Chennai and other coastal districts in the northern parts of Tamil Nadu have been receiving heavy rainfall since Deepavali.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and his Ministers have been touring affected areas to assess damage and provide relief.
In light of this, Minister of Minorities Welfare Gingee Masthan who was also visiting areas in his constituency was found distributing cash for free to people at a public place.
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In the Indian state of West Bengal that shares a very long border with Bangladesh, two cattle smugglers were killed in an encounter by the Border Security Force (BSF) near the Sitai locality in Cooch Bihar district in the early morning of November 12 at around 3 AM.
As per reports, one BSF trooper was also injured after smugglers attacked the BSF patrolling party which tried to stop them and was rushed to the hospital. According to the reports, the BSF team patrolling that area spotted some Bangladeshi smugglers trying to smuggle cattle by lifting them over the barbed wire fence using improvised cantilevers.
Two Bangladeshi smugglers were killed along India-Bangladesh border in Cooch Behar district, West Bengal. One BSF trooper also injured as the smugglers attacked the BSF party trying to stop them while entering Indian territory. The incident took place around 3 am today: BSF pic.twitter.com/SYOhxOyP95
They entered Indian territory by using ladders out of iron bars to cross the fence. When they were spotted by the BSF they were warned to go back, but the smugglers chose to attack BSF personnel with iron rods, sticks, and sickles.
The miscreants from Bangladesh side ventured into Indian side, tried to smuggle cattle using improvised bamboo cantilever. BSF had warned them to go back. Our troops utilised non lethal weapons to deter miscreants, but they attacked on BSF troops with ironrods & sticks: BSF pic.twitter.com/CzvY3BjfMV
Since the smugglers only used rods and sticks, the BSF, first resorted to using non-lethal weapons to deter them, however, the rules of engagement changed once the deadly smugglers attacked them that led to the death of these smugglers who steal cattle from border villages and cattle in these rural areas are a source of income.
BSF also issued a statement regarding the encounter. “On 12th Nov 2021 at about 0300 hrs, miscreants from Bangladesh side ventured into Indian territory and tried to smuggle cattle heads by establishing improvised bamboo cantilever. BSF domination ahead of the fence warned them to go back, but miscreants didn’t pay heed to BSF, “ it said.
However, journalist Anupam Mishra has claimed that not two but three smugglers had died in the encounter that took place with them and shared the video of a deceased smuggler.
Three dead in an encounter between BSF and cattle smugglers at coochbehar. Tmc claims that this incident is a fallout of centres notification expanding bsf jurisdiction to 50 km. Today Home secretary Ajay bhalla meeting with bengal home sec and chief sec on bsf jurisdiction issue pic.twitter.com/2FD5RZ4biv
After the incident came to light the ruling TMC under the leadership of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee alleged that this incident was a fallout of the centre expanding the jurisdiction of BSF to 50 km in the states of West Bengal, Punjab, and Assam. All these states are a hotbed of smuggling narcotics and weapons which is a serious threat to our national security.
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Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi launched two innovative customer centric initiatives of RBI viz. Retail Direct Scheme and the Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme, here today via video conference. The Union Minister of Finance and Corporate Affairs Smt. Nirmala Sitharaman and the Governor of the Reserve Bank of India Shri Shaktikanta Das were also present at the event.
Addressing the event, the Prime Minister praised the Finance Ministry and institutions like RBI for their efforts during the pandemic. “This period of Amrit Mahotsav, this decade of the 21st century is very important for the development of the country. In such a situation, the role of RBI is also very big. I am confident that Team RBI will live up to the expectations of the country”, the Prime Minister said.
Referring to the two schemes that have been launched today, the Prime Minister said that these schemes will expand the scope of investment in the country and make access to capital markets easier, more secure for investors. Retail direct scheme has given small investors in the country a simple and safe medium of investment in government securities. Similarly, One Nation, One Ombudsman System has taken shape in the banking sector with the Integrated Ombudsman Scheme today, he said.
