Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube
Saturday, December 20, 2025
Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube
Home Blog Page 1179

FCRA license of Christian missionary organization ‘Harvest India’ suspended

By
The Commune
-

The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) suspended the FCRA license of Christian missionary organization ‘Harvest India’ on September 29, 2021.

Legal Rights Protection Forum (LRPF), an NGO watchdog which has constantly been reporting on illegal activities of foreign funded NGOs had filed multiple complaints ‘Harvest India’ and its chief functionary Suresh Kumar, for indulging in proselytization activities and violating FCRA laws.

Recently, the Hyderabad-based legal activism organization had written to the MHA seeking action against Harvest India and Kattera Suresh Kumar, for collecting foreign funds through fraudulent misrepresentation.

It has been reported that Harvest India has established more than 1500 ‘community centres’ all over the country for proselytizing purposes. In addition to this there are over 1500 to 2000 pastors working in the organization as well as in various other places undercover.

The organization had conducted events called ‘crusades’ to induct new members to their religion as well as train religious preachers for this purpose. The complaint by LRPF questioned how an organization that was supposed to be a not for profit body could gain so much money for missionary activities. In addition to this, Harvest India has not shown any records of utilisation of FCRA funds for paying the pastors or the maintenance of churches.

Harvest India had received crores of amount from Foreign Church organizations for Christian religious activities, preacher and priest training programs and other Christian religious functions.

It was also found that the committee that runs the organization comprised of people who are non citizens of India. Notably, many of these people came here on visa and violated the Indian visa rules by engaging in proselytizing activities.

In the 1st week of September, LRPF and the SC ST Rights Forum had written to the National Commission for Scheduled Castes seeking action against Suresh Kumar for misusing benefits meant for Scheduled Caste.

Multiple complaints have been filed by a woman belonging to SC community and resident of Kollipara in Andhra Pradesh’s Guntur District, alleging that Christian Bishop Kattera Suresh Kumar is holding a Scheduled Caste certificate to avail reservation benefits despite being a Christian Bishop, maintaining a big church, running several Bible colleges and awarding Christian theology degree through a large evangelical organization namely Harvest India.

Suresh Kumar and his wife also run a big Church named King’s Temple. As per their tax returns filed with US IRS, they run 10 Bible Colleges. Following this, an enquiry was ordered by the District Collector.

In addition to this, Suresh Kumar is known for his rabid hate speech against Hindus. In the video above he says, “Right now, we are under Hindu rule. Our Prime Minister, he is a bad guy. He doesn’t want any Christians in India. He wants to make India as only Hindu country. So many pastors killed in last 5 years. Many missionaries, they send them out. There is unrest, turmoil. Pastors are killing, Churches are burning. The government is not doing anything. Brutal mentality, we are struggling. We do not know what is going happen tomorrow to Christianity in India, to Church in India but I am believing powerful god on our side. Next year we have election, please pray. I don’t want this party to come back. This guy is doing so much bad for Christianity”.

“I shared about the nation of India. Pastors are beaten, churches are burning. 5 years churches are struggling. Hindu militants posting videos in social media – husband and wife pastors stripped naked, made to walk naked just for bearing the cross of Jesus Christ.” he says.

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

 

“This govt has been created by you”: CM Stalin at Church of South India’s 75th year celebrations

By
The Commune
-

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin participated in the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Church of South India to mark its 75th year on 27th September 2021.

In his speech at the event, CM Stalin hailed the Church of South India saying that the Church was a boon to Tamil Nadu which played a big role in building educational institutions and hospitals.

He said that the Church today functions as a movement of ‘social work’ for the Tamil Nadu people.

He congratulated the Church for upholding religiously harmony and secularism and in creating a caste-less society.

“The government that is there in Tamil Nadu today is one that has been created by you. I won’t call it as my government. This is our government.”, CM Stalin said.

He said that of the 500+ promises, the government has fulfilled nearly 200 promises.

Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Minister Sekar Babu, Social Welfare Minister Geetha Jeevan, CM Stalin’s sister and Thoothukudi DMK MP Kanimozhi, DMK MLA Inigo Irudhayaraj also participated in the function.

