Kothandapani, head constable of Otteri police station, staged a dharna with his daughter in front of the DGP office on Kamaraj Road on 15 August 2023. Kothandapani’s daughter had slipped into a coma while being treated for a kidney ailment at Egmore Children’s Hospital in Chennai in April 2023 allegedly due to medical negligence. He staged a protest in front of the Tamil Nadu Secretariat at that time saying that no proper explanation was given by the hospital as to why she went into a coma.
Since she was three years old, Kothandapani’s daughter, who is now 10, has been said to be receiving medications prescribed by government doctors. Kothandapani said that her relapse in 2021 was the result of the side effects of the medicines given. He said that the child’s legs became black and had serious blood clotting due to doctor’s alleged incorrect diagnosis and improper treatment.
He also alleged that the child was given without his consent which led to her suffer from fits due to which she was admitted to the ICU for further treatment. He had demanded that immediate action be taken against the doctors responsible for her daughter’s condition.
He claimed that his daughter was not treated well even after so long and the hospital did not explain or investigate the mistake. He said that the National Children’s Commission looked into it and after four months they offered a certificate for disability, but he wanted to know why his child was mistreated and said he did not want a disability certificate for his child.
Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party State Secretary, SG Suryah, took to Twitter to question the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government. He said, “On the one hand, the Chief Minister MK Stalin is hoisting the national flag and ironically, we have a policeman protesting for justice on the same street. This is how the state government is being run, the Chief Minister has all the time and energy to criticise the central government for every single thing, is this the Dravida Model they boast of?”
தமிழகத்தில் ஒரு காவலர், அரசு அலட்சியத்தால் தனது மகளின் கால்கள் பறிபோனதற்கு 4 மாத காலமாக நீதி கேட்டு போராடி வருகிறார்.
கோட்டை கொத்தளத்தில் முதல்வர் திரு.@mkstalin கொடி ஏற்றும் பொழுது, அதே வீதியில் ஒரு காவலரே “எனக்கு நீதி கிடைக்கவில்லை!” என போராடும் நிலையில் ஆட்சியை நடத்திக்… pic.twitter.com/MNQOXeaqe9
The head constable, who was protesting on the road with his daughter for 20 minutes, was pacified by the policemen of the Marina police station and taken to the police station.
Sebastian Simon, known as Seeman and the chief of Naam Tamil Katchi (NTK), has yet again ignited a firestorm of controversy with his recent statements, this time targeting linguistic minorities in Tamil Nadu. This comes on the heels of his previous incendiary remarks about religious minorities who vote en masse for DMK and Congress.
On 1 August 2023, Seeman drew widespread criticism for labeling Christians and Muslims as “children of Satan.” These remarks were made during a protest denouncing violence in Manipur. He singled out Christian and Muslim voters for their electoral choices, particularly their support for the Congress and DMK parties. Predictably, these comments were met with strong backlash from the DMK and its allies, with demands for an apology from Manithaneyam Makkal Katchi Chief M. H. Jawahirullah.
However, instead of offering an apology, Seeman remained defiant, stating that he wouldn’t apologize for his comments. He questioned whether the minorities would vote for him even if he did apologize, claiming that they had not supported him in the past and were unlikely to do so in the future. In an apparent attempt to regain some ground and woo minority communities, Seeman took a defensive stance on 3 August 2023. He asserted that he would use a slipper to hit anyone who referred to Christians and Muslims as minorities. Seeman contended that both communities were integral to Tamil Nadu, hailing them as “sons of the soil” who were true Tamils.
Having shifted his attention from religious minorities, Seeman has now targeted linguistic minorities in Tamil Nadu. During an interview with Puthiyathalaimurai, he remarked, “While the Constitution has granted certain privileges to minorities, how many Muslims or Christians have ascended to the positions of Chief Minister or Prime Minister in India since Independence? Can anyone from a minority religion become PM or CM in the next 100 years? The answer is likely no. Referring to Christians and Muslims as minorities does not translate into government concessions in GST tax. So, why continue to label them as such?”
Seeman continued, “Those who brand Christians and Muslims as recipients of government privileges, are themselves beneficiaries of linguistic minorities’ entitlements. What should I do about this? The same people who classify Christians and Muslims as minorities are from linguistic minority groups. They (religious minorities) are sons of the soil. You can change your religion but not your race.”
