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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
-

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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INC MP Karti Chidambaram Denounces DMK MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian For Eulogising Slain LTTE Chief Prabhakaran

By
The Commune
-

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s affinity for LTTE militant Velupillai Prabhakaran did not seem to go well with their I.N.D.I.A ally, the Congress. 

G Sundarrajan of Poovulagin Nanbargal, a Dravidian Stock and self-proclaimed activist who is also known for being a DMK propagandist shared a clipping of a video interview of DMK MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian.

 Here is a transcript of the clipping of a rapid-fire question segment. 

Interviewer: If you could dine with any historical figure, who would it be?

Thamizhachi: Honorable National Leader Prabhakaran

Interviewer: What would you ask the person?

Thamizhachi: I would apologize, I would ask his pardon for that Mullaivaikal tragedy. 

Mullaivaikal is a village on the north-east coast of Sri Lanka which was the scene of the final battle of the civil war in 2009.

Following this, Tamil Nadu Congress leader and Sivaganga MP Karti Chidambaram made a post on this on his X handle. He wrote, “Eulogising Prabakaran doesn’t sit well with anyone in INCIndia. To gloss over the dastardly assassination of Rajiv Gandhi along with 17 Tamils is not acceptable. This Prabakaran Veerappan Tamil Nationalism is as fringe as Hindutva Nationalism.”

He also added that he was always against the “hero worship” of the assassins of the former Indian Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. He further wrote, “One can sympathise & support the Palestinian people without being an endorser of Hamas, likewise one can stand with the Tamils of Srilanka in their struggle for equality & dignity without being an apologist & fanboy of the LTTE. Why is this difficult to comprehend?”

In 2022, when the assassins were released by the Supreme Court, several Dravidian stockists welcomed their release. In a video, the president of the DMK Students Wing said,  “Even before being elected, the DMK promised to take all necessary steps to free the Rajiv Gandhi case convicts. Today is the day we fulfilled our promise. The DMK government vigorously supported and argued in favor of Perarivalan in the Supreme Court, laying the groundwork for the release of six other convicts today. The DMK government’s No-Objection-Certificate (NOC) is the only reason that has made the release of the convicts possible.”

As Perarivalan, one of the convicted terrorists was released, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin was seen hugging him and and adorning him a shawl.

It is ironic that Congress continues to be in alliance in Tamil Nadu with a party that wholeheartedly supports the assassins of their former leader. 

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#புளுகுமூட்டை_உதய் (Liar Udhay) & #HBDDimwitUdhay Trends On Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Birthday Exposing His Unfulfilled Promises

By
The Commune
-

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its cadre are celebrating the birthday of DMK Minister and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin’s son, Udhayanidhi Stalin. The newspapers especially Times Of India seems to have been flooded with advertisements on his birthday under the category “Consumer Connect Initiative”

As the celebrations are underway, two hashtags trend on social media platform X.One of them is #புளுகுமூட்டை_உதய் (meaning liar Udhay) and the other #HBDDimwitUdhay. While the cadre and supporters share fancy videos making Udhayanidhi look like a hero, the other two hashtags reveal his hypocrisy and how he failed to keep his promises. 

Netizens pulled out videos of him denying his interest in entry into politics in the future. The hashtag #புளுகுமூட்டை_உதய் points out the lies he told all these years – be it with regard to joining politics or the “promised” NEET ban.

https://twitter.com/alandur_balaji/status/1729026097629855830

 

 

Some even dug out videos of him contradicting his own statements about religion and belief.

https://twitter.com/alandur_balaji/status/1729023613347807573

 

On NEET Ban Promise

While campaigning for the 2021 Assembly elections, he promises that the first signature as soon as the DMK comes to power will be for the NEET ban, and the people of the state know what happened to it.

In this video, he changes his statements on the NEET ban by the minute. As mentioned above, he promised to ban the exam as soon as they came to power. However, here, he first says that all students must participate, and only then can it be banned. In a few minutes, he calls for ADMK’s EPS and asks him to send the Youth Wing Secretary along with his cadre and that they will protest in Delhi. A few days later, he says, “I cannot do it by myself; each of you seated here has to be a Udhayanidhi and come together to get the exam banned.”