Many have raised questions about the HR&CE Minister participating in a function of the Church.

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

 

DMK leader TR Balu who wanted to destroy Ram Setu wants Centre to stop India Neutrino Observatory project

By
The Commune
-

After playing politics which led to the closing of the Sterlite copper plant a delegation from Tamil Nadu led by former Union Minister TR Balu met Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal in New Delhi on Monday and demanded the Union government to stop the India-based Neutrino Observatory (INO) project.

TR Balu is the same politician from the DMK who wanted to dredge the Ram Setu which he called Adams bridge to create ship channels to connect the Gulf of Mannar and Bay of Bengal through the Palk Straits. The proposed Neutrino Observatory is being built of the Western Ghats in Theni district.This is a very important particle physics research project under construction to primarily study atmospheric neutrinos in 1,200 meters (3,900 ft) and ahead of the high-level meeting of PRAGATI (Pro-active Governance and Timely Implementation) chaired by the Prime Minister to be held at New Delhi on Wednesday (September 29), one of the agendas could be the Neutrino Observatory project.

TR Balu during his meeting with the Union Minister, said, “The center cannot threaten the state into submission on the project. The project cannot move forward without the clearance of the Tamil Nadu pollution control board and the National Board for Wildlife.”.

The project is pending before the State Board for Wildlife, under the perview of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, and the INO project has been delayed for the past two decades due to several court cases and ecological issues creating a barrier for the project.

The particular opposition is mainly on the ecological grounds as the sizeable part of the project would pass through the Project Tiger and the fragile Western Ghats but the fact of the matter is, it is political.

Neutrino Project director Gobinda Majumder told New Indian Express, “Many scientists like me have sacrificed their career for the project. It will be the nation’s loss if we fail in our endeavour.”

Gobinda Majumder in a statement said, “The project comprises 26.825 hectares of revenue land above ground and 4.62 hectares of land underground comprising the tunnels and lab caverns,”.

“The facilities on the surface are restricted to the 26.825 hectares of revenue land and lie completely outside the reserve forest. This would not be of any disturbance to the forest or the tiger corridor,” he said.

However, officials who supposedly know things say the underground component would create an imbalance in the fragile eco-system of Mathikettan Shola through which the project passes and would undermine the Tiger population in the area that has a common tiger corridor with Kerala forest land.

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Mauryan-period brick platform discovered in Meerut, UP

By
The Commune
-

The Archeological Survey of India (ASI) recently discovered remains identified as a Mauryan-period brick platform dating back to over 2000 years ago created Meerut circle. W

However, the remains were lying unnoticed in the midst of the Meerut city and as per experts, the structure reportedly also holds the key to the ‘lost’ site of Ashoka Pillar from 3rd century BCE.

“A large part of the structure is in the form of a 30m by 35m platform at Vikas Puri. The ancient site is undoubtedly one from the Mauryan period because the bricks are typical of the era,” Brajsundar Gadnayak, superintending archeologist of the Meerut circle of ASI, was quoted by the Times of India.

Gadnayak also said that they have also found the ceramics and pottery belonging to those times and there is an ancient canal route that connects to the Kali river that has also been discovered.

After these findings, archeologists and historians are hoping to trace the pillar that was installed by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka at Meerut in the 3rd century BCE.

“The Gazetteer (of 1904) mentions the reinstallation of Meerut’s pillar at the Delhi Ridge but we have not been able to find the original site here,” historian Dr KK Sharma was further quoted in the report.

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Indian Army foils terror attack in Uri, capture one Jihadist from Pakistan

By
The Commune
-
Infiltration Bid Foiled In J&K's Nowshera Sector, Two Terrorists Killed Two Soldiers Martyred, Two Injured as J&K’s Longest Anti-Terror Operation Enters Ninth Day

After a failed infiltration bid by Pakistan-based Islamic terrorists along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Uri sector in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir, the GOC, 19 Infantry Division of Uri, said one terrorist was killed, while another was caught during the operation who comes from Okhara in Pakistan Punjab.