He further said, “You linguistic minority lunatics. It is us (Tamils) who have to protect you (linguistic minorities); Do not say that you will protect us. Do not say that you have given reservations to religious minorities. The reservation linguistic minorities enjoy is alms given by Tamils. You do not have the right to speak like that in Tamil Nadu.”
Seeman’s divisive speech targeting linguistic minorities has faced widespread backlash from the general public. His remarks are seen as inflammatory and provocative, further polarizing communities in the state.
Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai hits back sharply at DMK MP Kanimozhi Who attempted to enlighten Prime Minister Modi about Pandian Sengol and Silapathigaram.
During a discussion on a no-confidence motion against the BJP government, DMK MP Kanimozhi said, “You brought the Sengol to the new Parliament with great fanfare, claiming it belongs to the Chola tradition. But your knowledge of Tamil Nadu’s history is inadequate. Have you ever heard of Pandiyan Sengol? The Pandiyan Sengol burned and crumbled when the king failed his people. I urge you to stop imposing Hindi on us and read Sillappadhikaram; it holds valuable lessons for all of you.”
In response, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman countered Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MP Kanimozhi, pointing out that Silapathigaram mainly pertains to the Tamil culture and does not talk about Dravidam or Draidians, an ideology which Kanimozhi’s party is associated with. Finance Minister said, “They asked us to read Sillapadhikaram. There was an expert by the name Ma. Po. Si (Mayilai Ponnusamy Sivagnanam). He had the title Silambu Selvar. He was an authority of Silappadhikaram. I want to read what he wrote in a magazine, Tamil Murasu in 1951. ”
VIDEO | "You (PM Modi) brought the sengol to the new Parliament, saying it belongs to the Chola tradition. You don't know Tamil Nadu history properly. Have you heard about Pandiyan sengol? Please stop imposing Hindi on us and read Cilappatikaram, it has a lot of lessons to teach… pic.twitter.com/Wz9t5bXudP
Nirmala Sitharam read lines from Silapathigaram which said,
“We are not Dravidians, we are Tamils;
Our motherland is Tamilagam and not Dravidam;
Its northern boundary is Venkatam and not Vindhya;
The Brahmins of Tamil Nadu are not Ariyar, but Tamils.
While the cultural habits and practices of Tamils are different from those who reside outside Venkatam, they are not opposite to each other.”
She further said, “In summary, Silappadhikaram says we are not Dravidians but Tamils.”
For many years, in the name of opposing ‘Hindi imposition’, there is a practice of not allowing the study of Hindi & Sanskrit in Tamil Nadu.
It is to an extent that we cannot learn Hindi or Sanskrit even if we wish to.
— Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) August 10, 2023
In this context, while responding to a question on Kanimozhi’s attempt to enlighten PM Modi about Sillappadhikaram and Sengol, Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai said, “I do not want to talk about a dynast. All Karyakarthas here are self-made people. I don’t have an identity of being born to Karunanidhi. If you take Karunanidhi out of Kanimozhi, she is a nobody. That is why she does not want Sengol in parliament. A common man in Tamil Nadu appreciates Sengol because Sengol is a reflection of the common man and Kanimozhi is a reflection of a dynasty; an entitled dynast. I don’t have any respect for what Kanimozhi talks in parliament. If you have any questions of a leader from DMK who came up the ladder in a hard way, I will comment on that.”
A video of a rabid Christian missionary, Daniel Stephen Courney, streaming live from Manipur, around the first week of August 2023 has surfaced on social media.
Wrote to the MHA @DGPAssamPolice & @Manipur_Police against Daniel Stephen Courney (US) involving proselytization activities in Assam. Recently he visited Manipur & delivered hate-filled speech against Indian Govt & Hindus.
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) August 14, 2023
Legal Rights activist handle, Legal Rights Protection Forum, tweeted that they had written to the Ministry of Home Affairs as well as the DGP of Assam and Manipur Police about Daniel Stephen Courney (US) involving in proselytization activities in Assam. An earlier complaint by Legal Rights Protection Forum in 2017 ensured that he was deported and blacklisted from India. However, Courney set up a base in Nepal over the years and entered India via Assam and subsequently to Manipur under the pretext of doing social service (distributing blankets and mattresses).
