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Professor Of Trichy St. Joseph College Suspended Allegedly For Raping A Student, Survivor Undergoes Abortion And Attempts Suicide 

By
The Commune
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In Tamil Nadu, a Christian college professor named Leo Standly who has been sexually abusing a female student and harassing her mother as well has been ‘suspended’. As per Tamil media reports the girl had to undergo an abortion due to repeated sexual abuse.

The student in question has alleged that there was a serious lack of action from the church-run college management. However, what is even more shocking is that many other girls have also fallen victim to sexual harassment. It has come to light that the professor has alleged support from a political party that is helping suppress the incident and ensure he escapes punishment.

Leo Standly is an Assistant Professor of the Chemistry department at St. Joseph’s College in Trichy and was suspended by the college only after his victim attempted suicide. Standly had used his influence to get close to this girl an undergraduate student of the Chemistry department on the pretext of helping her.

There are reports wherein it has been suggested that the victim’s family was undergoing personal issues and during this trying time, the professor saw it as an opportunity to take advantage. As per an investigative report published in Tamilaga Arasiyal, the professor raped her and then threatened the victim by revealing details and used it as leverage to further sexually abuse her.

It did not end there, he also saw an opportunity to harass her mother as well. Excerpts from the report published in Tamilaga Arasiyal in English reads….

“You look like a heroine, dear. I like you very much. I love you de chellam (Dear in Tamil). Call me when your grandma is away”, he told the victim. When she refused to submit to his demands, he threatened her with marks as well. Looks like you have become emboldened. I have your papers with me. I know how to suppress it (boldness)”.

As per reports, the girl’s parents had separated, and the professor saw that as an opportunity to fill the vacuum to project himself as a ‘fatherly’ figure and saw it fit best to emotionally manipulate her.

From reports published, it is clear that Leo Standly is a typical sociopath who used his office to manipulate and trap one of his students and sexually abuse her. He also saw the mother as being vulnerable and targeted her by assuring her of employment and monetary help.

One of the extracts translated from Tamil to English states, that Leo Standly on one occasion, forcibly grabbed the hands of the victim’s mother even though she folded them in response. She said, “He told me, ‘I have arranged for a job for you. You’ll definitely get it. Give me your hand’ and grabbed my hands despite my resistance and didn’t drop it for 5 minutes. I understood that he acted that way, knowing that I’m separated from my husband. He made sexual innuendos saying, “I’ll come to your house. Do you need money? I’ll give you. How many lakhs do you need? I am alone. You get it right?”.

Leo Standly also built an aura as a social activist and spoke on behalf of women’s rights and said that female students were his sisters and even held protests for what was happening in Manipur.

After some time, the victim could not take it anymore and filed a complaint with the college administration. However, the college administration which is run by Catholic priests did not take any action. sat on it. It was only after the victim reportedly attempted suicide and was admitted to the hospital, the action was taken.

It has also now emerged that Leo Standly sought help from Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, a ‘Dalit’ political party and ally of DMK to escape punishment, and try to put pressure on the victim and the college administration. If that was not enough, his wife filed a complaint under the SC ST Prevention of Atrocities Act claiming that he was being discriminated against based on his caste.

However, after an investigation, the Vishaka committee found the professor guilty and that led to his suspension for only six months. 

(With inputs from HinduPost and Kamadhenu)

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AIADMK-BJP Breakup: What Next? Who Will Benefit? Understanding The Calculations And Strategies Behind The Move

By
S Kaushik
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The Edappadi K. Palaniswami led AIADMK has officially left the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), citing the recent remarks by BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai as the reason, albeit without naming him.

The party had held a consultative meeting with senior leaders, district secretaries, former MPs and MLAs on 25 September 2023 and passed a resolution to exit from the NDA.

In its press release, the AIADMK said that the state leadership of the BJP has been deliberately defaming the AIADMK, its leaders Annadurai and Jayalalithaa with ulterior motives.

It further added that the state leadership (Annamalai) has been belittling the massive public meeting that happened in Madurai on 20 August 2023 and defaming Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

“Valuing the thoughts, wishes and sentiments of the 2 crore cadres, the AIADMK from today, has unanimously decided to withdraw itself from the National Democratic Alliance and the BJP.“, said the press release.

It is noteworthy to mention that just days ago before the announcement AIADMK leader Palaniswami met Union Minister Amit Shah. Though the meeting was termed as a ‘routine’ and a ‘courtesy call’, it is speculated that alliance matters for the Lok Sabha polls were discussed during the meeting.

The Events Leading To The Breakup

The move of the AIADMK to exit the NDA comes following the announcement by AIADMK leader D Jayakumar on 18 September 2023 who categorically stated that there is no alliance between his party, led by K. Palaniswami, and the BJP in Tamil Nadu after Annamalai mentioned a historical incident involving Dravidian leader Annadurai in his speech.

The BJP leader had recently stated that freedom fighter Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar had lambasted CN Annadurai (founder of DMK) for ridiculing Hinduism and that Annadurai who was kept in hiding in Madurai only managed to escape after issuing an apology. This comment elicited a strong objection from the AIADMK not immediately but days after the comment was made, with the second rung leaders of the party condemning Annamalai that they will not tolerate disrespect of their leader after whom the party is named and walks on the path laid by him.

This episode had fanned the flames between the two parties where the relationship was already smoking with frequent flare-ups.