The Prime Minister emphasized the citizen centric nature of these schemes. He said that one of the biggest touchstones of any democracy is the strength of its grievance redressal system. The Integrated Ombudsman Scheme will go a long way in that direction. Similarly, the Retail Direct Scheme will give strength to the inclusion of everyone in the economy as it will bring in the middle class, employees, small businessmen and senior citizens with their small savings directly and securely in government securities. As Government securities have the provision of guaranteed settlement, this gives assurance of safety to the small investor, he said.
The Prime Minister said that in the last 7 years, NPAs were identified with transparency, the focus was on resolution and recovery, Public Sector Banks were recapitalized, one after the other reforms were carried out in the financial system and public sector banks. He added, to further strengthen the banking sector, cooperative banks were also brought under the purview of RBI. Due to this the governance of these banks is also improving and the trust in this system is getting stronger among the depositors, he added.
The Prime Minister said in the past few years, in the country’s banking sector reforms ranging from inclusion in the financial sector to technological integration have been carried out. “We have seen their strength in this difficult time of Covid. The decisions of the RBI also helped in increasing the impact of the big decisions that the government has taken in recent times”, he said.
The Prime Minister said till 6-7 years ago, banking, pension and insurance, used to be like an exclusive club in India. All these facilities were not accessible to the common citizens in the country, poor families, farmers, small traders-businessmen, women, dalits-deprived-backward, etc. Criticizing the earlier system, the Prime Minister said those who had the responsibility of taking these facilities to the poor never paid any attention to it. Rather, various excuses were made for not changing. It was said that there is no bank branch, no staff, no internet, no awareness, no idea what the arguments were, he lamented.
The Prime Minister said UPI has made India the world’s leading country in terms of digital transactions in a very short span of time. In just 7 years, India has jumped 19 times in terms of digital transactions. Today our banking system is operational 24 hours, 7 days and 12 months anytime, anywhere in the country, Shri Modi stressed.
The Prime Minister said we have to keep the needs of the citizens of the country at the center and keep on strengthening the trust of the investors. “I am confident that RBI will continue to strengthen India’s new identity as a sensitive and investor-friendly destination”. The Prime Minister concluded.
Residents from Mandaveli staged a protest in St Mary’s Road against the DMK government over their apathy as their streets and homes remain inundated with sewage mixed rain water for over two days.
Chennai and other coastal districts in the northern parts of Tamil Nadu have been receiving heavy rainfall since Deepavali.
Many suburbs of Chennai have been inundated due to the continuous downpour with people commuting in boats to fetch essential supplies.
Localities such as T. Nagar, West Mambalam, Kodambakkam, K.K. Nagar, Saidapet and other areas have been inundated due to the indiscriminate dumping of debris and garbage in the drainage canals by Corporation contractors.
In light of this, residents from Mandaveli staged a road roko in St Mary’s Road to protest against the DMK government’s inaction in clearing inundated areas.
Protest turned violent after DMK cadres attacked public for blocking road at St Mary’s road.
Protest turned violent after DMK cadres attacked public for blocking road at St Mary's road. The residents staged a protest as officials did not clear water in their streets @xpresstn@NewIndianXpresspic.twitter.com/DHQPZQqTKI
Gopi Shankar Madurai the Southern Representative of the National Council for Transgender Persons has objected to the appointment of Mohanambal as a member of the Transgender Welfare Board of Tamil Nadu as she is reportedly a “Nayak”.
In a statement, Gopi said that Mohanambal is a ‘Nayak’ of the Jammat/Dayyar system, a system that pushes transgenders into sex work and other illegitimate work.
These Nayak function as cartel heads and collect money (a tax known as Moorcha) from transgenders who are part of the ‘Jammat’.
Gopi in his statement said that this system which is supposed to be a protection mechanism for transgenders has degraded into an oppressive slavery system. He noted that transgenders who become a part of it find it difficult to leave it as that will have serious consequences to their lives and liberty.
He said that Mohanmbal also known as ‘Trichy Mohana’ is a Nayak of this oppressive system and has demanded the Tamil Nadu government to cancel her appointment as member of the Tamil Nadu Transgender Welfare Board.
