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Divisive Leftist Liberal Agenda Fails As Rat-Hole Miners Chant ‘Bharat Mata Ki Jai’ And ‘Modi Ji Ki Jai’ Slogans

By
The Commune
-

With the nation finally heaving a huge sigh of relief after the 41 workers’ successful rescue from the Silkyara tunnel, liberals and leftist media were focused on naming the rat-hole miners who were able to cross the final hurdle that enabled the rescue of the trapped tunnel workers.

Notorious senior journalists associated with NDTV at some point in time, Rajdeep Sardesai and his wife Sagarika Ghose, were among those who also carried on this divisive agenda. Sagarika posted on her X handle, 

“The roll of honour of rescuers at #UttarakhandTunnelRescue : DG NDRF Atul Karwal, Lt Gen. Harpal Singh, Syed Ata Hasnain of NDMA, Mahmood Ahmed, managing director NHIDCL, Cyriac Joseph of Squadrone, and rat hole miners, from India’s poorest sections, among them Wakeel Khan and Munna Quraishi. Politicians are intent on dividing us, but it is when India rises above divisive identities, that India can move even a mountain.”

Rajdeep Sardesai wrote, “Roll call of honour: Remember the names of our Rat miner super—heroes: Feroz and Munna Quereshi, Rashid, Irshad, Naseem, Monu, Naseer, Ankur, Jatin, Saurabh, Waqeel Hasan, Devender. Aap sabko desh ka salaam! When India stays united, India wins!” on his X handle. 

Self-styled fact-checked Mohammed Zubair was not far behind in singing praises for one particular community. He shared pictures of the 12 rat-hole miners who enabled the rescue operation and also a clipping of a news article that detailed the circumstances under which they carried out the operation.

Member of Polit Bureau Subhashini Ali posted on her handle, “Names of our Rat miner superheroes: Feroz, Munna Qureshi, Rashid, Irshad, Naseem, Monu, Naseer, Ankur, Jatin, Saurabh, Waqeel Hasan, Devender. Aap sabko salaam! Agar Dhami aur BJP ka Uttarakhand se Muslims ko bhagane ki yojna safal ho jaati to kya hota. EKTA MEIN HI TAAKAT!”

(What if Dhami and BJP’s agenda of chasing Muslims from Uttarakhand was successful? Unity is strength)

No doubt, rat-mining or rat-hole mining is no easy task for humans, given its name and the nature and size of the hole in question. The nation lauds the efforts of every single person associated with the rescue while also offering prayers to every single person trapped inside the tunnel and the rescue persons carrying out the nerve-wracking task of rescue. The nation did not see them as Hindus or Muslims or Christians – the prayers were for everyone equally to come out safely. 

Divisive media however needed to highlight everyone’s names to indicate their religion. This agenda received a royal slapping when the rat miners shouted slogans, “Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Narender Modi Ki Jai” 

This only goes to show that people are united and do not look at each other based on their religion or names but as Indians, as people who did a fantastic job to rescue the trapped workers. 

Netizens slammed each of these people for promoting the divisive narrative when people were in fact hailing the members of the rescue team as a whole. 

Netizens also reminded the fact checker and the liberal media that only terrorists have no religion while rat-hole miners have.

https://twitter.com/rohan31khanna/status/1730130552236146991

 

 

 

 

 

Several questioned why the names of other rescue operation heroes were never mentioned.

 

Such collapses and accidents occur pretty much worldwide in mines and construction sites, especially tunnels. The under-construction Silkyara tunnel is probably one of the toughest ones to work on since it is the Himalayas we are dealing with. 

Peddling divisive agenda by the playbook by the leftist liberals is no surprise. This time, their agenda failed and their masks came off well before they tried to set a narrative.

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Dismissed Engineer Of Water Resources Dept Accuses DMK Govt Of Unjustly Ousting Him From Service, Lambasts TN Media For Ignoring Such Issues

By
The Commune
-

The illegal sand mining case has been making the news in Tamil Nadu for the past few days. The ED alleged that illegal sand mining worth ₹4730 crores has taken place in Tamil Nadu and the government was shielding the wrongdoers. 