Earlier in an interview to Times of India, Annamalai (knowingly?) had mentioned that former Chief Ministers have been convicted by a court of law, an indirect reference to Jayalalithaa, when asked for his agreement on whether the period between 1991-96, when Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK was in power, was one of the worst periods in terms of corruption. Though it is a matter of fact that the late AIADMK supremo was convicted in the disproportionate assetscase, it left the AIADMK in fumes with the party even passing a resolution against Annamalai for his comments in June 2023.

But these two instances weren’t the only time that the BJP state chief had provoked the AIADMK. In fact, Annamalai had been signaling his intention to sever ties with the AIADMK for quite some time.

Earlier in March 2023, reports of a closed-door meeting of the BJP Tamil Nadu unit emerged (intentionally leaked?) where Annamalai had apparently conveyed to cadres his intentions to go it alone for the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.

In his speech, Annamalai reportedly said, “We can grow the party only if we contest alone in Tamil Nadu. If the BJP decides to form an alliance with ADMK, I will resign as president and be as a mere party worker.”

Annamalai also reportedly stated that he won’t stand with folded hands for the sake of alliance and a decision would be made in May 2023.

This is where it all started from the BJP’s end, with split opinions emerging within the state unit. One group preferred going it alone while a few others were comfortable and wanted an alliance with the AIADMK. Even the central high command of the BJP reportedly tried to douse the flames that Annamalai had ignited with the BJP National President JP Nadda making it clear that the alliance with AIADMK was intact and should continue for the Lok Sabha polls. Since then, supporters of Annamalai have been indulging in a war of words with AIADMK supporters on social media often targeting the AIADMK leadership.

At the outset, it may seem like the AIADMK’s fallout with the BJP was Annamalai’s doing, whereas it is not. It is the AIADMK which had started attacking the BJP first. Immediately after the 2021 Assembly Elections, former Minister CV Shanmugam blamed the BJP for AIADMK’s defeat saying that the Dravidian party lost the votes of minority community because of BJP. Even before the Assembly elections, senior leaders close to Palaniswami like KP Munusamy commented that “national parties are trying to destabilize Dravidian parties“.

But what made things worse was how an internal turmoil within the BJP was exploited by the AIADMK. Edappadi K. Palaniswami, the shrewd politician that he is, played power politics on his part by inducting CTR Nirmal Kumar, the former BJP Tamil Nadu Social Media Wing head who quit the party due to his differences with Annamalai. Nirmal Kumar had personally attacked Annamalai in his resignation letter which he made public and moments later he was in the AIADMK. The battle lines were drawn after this episode.

Annamalai started doing power politics by tacitly backing O. Paneerselvam who went to the extent of backing the BJP if the party were to field a candidate for the Erode East by-polls. Till the last moment, the BJP kept AIADMK on tenterhooks and extended support only at the last moment. Even then, the chemistry between the alliance was nowhere to be seen with the AIADMK deliberately avoiding BJP flags and leaders during campaign. Another indication of a cleaving alliance came when the AIADMK chose to contest against the BJP in Karnataka elections, the erstwhile karma bhoomi of Annamalai.

After the Erode East by-polls, Annamalai only began asserting himself stating that he is not a mere ‘Project Manager’ but a leader in his own right. While the AIADMK wanted to deal only with ‘Delhi’, Annamalai made it clear that he would be nice to the AIADMK only if they treated him as an equal.

From then on, Annamalai kept hinting that it was only a matter of time that the alliance would end. Even when he released his DMK Files, Annamalai took the occasion to hit at the AIADMK saying he would not stop at exposing the corruption of just the DMK but would target corrupt leaders in every political party that has ruled Tamil Nadu, obviously hinting at the AIADMK.

Until the AIADMK broke the alliance, the frequent barbs between the AIADMK and BJP had already estranged the cadres of both the parties on the ground. So, if one were to ask if Annamalai is the main reason for the AIADMK-BJP split, the answer is Yes and No.

What Next? 

The BJP has never ousted an ally on its own. But given that the AIADMK has exited itself, it is doubtful whether the Central BJP leadership would make any attempts for a truce. The bridge has been burnt.

The 2024 Lok Sabha election isn’t the AIADMK’s election, per se. Ten years back, Jayalalithaa had the audacity and the calibre to position herself as a prime ministerial candidate and had enthralled her voters with the slogan “Modi or the Lady?“. But Mr. Palaniswami is no Jayalalithaa and he knows that. He is not contending to be a Prime Minister. But, he will try to stay in the good books of the Central BJP just like the BJD in Odisha and the YSRCP in Andhra Pradesh. He will definitely not make acerbic attacks on the BJP during the campaign for Lok Sabha polls. He may at best canvass on the point that the AIADMK will be in good relations with any government at the Centre (hinting at BJP) for the welfare of Tamil Nadu people. After the polls, if the AIADMK manages to win 10-12 seats, they would extend outside support to the Modi government. The BJP too will probably extend the courtesy of not attacking the AIADMK during the campaign and will focus its energy in attacking the DMK.

But to the likes of ‘Savukku’ Shankar who are fantasizing about the prospect of AIADMK allying with Congress, and courting minority voters for support, their hopes are likely to be dashed. The last thing that Palaniswami would want is a two-front war with the BJP at the Centre and the DMK in the State until 2026. If God forbid, the AIADMK myopically chooses to ally with the Congress they will be made to bite dust.