Who Is Daniel Stephen Courney?
Daniel Stephen Courney, originally from New York, USA, has been involved in proselytisation activities for quite some time.
A Reddit thread reveals that he arrived in India on 27 August 2009 and was hosted by his pastor friend in Guntur, Andhra Pradesh. He lived with this pastor friend for several months in a remote village and was given the advice that if he wanted to remain in India, he had to marry locally. In this way, he would be able to have dual citizenship in both India and the US. So, his marriage was arranged with the pastor friend’s niece Anusha. This information was obtained in a Reddit thread that was from this website. The blog post has been removed since.
The Reddit thread also says that during his stint in the US Army as a combat medic, he was allegedly put in the psychiatric ward because of his “preaching” activities.
His Facebook page reveals that he is now a father of 6 children. He is said to have arrived in India on a tourist visa and stayed on for over 10 years during which he involved himself in conversion-related activities in the then Andhra Pradesh state.
In 2018, he was convicted on two counts of religious and racially motivated public order offences.
In 2021, he was reported to have stalked an abortion doctor in Englewood with a drone. He was apprehended and found operating the drone which had a speaker and camera outside Metropolitan Medical Associates on Engle Street. Courney and fellow pro-life activists have often protested at this location in the past. He also tried to stop people from entering the reproductive health services clinic. Subsequently, he was barred from coming within 25ft of the Englewood clinic.
He is also reported to have been charged along with two other Christians in 2021 for violating the state’s anti-bias intimidation statute, specifically for “shouting homophobic rhetoric directly in front of Allure Salon,” after the trio preached to the salon owner and an employee who are both openly homosexual.
His Facebook page reveals a lot of information about his move from Nepal where he resided during the pandemic and continued his conversion activities as a missionary.
Mr. Daniel Stephen Courney.. US Evangelist who settled down in AP (for 15 years) & married to local Telugu girl was deported & blacklisted in 2017 with our complaints. Later settled down in Nepal. #Noted: below image circulating is from Nepal, not India.
— Legal Rights Protection Forum (@lawinforce) March 27, 2020
@HMOIndia@lawinforce Daniel Stephen Courney once deported from India for rabid evangelist activities is back in India committing the same offence again. He is staying in Nepal and entering India regularly for Christian evangelist activities#noconversionpic.twitter.com/KRwtWLglXN
In the first week of August 2023, his Facebook page reveals that they took a flight to Assam, and allegedly with the help of the West Bengal Joint Secretary, International Human Rights Council, he has been moving around the North-Eastern states.
On 3 August 2023, he posted on his Facebook account that he along with another person named Mr. M.S Kumar from Hyderabad have distributed 50 Assamese New Testaments on the Platform No. 6 of the Guwahati Railway Station, Assam.
On 5 August 2023, he visited Senapati town of the Manipur State and telecasted a live video criticizing the government of India calling it a ‘Radical Hindu Government’ and accused the Indian Government of the ongoing violence against Christians in the state.
On 10 August 2023, he posted on his Facebook account seeking funds from foreigners for the Manipur violence victims by saying that “At least 400 churches were burned to the ground. Hundreds of Christians kills. Countless families had their homes and entire villages razed to the ground.”
Courney’s Video On Manipur
In his 13-minute video, he speaks about the “persecution of Kuki tribals” because they are Christians and that he was reporting from a village called Senapati in Manipur.
Full video here –
He goes on to say that the ruling BJP government is very radically Hindu and was looking to make the entire country “Hindustan”. He claims that about 41 villages have been burned down and churches destroyed. He also claims that the ruling government at the centre felt threatened by the fact that Christianity was metastatizing at an exponential state in the North East and hence these measures were taken. He said, “… they’re attempting to, like I said, to exterminate, to expunge, to curtail the growth of Christianity, the spread of Christianity…”
He also says that he had never seen a more Christian region anywhere in the world and even though the people were converted Christians, they were a force to reckon with. He also mentioned that there are 5 churches in a single village, something he would never see in his country (US).