Disgruntled BJP MP and scion of the Gandhi family, Varun Gandhi, on Thursday (November ), said National Award winning actress Kangana Ranaut who just received the Padma Shri Award is either mad or treasonous.
Gandhi made this statement after Ranaut who was speaking at the Times Now conclave said that “India received freedom in 2014 and what it got in 1947 was “alms”. To this statement Varun Gandhi sent out a tweet in which he asked the actress to clarify if her thinking was “madness or treason.”
कभी महात्मा गांधी जी के त्याग और तपस्या का अपमान, कभी उनके हत्यारे का सम्मान, और अब शहीद मंगल पाण्डेय से लेकर रानी लक्ष्मीबाई, भगत सिंह, चंद्रशेखर आज़ाद, नेताजी सुभाष चंद्र बोस और लाखों स्वतंत्रता सेनानियों की कुर्बानियों का तिरस्कार।
Varun Gandhi was enraged when Kangna Ranaut said “That was not freedom but ‘bheekh’ (alms), and the freedom came in 2014.”
He then accused Ranaut of insulting the sacrifice o various freedom fighters and said, “Insulting the sacrifice of Mahatma Gandhi sometimes, respecting his killer sometimes, and now the disdain for the sacrifices of Mangal Pandey, Rani Laxmibai, Bhagat Singh, Chandrashekhar Azad, Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose and lakhs of freedom fighters. Should I call this thinking madness or treason?”
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Pakistan is alarmed at the prospect of India being part of the Five Eyes intelligence-sharing club and if this development takes place it would hurt US-Pakistan relations as Islamabad is desperate to coordinate a regional response to a growing Afghanistan terror threat.
“It’s a recipe for a new Cold War, a recipe for a new divide, and if you are going to have that, the lines will be drawn,” Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed, who heads the Senate Defence Committee, told reporters at a private event.
There is proposed legislation in the US Senate that could lead India and several other Asia-Pacific countries into the decades-old intel-sharing agreement between Australia, the UK Canada, New Zealand, and the US as China flexes its muscle in the region.
The Pakistani senator who was dismayed at the development, however, stopped short of saying that if India joined the Five Eyes group, Pakistan would place new limits on what intel it shares with the US.
However, he made it very clear that such a move would invariably hurt US-Pakistan ties with the direct implication and coordination on Afghanistan policy, the report said.
He also said that the US has asked Pakistan not to recognize the Taliban, and this development has forced Pakistan to look for a regional consensus on the issue of legitimising the new government in Kabul, bringing in Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, China, Russia, Iran, and possibly others.
Sayed said, “Also, we are waiting to see what the (US) does and “I feel they are chastened, more pragmatic. They know this is not the Afghanistan of the 1990s. They do not have a pan-Islamic perspective.
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As China simply would not deescalate the tension along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), the Indian Army is focusing on increasing its capability and is revamping its Aviation Corps and is working on setting up three integrated Aviation Brigades, two of which are along the LAC.
Last month a new Aviation Brigade had come up under the Eastern Command, and now two more have been set up under the Northern and the Western Command as part of the new Order of Battle (ORBAT).
“These new Aviation Brigades are part of the rebalancing that the Army has been doing. This ensures that there is a more coordinated and localised control of the aviation assets,” a source explained.
In another change, all drones operations that were under the control of the artillery have now been moved to the Aviation Corps and will be in charge of Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) as part of the revamp.
Also, these Aviation Brigades will now be part of integrated surveillance and operations centers that continue to monitor sensitive areas round the clock and now satellites will be part of the program to send direct feed because a more coordinated round-the-clock surveillance capability rather than just boots on the ground is the need of the hour.
“Aviation is an integral part of the warfighting process. Better surveillance capability, advance knowledge of enemy movement and faster mobilisation is key to fighting a war,” a second source said.
The Indian Army has also built multiple forward helicopter bases along the LAC which enables our forces to move more freely and enhances surveillance, troops insertion, and movement of logistics along with procuring new-age portable helipads that are user-friendly, ruggedized with scope for modularity.