So, will there be a tacit understanding between the AIADMK and the BJP even without an alliance to defeat the common enemy in the Lok Sabha polls? Only the results will tell.

On the other hand, the break-up of BJP-AIADMK is both good and bad news for the DMK. The DMK which is already facing heavy anti-incumbency in just 3 years, will be rejoiced at the prospect of the anti-DMK votes getting split between the AIADMK and the BJP-led alliance. However, the AIADMK has opened a Pandora’s box with its latest move. If one were to closely observe, the DMK’s reactions to the split have been muted. That is because, it has given a trump card for the smaller parties in the DMK alliance to negotiate a better deal for them. They might start flexing their muscles for more seats as some of those parties who feel suffocated to be in the DMK alliance will be tempted by a breath of fresh air with AIADMK throwing its doors open.

The VCK had already evinced interest in joining hands with the AIADMK. Thol Thirumavalavan had ‘requested’ AIADMK to break away from ‘Sanatan forces’ and has been consistently asking the AIADMK to sever ties with the BJP indicating that he wouldn’t hesitate to jump ship.

Very recently in July 2023, AIADMK’s mouthpiece D Jayakumar had indicated (invited?) that many from the DMK alliance (Thirumavalavan?) would join the AIADMK alliance in the coming months. But him joining the AIADMK alliance is determinant on the PMK. If the PMK chooses to go ahead with the DMK, Thirumavalavan will shift camp to AIADMK alliance. He might be able to convince the two Communist parties which had hitchhiked on the DMK’s strength to jump ship if they don’t get atleast 2 seats from the DMK.

So, the AIADMK-BJP split is not that much of a problem for both these parties but is sure to give a migraine to the DMK in the lead up to the elections. Mr. Stalin may have to concede the same number of seats as last time if not more.

But going by the sharp and polarized state of politics today, it is highly doubtful if the VCK would part ways with the DMK. The ideological baggage that VCK carries is too heavy for the AIADMK to handle given the VCK’s position on the entire Sanatana Dharma controversy. The AIADMK risks to lose Hindu votes if it accommodates VCK in the hope of getting votes of minority communities. While Thirumavalavan would be able to sway Dalit votes in the Kanchipuram, Tiruvallur, Chennai, Chengalpattu regions, his community (Paraiyar) is sparsely populated down south and his party’s strength isn’t strong below Madurai. Given that the AIADMK already has the bitter experience of being cut to size by TTV Dhinakaran’s AMMK in southern Tamil Nadu during the 2021 Assembly elections, it would be a huge gamble for the AIADMK to ally with VCK. Also, the Arunthathiyar community is concentrated in the western and southern parts of Tamil Nadu. They’ve traditionally voted for AIADMK, thanks to MGR and Jayalalithaa’s outreach. The AIADMK won’t risk muddying that pool by bringing in Thirumavalavan as it may not go well with the Arunthathiyar community.

Thirumavalavan can neither swing the minority votes away from the DMK. It is a myth that the AIADMK lost support of minorities due to BJP. The truth is that minorities were never a considerable votebank for the AIADMK. They have stood and will continue to stand rock-solid behind the DMK (at state-level) and Congress (at Centre).

The Possible Political Formations

Based on the ongoing political developments, Tamil Nadu is poised for a three-way contest.

A DMK-led alliance comprising of DMK, Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI-M, MDMK, IUML, MMK, will remain intact with Kamal Haasan’s Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) being a possible addition. But the allies now have a bargaining chip to negotiate more seats for themselves. Note that the term I.N.D.I alliance has been deliberately omitted because it really doesn’t matter.

Possible seat sharing: DMK – 21, Congress – 9+1 (Puducherry), CPI – 2, CPI(M) – 2, VCK – 2, IUML – 1, MMK – 1, MNM – 1

The BJP-led rainbow alliance would comprise PMK, AMMK (TTV Dhinakaran has already evinced interest in allying with the BJP), DMDK, Tamil Maanila Congress, Dr. Krishnasamy’s Puthiya Tamizhagam, Parviendhar’s Indhia Jananayaga Katchi (IJK), and AC Shanmugam’ New Justice Party.

Possible seat sharing:  BJP – 14+1 (Puducherry), PMK – 8, AMMK – 8 (including OPS), DMDK – 5, IJK – 1, NJP – 1, PT – 1, TMC – 1

The AIADMK might contest alone or at the maximum may accommodate the Communists if they choose to leave the DMK alliance.

Since, Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi has no stakes in the Parliament elections, they may not contest the elections (like 2014) and extend tacit support to the AIADMK or contest for namesake just to keep his party machinery running.

Who Will Gain?

In the case of a three-way contest, the anti-incumbency votes will get split benefitting the DMK alliance which will get a major portion of the 39 seats. So, it is a win for the DMK and the party will probably return the courtesy by extending support for crucial bills in the next term.

The NDA had managed to poll 18.8% votes in 2014 (5.5% for the BJP), despite being shadowed by Jayalalithaa, under whose leadership the AIADMK managed to sweep 38 out of 39 seats.

At the very least, the BJP will have to replicate its 2014 performance. The BJP has definitely gained a new energy under the charismatic leadership of Annamalai but it remains to be seen if this new energy will crystallize into votes.