Amidst this, an executive engineer in the Water Resources Department, R Devarajan, who was under suspension was dismissed from his post on 28 November 2023. The dismissal order states the reason that he, “used social media to address his grievances rather than exploring platforms including judicial forum available to him as a Government servant and his political involvement had been confirmed through his speeches in which he had admitted to the formation of his own political party in the name of “New Generation Party” (Puthiya Thalaimurai Katchi).” (images of the dismissal order attached at end of article)

He released a YouTube video on this matter. Here is a transcript of the video:

“Vanakkam I am Swamy Devarajan. On this day, 28 November 2023, I have received a dismissal order. I was outside, in Korattur and 3 people came from my office – Somasundaram, a research assistant from the Irrigation Management Training Institute Trichy, and two others, an engineer and one from the admin department. They came from Trichy in a taxi as if a staff had died or if someone retired, they came with the dismissal order. Since I was not there, they gave it to my wife and took her signature.”

He adds, “A few days ago, Engineering Chief WRO Muthaiya’s name was mentioned in the illegal sand mining case. He has signed this document – ironically he is much much junior to me. TNPSC has approved this order. I was the first ranker in my batch TNPSC. Muthaiya ranked 400 slots below me, became the Engg chief, and is involved in a case where there is a loss of more than ₹4700 crores along with Duraimurgan and Sandeep Saxena who has also signed the GO for my dismissal. These people are involved in the ₹4700 crore scam case filed by ED. Sandeep Saxena warned them and asked them to hide, that fellow has signed the GO. Muthaiya had been hiding for the past 1 month and only now he came out and gave his statements based on which the ED has filed the case in court. Mostly the judges would pass the judgement that ED has no right to conduct the investigation and that the issue comes under the purview of the state government. Now who is the state government? Stalin, the thieving Duraimurugan, his ministry, and the IAS officers working under him, people like Sandeep Saxena, SK Prabhakaran, and Manivasagan. These people have come together to dismiss me so you should know who I am.”

He further said, “By dismissing an efficient officer like me, they have rendered me grave injustice. Everyone working in the Public Works Department and other departments knows about me and who I am. Even the judges support the government. I was suspended all these days – an executive engineer under suspension, and now I have been dismissed. I should have been in Muthaiya’s post in 2018 itself. But they promoted my juniors, even the then CM Edappadi Palanisami, and other PWD officers. SK Prabhakaran said I was not going to be promoted then. Now Manivasagan, Secretary PWD and Duraimurugan PWD minister, and MK Stalin became CM, they suspended me in 2021. He took oath on 7 May 2023 and I was suspended on 24 May that year. Now 28 November 2023, they dismissed me from my job. This is the standard of the Tamil Nadu government. Muthaiya who hides his face from the cameras is signing this document and sending it to me! He was hiding from the ED for the past 1 month. He is the Engineering chief, which should have been my position. I could have earned ₹3 lakhs in salary in a month and now I have nothing. Whereas this fellow has aided and abetted in the ₹4500 crore scam for Stalin, Duraimurugan, and Sandeep Saxena. TNPSC has approved my dismissal. If this is the case, what kind of a rule is going on now? The press does not report any of this. Because Stalin announced that if any member of the press died on duty, they would be given ₹10 lakh. Those filthy dogs, the press reporters, will not publish this news. I will put it on my YouTube but this will not become a piece of big news. The press is washing Stalin’s bum, thoo! Shame on Tamil Nadu press – thoo, Shame on the PWD department – thoo, Shame on the IMTI – thoo, Shame on the people of Tamil Nadu.”

Devarajan also shared the dismissal order on his YouTube video and we are reproducing screenshots of the same here.

 

 

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Chennai Rains Expose Dravidian Model: CM Stalin’s Kolathur Constituency Under Water, Polimer News Deletes Reportage

By
The Commune
-

The first spell of heavy rains brought the city and its suburbs to a standstill, causing waterlogging in areas such as T. Nagar, Anna Nagar, Valluvar Kottam, Nungambakkam, Kolathur among many others. The closure of many subways led to traffic snarls putting residents at severe inconvenience. Those who had left office at 6 PM had reached homes as late as 11 PM due to the flooding of arterials roads and subways. In some locations, power supply and street lights were turned off. G.N. Chetty Road flyover in T. Nagar saw cars being parked due to water accumulation.

A report by Polimer News showed a resident of Kolathur (CM MK Stalin’s constituency) lamenting about the plight of waterlogging in the area.

“I live in this area since my birth. I travel to and from office on this route. For this small rains, there’s so much of flooding.“, the resident says as just 2-3 hours of rains deluged the area.