He then goes on to explain who the Kukis and the Meities are, and how the Kukis remained Christian while the Meiteis were converted to mainstream Hinduism 300 years ago by their king. He claimed that the Kukis lived a very comfortable and prosperous life because they were blessed by God and that the Meities were jealous of their prosperity. – “…I mean they have cars, they have refrigerators, they have washing machines, God has blessed them, God has blessed this region, they’re with wealth and prosperity, don’t you think tribal you think bows and arrows, but these people are living better than some people in in the Appalachian region of America. These people are living well even in the small towns in small villages people are having washing machines and cars, God has blessed the cookie people, and naturally jealousy is growing and the Meitei people are feeling threatened, they’re feeling threatened by the growth and prosperity of the Kukis…”
He also claimed that this is not just a land dispute but also an identity crisis and that Christianity is changing the North East of the country and that he was shocked to see the number of churches in the region.
“… as a result, there’s a lot of threat, there’s a lot of concern among the Meiteis, the Kukis are taking over because they’re buying land and they’re not able to sell it, and yeah just in a nutshell, there’s the conflict comes down to a land dispute, of course, a land dispute but it’s not only a land dispute, it’s an identity crisis because like I said Christianity has rapidly it’s terraforming Northeast India I mean it’s completely radically altering the landscape of this region. It’s amazing, I’m shocked, I’ve never seen so many churches consolidated in such a small geographical region and this is actually a large geographical region. Northeast India is is is a considerable land and so Christianity is a force to be reckoned with in Northeast India. This is not merely an ethnic feud, it’s not merely a family feud, this is not merely anything like that, this is faith-based my dear friends.”
He blames the ruling central government and the Prime Minister for wanting to change this country into a Hindu country and that they have deliberately persecuted Christians and Muslims to make it a homogenous Hindu land. – “… there are the powers that be the current political party of India, the BJP Janata Party wants this country to be a Hindu country, the current prime minister is a radical, they have deliberately persecuted Christians and Muslims, trying to make this uh a homogeneous Hindu land which violates the very spirit of the Indian constitution.”
He claims that at least 400 churches were burned down and that this was documented online.
“… I’ve confirmed this with local sources with local people I’ve spoken to and also it’s documented online, you can Google it because I’ve had some people challenge me, oh no that’s exaggerated, that’s an inflated number. It’s not inflated, I’ve asked the local people, and I’ve we visited at least five or six refugee camps in the past two days. I’ve seen hundreds hundreds of Kuki Christians who have been forcibly displaced, their villages were burned to the ground, razed to the ground. Do you understand what I’m telling you, 400 churches at 41 churches in one District alone the Kangpokpi district alone has had 41 Villages razed, burned to the ground for their faith in Jesus, for their Christian identity because they’re not Hindus.”
He says that although the internet is not to be used in the region, he had to spread the message and hence borrowed internet from someone to share the information about the ground situation. He also laid the accusation that the Manipur violence was a human rights violation, he said, “This is a human rights violation, this is an egregious mass human rights crisis that is being ignored by the mass media because it doesn’t fit the narrative.”
He claims that he is in Manipur to do social service, but the person he is with MS Kumar has been seen involved in proselytisation activities.
It is unclear whether the blacklist on him has been lifted and how he managed to enter the country.
LRPF’s Complaint
LRPF in its complaint to the Commissioner of Bureau of Immigration, Ministry of Home Affairs said that the Christian missionary is in violation of visa rules as it is strictly prohibited for foreigners to be involved in religious activities in India with any visa they hold.
A tourist visa can only be used for non-business purposes, such as tourism or visiting family and friends. Even if one holds a missionary visa, the person cannot use it for proselytizing activities and can only join a missionary organization approved by the Government of India for which the organization must receive a certificate indicating it is compliant with the Foreign Contributions Regulatory Act.
“In this case, Mr Daniel S Courney is a habitual offender, once deported from India but again visited India with the same objective of converting people to Christianity. He is making false accusations against the government of India and provoking the people of Manipur with his hate-filled speech.”, LRPF noted in its complaint.
“Despite being deported in the past, Mr Daniel Stephen Courney has not mended his ways and continues to abuse the visitor visa granted to him. He is lurking on the Indo-Nepal border and sneaking into India regularly. Only permanent blacklisting that a ‘permanent ban’ be imposed on him from entering India by declaring him as ‘Persona non-Grata’ to the government of India.”