While it’s not entirely accurate to equate local body poll results with Lok Sabha elections, for the purpose of estimating the BJP’s minimum strength, let’s consider the percentage of votes it garnered in the 2022 local body polls. This election marked the first time since 2014 that the party contested independently. The BJP won 9.26 lakh votes — 5.4 per cent of the total vote share. 9.26 lakh votes from just contesting in 5400 seats (42% of the total 12838 seats). For arithmetic convenience, let’s consider hypothetically that BJP fielded candidates in all seats. Then the votes polled by the party would be:

926000 x 12838 divided by 5400 = 2201479 or 22 lakh votes

which is roughly the same it had polled in the 2014 Lok Sabha polls (2258496 – 5.56% of total 4,06,20,440 votes polled).

So, as on date, we can consider that the BJP has a vote share of 5.5% in the state. So, Annamalai’s BJP should take efforts to atleast make this 5.5% into an 8-10% by capitalizing on the heavy anti-incumbency against the DMK and secure 2-3 MPs. Win or lose, if Annamalai manages to increase BJP’s vote share to 8% with the other alliance parties together polling at least 10%, Annamalai will cement his position as the indisputable leader of the Tamil Nadu BJP.

If the BJP had stayed in alliance with the AIADMK, it would’ve been cut to size. The 2019 Parliament and 2021 Assembly elections are proof that vote transfer from the AIADMK to BJP is insignificant even if the both parties were to be in alliance. In the 20 seats that the BJP contested in the 2021 Assembly elections, the party managed to win only 4 of which 2 seats had a victory margin of a mere 1.1% (Coimbatore South – Vanathi Srinivasan won by jut 1728 votes), and 0.2% (Modakurichi – C. Saraswathi won by just 281 votes).

The 2024 Lok Sabha elections presents a unique opportunity for the BJP in the state to test its strength. So, the AIADMK-BJP split will be a gain for the BJP and in particular Annamalai.

The AIADMK too has something to gain from the split. They no more have to consider the BJP to be a burden. It will also be a litmus test for Edappadi K. Palaniswami’s acceptance in the region below Madurai. The AIADMK recently held a mega public meeting at Madurai, which established EPS as a force to be reckoned with. The place of this meeting is significant because the region is said to be a stronghold of the Thevar community. If the AIADMK manages to secure at least 10-12 MPs and a couple more from the Mukkulathor stronghold regions, EPS would further rise in stature.

The real battle between the BJP and AIADMK will therefore manifest in Madurai. Annamalai has already taken the lead over the political chessboard here by pitting Annadurai against the freedom fighter and Thevar icon Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar just weeks before Thevar Jayanthi (30 October). The AIADMK now finds itself in a catch-22 situation. In a way, the AIADMK has straight away walked into Annamalai’s trap and the upcoming Thevar Jeyanthi event at Pasumpon will be closely watched. Incidentally, Annamalai’s En Mann En Makkal yatra has also been concentrating its efforts in south Tamil Nadu mobilizing and galvanizing people. Annamalai’s game plan seems to be to and try sabotage AIADMK’s chances in this region with the help of AMMK, OPS, and the backing of the Thevar community.

But we would be making a mistake if we underestimate EPS. He is no ordinary politician. He has risen through the ranks to reach where he is now and has established himself as the indisputable leader of the AIADMK after a legal and political struggle. The mega rally at Madurai is a testimony that the AIADMK is a sleeping lion and will go for the kill when it wants. The fact that Palaniswami was seated right next to Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the NDA meeting highlights the camarederie and the goodwill he commands from the BJP national leadership which cannot be wished away.

Politics that happens on the outside where parties play to the gallery is completely different from what happens behind the screen.

But in this entire episode, there is one large picture that is hidden in plain sight. The BJP national leadership seems to have no problem in letting the AIADMK go, a trusted ally from a state that contributes 39 seats. That can only mean one thing – the BJP is confident of securing a historic win with a thumping majority with or without MPs from Tamil Nadu.

In short, the BJP-AIADMK split is a win-win-win for BJP, AIADMK and the DMK.

Kaushik is a political writer and communications consultant. 

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Farmer Dies Amidst Crop Failure Owing To Cauvery Water Shortage In TN, DMK Min Says Can Manage Kuruvai Crop With Current Inflow

By
The Commune
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Tragedy struck as a 47-year-old farmer, Rajkumar, from Thiruvaimur village in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu, passed away due to a heart attack. His family has attributed the distressing incident to Rajkumar’s overwhelming mental anguish caused by the failure of his crops due to a lack of water supply from the Cauvery River.

The allocation of Cauvery River water has long been a contentious issue, sparking conflicts between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, both vying for their perceived rightful share.

According to Rajkumar’s family, he had planted Kuruvai paddy using a direct seeding method on his land following the release of water from the Mettur Dam on June 12. The Kuruvai crops necessitate a continuous water supply for germination and maturation. Regrettably, Rajkumar’s farmland faced a shortage of water when the anticipated Cauvery water release did not materialise. In a desperate bid to nurture his crops, Rajkumar, along with fellow farmers, employed water pumps to transport water from several kilometers away. However, these efforts proved insufficient, and his farmland developed fissures just as the crops were reaching maturity.

Faced with the grim reality of crop failure, Rajkumar made the heart-wrenching decision to abandon his crops and prepare the land for the Samba cycle of cultivation, a long-term crop. This choice would necessitate further loans, which he was already struggling to repay.
Rajkumar had borrowed approximately ₹4 lakh from banks and an additional ₹3.5 lakh from alternate sources. Additionally, he had pawned his wife’s jewelry to secure financial support. “He was very depressed to see the dried crops and that was what led to his death,” lamented his family.