“The highlight is, they had kept this place blocked for more than 8 months, that is after the new (DMK) government came to power. Even now, the water is standing still. On the opposite side there’s so much water that can submerge a vehicle. No use. So much of public tax money is being wasted. For 8 months we had to take a detour. Instead of travelling in this route, we had to take the Anna Salai. We still face the same difficulty. It would be good if the Corporation takes some steps going forward. Imagine the plight of residents staying here with so much waterlogging. Moreover, this is the CM’ constituency. They should’ve taken care of it more. But they never do it. They give priority only to VIP areas and where there are celebrities. We’re also people right? They collect tax from us too right? My request is for the Corporation to highlight these and take some steps.“, he says.

He further added “For a mere rain spell for 2-3 hours, there’s so much of waterlogging. I shudder to think what would happen if heavier rains lash. These roads were readied recently. Not even 6 months have passed. Just a little ahead, the roads have already started to peel off. This is the condition of the new road. There’s no quality road.”

Another resident named Gangadhar told Polimer News that despite works happening in the area owing to being the CM’s constituency, it is the same story every year.

He also noted that the 1913 helpline of the Greater Chennai Corporation has been of no help. “They could atleast attend the call and say we will attend the issue. But the call itself is not going.”, he said adding that the last time such worst flooding scenes he saw in his area was during the 2015 floods.

“Even after so much of works being done apparently to rectify the issue, water continues to stand. Then of what use is the work? It is not even a very heavy spell. Just 2-3 hours of good rains has led to waterlogging. On the other side, there’s even more water standing and people are not being allowed to go there.”, he said.

Gangadhar also noted that the development works are not seen to its completion and left halfway. He also said that stop-gap measure to fix the problem temporarily is not going to be effective. He also said that the roads that were laid recently has started to peel off.

Apparently, this reportage about flooding in CM Stalin’s own constituency has alleged been removed by Polimer News on its social media channels.

Many on social media lashed out the DMK government for being underprepared for the monsoons. The hashtag #4000_கோடி_என்னாச்சு (What happened to ₹4000 crores?) is trending on social media.

Here are some more pictures/videos that shows the plight of Chennai amidst rains.

This is the condition of roads in Minjur Road, suburb of Chennai.

Water deluged the T-6 Avadi Police Station.

While a few DMK supporters and the DMK IT Wing has been attempting to downplay the flooding situation in Kolathur, DMK Minister Sekarbabu himself was seen in knee-deep water inspecting the flooded areas of Kolathur.

It is noteworthy to mention that earlier in November 2023, CM Stalin assured that residents of Chennai need not worry about waterlogging during the monsoon adding that the city is well prepared to handle heavy rainfall.

Amidst the flooding CM Stalin has asked his ministers to plunge themselves on the ground to go to flooded areas with officials and corporation official working on a war-footing.

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US Justice Dept Hails Khalistani Terrorist Pannun A ‘Victim’, ‘Outspoken Critics Of Indian Govt’; Claims “Indian Govt Employee” Hired A Gunman To Kill Him

By
The Commune
-

The United States Justice Department has issued an indictment against an Indian national, accusing him of participating in a thwarted plot to assassinate Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a Khalistani terrorist based in the U.S. The indictment alleges that an unnamed Indian government employee (referred to as CC-1) recruited Nikhil Gupta to hire a hitman for the assassination, a plan intercepted by U.S. authorities. Gupta, now in custody, faces murder-for-hire charges with a maximum sentence of 10 years.

The official press release of the US government goes on to brand the Khalistani terrorist Pannun as a “victim” and hails him as an “outspoken critic of the Indian government”.

The indictment asserts that earlier this year, CC-1 and others, including Gupta, conspired to assassinate a U.S. citizen of Indian origin in New York City, identified as a political activist. A detailed indictment includes a photo of a monetary exchange between unidentified individuals. Gupta is characterized as an associate of CC-1, involved in international narcotics and weapons trafficking, with CC-1 allegedly directing the plot from India.

“The victim is a vocal critic of the Indian government and leads a US-based organization that advocates for the secession of Punjab, a state in northern India that is home to a large population of Sikhs, an ethno-religious minority group in India. The victim has publicly called for some or all of Punjab to secede from India and establish a Sikh sovereign state called Khalistan, and the Indian government has banned the victim and his separatist organization in India.“, the US Justice Department press release says.