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A short video clip of a boy, wherein he reveals that he paid ₹25 lakhs to secure a seat for pursuing an MBBS degree in DMK MP Jagathrakshakan-owned medical college is now going viral on social media. He also added that entire course expenses at the medical college owned by DMK leader would tally up to ₹1.5 crores, which economically poor students cannot afford.
Following the tragic suicide of his 19-year-old son due to his inability to pass the NEET medical entrance exam, the father of the young boy was found dead at their residence in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, the very next day.
Jagadeeswaran, who graduated from Class XII in 2022 with 427 marks, was unable to clear the NEET entrance for the medical course in two attempts. It was reported that the boy did not respond to calls from his father on Saturday and was found dead at home. The following morning, Selvasekar, his father, was found dead. Struggling to bear the immense sorrow brought about by his son’s passing, Selvasekar took his own life by hanging at his residence, according to statements from the police.
Amidst these circumstances, a video featuring Fayazdeen, a friend of Jagadheeswaran, speaking to the media, denouncing the NEET exam for its detrimental impact on economically disadvantaged students, has gained significant attention. However, during his interaction with the press, he revealed that his father paid ₹25 lakhs to secure an MBBS seat in a private medical college and that it would cost around ₹1.5 crores as fees to complete the course. This statement has now gone viral on social media.
“I am just pass in NEET. I am telling openly. I was able to get only 160 marks in NEET. Since my father was economically well-to-do, he paid ₹25 lakhs and admitted me in this college… If person who pays money and becomes doctor, what will he do? He will be focused on retrieving the money back instead of doing service to people. If NEET is the only exam that can create good doctors, then are all the doctors who have passed to this date dubakoors (waste in colloquial Tamil)?”, Fayazdeen says.
It is to be noted that until 2006, engineering or medical aspirants had to write the Tamil Nadu Professional Courses Entrance Examination (TNPCEE).
Watch | நீட் – மருத்துவ மாணவரின் உலுக்கும் கேள்விகள்!
“I feel disheartened. Jagadeeswaran who was with me all along, he was not able to pay ₹25 lakhs. In fact, he was better at studies than me. He score better than me both the times… He got 400 marks in this attempt. If he is not able to join, I am not able to understand. What are you going to achieve with this exam? How many students are going to be killed by the rulers in Central Government”, Fayazdeen laments.
“My name is Fayazdeen. I am studying 1st year MBBS at Balaji Medical College. It is a deemed college only. I paid money to join the college. NEET I am just-qualified. I have no shame in saying it. My father got me admitted in this college just because he was able to afford the money. He is someone who studies better than me. I don’t deserve this. I don’t deserve this seat. This MBBS seat I don’t want it. I don’t deserve it. Me and Jagadeeswaran feel we want to serve in the public domain. But like the chicken-egg story, I don’t know if people (doctors) earn money because they put money or whether they put money because they want to earn money”, he says.
“I’ve paid money and become a doctor. Now, you, the NMC or the Modi govt is saying NEET. If tomorrow you fall ill, if some unqualified doctor like me treat you and your life is at threat only then will you realize why the hell did we bring NEET exam. ₹25 lakhs is the fees per year. ₹1.5 crores. How will anyone have the thought-process to serve? They will be focused on earning back the money thy paid.”, he says in the video.
This disclosure triggered a contentious debate, primarily due to the fact that the institution is owned by DMK MP Jagathrakshakan.
#DMK MP owned Medical College student’s Anti-#NEET tirade promoted by #DMK family owned news channel to poison young minds & create divide.
When will this utter shamelessness stop CM Mr.@mkstalin ?
First be accountable to your promise of abolishing NEET in your first signature. https://t.co/2JhOxCJ0m2
In 2009, two of the college’s employees were caught red-handed on camera demanding capitation fee.
Netizens and the general public raised pertinent inquiries, questioning how the DMK leader is able to impose such exorbitant admission fees for the MBBS course. Furthermore, doubts were cast on the DMK’s intentions regarding their proposition to ban the NEET exam, as concerns were voiced that eliminating the exam might pave the way for even higher charges.