In response to the tragic incident, the Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu, AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami, conveyed his condolences to Rajkumar’s family and criticised Chief Minister MK Stalin for his perceived failure to secure adequate Cauvery water. He demanded that the government provide ₹25 lakh as ex-gratia compensation to Rajkumar’s bereaved family.

BJP leader Annamalai also urged the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to demand the Karnataka Congress government to release Tamil Nadu’s rightful share of Cauvery water.

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu government has expressed hopes of salvaging the standing Kuruvai paddy crops across the state by utilising Cauvery water released from Karnataka. As per a Supreme Court order, the Karnataka government is expected to release 5,000 cusecs of water per day until 27 September 2023.

DK Shivakumar, a Karnataka politician, asserted that the lives of Karnataka farmers were of utmost importance and raised concerns about releasing the entire 5,000 TMC water, suggesting that only 3,000 TMC could be released.

Meanwhile, DMK Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan told reporters that since there is water coming in Cauvery now, the Kuruvai crops can be ‘managed‘. On Karnataka not adhering to the order of Cavery Water Management Authority (CWMA) and the Supreme Court, the DMK Minister said that obeying the Supreme Court order is ethical and it is upto the Karnataka government whether they want to obey it or not.

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Sri Lanka Slams Canada And Supports India, LTTE Elements Still Receive Support In Canada

By
The Commune
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On 25 September 2023, the Canadian Government of Justin Trudeau suffered yet another major diplomatic reversal when India’s Southern neighbor Sri Lanka extended its support to India while slamming Canada for felicitating a Nazi soldier.

The Sri Lankan Foreign Minister Ali Sabry said “Some of the terrorists have found safe haven in Canada. The Canadian PM has this way of just coming out with some outrageous allegations without any supporting proof. The same thing they did for Sri Lanka, a terrible, total lie about saying that Sri Lanka had a genocide. Everybody knows there was no genocide in our country. I saw yesterday he had gone and given a rousing welcome to somebody who have associated with the Nazis in the past during the Second World War. So this is questionable and we have dealt with it in the past. I am not surprised that sometime PM Trudeau comes out with outrageous and substantiated allegations.”

Sri Lankan High Commissioner to India, Milinda Moragoda stated Colombo has zero tolerance for terrorism and gave his country’s support to India on the Khalistan issue. The Sri Lankan ambassador was addressing at the Foreign Correspondents’ Club (FCC) South Asia, and said, “India’s response is firm and direct, we support India. Sri Lanka has suffered from various forms of terrorism in the last four decades and therefore we have zero tolerance for terrorism.”

Moragoda further talked about how India played such a vital role in helping Sri Lanka when it was going through its worst economic period and thanked India for stabilizing the island nation. Also, the ambassador announced that in March next year, India and Sri Lanka could develop an understanding and sign a trade pact.

Also, one other major issue Sri Lanka still has with Canada which India has called a safe haven for terrorists is its support for the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE).

MEA spokesperson Arindham Bagchi said, “If you’re talking about reputational issues and reputational damage, if there’s any country that needs to look at this, I think it is Canada and its growing reputation as a place, as a safe haven for terrorists, for extremists, and for organised crime.” 

As per a report by Humans Right Watch, “many Tamils willingly contribute money to the LTTE, many others do so because they feel they have little choice. The same fear that silences critics of the LTTE prompts many members of the diaspora to provide financial support for the LTTE, regardless of whether they support the LTTE’s cause.“

Ninety percent of people, even if they don’t support the LTTE, they are scared. The killing doesn’t just happen back home in Sri Lanka. It happens in Paris, in Canada. They burned the library,1 they broke the legs of DBS Jeyaraj. They tried to stop the CTBC radio from organizing. A journalist was killed in Paris. The threat is not only in Sri Lanka. It’s everywhere, all over the world.
—Tamil community activist, Toronto, January 2006

India in an unprecedented move issued an advisory asking Indian nationals and students living in Canada to exercise caution and also asked Indian nationals to avoid traveling to Canada in the wake of “politically condoned” hate crimes against patriotic Indians. 

The diplomatic war between India and Canada is getting intensified wherein the latter accused New Delhi of being involved in the killing of Khalistani terrorists Hardeep Singh Nijjar on Canadian soil. 

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Complaint Filed Against Methodist Rural High School In Telangana For Allegedly Trying To Convert Children

By
The Commune
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Methodist Rural High School (MRHS), a private aided school in Zaheerabad in Sangareddy district of Telangana has been found to be allegedly indulging in religious conversion of its students. 

A video of a child from the school has been making the rounds on social media platforms. In the video, the child is seen to be saying that he studies at the Methodist Rural High School in Zaheerabad. The school is located next to the church. The child says he stays in the school hostel in the same place. When asked if he goes home during the weekends, especially Sundays, he replies, “Though we wish to go home on Sundays, they do not allow us to go. They take us to the church on Sundays by telling us that they are taking us to the temple.”

At the church, the child continues to say that they make the students sing songs and then at 10 AM they are served some chicken following which prayer begins. He also sings the song that they sing at the church – a Christian prayer song in Telugu. 

Legal Rights Protection Forum posted on social media platform X that they had lodged a complaint with Priyank Kanoongo, the Chairperson of the National Commission for Protection Of Child Rights and NCPCR seeking cancellation of recognition given to the Methodist Rural High School in Telangana. An FIR also has been filed by the organisation against the management for brainwashing minor Hindu students and converting them to Christianity.

