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DMK Fin Min PTR Picks Fight With ‘Neutral’ Sumanth For Questioning Rising State Debt

The Hindu on 2 January 2023 reported that the Government of Tamil Nadu is set to borrow ₹51,000 crore in the last quarter of the 2022-23 fiscal year. This amount is 45.7% higher than the amount borrowed in Q4 of last fiscal year.

According to the report, the state is planning to raise the amount by auctioning off bonds called State Development Loans.

Political commentator know for his ‘neutrality’ pointed out that Tamil Nadu government’s total borrowings in FY 2022-23 is expected to be ₹1 lakh crore and added that it is ₹13000 crore higher than the ₹87000 crore borrowed in the previous fiscal year. He said that the state goverment debt may cross ₹6.5 lakh crore.

“I remember media doing debates on how previous Govt was pushing the State into debt, how on each Tamil Nadu family there was a debt of 2.63 lakh. Now all have gone into deep coma. When State Govt debt was around ₹5 lakh crore,State was accused of borrowing irresponsibly. Now when debt is over ₹6 lakh crore State Govt is managing economy well? Propagandists?”, Sumanth Raman said in his tweet.

Reacting to this, Finance Minister of the DMK government PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, resorted to throwing barbs at Sumanth Raman calling him an ‘epitome of minuscule knowledge’.

Sumanth Raman reacted sharply asking the DMK Minister to furnish details of the state government debt.

Instead of coming back at him with the facts, the DMK Minister once again went about calling Sumanth Raman names.

This is not the first time that Palanivel Thiagarajan has picked fight with Sumanth Raman.

A few months before the 2021 Assembly Elections, Palanivel Thiagarajan attacked Sumath C Raman on Twitter by calling him a ‘pseudo-intellectual who is given space that far exceeds any vestige of competence’. This tweet was later deleted.

Irked by this, Sumanth C Raman dissed the DMK leader with a stinging rebuttal stating that generations of wealth, dynastic wealth and foreign education did not give him the grace of public discourse.

In another incident, he called Sumanth Raman a ‘kiruku paya’  (foolish guy in Tamil) during an interview.

Not just Sumanth Raman, Palanivel Thiagarajan has resorted to abusing anyone who disagrees with him.

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6 Reasons Why Narendra Modi Should Consider Contesting From Ramanathapuram

Speculations galore that Prime Minister Narendra Modi might stand in Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha constituency in 2024 Lok Sabha elections. An article in Sunday Guardian mooted this idea and social media is abuzz with this idea ever since then.

The writer of this piece had in the past mooted the idea of PM Modi standing in a seat from Tamil Nadu and even suggested the constituency of Madurai, the Eternal City and the seat of Tamil Sangams and where Lord Shiva played his divine Tiruvilaiyadal multiple times.

Amidst this backdrop, Narendra Modi contesting from Ramanathapuram in 2024 could be hitting many mangoes with a single stone, a multi-utility move which can serve a variety of purposes. Let us look at the purposes one by one below.

1. Fostering North-South Unity

Narendra Modi is a sitting member from Varanasi Lok Sabha seat. Varanasi is one of the holiest cities for Hindus. A Hindu life is incomplete without a pilgrimage to Varanasi and any pilgrimage to Varanasi is incomplete without a visit to Rameshwaram and performing the rites for our ancestors. This Kashi-Rameshwaram bond is one of those invisible bonds or threads across Hindus in India binding them together despite all regional and linguistic differences. A bond which fosters Unity in Diversity for Indians. Modi standing in Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha seat in 2024 alongside Varanasi will foster this unity further and put an end to secessionist forces who whip up passions furthering North-South divide. If he contests from Ramnad, it will further fortify the goodwill created by the recent Kashi Tamil Sangamam and help create a Sangaman of North and South minds.

2. Perception Change

Detractors of Modi in Tamil Nadu portrayed Modi as the villain of Tamils post the death of AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa in 2016 and managed to create a maya that Modi is anti-Tamil, anti-South and held him responsible for all the ills plaguing the state of Tamil Nadu. This anti-Modi feeling was prevalent in 2019 and his detractors primarily anti-national forces portrayed him as someone who ran away breaking the compound wall of IIT-M. This wave soon fizzled out and his words in a public meeting in Madurai “Narendra and Devendra” stroked the right chord with the masses in 2021 and enabled NDA win 19 out of 60 Assembly seats in Pandya Nadu region (the region surrounding Madurai) of the state where Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha seat is located. 