According to reports, Assistant Attorney General Matthew G. Olsen emphasized the law enforcement’s success in foiling the dangerous plot, stating the Department of Justice’s commitment to pursuing accountability for such overseas lethal activities. DEA Administrator Anne Milgram noted the agency’s intervention when a foreign government employee recruited an international narcotics trafficker to commit murder on U.S. soil.

The Justice Department contends that CC-1 recruited Gupta around May 2023 to orchestrate the assassination. Under CC-1’s direction, Gupta, unaware of the confidential source’s DEA affiliation, contacted an individual he believed to be a criminal associate. This purported hitman was, in reality, an undercover DEA officer, and Gupta offered him $100,000 for the assassination.

The charges in the indictment are allegations, and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty. The indictment coincides with the U.S. sharing information about the nexus between organized criminals, gun runners, and terrorists. India has established a high-level inquiry committee to address security concerns raised by the U.S., emphasizing the seriousness of such issues for national security. The Ministry of External Affairs disclosed that relevant departments are examining the matter, and a committee was formed on November 18, 2023, to investigate all aspects of the case.

The document also references the murder of another Khalistani terrorist, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, in Canada. The Justice Department characterizes Nijjar as ‘another Sikh separatist leader,’ indicating that on June 20, the Indian government employee sent a news article about Pannun to Nikhil Gupta, stating, “It is a priority now.”

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Protests Erupt At NIT Srinagar Over Alleged Blasphemy By Hindu Student, FIR Filed

By
The Commune
-

On 28 November 2023, a Hindu student named Prathamesh Shinde studying at Srinagar National Institute of Technology (NIT), faced accusations of blasphemy. The charges were filed after he shared a video on his Instagram story featuring Mosab Hassan Yousef, the son of the former Hamas chief, criticising Prophet Muhammad. 

It is noteworthy that Prathamesh did not create the video himself nor did he appear or add anything to it and had only shared an edited version of it from a YouTuber. The sharing of this video led to widespread protests and slogans by the Muslim students at the NIT campus, resulting in an FIR against Prathamesh. Muslim students at NIT Srinagar demanded his arrest, citing “blasphemy”. 

https://twitter.com/powerstar_dtr/status/1729726034042315178

As per a News9 report, the student accused of “hurting religious sentiments” has been barred from appearing in the semester exams and has been rusticated from the college. According to a report by Greater Kashmir, the school authorities have sent him on leave in response to the incident.

IGP Kashmir VK Birdi provided insights into the situation, stating that upon receiving information about the incident and a formal letter from the registrar of the NIT campus requesting legal action, the police have initiated proceedings under applicable laws and have commenced an investigation into the matter. As reported in OpIndia, he said, “Today evening at around 4.30, we received information that some students are protesting at the NIT campus (in Srinagar). After an initial investigation, it came to the fore that a student had posted some video on social media. It was not his own post but he had taken it from YouTube.”

What Was The Controversial Video About

The video due to which this whole ruckus came about has been in circulation for several months now. Mosab Hassan Yousef, the estranged son of senior Hamas leader Sheikh Hassan Yousef, is seen addressing a conference. He said, “Let’s look at Prophet Muhammad’s life. Did he kill people? Yes. Did he marry a 9-year-old child? Yes, he did. Did he kill the Jewish community of Khyber because they did not give him the treasures? And did he have physical relations with Sophia the wife of Kinana the leader of that community the same night he killed her husband? Yes, he did. So where is the tolerance in that? I understand the Muslims are tolerant, But the real nature of Islam is Evil.”

Although the video resurfaced on social media recently, it is actually an 11-year-old recording originating from a debate event that took place on March 15, 2012, at the Museum of Tolerance in Los Angeles, United States. During this event, Yousef participated in a panel alongside Imam Jihad Turk, Reverend Canon Brian Cox, and Rabbi Mark Diamond.

Why Are The Islamists Reacting In This Manner

Once the issue broke out, social media users alleged that the implicated student was in a relationship with a local Kashmiri Muslim girl. A faction of Islamist groups on social media has accused the Hindu youth of enticing the girl into what they refer to as a “Bhagwa love trap.” It’s essential to highlight that the Bhagwa love trap is a conspiracy theory propagated by various Muslim organizations and Islamists, suggesting that Hindu men are scheming to ensnare Muslim women. Unfortunately, this unfounded theory has led to instances where groups of Islamists have pursued and assaulted Hindu men traveling with their Muslim female friends.