The complaint copy accessed by The Commune said, “We are enclosing the video statement of a minor Hindu student studying at Methodist Rural High School, Zaheerabad, Sangareddy District, Telangana. He can be seen stating that his school management is taking Hostel students residing to the Church by falsely telling them that they are being taken to the Hindu Temple. Students irrespective of religion are being forced to learn & sing Christian songs. It is known that the school management is neither informing the parents nor obtaining any consent from them to take their children to Church.

It clearly appears that the innocent minor children are being brainwashed and subjected to Christian conversion without their conscience. This act of the school management is a suppression of the Right to Freedom of Religion of the minor Children guaranteed under Article 25 of the Constitution of India.

As per the information, the Methodist Rural High School, Zaheerabad, Telangana is a private aided school run by Christian Missionaries and receiving financial aid from the Government of Telangana. Hence, it is also a violation of Article 28(3) of the Constitution of India which clearly states that “No person attending any educational institution recognised by the State or receiving aid out of State funds shall be required to take part in any religious instruction that may be imparted in such institution or to attend any religious worship that may be conducted in such institution or in any premises attached thereto unless such person or, if such person is a minor, his guardian has given his consent thereto Cultural and Educational Rights”.

With this letter, we request you to kindly take immediate action by giving directions to the concerned authorities to cancel its recognition. We also request you direct concerned authorities to register an FIR against the school management.”

The states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana are a hotbed for conversion activities. The MRH School was established in 1936 by missionary Rev GB Garden and his wife. 

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It’s Official, AIADMK Breaks-Up With BJP Citing Annamalai As Reason

By
The Commune
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The Edappadi K. Palaniswami led AIADMK has officially left the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), citing the recent remarks by BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai as the reason.

The AIADMK held a consultative meeting with the party’s senior leaders, district secretaries, MLAs on 25 September 2023 and passed a resolution to exit from the NDA.

“For the past 1 year, the state leadership of the BJP has been deliberately defaming the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, our revered leaders Anna and Amma with ulterior motives.”, the resolution said.

It further added that the state leadership (Annamalai) has been belittling the massive public meeting that happened in Madurai on 20 August 2023 and defaming Edappadi K. Palaniswami.

“In light of this, the consultative meeting of party secretaries, district secretaries, party MP and MLAs held on 25 September 2023 and presided by Leader of Opposition, former Chief Minister, Puratchi Tazmizhar Edappadi K. Palaniswami, valuing the sentiments of the 2 crore cadres has unianimously decided that the AIADMK is withdrawing itself from the National Democratic Alliance and the BJP.”, the resolution read.

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Justin Trudeau Invites Nazi Soldier And Gives Standing Ovation In Parliament During Zelenskyy’s Visit, Speaker Issues Apology After Public Outrage

By
The Commune
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Uber-woke Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau invited a Nazi soldier and was given a standing ovation by the Canadian Parliament, honoring the Nazi soldier.

Following the incident, Speaker of the House of Commons Anthony Rota issued an apology to the Jewish community on Sunday. Rota had to issue an apology after Trudeau came under heavy criticism from Leader of Opposition Pierre Poilievre who called Trudeau’s action, an “appalling error in judgment”.

Rota in his tweet further said, “I particularly want to extend my deepest apologies to Jewish communities in Canada and around the world”.

The beleaguered Trudeau who has made one political error after another honored a veteran of the 14th Waffen Grenadier Division of the SS, a Nazi division, during the visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. It is quite ironic that Zelensky himself is Jewish.

It must be noted that during the Nuremberg Trials, the Waffen-SS as a whole was declared to be a criminal organization. At the same time, the Galician Division was not found guilty of any war crimes by any war tribunal, there were still numerous accusations of criminal acts leveled at the division.

In fact, the Canadian Commission of Inquiry on War Crimes of October 1986, led by Honourable Justice Jules Deschênes, concluded that….

The Galicia Division (14. Waffen grenadier division der SS [gal. #1]) should not be indicted as a group. The members of Galicia Division were individually screened for security purposes before admission to Canada. Charges of war crimes of Galicia Division have never been substantiated, either in 1950 when they were first preferred, or in 1984 when they were renewed, or before this Commission. Further, in the absence of evidence of participation or knowledge of specific war crimes, mere membership in the Galicia Division is insufficient to justify prosecution.

In a recent article that was published by News18, author, and columnist Abhishek Banerjee and Karuna Gopal wrote an explosive piece wherein former prime minister and father of Justin Trudeau Pierre Trudeau was an active member of a fascist organization during World War 2. The senior Trudeau was deeply inspired by Mussolini and Pierre Trudeau and his associates wanted to form a breakaway state that would be Catholic, French, and authoritarian.

They called themselves “The X”. Or in French, “Les X,” or simply LX, and their manifesto of LX began wanting a national revolution and worked towards purging all the Jews of Canada.

Pierre Trudeau’s manifesto ended with the words “God approves.”

Also, when Pierre Trudeau was prime minister of Canada he refused to properly investigate the man who became the mastermind of the Air India Kanishka bombings that cost 329 lives including 280 Canadian citizens.