Major General Virendra Vats of the India Army on Tuesday (September 28) spoke about a nine-day counter-infiltration operation that was carried out along the Line of Control (LoC) in the Uri sector. 

He said the operation began on September 18 when the Indian Army’s patrol along the LoC detected infiltration movement, and said, the infiltration could be possible without “active complicity of the Pakistan Army”.

“When the encounter took place, two infiltrators came across the border, while four were on the other side,” the major general said.

“This infiltration attempt was made in the area of Salamabad nallah. It is the same area through which we have had a history of infiltration in 2016 — that’s when a suicide attack at Uri Garrison took place,” Major General Vats was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

 

 

“It is also revealed this infiltration group was supported from the Pakistani side by three porters who had come till the LoC along with supplies. Movement of such a large group of people cannot take place without active complicity of the Pakistani Army deployed on the other side,” he added.

“After the firefight, the four terrorists on the Pakistani side took advantage of dense foliage and went back. The two terrorists sneaked to the Indian side. Additional forces were mobilised to cordon two terrorists who infiltrated.

“On September 25, an encounter ensued, during which one terrorist was neutralised, another was caught. The surrendered terrorist in custody identified himself as Ali Babar Patra, of Pakistan Punjab. He has admitted he is a member of LeT and was trained by them in Muzaffarabad,” the major general added.

“7 AK series weapons, 9 pistols and revolvers and more than 80 grenades and Indian and Pakistani were currency recovered in Uri operation and the one that took place on 18 September in the surrounding areas,” he said.

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Worker at factory owned by DMK MP killed brutally, DMK MP’s hand suspected

By
The Commune
-

In a shocking incident, a worker working at a cashew factory owned by Cuddalore DMK MP T.R.V.S. Ramesh was found dead a few days ago with injuries marked all over his body.

The victim identified as Govindaraj was allegedly thrashed to death by the DMK MP and his men inside the MP’s office room in the factory.

Govindaraj hails from Melmaampattu near Panruti and has been working at the DMK MP’s cashew factory located near Panikankuppam. One version of the incident says that Govindaraj had stolen cashews from the factory and sold them outside. Another version notes that Govindaraj had been asking for a rise in his wages for a long time because of which the owner and his men got irked and thrashed him.

The incident reportedly happened on September 19 when DMK MP Ramesh visited the factory. He is said to have gone to his office room and had liquor. His men had apparently told him that Govindaraj was stealing cashews from the factory and selling it outside. Govindaraj was later called inside and was thrashed mercilessly by the inebriated DMK and his goons.

A grievously injured Govindaraj was later taken to the Kadampuliyur police station by the goons to register a case against him. The police upon seeing the condition of Govindaraj had told the DMK MP’s men to take him off to the hospital and not keep him in the station. The DMK MP’s vacated from there along with Govindaraja but never returned.

The next day Govindaraj’s son had come from Chennai to the police station to register a case against the DMK MP and his men for killing his father.

Instead of registering as a case of murder, the police has registered it as a case of ‘suspicious death’.

Govindaraj’s body was sent to the Government Hospital at Mundiyambakkam in Vizhupuram district on September 23, where doctors from Puducherry’s JIPMER performed postmortem.

Reportedly, the doctors had found his skull broken which damaged his brain and resulted in his death. There were injuries near the eyes and stomach with the bone near the ear also found to be broken. His injuries show that he was brutally lynched to death.

The incident came to light after PMK founder Dr. S. Ramadoss posted about it in his social media.

The case has now been transferred to the CB-CID who are now investigating the incident.

The BJP has also extended support to get justice for Govindaraj.

BJP Tamil Nadu spokesperson Asuvathaman and state secretary of the party’s legal cell met the National Labour Commission and has demanded action against the DMK MP for allegedly murdering Govindaraj. He has also called for the CBI to take up the investigation.

With prima facie evidence pointing towards the DMK MP, it has been reported that Chief Minister MK Stalin has asked Rajesh to resign from his post.