In what came as no surprise, slogans of Sar Tan Se Juda were making the rounds on social media platform X, and the girl was also made a target by Islamists.

https://twitter.com/kashir_koor_/status/1729574577552994616

They kept calling the Marathi boy a Bihari as he was an outsider to Kashmir. The SportsGrail reported that Prathamesh is a native of Bihar but of Marathi descent.  

https://twitter.com/JesvinQuotes/status/1729826658733932833

This incident brings to mind the violent unrest in the country and the international outcry in Islamic nations following the remarks made by former BJP spokesperson Nupur Sharma about Prophet Muhammad. Sharma faced accusations of making offensive comments based on Hadith. During that period, slogans like “Sar tan se juda” were raised, and several individuals, including a Hindu tailor in Rajasthan, were tragically killed for supporting Nupur Sharma. She continues to lead a restricted life in hiding. In a disturbing parallel, Islamists are now revealing personal information about Prathamesh and his Kashmiri girlfriend, accompanied by threats of hanging and the ominous chant of ‘Sar tan se juda.’ It also begs the question of the safety of non-Kashmiris in the state, especially after the abrogation of Article 370. 

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Water From Toilet Tap Allegedly Used For Coffee Shop In Erumeli En Route To Sabarimala; Shop Issued Stop Memo

By
The Commune
-

An unsettling incident has unfolded in Erumeli, a key stop for Sabarimala pilgrims, where a local tea shop was found to have been using water from a toilet tap for its operations. The Revenue Vigilance team, in collaboration with the Health Department, swiftly responded upon discovering a hose connected from the open toilet complex to the tea stall after a complaint was made by Ayyappa Seva Sangh.

Following this revelation, the health department promptly closed down the shop owned allegedly by Abdul Shehim, identified as the DYFI Erumeli Regional Secretary near the Devaswom Board parking lot catering to Sabarimala pilgrims. A case has been registered and a stop memo has been issued against the owner, and police were deployed to the scene. 

The Revenue Vigilance team, led by Erumeli Revenue Special Squad Charge Officer Deputy Tehsildar Biju G. Nair, conducted an inspection. Legal Metrology Inspector E.G. Sadanandan, Health Inspectors K. Raju, Shaji Karukatra, Civil Supplies Rationing Inspectors Lakshminath, V.R. Smitha, Junior Health Inspectors S. Santosh, L. Jose, and others were actively involved in the raid.

Officials captured footage that revealed a hose connected from the tap near the open toilet to the nearby tea stall. When authorities arrived at the shop for verification, the owner claimed that the water was solely used for washing dishes and not for cooking. However, deeming it a serious offence to pump sewage into the toilet complex’s tank and collect water from a dirty toilet, the Revenue Vigilance Squad called the police.

Both the Revenue Vigilance Squad and the Health Department have registered a case against the shop owner. The inspection is set to continue in the coming days. Authorities have indicated that action will also be taken against the toilet contractor who allowed the hose from the toilet tap.

Speaking to reporters, member of the Ayyappa Seva Sangh said, “This stall is permitted by the Travancore Devaswom Board. Tis stall offers coffee, cool drinks etc. to the public. The shop employees were found to be using water from the toilet utilising a hose to allow water flow to the shop. Since 15th (November) this is happening. The Ayyappa Bhaktas who are observing a strict penance are supposed to be served clean water.”

Reports suggested a strong stench in the vicinity of the tea shop where water from the toilet tap was allegedly used. During the raid, officials worked near the Devaswom Board parking area near the washroom, covering their noses. BJP district committee member K.R. strongly protested the incident, and additional workers arrived under the leadership of Soji.

The Revenue Vigilance team received a complaint about the use of wastewater from the toilet tap in the tea shop, supported by evidence in the form of footage showing water being collected from the tap into the tank. Based on this complaint, the Revenue Vigilance Squad conducted a thorough inspection.

It is noteworthy that the incident took place during the peak season for the Sabarimala temple. The 41-day pilgrimage, known as the mandala season, scheduled to commence in December and January, is all set to begin.

In another development, the Revenue Vigilance Squad has taken action against a hotel owner for overcharging customers and threatening pilgrims who questioned the pricing. A fine of Rs 5000 was imposed on the hotel owner, identified as Mavungkal Shahjahan (58) of Aryas Bhavan Hotel Erumeli. A Thiruvananthapuram resident, alleged that pilgrims from Thrissur were charged more than what was displayed on the board. When a consumer named Sreejith filed a complaint with revenue officials, it led to the inspection and subsequent fine. 