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In Search Of Elaha In Taliban’s Afghanistan

By
Asadullah Jafari “Pezhman”
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It was the winter of last year, precisely the beginning of February 2022; a few months had passed since the fall of the republican system and the arrival of the terrorist Taliban group in Afghanistan. On that day, which I don’t remember the exact date, and it was early February 2022, my father, Elaha, and I, Sodaba, were at home as usual. It was a cold winter, and that evening, it was decided that Ms. Elaha would go shopping at the market. Then, Elaha is gone!

My father, Sodaba and I were at home. My father was busy, and Sodaba and I remember very well that we had started working on Sodaba’s 11th literary work and continued to write enthusiastically (that Sodaba book was never finished due to our lousy situation).

I was busy writing with Sodaba in a corner of the house. Two hours went by. But Elaha did not come home from the market! Even though my father was busy, he suddenly said: “Two hours have gone by, why didn’t Elaha come?”

I was still looking at the book’s pages and said: “She is coming; it is still early.” 

Sodaba, who understood my father’s anxiety very well, said: “Maybe she is late because there is a lot of traffic on the roads at this time.”

My father got busy with his work again with sadness. Sodaba and I also continued our writing. The sky slowly turned dark, and my father’s discomfort and anxiety grew increasingly. I thought the Elaha might be late because of the traffic on the roads. I told them: “Don’t worry, she will come, maybe she is stuck in a traffic jam.”

Another two hours went by, and my anxiety also increased.

My father and sister Sodaba got up and went to the mansion in the darkness of the night when the street lights slightly lighted the alley. My father waited for Elaha outside the house gate for an hour. I also came with Sodaba. We opened the house gate and watched the street with great anxiety. We knew that after our mother’s death, none of the relatives, not even a single male or female relative, came to our house, and we had not visited their houses either. Therefore, Elaha never goes to a relative’s house and has never gone.

So, there was no reason for Elaha to come home late. I remember I asked Sodaba more than thirty times: “Why do you think she didn’t come? Why did Elaha be late?” Sodaba, with fear in her eyes, asked me this question again and again. My father went to the end of the alley and returned and said to Sodaba: “Give me my coat, so I want to go out and look four sides around. Why is Elaha late? Surely, something happened with her.” The confusion and anxiety on my father’s face had increased. The father went and said to us: “Close the gate and do not open it to anyone. If Elaha comes, open the gate for her soon and let me know.”

After my father left, Sodaba and I were still standing on the roof of our house for one and a half or two hours in the same cold weather. Anxiety and confusion did not allow us, so we returned to the room. My father had walked to (Golai-e Heseh Awal-e Khairkhana). It’s one part of Kabul city and after waiting there for a while, he went to Qalai-e Najara. Then, almost two hours after searching for Elaha, he came home and said: “I could not find Elaha.”

When I heard this sentence, it was cumbersome and painful, as if a world of hatred, fear, and despair was hidden behind it. A storm seemed to be coming from behind this heavy word, which showed no mercy to anyone. I used to console myself by saying I would not allow negative thoughts to enter my mind, but it’s a pity that these thoughts came and went again.

My flurry and my sister Sodaba intensified. I told her, “So what should we do? Where should we look for Elaha?”

My father said: “I will go again to look for Elaha.”

And this time, my father and sister Sodaba went together to look for Elaha. I stayed at home alone. I was thinking about when my father and sister Sodaba would return home. After a few hours, in the darkness of the night, my father and Sodaba came back. They said with sadness and despair that we could not find Elaha.At that time, my father’s scattered thoughts and Sodaba’s cold hands were telling me about a bad event. We were left with a world of words to which we never knew the answer.

My father’s and Sodaba’s faces were sad and upset. We returned to the room and were talking about the same thing very anxiously: “Where is Elaha? Why didn’t she come home?”. During these few hours of searching, my father and Sodaba had gone from Golai-e to Sarai-e Shamali and then again to Qalai-e Najara, and they had even searched the hospitals in those areas to see if any traffic incidents occurred.

At that time, the Taliban’s violence was much higher than now because some of our relatives and neighbors had told the Taliban about my father. We knew out of fear that we could not go to the Taliban police department. Every day, we saw and read the media and news that the Taliban were killing innocent people in every region.

The fear of Taliban terrorists made us not go to the Taliban office to find and search Elaha.

So, who were we referring to?

To those who shed human blood like sheep and don’t even raise an eyebrow? 

To whom did we turn, to those who have no heart in their chest and no brain in their head?

To the terrorists whose logic the world is ashamed of?

To the terrorists who kill hundreds of people every day?

Which door should we be knocking on?

The door of Taliban terrorists?

It was not possible. We did not do so.

So, we did not refer to the Taliban fighters’ office.

We were all weakened. Inability and weakness are easy to pronounce, but their meaning is difficult and profound. Everyone knew our courage. I was saying to myself at that moment, and I wish it would be a miracle that we would know where Elaha is. This thought quickly crossed my mind, and another thought came to my mind: no! Now, it is not the time of miracles anymore. It would have collapsed that day if it were the sky instead of our family. If it were a mountain, it would melt bit by bit and be leveled on the ground; even if it were a stone, its cry would reach the sky. We were waiting for Elaha and counting the seconds.

That night was brutal and terrifying. My father and Sodaba were sitting awake until morning, and we were all talking: 

Why Didn’t Elaha Return? Where Is Elaha Now?