It is worth noting that the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in September 2020 attached properties worth ₹89.19 crores, including agricultural lands, plots, and houses, belonging to DMK MP S Jagathrakshakan and his family members under Foreign Exchange Management Act. Jagathrakshagan and his son Sundeep Aanand are accused of subscribing to 70,00,000 and 20,00,000 shares respectively of Silver Park International Pte. Ltd., Singapore, without obtaining the approval of the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
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The ED and the Intelligence Bureau will investigate a controversy that involves Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena Vijayan and the Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited.
ED & Intelligence Agencies to probe scam involving @CMOKerala 's daughter & CMRL
1.72 crore were given to Veena Vijayan's company Exalogic without availing any services in which 55 lakh was given to Veena Vijayan's account pic.twitter.com/mI6aiUjisP
Veena Vijayan allegedly received ₹1.72 crores monthly from a private company called Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL) over 3 years from 2017-2020. The ED investigation follows the findings released by the Dispute Resolution Committee of the Income Tax Department regarding the money transactions between Veena and CMRL. It is reported that the ED will also investigate the financial transactions of Veena’s company Exalogic.
The controversy was ignited after the Income Tax department found out that Veena Vijayan had received money in monthly installments. The Income Tax Interim Settlement Board had found that CMRL had paid money to Veena in consideration of her relationship with a prominent person.
CMRL had signed an agreement with Veena and her firm Exalogic Solutions in December 2016 for IT and marketing consultancy services and another agreement was signed in March 2017 with Exalogic for software services. Veena and Exalogic received a total of ₹1.72 crore during 2017-20. Of this ₹55 lakh was given by the company only to Veena.
But CMRL’s Chief Financial Officers testified that they were not aware of receiving any contractual services in return for payment of this amount. The company later tried to retract this statement through an affidavit. payment of business expenses is permissible under the Income Tax Act. However, the bench accepted the contention of the Income Tax Department that the payment made on behalf of Veena and the company was illegal.
It is to be noted that P.A. Mohamed Riyas, who holds the position of the Minister of Public Works Department and Tourism in the Pinarayi Vijayan LDF government is Veena’s husband.
After working at Oracle for a while, Veena’s career quickly soared when she became the CEO of RP TechSoft International. This company belonged to a rich businessperson named Ravi Pillai. Subsequently, she took on the role of founder and CEO at Exalogic Solutions in Bangalore, a position she has held for the past seven years.
Veena is currently embroiled in a series of controversies concerning her business transactions.
The Kerala Congress has called for a judicial probe into the allegations.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi participated in an event to felicitate NEET rank-holders from Tamil Nadu. He addressed a gathering of students and parents on 12 August 2023. A Ramasamy, a parent whose daughter had cleared the NEET exam, asked Governor Ravi a question about whether he intended to endorse the anti-NEET Bill.
In response, Governor Ravi said, “I will be the last man to give clearance [to the NEET exemption Bill], never ever! I do not want my children to feel intellectually disabled,”.
The Indian Express reports that Ramasamy works at the Salem Steel Plant and had spent ₹4 lakh annually for coaching over the past 4 years and that he said on the sidelines of the event at Raj Bhavan, “You said our standards are very high and our medical system is very good. But all of these were achieved without NEET,”.
The Bill is currently awaiting review by the President.
However, it has come to light that the same Ramasamy is in fact a member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). The ruling DMK is against the NEET exam.
In the pictures shared on social media, Ramasamy can be seen wearing DMK flag and canvassing. There are also photos of him paying homage to the late DMK patriarch Karunanidhi.
But many mainstream news outlets had tried to portray as if a parent without political affiliation was against the NEET exam.
— Poongodi Suganth (Modi Ka Parivar) (@PoongodiSugandh) August 13, 2023
The Chief Minister, MK Stalin, also was seen playing NEET politics over an Indian student’s death in the Ukraine war claiming that had there been no NEET, the student wouldn’t have been in such a situation. He has also said that NEET bars the poor from pursuing their medical dreams and the ruling state government (DMK) in Tamil Nadu was working proactively to do away with the exam.
It is to be noted that several students from government schools, lower economic backgrounds, and oppressed communities have in fact cracked the NEET exam and secured medical seats over the years. Read more on this here and here.
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Addressing a gathering of reporters, Viduthalai Siruthaigal Katchi founder Thol. Thirumavalavan expressed his concerns about the escalating influence of divisive politics based on caste and religion among school children. Thirumavalavan said that this issue isn’t limited to Tamil Nadu alone, as right-wing groups like RSS are allegedly playing a role in perpetuating these ideologies among students. He claimed that these groups are indoctrinating young minds with religious and caste fanaticism and alleged that students are being coerced into chanting slogans like “Jai Shri Ram.”