The media in Tamil Nadu has maintained stoic silence over the matter. News outlets like The News Minute which had covered the case of Benix and Jayaraj with a targeted campaign against the AIADMK government has looked the other way around with not even a single report about the issue.

(With inputs from Minnambalam)

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Ordnance Factory Board no more, turns into into 7 PSUs to improve efficiency

By
The Commune
-

The much-awaited and needed decision for the dissolution of the Ordnance Factory Board (OFB) will not come into effect from 1st October as per the Union Defence Ministry.

The strategic assets, management and employees of this government-owned factory have been transferred to about seven public sector units (PSUs).

“Government of India has decided to transfer, with effect from October 1, 2021, the management, control, operations and maintenance of these 41 production units and identified non-production units to seven government companies (wholly owned by the government of India),” the ministry’s official release read.

Last year on 16 May, the central government had announced that it would improve autonomy, accountability and efficiency in ordnance supplies by corporatisation of the OFB.

These changes have been implemented under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat” (self-reliant India) package and all the employees of the OFB (Group A, B & C) that belong to the production unit and also the recognised non-production units will be transferred to the new defence public sector units (DPSUs) on terms of foreign service.

The transferred employees would not be given any deputation allowance initially for a period of two years and the new DPSUs will now specifically design rules and regulations concerned around the service conditions of their absorbed employees.

The Department of Defence Production (DDP) has offered absorption packages that are attractive, Economic Times reports.

The new seven DPSUs are: India Optel Limited, Armoured Vehicles Nigam Limited, Munition India Limited, Gliders India Limited, Advanced Weapons and Equipment India Limited, Troop Comforts Limited and Yantra India Limited.

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Future of S&T will be what the mind wants which will impact and govern all aspects of life: Prof Ashutosh Sharma

By
The Commune
-

Prof Ashutosh Sharma, former secretary, Department of Science & Technology (DST), said that science and technology will impact and govern everything in the future, whether it is education, health, economy, governance, and everything else, at an evening lecture on September 27, 2021.

“The five “Ms” – Mechanics (understanding), Materials, Machines (Devices, Systems), Manufacturing and Wo(Man) – are foundation and highways of science and technology. The most crucial among this is the human mind which will drive science and technology. The future of S&T will be what the mind wants,” said Professor Ashutosh Sharma while speaking at the lecture titled ‘A Brief History of the Future: S&T Perspective’ organised by Dr. Renu Swarup, Secretary, DST and Department of Biotechnology (DBT)

“Today science and technology has become part and parcel of every person’s life, the future is going to be much more dependent on S&T, and it will impact everything. We looked at technology from technology point of view 50 years ago, but today we are looking at technology through the lens of society, and people are at the centre. The future lies in the convergence of technologies, and the drivers of technology are needs, demands, wants, desires of the mind as also greed,” the former DST Secretary said. “Such needs consist of the desire to be healthy, to have a better quality of life, to be connected with equality, to learn and apply, to make decisions in complexity, to be entertained, to create and control one’s own world and to live longer,” Professor Sharma pointed out.

“The future processes of science and technology would shift from being tool-centric to problem-centric; it would involve creativity by connecting the dots, intuition and common sense, convergence, negotiating change and invention to innovation,” Prof Sharma elaborated.

Prof VK Paul, Member NITI Aayog, Shri RS Sharma, CEO, National Health Authority of India, Shri UP Singh, Secretary Ministry of Textile, Shri Dinesh Jain, Member, Lokpal of India, Shri RP Gupta, Secretary, MoEF & CC, Shri Sanjay Agarwal, Secretary, Agriculture; Dr Shekhar C Mande, Secretary, DSIR & MoES and DG, CSIR, Shri Sandeep Sanyal, Principal Economic Adviser, were also present for the lecture. The programme was coordinated by Dr Akhilesh Gupta, Senior Adviser, DST and organsed by Shri Sanjeev Varshney, Scientist-G. Senior officials from DST, DBT, and the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) were also present at the occasion.

(Published from PIB)

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Amul launches honey under its brand

By
The Commune
-

Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar launched ‘Amul Honey- a product of Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. (GCMMF)’ under active cooperation with ‘National Bee Board (NBB)’ today virtually in the presence of Union Minister for Animal Husbandry, Fisheries and Dairying Shri Parshottam Rupala.