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PM Modi Commends Courage & Resilience Of Silkyara Tunnel Workers After They Were Successfully Rescued

By
The Commune
-

Following the successful evacuation of 41 trapped workers from the Silkyara tunnel on Tuesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally reached out to the rescued individuals via phone.

All 41 men, who had been rescued from the collapsed tunnel after a challenging 17-day ordeal, are currently receiving primary medical treatment at the Community Health Centre in Chinyalisaur.

Among those rescued are individuals from various states, including Jharkhand, Uttarakhand, Bihar, West Bengal, Uttar Pradesh, Odisha, Assam, and Himachal Pradesh. Notable names among the survivors include Viswajit Kumar, Gabbar Singh Negi, Saba Ahmed, Tapan Mandal, and others.

Before the successful operation, Prime Minister Modi had conveyed his best wishes to Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami for the safe evacuation of the workers from the Silkyara tunnel. During the operation, PM Modi sought updates from the Chief Minister regarding the well-being of the workers.

In response to the successful rescue, PM Modi commended the courage and determination of the rescue teams involved in the Silkyara tunnel operation. He wrote on his official X handle, “The success of the rescue operation of our labourer brothers in Uttarkashi is making everyone emotional. I want to say to the friends who were trapped in the tunnel that your courage and patience is inspiring everyone. I wish you all well and good health. It is a matter of great satisfaction that after a long wait, these friends of ours will now meet their loved ones. The patience and courage that their families have shown in this challenging time cannot be appreciated enough. I also salute the spirit of all the people associated with this rescue operation. Their bravery and determination have given new life to our labourer brothers. Everyone involved in this mission has set an amazing example of humanity and teamwork.”

Speaking to the workers who were rescued successfully from the tunnel, he said, “First I would like to congratulate all of you that we were able to come out of such a crisis and it is a matter of great joy for me. I can’t even describe it in words. Otherwise, if anything had gone wrong, it would have been difficult to say how to handle the mind. It was the grace of Kedarnath Baba and Badrinath Bhagwan that we all came out of the crisis and 16-17 days is not a short time. You all showed great courage and kept each other’s courage.”

 

The workers also spoke to the PM and this is what they had to say to him. “We were trapped in the tunnel for nearly 18 days but not even a single day did we feel that we were weak or scared. We are 41 members and from different states but we are like brothers. If anyone had a problem, we would solve it together. We got our food regularly and we would eat together. We used to walk in the 2.5km tunnel and do yoga in the morning. We would like to thank the Uttarakhand government who treated us so well and our CM Dhami who was in touch with us all the time. When we came out of the tunnel, he was there waiting for us. VK Singh sir was also there and hugged us.”

Light At The End Of The Tunnel

The last few hours of the rescue operation were the most nerve-wracking for the entire nation. The trapped workers finally made it outside as a result of a massive operation conducted by central and state rescue teams dedicated to their safe evacuation.

The breakthrough occurred when experts in rathole mining were brought in, stepping in after high-tech drilling machines faced challenges in clearing the last few meters of the tunnel. Executing the final 12-metre stretch in less than 24 hours, the skilled miners achieved success in Uttarakhand. Commencing the extraction operation around 8 pm, all workers were safely evacuated on stretchers within approximately an hour.

To facilitate re-acclimatisation to surface conditions, where the temperature hovered around 14 degrees Celsius, each worker was brought out gradually, with the extraction process being a meticulous operation.

Specially modified stretchers were employed for the workers, lowered manually through a two-metre-wide pipe inserted into holes drilled into the hillside. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami and Union Minister Gen VK Singh were present, personally greeting and embracing the workers as they emerged.

(with inputs from OpIndia)

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“Environmentalist” Sundarrajan Spreads Fake News Linking Adani Group To Uttarakhand Tunnel Tragedy; TNBJP Leader SG Suryah Calls Out Lies

By
The Commune
-

Fake news spreaders in Tamil Nadu are exploiting the unfortunate incident of 41 miners trapped in the Silkyara tunnel, a part of the Char Dham all-weather accessibility project.

G Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal, a Dravidian Stock and self-proclaimed activist who is also known for being a DMK propagandist shared fake news on 26 November 2023.