Thirumavalavan decried the disturbing trend of caste-related accessories being distributed by certain caste organisations to students, along with displaying caste-associated symbols on their belongings. He attributed the recent incident in which 12th-grade students attacked a fellow student and his sister in the Aadhi Dravidar settlement colony in Nanguneri to the toxic politics of caste and religious discrimination seeping into educational institutions.
While Thirumavalavan condemned the toxic politics infiltrating student communities, he appeared optimistic about the news that Chief Minister Stalin has formed a committee headed by retired judge Chandru to address the issue. He expressed hope that the committee would offer valuable recommendations to curb the spread of divisive ideologies among students. Thirumavalavan emphasised that this problem extends beyond isolated incidents, calling on the Chief Minister to oversee these matters closely.
Thirumavalavan said,”Surveillance on such activities are needed, VCK has been demanding for a separate agency to monitor activities related to caste and religious discrimination, akin to agencies that monitor terrorist activities.”
Amid these assertions, it’s worth noting that Thirumavalavan’s remarks could be seen as an attempt to deflect attention from the perceived inefficacy of the DMK government in addressing the Nanguneri incident. By pointing fingers at the RSS and highlighting broader issues, he seemingly aimed to shift focus away from potential criticisms of the government’s response.
While referring to this, TNBJP State Secretary SG Suryah tweeted, “Coward Mr. @thirumaofficial MP who has no courage to oppose the DMK government, to hide his incompetence and helplessness, to protect DMK family who are the real criminals, is lashing out at #RSS tyranny. The day the Tamils will send you home is not far.”
தி.மு.க அரசை எதிர்க்க துணிவற்ற கோழை திரு.@thirumaofficial MP, தன் இயலாமையையும், ஆற்றாமையையும் மறைக்க, உண்மை குற்றவாளிகளான தி.மு.க குடும்பத்தை காக்க, #RSS பேரியக்கத்தின் மீது வன்மத்தை கக்குகிறார்.
The horrific incident of class 12 students hacking their fellow classmate to death over caste has been sending shock waves across Tamil Nadu.
It is notable that Thirumavalan had once referred to Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party head, K Annamalai, a shudra and instigated violence against Hindus.
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Former Justice Chandru who hurled casteist slurs at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is now appointed by the DMK government to head a committee to advise the government on the measures to be taken to create an environment without caste and ethnic divisions among school and college students.
A horrifying incident unfolded in Nanguneri, Tirunelveli district, as a Class 12 Scheduled Caste student, Chinnadurai, aged 17, and his younger sister, aged 14, were viciously attacked with sickles within the confines of their home on Wednesday (9 August 2023) night. The assault, carried out by three of Chinnadurai’s schoolmates, comes just hours after he had lodged a complaint against them with the school headmaster, detailing their persistent harassment. The assailants, who belonged to a dominant caste, have since been apprehended by the police and are facing charges under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.
Though the news was widely covered in National media, Tamil media, Tamil journalists, and Tamil actors either did namesake reporting or refrained from debating the matter due to its potential to reflect poorly on the ruling DMK government.
In this situation, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that a one-man committee headed by retired Justice K. Chandru has been set up to advise the government on the measures to be taken to create an environment without caste and ethnic divisions among school and college students.
While the initiative by the Tamil Nadu government is indeed positive, concerns have been raised regarding the potential casteist leanings of former Justice Chandru, who has been selected to lead the committee established by the DMK government with the aim of eliminating caste and ethnic divisions among students in educational institutions.
Ever since assuming the role as the committee head focused on addressing caste issues, an old tweet by former Justice Chandru has been circulating on social media. In this tweet, Justice Chandru appeared to make a veiled remark about a BJP leader, presumably Annamalai, by stating, “Like Pickle Lady (a derogatory term targeting Tamil Brahmin women), he is attempting to become a Rajya Sabha member from Karnataka.” He implied that Annamalai’s aspirations mirror those of Nirmala Sitharaman, referred to as ‘Oorka Ammaiyaar.’