Modi contesting from Ramnad in 2024 will convey to his detractors that he is taking their challenge head on and this move of his will generate a pro-Modi wave in Tamil Nadu which can help NDA sweep in 2024. Modi has a golden chance to convert a state which was anti-Modi in 2019 to a pro-Modi state in 2024. That would be the real pinnacle of his electoral successes.

3. Dravidian Faultlines

Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha seat exposes the faultlines of Dravidian polity. The Lok Sabha seat is under developed when compared to a seat in Kongu region or Madras region. It is one of the poorest districts of Tamil Nadu long neglected by Dravidian polity. The Lok Sabha seat supplies hard working migrant labourers to Gulf and South East Asia. Ramnad is a barren and dry district which has not seen industrial development so far. The very fact that the district got its medical college only recently stands to the testimony of its backwardness. The voter’s turnout data of the seat itself will reveal the apathy of lack of development as many males who had gone out to eke out a living abroad working in harsh conditions not able to exercise their franchisee and hence the women voters will outnumber men big time in this seat. Modi will emerge as the beacon of hope for the voters of the constituency and he can expose the Dravidian faultlines of regional imbalance in development and write a new chapter in Tamil Nadu’s polity.

4. Unification Of NDA

Lok Sabha results of 2019 in Ramnad reveals all that is wrong with NDA in Tamil Nadu. IUML Candidate fielded by UPA won with 44% votes. The BJP candidate polled 32.2% and the candidate fielded by AMMK, a splinter group of AIADMK led by TTV Dinakaran, polled 13%. A united NDA would have won the seat easily in 2019 itself despite the anti-Modi wave in 2019. 

Modi by standing now can romp home easily securing more than 60% and he standing here could bring all the earring groups of AIADMK together thereby strengthening NDA big time. TTV Dinakaran has already said he is not averse to Modi and O Paneerselvam’s bonhomie with Modi is well known as well. Modi’s candidature will create a conducive atmosphere for warring faction of ADMK to unite as well as enhance BJP’s bargaining power in seat sharing as well. Modi’s candidature will reinvigorate NDA cadres bigtime and enable them a sweep in TN.

5. Modi And Tamil

Modi quotes Tamil Literature and great Tamil poets like Bharathiyar, Valluvar and Poongondran with ease wherever he goes. No other PM of India would have extensively quoted Tamil literature and poets as Modi had done in various prestigious global forums. Modi govt’s numerous initiatives like Mudra loans, crop insurance and free food grains under NFSA have benefitted Tamil Nadu big. And not to forget, the numerous national highway schemes and the introduction of new additional trains to Tamil Nadu like Chennai-Madurai Tejas Express, Chennai-Nagercoil Antyodaya Express, broad gauging of Madurai to Bodi line, restoration of Pamban Bridge have also benefitted the state especially the people of South Tamil Nadu. Statistics reveal the attacks on Indian fisherman by Sri Lankan Navy and the casualties associated with such attacks have come down dramatically since Modi took office. Ramnad has a large chunk of these fisher men folk. Modi standing in Ramnad will further make him closer and dearer to the hearts of Tamils. 

6. Electoral Challenge

At a time, when Modi’s opponent is looking for a safe seat i.e., a seat with a demography suited to him, Modi standing from a seat in Tamil Nadu where BJP is considered weak and lacking organisational strength will signal to his detractors that he is not new to electoral challenges and will not run away like his opponents in search of a safe seat. Modi standing in Varanasi in 2014 turned around the fortunes of BJP in Uttar Pradesh and the adjacent Bihar and helped them sweep both the states. Modi standing now in Ramnad can potentially prove to be a point of inflexion for BJP’s fortune in Tamil Nadu, breach the Dravidian citadel and provide the much-needed fillip to the young Annamalai, who is taking on the mighty ecosystem single handedly. 