In this undated video, he says, “Till the time NEET exam is banned, we will continue the legal protest.” He claimed that when he met PM Modi, the first thing he spoke of was the NEET issue and that it had to be banned. In response, he said the PM gave him multiple reasons for not banning it. He claims his last word was that the students of TN do not want the exam and that he told the PM that the DMK will continue to fight it legally. 

https://twitter.com/SaffronSurge3/status/1728809252230398314

In another video that also seems to be from the 2021 election campaign, he is seen saying, “Our Thalaivar says this clearly. If the DMK comes to power, we will surely ban the NEET exam. We know how to get it done. Our Thalaivar knows.”

https://twitter.com/AdmkNaresh/status/1729021017702736351

Waiver For Gold Loan Promise

In this video, which seems to be from the 2021 Assembly election campaign, he is seen saying, “If you take a loan against five sovereigns of gold at a cooperative bank, the loan will be waived because the next government will be formed by us (DMK)”.

To date, this waiver of loans against five sovereigns of gold has yet to be implemented.

Here’s another video where an ADMK cadre mentions how ignorant Udhayanidhi Stalin is. She says he doesn’t know how to sign a cheque, and such a person had been made the Youth Wing Secretary. She also adds how derogatorily he spoke of EPS, the then Chief Minister. 

On Joining Politics

The Commune has been curating all his statements over the years, and here is a recollection of those where he mentions he had no interest in joining politics. 

In an interview with actress Sangeetha for Puthuyugam on 6 March 2014, Udhayanidhi stated that he is not interested in politics and that it is not mandatory to enter politics if one is born into a political family. He also said, “There are many people in the DMK who have worked hard for the party, and I believe they should be given prominent positions.”

On 6 August 2017, during the press meet for his mega-flop movie Pothuvaga En Manasu Thangam, Udhayanidhi stated that no one in his family or friends had asked him to enter politics and that he was not interested in doing so.

On 26 May 2011, Udhayanidhi said he would never enter politics in response to a fan who wished him good luck for his first film, Oru Kal Oru Kannadi, and asked him to enter politics.

In another such instance, on 23 July 2011, he replied to a user named @robotag that he would not enter politics.

Here’s another video of him denying interest in politics.

On the one hand, he says he is not interested in any post, while on the other, he is the Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, the Special Act Implementation Department of Tamil Nadu, and the DMK’s Youth Wing Secretary. 

Netizens also shared song videos with lyrics about the issues and controversies around Udhayanidhi Stalin.

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TNBJP Head Annamalai Slams DMK Over Excessive Use Of Police Force For Udhayanidhi Stalin Birthday Security

By
The Commune
-

Gopalapuram’s streets are buzzing as an extraordinary security spectacle takes centre stage – the residence, periphery, and access roads leading to Udhayanidhi Stalin’s house in Gopalapuram witnessed an overwhelming security presence on the occasion of his birthday. The staggering deployment included 2 Deputy Commissioners, 10 Assistant Commissioners, 30 Inspectors, 90 Sub Inspectors, 300 police officers, and an additional 380 reserved police personnel.

This formidable show of force has sparked concerns among the public, particularly as the state grapples with an escalating law and order crisis. The extensive security detail underscores how significant resources are being invested in safeguarding Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Stalin’s son and DMK Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.

Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party Chief K Annamalai questioned the need for deploying such a large number of police forces for the birthday celebrations. He posted on his X handle, “2 Deputy Commissioners, 10 Assistant Commissioners, 30 Inspectors, 90 Sub Inspectors, 300 police officers & 380 reserved police are the officers on duty to guard the house, periphery & the roads leading to Gopalapuram Scion’s house on his birthday today. The Corrupt DMK Govt & the TN State police should realise that their responsibility does not end with protecting only the Dynasts as the common people continue to pay the price of lawlessness in the State.”

As the public raises eyebrows over this seemingly disproportionate allocation of resources, concerns grow about the equitable distribution of law enforcement efforts. The state government and police authorities are urged to reassess their strategies to ensure the safety and security of all citizens, not just those affiliated with political dynasties. Netizens also reacted to the colossal waste of government resources for such events.

The need for a more balanced and responsive approach to maintaining law and order in the state is increasingly apparent, especially in the wake of such striking display of security personnel for a private event.

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Sayalkudi Municipal EO Behaves Disgracefully With Differently-Abled Woman At Weekly Market; Suspended

By
The Commune
-

While caste atrocities and discrimination against the oppressed communities continue to happen on the one side, on the other one can witness discrimination against differently abled people in the state of Tamil Nadu under the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam regime which boasts of establishing “social justice”.