Our fear and distress were too great to express at all. Thousands of cruel words were attacking my mind at once. One word was that there may have been a traffic accident, but she may not have been kidnapped or killed! What will we do if she never comes again? The three of us were fighting a world of distress and pain. Finally, it was morning, and my father and sister Sodaba went in search of Elaha again to find her. I cleaned some rooms and cooked food. I soon realized that it was noon, and my father and Sodaba returned home again. Their fear and anxiety had doubled, and they said: “We searched everywhere, but we couldn’t find Elaha.”

Sodaba’s eyes were filled with hatred and pain. I felt that my father’s shoulders were bent. Five years ago, when my mother died, we had no grief left to endure. Elaha’s disappearance and her abduction by the Taliban group had destroyed our strength and ability. We were all troubled and sad, and distress is not a good thing that burns the marrow of people’s bones; it is ferocious. Suddenly, your lips will crack, your hands will be numb, and your heart will tremble. Therefore, several days have passed since Elaha’s kidnapping and disappearance. During this time, my father and Sodaba searched all over Kabul City day and night but found no news about Elaha.

To be continued…

This piece was written by Maryam Sadaf Delavarzi and translated by Asadullah Jafari “Pezhman”

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Happy Street Turns Horror Street: Stampede, Groping, Children Go Missing At Govt-Organised ‘Happy Street Madurai’ Event

By
The Commune
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The ‘Happy Street’ initiative of the Tamil Nadu government took a startling turn in Madurai when it turned into a horrendous experience for the public that had gathered at the event on 24 September 2023. The initiative which had been successfully celebrated in Chennai for several months involved the complete cessation of vehicular traffic on busy roads on Sundays, allowing various events and activities to take place. The programme garnered significant enthusiasm among the youth and various demographics. It was extended to cities like Coimbatore as well.

However, on Sunday, the ‘Happy Street’ event organised by the Madurai City Corporation in Anna Nagar, Madurai, turned into a “Horror Street” as several people were injured as a barricade collapsed, leading to a stampede. The crowd turnout was larger than expected and the event saw incidents of molestation, groping, stampede, injuries, children going missing, fainting, etc.

The event was attended by prominent figures, including the city Mayor, the Police Commissioner, DMK Minister PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, MLAs as well as Kollywood actor Soori.

https://twitter.com/Vadakkanunga/status/1705947307525484813

In response to the escalating situation, authorities were forced to halt the event abruptly. The insensitivity displayed by the organisers during the unfolding of events only added to the public’s outrage. The organisers were found to be joking around the stampede that ensued, here they are heard saying “We know how you will dance, please allow space between each other and dance”

The incident has sparked outrage on social media, with citizens sharing harrowing accounts of their experiences during the event. One individual highlighted the distressing incidents of groping and molestation that took place in broad daylight. Shockingly, young girls and children were reportedly groped and molested, and some went missing in the crowd. As women and children fainted in the stampede, organisers appeared to be oblivious to the unfolding crisis.

https://twitter.com/Vadakkanunga/status/1706086423483371547

This parent narrates her harrowing experience at the event, “We have been standing here since the start of the event, but we have been groped continually. There is no safety here. The boys are behaving very poorly, and even though the children/young girls are accompanied by their parents, they are subject to groping and molestation. Even the Chitrai Thiruvizha was not like this.”

In this video, the organisers are seen telling the public, “Treat them like your sisters, will you tear their dress like this? Don’t think anyone can get away everything is recorded” indicating that they were aware of the molestation and groping that was taking place and yet no proper measures were taken to handle the situation.

This incident has left many questioning the Tamil Nadu state government’s abilities and the lack of adequate infrastructure and administration. Many have questioned whether the administration has not learnt any lessons from the recent AR Rahman’s Marakkuma Nenjam concert fiasco. A similar stampede-like situation with incidents of molestation and children going missing, elders fainting/panic attacks were seen just a few weeks ago at the AR Rahman concert in Chennai. Even though that event was a privately organised one, the police were found to be lacking in their action against the organisers for allegedly overselling the tickets and the non-availability of basic emergency infrastructure like toilets and first-aid kits/ambulance, etc.

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Mullah Hafiz Irfan Brutally Rapes A 9-Year-Old Girl At Muzaffarnagar Madrasa

By
The Commune
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In another cycle of violence that girl or boy children regularly endure in Madrasas, on Saturday (September 23), in the Muzaffarnagar district of Uttar Pradesh, an Islamic cleric raped a nine-year-old girl student. The accused who raped the minor has been identified as Hafiz Irfan and the pre-pubescent girl used to attend the madrasa to learn the Quran in Budhana Noorjahan Masjid madrasa in the Safipur Patti area.

The minor victim used to study Islam studies at the Noorjahan Masjid madarsa in the Safipur Patti area where the accused was a teacher. According to the victim, Hafiz Irfan took her to another room on the pretext of cleaning and brutally raped her.

The accused Hafiz raped the minor girl so violently, she fell unconscious. Sensing the girl may be dead, he fled the scene. However, when the little girl regained consciousness, she somehow went back to her home with blood all over her clothes and told her family members what had transpired.

Immediately the minor victim’s family members reported the rape at the police station and lodged a complaint against the accused. Phugana Circle Officer Yatendra Singh Nagar confirmed the incident and said that a case had been registered against accused Hafiz Irfan who has now been charged under section 376 of the IPC and POCSO Act.

Authorities then sent the girl for medical examination, however, the nature of the sexual assault was so severe the victim was referred to a hospital in Meerut. As per a news report by ETV Bharat report, the accused has been arrested.

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