“Drone warfare is the future. The Army has just ordered for swarm drones, both for logistics and attack. The Army has also ordered kamikaze drones while also buying four new satellite link-enabled long range surveillance drones from Israel. In the future, you will see a large variety of drones being procured by the Army and hence it was important that the Aviation Corps takes care of them rather than the artillery because drone warfare has changed,” the second source said.
“What has happened during the current crisis with China is that the Army is ensuring that all its helicopter squadrons are fully equipped with the sanctioned numbers. So more helicopters have been sent to the critical areas and these include the Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters (ALH) and its armed version, the Rudra,” a third source said.
“Our training has focused on heliborne insertion of troops at high altitudes which enables quick transfer of soldiers from one valley to another. We are doing it at our own level as well as with the IAF,” a fourth source said.
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Chennai and other coastal districts in the northern parts of Tamil Nadu have been receiving heavy rainfall since Deepavali.
Many suburbs of Chennai have been inundated due to the continuous downpour with people commuting in boats to fetch essential supplies.
Localities such as T. Nagar, West Mambalam, Kodambakkam, K.K. Nagar, Saidapet and other areas have been inundated due to the indiscriminate dumping of debris and garbage in the drainage canals by Corporation contractors.
The ground floor of our apartment is submerged in knee deep water while the water level outside is much higher. The water has entered their homes. Kamakoti street off Lake View road near Public Health Centre in W.Mambalam. There is an old age home opposite.Pls help. @chennaicorppic.twitter.com/NaJKLb7NAn
People residing even in prime areas in the heart of the city like Alwarpet, Nungambakkam, etc. have been staying without power for four days and have moved to other places as they found it difficult to get even basic supplies like milk and water.
— Ekam Sat (மோடியின் குடும்பம்) (@vijaylaxmisrik1) November 8, 2021
Kolathur, Chief Minister MK Stalin’s own constituency, from where he has been elected MLA since 2011, is in a sorry of affairs with water entering homes, no electricity and people travelling in boats.
On the other hand, crops have been destroyed in submerged fields in delta districts like Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Thanjavur which has also received heavy rainfall.
However, the media friendly to the ruling DMK have been playing various cards to ensure that these do not get highlighted and bring disrepute to Stalin’s government.
From blaming the previous AIADMK regime and Central Government to romanticizing the weather, here is a look at some of the instances when the Godi Media in Tamil Nadu were playing orchestra to the ruling DMK while Chennai sank.
Behindwoods, a YouTube channel that is popularly known to be friendly to the ruling DMK, took lot of efforts to brush under the carpet the plight of people. In the above video, it can be seen that fishes that are found in lakes have entered flooded streets. However, the anchor discusses how the fishes are having a great time having fun.
In another video published by the channel, it shows children swimming and playing at the Vyasarpadi subway.
The News Minute, a digital news outlet which has no qualms in towing the line of the DMK, published a detailed article about how ‘broken radars and conflicting weather reports‘ led to Chennai floods.
Instead of pointing out the fallacies and the inadequate measures taken by the DMK government, the article tried to shift the blame on Indian Meteorological Department saying that the agency should’ve given ‘red alert’ (asking the state to take action) instead of ‘orange alert’ (to be prepared for floods).
However, the IMD had given a red alert on October 30 warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall to extremely very heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu, Karaikal and Puducherry as back as October 30. It noted that a low pressure area over Sri Lanka off Tamil Nadu coast with the associated cyclonic circulation persists and is likely to move westwards in the next 3-4 days.
But, Chief Minister Stalin was busy watching Jai Bhim on October 31 in a special screening held for him and had written a detailed review about the movie which he posted the next day.
DMK family owned Sun News, resorted to romanticizing the rains saying that Chennaites are enjoying the weather with hot ‘bajjis’ (fritters), tea and Ilayaraja’s music.
They even telecasted separate segment titled ‘Mazhaiyum Ilayaraja’ vum playing rain themed film songs composed by acclaimed music composer Ilayaraja.
தத்தளிக்கும் சென்னை…மிதக்கும் சென்னை.