Addressing the launching event, Minister Tomar emphasized the importance of National Beekeeping and Honey Mission in increasing the income of small farmers, which is being implemented in the country for doubling income of farmers/beekeepers through beekeeping with the budgetary allocation of ₹500 crores.

Minister Tomar said that there are 86% small farmers in the country. In order to increase the income of these small farmers, it is necessary to connect them with other dimensions of agriculture like beekeeping. The Minister said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi had expressed his desire for a sweet revolution on the soil of Gujarat and today, by launching Amul Honey, India has started the journey towards fulfilling the dream of the Prime Minister.

Speaking on the occasion, he expressed that quality of honey is a major concern in the country for which 5 large scale Regional Honey Testing Labs and 100 Mini Honey Testing Labs are being set up all over the country. “It should be our constant effort that the quality of our honey products should also meet the global standards as there are lots of export opportunities in this sector”, he added. The Minister assured the beekeepers/ farmers of the country that Government of India will provide all necessary support for promotion & development of beekeeping in the country.

Appreciating efforts made by Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation (GCMMF),  Minister Tomar said Amul has not only set up a milestone in the direction of the White Revolution but it also expanded in the milk processing sector and established itself as a global brand. Beside this, Amul also provides employment opportunities to marginal farmers and significantly contributes in overall progress of the country in dairy sector.  The Minister also assured GMMF that the Agriculture Ministry will look into the proposal for establishing a testing lab in Gujarat.

Parshottam Rupala congratulated GCMMF on launching its Honey product. He also expressed happiness that Amul Honey is being launched after testing it as per the global standard. He said promoting beekeeping and selling honey through cooperatives will give a boost to the rural economy. He also encouraged farmers/bee keepers that alongwith honey, they can also produce additional by products of beekeeping, viz.; bees wax, pollen, royal jelly, as these products have high demand and better prices in Indian and international market.

Sanjay Agarwal, Secretary (A&FW) said that after implementation of National Beekeeping & Honey Mission (NBHM), the whole scenario of beekeeping in the country has changed & thrust is being given on assuring quality of honey, aggregation of beekeepers, providing infrastructural facilities including honey testing labs, Madhukranti portal to stop adulteration in honey production.

Dr. R. S. Sodhi, Managing Director, Gujarat Cooperative Milk Marketing Federation Ltd. mentioned that Dairy Cooperatives and their infrastructural facilities can be simultaneously used for Honey Production through their established set up of 84 Dairy Plants over all the country.

Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Kailash Choudhary, Shobha Karandlaje, Secretary, Department of Animal Husbandry Atul Chaturvedi along with senior officials of the MoAF and MoAHFD were present at the occasion. Shri Shamalbhai Patel, Chairman, GCMMF, Valamjibhai Humbal, Vice Chairman, GCMMF, Shankar Chaudhary, Chairman, Banas Dairy joined virtually from Gujarat.

(Published from PIB)

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

TN HR&CE Dept to remove 200 year old temple near Chengalpattu, Hindu Munnani protests

By
The Commune
-

In yet another attack on Hindu temples, the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department has reportedly been taking steps to remove a 200 year old temple in the Chengalpattu district in Tamil Nadu.

The Muneeswarar temple is situated in a garden at the Alandur village in Chengalpattu district. The main deity Muneeswarar is considered as a guardian deity and the temple is visited by the locals.

The temple is said to be atleast 200 years old.

The Hindu Munnani is resisting the attempts to remove the temple by the HR&CE department and has announced a protest regarding the same.

Click here to subscribe to The Commune on Telegram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

1...1,1781,1791,180...1,712Page 1,179 of 1,712
TheCommune
The Commune is a news and views portal focusing on social and political issues of the southern part of India with a focus on Tamil Nadu.
Contact us: thecommune.news@gmail.com
Facebook Instagram Twitter Youtube

NATIONAL NEWS

© The Commune 2025. All Rights Reserved.