He wrote, “Important Message:- Modi’s “adopted media” won’t tell us that a tunnel under construction for the Chardham project in Uttarakhand collapsed and trapped 41 people and that the tunnel is being built by Navayuga Engineering Pvt Ltd, which was blackmailed by Gautam Adhani in 2020. #adaniNmodi”

It is noteworthy that Sundarrajan is a part of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government’s Climate Action Committee.

This same piece of content was shared by many leftist and Dravidianist handles on social media.

https://twitter.com/niayayakkural/status/1728735133291983313

In the name of sharing breaking news, Devendran Palanisamy associated with the notorious Galatta channel also shared the same as a statement by “environmentalist” Sundarrajan, thereby amplifying the fake news.

Following this, Adani Group’s X handle shared a clarification on nefarious attempts to link them to the unfortunate collapse of a tunnel in Uttarakhand. The clarification said, “It has come to our notice that some elements are making nefarious attempts to link us to the unfortunate collapse of a tunnel in Uttarakhand. We strongly condemn these attempts and those behind them. We clarify with utmost emphasis that the Adani group or any of its subsidiaries has no direct or indirect involvement of any kind in the tunnel’s construction. We also clarify that we do not own or hold any shares in the company involved in the tunnel’s construction. At this time, our thoughts and prayers are with the trapped workers and their families.”

Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party State Secretary, SG Suryah reacted to these attempts at fake news by G Sundarrajan. He wrote on his X handle, “Lie is the most important thing, life is all about lies, and indulge in politics by primarily spreading lies. But on the outside, our environmentalist takes the help of his media friends to help build a better image for himself. Even if the Tamils ​​at first support those who do not have even some basic honesty, they chase them away after learning the truth.”

This incident highlights a concerning trend where certain elements, particularly Dravidianists, have developed a habit of unjustly connecting Adani Group and Prime Minister Modi to various tragedies and scams, regardless of their actual involvement. It is crucial for the public to critically assess information and be wary of politically motivated narratives that seek to exploit unfortunate events for their own agenda. Such misleading tactics not only undermine the credibility of news sources but also contribute to the spread of misinformation and discord in the public sphere.

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Madras HC Stays ED’s Summons To Collectors In Illegal Sand Mining Case; Investigation To Carry On

By
The Commune
-

The Madras High Court on 28 November 2023 stayed the summons issued by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to 5 Collectors in Tamil Nadu in the ongoing illegal sand mining investigation. The court said that the investigation can continue. 

In September 2023, sand quarries and the offices and residences of contractors were raided by the ED at 34 locations. From the raids which lasted for 2 days, unaccounted property documents, ₹12.82 crores in cash, and 124 grams of gold jewellery were seized. 

On Monday, 27 November 2023, the Madras High Court announced its decision to deliver orders on the following day regarding the Tamil Nadu Government’s plea to not only halt the summons issued by the ED to five District Collectors but also to suspend the entire investigation into the alleged money laundering associated with widespread illegal sand mining in the state. A Division Bench comprising Justices S.S. Sundar and Sunder Mohan heard arguments presented by senior counsel Dushyant Dave on behalf of the State government and Additional Solicitor General (ASG) AR.L. Sundaresan representing the ED. The court opted to address the State’s request for interim relief before delving into the main cases. The State government and the five Collectors collectively filed ten writ petitions, with five challenging the ED’s summons and the other five seeking a declaration that the ED’s authority to investigate such offenses without the State government’s consent goes against federalism, a fundamental aspect of the Constitution.

During the hearing on 27 November 2023, when the judges sought clarification on the basis for the Enforcement Directorate (ED) registering an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) on 11 September 2023, the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) stated that it was grounded in four First Information Reports (FIRs) filed by the State police related to illegal mining.

The ED formally requested details of all FIRs related to illegal sand mining in the last five years from the Director General of Police on 17 October 2023. However, according to the ASG, the DGP has not provided these details, and the ED’s request has been pending. The ASG, along with ED’s Special Public Prosecutor N. Ramesh, made these assertions during the hearing.

As a part of the investigation, the ED summoned 10 District Collectors, Water Resources Department Principal Chief Engineer Muthiah, and others. In response, Muthiah appeared at the Nungambakkam office of the ED in Chennai and gave his statements. 

On the other hand, IAS officers who were issued the summons submitted a plea in the Madras High Court requesting to cancel the summons sent to them. When the case came up for hearing, the TN government’s counsel submitted that the ED cannot take action unless the state government is informed about the illegal sand mining crime. The government’s counsel also submitted that the ED was functioning differently in each state and that the ED did not have the powers to issue summons to the IAS officers but could rather request their cooperation in the investigation. 