At the weekly market near Sayalkudi Bus Stand, a distressing incident unfolded, sparking outrage within the local community. Mariammal, a differently-abled woman, saw her livelihood abruptly disrupted during this unfortunate event.

The Sayalkudi Municipal Executive Officer, Sekar, accompanied by sanitation workers, made an appearance at the market, claiming that Mariammal’s sales activities were causing traffic disruptions. Ignoring her disability, Sekar is seen throwing all that Mariammal was selling including the dried fish she had kept in a basket, directing sanitation workers to remove the spilled goods.

Witnessing Mariammal’s distress as her merchandise tumbled down was heart-wrenching. In her moment of anguish, she questioned the Executive Officer, “There are numerous shops around; why are you singling us out?” Regrettably, EO Sekar remained silent, providing no response to her heartfelt inquiry.

Despite the challenges Mariammal faces as a differently-abled individual, EO Sekar sternly warned her, displaying a seeming lack of awareness. The incident has triggered widespread condemnation from the local community and left onlookers shocked at the behaviour.

Surprisingly, no immediate action has been taken against Municipal Executive Officer Sekar or the sanitation workers involved, prompting criticism of the DMK government’s response to the incident.

Expressing concern, SG Suryah, the State Secretary of Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party, called out the Tamil Nadu media for underreporting the incident. He wrote, “If it had happened in the previous ADMK regime, journalists and the media would have been holding it up for days and publish many videos with BGM. But this is happening in the DMK regime. It seems the media in Tamil Nadu have bundled up their anger with a don’t care attitude.”

Following the outrage, Collector Vishnu Chandran ordered the EO Sekar to be suspended from his post.

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Land Allegedly Grabbed Near St Thomas Mount Reclaimed After Arappor Iyakkam Files Complaint With DVAC

By
The Commune
-
Accurate land records are more than administrative tools; they are the backbone of socio-economic planning, public service delivery, and conflict resolution.

Arappor Iyakkam, a prominent anti-corruption organisation, lodged a complaint with the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) on 21 November 2023, exposing an alleged land grab scandal worth ₹250 crores at St Thomas Mount. The complaint asserted that a group of individuals illicitly acquired government land in collusion with officials from the revenue and registration departments. 

According to Jayaram Venkatesan, the convenor of Arappor Iyakkam, numerous lands in St Thomas Mount held government status since the British period. In October 2015, the Alandur Tahsildar wrote a letter to the sub-registrar of Chennai South Sub-Division 2, identifying 36 survey numbers in Mount Village as government lands. The letter explicitly stated that no further deed registration should be undertaken on these survey numbers. Despite this directive, Venkatesan alleges that sub-registrars Uma, Balakrishnan, Geetha, and others executed numerous deed registrations in violation of the clear instructions.

When filing the complaint, Venkatesan pointed out a specific case involving a company named Vedanta, which reportedly leased land opposite the DVAC office on MKN road at St Thomas Mount to the State Bank of India (SBI) for five years starting in 2019 at a monthly rent of ₹5 lakh. He criticised the DVAC, stating that the land scandal occurred under its watch.

The complaint further highlighted an instance where the district registrar in 2022 cancelled the registration of government land measuring 54,605 sq ft, valued at ₹80 crores, on survey no 442 after a verification process conducted by Chennai South Joint II Sub-Registrar Office revealed forgery.

Venkatesan expressed concern about the vulnerability of physical volumes of parent documents stored in Sub-Registrar offices. He alleged that the collusion between the land mafia and officials involved the substitution of older parent documents with fake ones. This, he argued, jeopardised the safety of land ownership across Tamil Nadu.

Despite these revelations, Arappor Iyakkam claimed that no action had been taken against sub-registrar Uma. While the CBCID filed an FIR against private individuals connected to the case, including a private data entry operator and a person named Yvonne Mary, who came for registration, the sub-registrar had allegedly been overlooked.

Arappor Iyakkam called on the DVAC and CBCID to initiate criminal proceedings against Uma, other implicated sub-registrars, public servants, and private individuals. The organisation has also urged the Inspector General of Registration to annul these registrations, suspend the officials involved, and that the Revenue Department assumes physical possession of the properties. Additionally, they demanded action against officials responsible for issuing fraudulent land records.

A few days after Arappor Iyakkam filed a complaint concerning the unlawful registration of land in St Thomas Mount, the government reclaimed the land on 25 November 2023. Subsequently, the sub-registrar Uma was suspended two days ago in response to the complaint.

(with inputs from DT Next)

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