Even at that time, these remarks made by former Justice Chandru have been met with criticism from various quarters, sparking inquiries into the nature of the judgments issued by him during his tenure as a judge, amid concerns of potential bias stemming from his apparent casteist perspectives. However, the tweets and account of former Justice Chandru are unavailable and only a screenshot of his remarks is available.
The online community, or netizens, have expressed their perplexity over how an individual with casteist inclinations could be entrusted with leading a committee aimed at dismantling caste-based mentalities among students.
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Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, in response to DMK MP Kanimozhi’s allegations of the Central Government imposing Hindi, emphasized that in Tamil Nadu, a mandate against learning Hindi and Sanskrit was enforced in the guise of resisting Hindi imposition.
She said that one has the power and the right to promote Tamil, but not prevent people from learning Hindi or Sanskrit due to their hubris.
Madam Sitharaman makes the argument based on her lived experiences. Many from her generation would testify for how Hindi was virtually absent in school classrooms of Tamil Nadu.
Responding to Nirmala Sitharaman, acclaimed singer Chinmayi Sripada took to peddle that anyone in Tamil Nadu can learn any language they want.
I respectfully beg to differ with her.
Not every child in Tamil Nadu is as privileged as me or Chinmayi madam. She seems to have studied in The Children’s Garden School and Hindu Senior Secondary School both of which are private schools where Hindi is taught to students.
I too studied in a small private school in Coimbatore where Hindi was taught to me as third language because of which I was able to atleast read and write Hindi when I went to Pune to pursue law. It was only there I picked up Hindi but with lot of struggle.
Those studying in Tamil Nadu government schools do not have the privilege that me or Madam Chinmayi have. So, I kindly request Chinmayi madam to please acknowledge her privileged pedestal before pontificating.
Chinmayi madam harps on to the fact that a lot of people learn Hindi through the Hindi Prachar Sabha in Chennai.
The fact that people are thronging Hindi Prachar Sabha itself is proof that Tamil people want to study Hindi but are not given the option in Tamil Nadu state government schools.
To Chinmayi madam and all other naysayer of Hindi in Tamil Nadu, I ask just one question – What is the harm in just providing an option to study Hindi as third or second language in Tamil Nadu state government schools? This is the point that Hon’ble Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman wanted to drive home in her Parliament speech.
Madam Chinmayi says that the only factor preventing Tamils from speaking Hindi is the mocking that follows when Tamils speak Hindi.
I agree that people mock when south folks especially those from Tamil Nadu who speak Hindi because of the strong accent or the mistakes made in putting the gender (For example, it is “Neendh Aa Rahi Hai” and not “Neendh Aa Raha Hai”). Even today, I make those mistakes but that doesn’t stop me from communicating in Hindi to my Hindi-speaking friends.
Chinmayi madam should ask herself why Gujaratis or Bengalis or Assamese who are as passionate as Tamils about their language don’t have that problem.
That’s because they’ve been exposed to Hindi from schooling. Telugu people or Kannadigas are easily able to pick up Hindi because of their exposure to Hindi. Their love for their language doesn’t make them hate Hindi.
It is only the Tamils who suffer because of the Hindi-hate whipped up by DMK and its likes. Just cross Gummidipoondi and a rudimentary Hindi is enough to survive. The anti-Hindi agitation was justified in a sense as Congress under then CM Bhakthavachalam tried to forcefully impose Hindi. But the agitation went too far resulting in Hindi hate which manifests even today – be it calling Hindi-speakers as called “paanipoori waalas”, “cow belt” or people like you adding fuel to the fire by speaking against the learning of an Indian language.
The last line in her post is all about making false equivalences. Who is preventing Chinmayi madam or anyone else for that matter from eating what they want, worship whomsoever they want, speaking whatever language they want, loving whomsoever they want? Did the Central Government pass any law preventing people from doing any of the above?
It is my kind request to Chinmayi madam to not get carried away with the rhetorics peddled by her Leftists and so-called “Liberal” friends.
It is people like Chinmayi madam and those in power today (in Tamil Nadu) who are not allowing poor people to learn a language. All I ask Chinmayi madam is to please let poor Tamils to also reap the benefits that she reaped with her privilege.
Thanks.
SG Suryah is the State Secretary of BJP Tamil Nadu.
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