type one can call the Cauvery Calling helpline at 80009 80009.
(This is an official press release from Isha Foundation. The Commune was not involved in creating this content.)
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On Thursday (29 December 2022), as the Tamil Nadu government school secondary-grade (SG) teachers’ hunger strike entered its third day, school education secretary Kakarla Usha met with the teachers who refused to end the protest and remained steadfast in their demand for a salary hike.
Thousands of teachers are protesting on the DPI campus, demanding equal pay for equal work. Their union claimed that over 20,000 SG teachers hired after June 2009 were paid ₹3,170 less than those hired before May 31, 2009. The pay gap widened even more after the implementation of the seventh pay commission.
On December 27, around 3,500 Secondary Grade Teachers (SGTs) began an indefinite hunger strike outside the Directorate of School Education, urging Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to keep his election promise of equal pay for equal work.
The statement from J Robert, general secretary of the Secondary Grade Seniority Teachers’ Association (SSTA) read,” It is 20 months since the DMK came to power and despite our efforts, our one demand has not been fulfilled. Therefore, we are once again holding a rigorous indefinite hunger strike.”
In 2018, the SSTA went on indefinite strike in a similar manner, and the then-opposition leader and the current chief minister MK Stalin supported their protest. Stalin then demanded that the then-ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) resolve the issue immediately.
According to the SSTA press release,”The Supreme Court has ruled in several cases that people in the same position and doing the same job should be paid equally for equal work. However, neither the previous AIADMK government nor the current DMK government followed this.”
The press release further stated,” SGTs were affected when the seventh pay commission was implemented. Those appointed after May 31, 2009, are paid ₹3,170 lesser than those appointed on or prior to the mentioned date. However, there is no difference in their educational qualifications and work requirements.”
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Will KCR Meet The Same Fate Of CBN?
2023, the year of Telangana state elections is here and it has started with a spate of arrests in the run up to the state elections scheduled to be held before the end of this year. The 2023 Telangana legislative assembly election is scheduled to be held in or before December 2023 to elect all 119 members of the state’s Legislative Assembly.
Telangana Congress leaders were placed under house arrest by the police in Hyderabad on Monday, in anticipation of their planned protests over the problems faced by the village panchayat presidents (sarpanches) in the state. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy, vice-president Mallu Ravi and other leaders were placed under house arrest. Police personnel were deployed outside the residence of Revanth Reddy in Jubilee Hills to prevent him from leaving for Hyderabad’s Indira Park, to lead a “peaceful” dharna. The state police department had earlier denied permission for the same.
A “sarpanch” is the head of the “panchayat” at the village level and together with other elected panchayat members, constitute gram panchayats and zilla panchayats. The sarpanch is the focal point of contact between government officers and the village community and retains power for five years.
In Telangana, sarpanches, who have mostly supported the ruling BRS (TRS earlier) party thus far, have been expressing concern over not receiving government funds for about a year. Many of them have come forward to submit their resignations, over their helplessness in discharging their duties at the village panchayat level, on account of a shortage of allocated funds.
The Congress party has said that it had been protesting to highlight the problems of 12,750 panchayats in Telangana. The state Congress leaders allege that the state government run by the BRS party, is misusing funds meant for panchayats, denying them their due share, thus affecting the development of villages who have up to this point, supported the BRS. State Congress president, Revanth Reddy had encouraged sarpanches across the state to assemble at the Congress-led dharna site to express their disappointment with the BRS government and its callous attitude in disbursement of funds rightfully meant for villages.
This round of house arrests of the state Congress party’s leaders, comes just two weeks after the previous December 14, 2022 house arrests, when Congress party leaders including party president, Revanth Reddy were placed under house arrest, when he called for a protest outside the Hyderabad City Commissioner’s office, over the arrest of five party workers from the office of the Congress party’s chief electoral strategist, Sunil Kanugolu, for allegedly posting derogatory comments on Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao.
In battleground Telangana, 2023 is a tough year for the incumbent Bharat Rasthra Samithi (BRS) party, led by K.Chandrashekar Rao (KCR). The BRS party formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samiti party (TRS) has won two consecutive terms since the new state’s elections were held in 2014 and 2018. In the upcoming 2023 elections, the BRS party is under immense pressure to fight growing anti-incumbency after almost ten years in power as well as a strong opposition presence in the state, including the BJP which has seen significant growth in the state, a recently resurgent TDP party led by Chandrababu Naidu, a stubborn Congress party still in the fray inspite of infighting and other setbacks and the newly launched YSRTP party, led by Sharmila, sister of the current Andhra Pradesh chief minister and leader of the YSRCP party, YS Jagan Reddy.
The BRS party’s victory in the last two state elections as well as its national ambitions, have resulted in a confidence (some say, arrogance), that have alienated it from all other parties and previous allies.
The TRS/BRS party was founded on 27 April 2001 by Chandrasekhar Rao with a single-point agenda of creating a separate Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital. It has been instrumental in carrying forth a sustained agitation for the granting of statehood for Telangana. Chandrasekhar Rao was a long-time member of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and remains a fan of the TDP’s founder and famous Telugu actor, N.Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) after whom he named his own son, the current Telangana Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Industries & Commerce, and Information Technology, K.Taraka Rama Rao.
Chandrasekar Rao (KCR) and his BRS party have had a colorful history of alliances. He and his party have been politically associated with the Congress, the TDP and the BJP.
Telangana state was carved out of the erstwhile larger state of united Andhra Pradesh in 2014, under the aegis of the then Congress party-led UPA 2 government at the centre, which agreed to Chandrasekar Rao and his TRS/BRS party’s long standing demand of a separate state for the Telugu speaking region of Telangana, distinct from the Telugu speaking region of Andhra Pradesh, claiming perceived/ alleged discrimination, negligence and differences in history and culture.
The BRS party won both the first and second elections of the new Telagana state in April-May 2014 and December 2018, respectively. The 2018 election saw the coming together of once arch enemies, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) which formed an opportunistic alliance for the first time. This unlikely, ideologically mismatched alliance, lost the elections to the BRS party. The TDP’s alliance with arch enemies, the Congress and the CPI, also had ramifications in the neighboring Telugu state of Andhra Pradesh, where Naidu’s ruling TDP party was in a shaky alliance with the BJP from 2014-2019. The TDP without an alliance with the BJP, fared poorly in the subsequent 2019 A.P state elections and lost to Jagan Reddy’s YSRCP party.
Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP is now hoping to revive its alliance with the BJP in both the Telugu states- Telangana goes to polls in Dec 2023 or slightly earlier and Andhra Pradesh is scheduled for June 2024 or earlier.
Chandrababu who held a sway over his state tried to position himself against PM Modi in 2019. Today, he is desperately crying and trying to find his feet on the ground.
In the first Telangana state elections of April-May 2014, the then TRS party (currently BRS party) contested state elections on its own without an alliance with the Congress-led UPA or the BJP-led NDA. It won a decisive madate from the people of the new state and emerged victorious in 63 of the 119 Assembly seats. KCR was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of Telangana.
KCR awaits the same fate of Chandrababu Naidu in the coming years if he goes overboard with his unabashed anti-Modism.
Probably, that is why he is toning it down saying ‘Modi is his best friend’.
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