இதுல இவங்க போடுற செய்திய பாத்தீங்களா மக்களே….சன்டிவி ல வேலை செய்ற ஆளுங்க அவங்க வீட்டுக்குள்ள மழை வெள்ளம் வந்தா இதேமாறி இளையராஜா பாட்டை போட்டு தான் ஆடுவாங்க போல….😡😡😡😡😡 pic.twitter.com/sIGwialDLA
In one of the news cards published by Sun News it said that the weather in Chennai is now akin to Kodaikanal.
Another DMK-friendly media ‘India Glitz’ too romanticized the plight showing children jumping into subways brimming with water.
Earning the ire of people, these media outlets later started showing places which have been worst affected like Kolathur, T. Nagar, Alwarpet, etc. Some of the journalists plunged themselves into the waters to show how they’re on the ground and covering the flood situation in Chennai.
While these outlets claim themselves to be torchbearers of democracy questioning the government at the Centre, they’ve refrained from asking tough questions to the DMK government in Tamil Nadu. The MK Stalin government on the other hand has been trying to shift the blame on the previous AIADMK regime saying that he would investigate the irregularities under the Centre’s Smart City scheme. Minister for Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply K. N. Nehru rubbed off responsibilities saying that they’ve been only in power for 6 months and when asked about why canal desilting work was not completed.
Time and again, Chennai has been deluged whenever there is mild to heavy rains during the monsoons. While rampant urbanization is to blame, it is being aided by the politicians and authorities in power. Buildings are constructed in marshlands and lakes which act as sponges absorbing storing water. Corporation officials and contractors who lay roads give no emphasis to planning while laying roads and storm water drains. New roads are built on top of the existing roads without scrapping them off leaving the settlements on either sides of the road to go down creating a low lying area. Storm water drains get blocked as they don’t get desilted on time. Some of them get converted to drainage canals due to non-maintenance.
But none of the media have managed to make the DMK government accountable by posing these questions. It looks like their pens and cameras only point towards Delhi whenever they want to thump their chests about democracy, accountability, and other jargons which they often mouth.
All this only makes it conspicuous that they are no different from the ‘Godi Media’ they accuse the media in the north of.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi will launch two innovative customer centric initiatives of the Reserve Bank of India on 12 November, 2021 at 11 AM via video conferencing. These initiatives are the RBI Retail Direct Scheme and the Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme.
The RBI Retail Direct Scheme is aimed at enhancing access to government securities market for retail investors. It offers them a new avenue for directly investing in securities issued by the Government of India and the State Governments. Investors will be able to easily open and maintain their government securities account online with the RBI, free of cost.
The Reserve Bank – Integrated Ombudsman Scheme aims to further improve the grievance redress mechanism for resolving customer complaints against entities regulated by RBI. The central theme of the scheme is based on ‘One Nation-One Ombudsman’ with one portal, one email and one address for the customers to lodge their complaints. There will be a single point of reference for customers to file their complaints, submit the documents, track status and provide feedback. A multi-lingual toll-free number will provide all relevant information on grievance redress and assistance for filing complaints.
Union Finance Minister and RBI Governor will also attend the event.
From Romanticizing The Rains To Shifting Blames, DMK’s ‘Godi Media’ Goes All Out To Buttress Stalin Govt
Chennai and other coastal districts in the northern parts of Tamil Nadu have been receiving heavy rainfall since Deepavali.
Many suburbs of Chennai have been inundated due to the continuous downpour with people commuting in boats to fetch essential supplies.
Localities such as T. Nagar, West Mambalam, Kodambakkam, K.K. Nagar, Saidapet and other areas have been inundated due to the indiscriminate dumping of debris and garbage in the drainage canals by Corporation contractors.
People residing even in prime areas in the heart of the city like Alwarpet, Nungambakkam, etc. have been staying without power for four days and have moved to other places as they found it difficult to get even basic supplies like milk and water.
https://twitter.com/kapilnaresh99/status/1458765512884711425
Kolathur, Chief Minister MK Stalin’s own constituency, from where he has been elected MLA since 2011, is in a sorry of affairs with water entering homes, no electricity and people travelling in boats.