The ED argued that Minister Durai Murugan’s interview assistant Umapathi forced an officer not to appear for an investigation requested by the ED. They also said that during the investigation, the officials admitted that there had been illegal sand mining in huge amounts. The ED said that the officials also admitted that no action was taken against the wrongdoers despite the huge impact on the Water Resources Department. These statements from the officials of the Water Resources dept were also filed by the ED in court. The ED also added that the officials said they had no choice but to obey the oral orders of their superiors. The officials have confessed that they had also made a mistake by allowing the illegal sand mining activities to occur. 

Justice Sundar highlighted that, under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) of 2002, the ED needed the existence of a predicate offence and identification of proceeds of crime to probe a case. In response, Mr. Sundresan argued that, according to the ED, the proceeds of the crime exceeded ₹4,500 crore.

He further explained that the ED had enlisted a team of professors from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT)-Kanpur to estimate the volume of sand extracted from 28 mining sites in Tamil Nadu. The team’s findings indicated that approximately 24 lakh units of the mineral had been illicitly mined in the last one to two years, resulting in significant financial loss to the exchequer.

Justice Sundar expressed skepticism about whether the outcomes of such a survey could serve as a basis for initiating action under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act, raising the question of whether the law is appropriate for addressing the alleged corruption exposed by the survey.

Justice Mohan said, “Your objective may be laudable but your powers are limited. You can’t say I did a survey and therefore I want to investigate. You need the proceeds of the crime.” Mr. Dave requested a week’s extension to submit a rejoinder to the ED’s counter affidavit and sought interim protection until the main writ petitions were disposed of. He strongly objected to the ED’s accusation that the State government was trying to shield the offenders by filing the current writ petitions. He argued that the central investigating agency lacked the authority to summon the Collectors of Ariyalur, Karur, Vellore, Thanjavur, and Tiruchi, and demand information about sand quarries in their respective districts.

“This amounts to a roving and fishing inquiry by the ED. These writ petitions require a detailed hearing since they touch upon the federal structure. Till then, the State must be protected. Heavens will not fall down if an interim relief is granted,” he said when the ASG vehemently opposed a stay on the investigation.

The hearing on the main writ petitions was adjourned by three weeks.

(with inputs from The Hindu)

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Illegal Sand Mining Worth ₹4,730 Crores, Says ED; Alleges TN Govt Shielding Wrongdoers

By
The Commune
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The Enforcement Directorate (ED) in Tamil Nadu has exposed financial irregularities in illegal sand mining, asserting that the government’s earnings were a mere ₹36.45 crore in the last two years. The revelation came in an objection affidavit filed by the ED regarding petitions from the Tamil Nadu government and ten district collectors.

The affidavit, representing assistant director KM Manjunathan, detailed how IIT-M experts, utilising scientific techniques like LIDAR, measured the sand mined. The team found an actual impacted area of 987.01 hectares, with 24 lakh units of excess mining, leading to a computed total sale value of ₹4,730 crores, a vast contrast to the recorded revenue.

Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party Chief K Annamalai took to social media platform X to write on the issue. He wrote, “The assessment by the authorities is the tip of the iceberg for the volume of state-sponsored loot under this Corrupt DMK Government. It’s becoming clear that the DMK Govt is a party to this crime & with the going rate, the DMK Govt would ensure that our entire State is sold to the highest bidder before the end of its tenure.”

TN Govt Shielding WrongDoers – ED Alleges

The ED has accused the Tamil Nadu government of shielding wrongdoers in the sand mining irregularities. This allegation surfaced in response to petitions filed by the state government to quash ED’s summons to five district collectors in a sand mining money laundering case. The ED argued that challenging the summons hindered the ongoing investigation into “money laundering and the proceeds of the crime” linked to illegal sand mining, estimating the proceeds of the crime and loss to the exchequer at a substantial ₹4,730 crores.

The ED emphasised the stark difference between the permitted mining area and the actual impacted area, standing at 195.37 hectares and 987.01 hectares, respectively. The Madras High Court is poised to deliver orders on the petitions filed by the Tamil Nadu government and district collectors, challenging ED’s summons and its broader investigation into alleged illegal sand mining in the state.

(with inputs from The New Indian Express)

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