Many of the subways in the city like the Madley Subway, Doraiswamy Subway and Aranganathan Subway are brimming with water.
On the other hand, crops have been destroyed in submerged fields in delta districts like Cuddalore, Nagapattinam and Thanjavur which has also received heavy rainfall.
However, the media friendly to the ruling DMK have been playing various cards to ensure that these do not get highlighted and bring disrepute to Stalin’s government.
From blaming the previous AIADMK regime and Central Government to romanticizing the weather, here is a look at some of the instances when the Godi Media in Tamil Nadu were playing orchestra to the ruling DMK while Chennai sank.
Behindwoods, a YouTube channel that is popularly known to be friendly to the ruling DMK, took lot of efforts to brush under the carpet the plight of people. In the above video, it can be seen that fishes that are found in lakes have entered flooded streets. However, the anchor discusses how the fishes are having a great time having fun.
In another video published by the channel, it shows children swimming and playing at the Vyasarpadi subway.
The News Minute, a digital news outlet which has no qualms in towing the line of the DMK, published a detailed article about how ‘broken radars and conflicting weather reports‘ led to Chennai floods.
Instead of pointing out the fallacies and the inadequate measures taken by the DMK government, the article tried to shift the blame on Indian Meteorological Department saying that the agency should’ve given ‘red alert’ (asking the state to take action) instead of ‘orange alert’ (to be prepared for floods).
However, the IMD had given a red alert on October 30 warning of heavy to very heavy rainfall to extremely very heavy rainfall in Tamil Nadu, Karaikal and Puducherry as back as October 30. It noted that a low pressure area over Sri Lanka off Tamil Nadu coast with the associated cyclonic circulation persists and is likely to move westwards in the next 3-4 days.
But, Chief Minister Stalin was busy watching Jai Bhim on October 31 in a special screening held for him and had written a detailed review about the movie which he posted the next day.
DMK family owned Sun News, resorted to romanticizing the rains saying that Chennaites are enjoying the weather with hot ‘bajjis’ (fritters), tea and Ilayaraja’s music.
They even telecasted separate segment titled ‘Mazhaiyum Ilayaraja’ vum playing rain themed film songs composed by acclaimed music composer Ilayaraja.
In one of the news cards published by Sun News it said that the weather in Chennai is now akin to Kodaikanal.
Another DMK-friendly media ‘India Glitz’ too romanticized the plight showing children jumping into subways brimming with water.
Earning the ire of people, these media outlets later started showing places which have been worst affected like Kolathur, T. Nagar, Alwarpet, etc. Some of the journalists plunged themselves into the waters to show how they’re on the ground and covering the flood situation in Chennai.
While these outlets claim themselves to be torchbearers of democracy questioning the government at the Centre, they’ve refrained from asking tough questions to the DMK government in Tamil Nadu. The MK Stalin government on the other hand has been trying to shift the blame on the previous AIADMK regime saying that he would investigate the irregularities under the Centre’s Smart City scheme. Minister for Municipal Administration, Urban and Water Supply K. N. Nehru rubbed off responsibilities saying that they’ve been only in power for 6 months and when asked about why canal desilting work was not completed.
Time and again, Chennai has been deluged whenever there is mild to heavy rains during the monsoons. While rampant urbanization is to blame, it is being aided by the politicians and authorities in power. Buildings are constructed in marshlands and lakes which act as sponges absorbing storing water. Corporation officials and contractors who lay roads give no emphasis to planning while laying roads and storm water drains. New roads are built on top of the existing roads without scrapping them off leaving the settlements on either sides of the road to go down creating a low lying area. Storm water drains get blocked as they don’t get desilted on time. Some of them get converted to drainage canals due to non-maintenance.
But none of the media have managed to make the DMK government accountable by posing these questions. It looks like their pens and cameras only point towards Delhi whenever they want to thump their chests about democracy, accountability, and other jargons which they often mouth.
All this only makes it conspicuous that they are no different from the ‘Godi Media’ they accuse the media in the north of.
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