Modi standing in Ramnad will not only help NDA win a majority of seats in Tamil Nadu but also help BJP catapult from sub 10% vote share in the state to 20% plus vote share and fill the vacuum left behind by the demise of Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa in the state.

Indira Gandhi backtracked from contesting in Tanjore Lok Sabha seat in late 70s. A move that could have helped Congress bounce back in the state but she left that golden opportunity go. Modi has a chance to rewrite the electoral history of the state now. He must contest in Ramnad.

A risk worth taking and a risk which must be taken!

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TN Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Skips Volleyball Player’s Funeral For New Year Celebrations?

The body of a 27-year-old Tiruvallur volleyball player who died in Nepal during a match on December 21 was returned to his hometown and buried. Several people attended his funeral, including a minister and MLAs.

However questions have been raised as the Minister in charge of Sports department was not present at the funeral.

Akash, a resident of Kaivandur village near Tiruvallur, was a national-level volleyball player. He was always interested in sports, and after studying engineering, he became a physical education teacher in Ambattur because of his passion for volleyball.

Akash traveled to Nepal to compete in a match at the Rangasala stadium in Pokhara, where he suddenly vomited blood and fainted while resting after the game. He was immediately rushed to a nearby hospital, where doctors pronounced him dead on arrival.

On hearing the news, over 50 people from Kaivandur village gathered in front of the Collectorate and demanded an investigation into Akash’s death.

With the help of the External Affairs Ministry and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin, Akash’s body was brought to India from Nepal and then taken to his hometown. Thousands of people, including several sportsmen, attended Akash’s funeral, which was also attended by Milk and Dairy Development Minister SM Nasar, Health Minister Ma Subramanian, Minister of Minorities Welfare Masthan, and many MLAs.

Several attendees at the funeral and on social media, however, questioned the absence of Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udhayanithi, whose ministry was in charge of the incident.

Political commentator Savukku Shankar revealed in a tweet that Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udhayanithi and his friends were on a New Year’s vacation to a hill station, instead of attending the funeral of volleyball player Akash. He also stated that, for privacy reasons, he could not reveal more information about who was present alongside clown prince Udhayanidhi for the new year trip to the hill station.

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The Anti-Hindu Abuses Of “Atheist” Bairi Naresh And The Filth He Represents

On Friday (30 December 2022), a long-time atheist and proclaimed “rationalist”, Bairi Naresh was booked by Telangana police, in a case of hurting Hindu sentiments, based on a widely circulated video recording of his December 16 speech, at an atheist association meeting.

In the video, Naresh is heard referring to Lord Ayyappa’s birth in a disrespectful, derogatory manner.

It is believed that Lord Ayyappa was born out of the union between Lord Shiva and the mythical Mohini, who is also regarded as an avatar of Lord Vishnu. Therefore, Ayyappa is also called as ‘Hariharan Puthiran’ which means the son of both Hari or Vishnu and ‘Haran’ or Shiva.

Bairi Naresh ignores the deeper spiritual meaning behind the story – cosmic union, the negation of gender on higher planes of spiritual development, Lord Ayyappa’s courage, hard work, his principles, impeccable charater being proof of the human soul’s possible achievement of the divine etc.

He is heard making objectionable remarks on the strange birth of a god and obscene jokes of the union between a man and another man, in the guise of a woman. He cracks a crude joke and sings an “item” number from the Telugu movie, Pushpa.

Bairi Naresh is the current president of the Bharata Nasthika Sangham or the Atheist Society of India. Following the registration of a case against him on Friday, Bairi Naresh and a fellow member of the Atheist Society of India, Renjarla Rajesh, were arrested on Saturday (31 December 2022).

The latter, Rajesh’s videos have also been found to be provocative and abusive of Hindu beliefs. Ayyappa devotees, the state’s Hindu organizations and several individual launched a strong protest against Naresh’s remarks after his video went viral, providing the proof the police needed.

The police, who arrested Naresh from Kamalapuram Mandal in Warangal district, brought him to Vikarabad district where he was produced before the court and has been remanded in custody for 14 days.

Naresh alluded to the religious customs of the Ayyappa “deeksha” season, where devotees wear simple black clothing, live on very little and stay away from all material comforts and pleasures for a period of 41 days, in an attempt to focus on spiritual matters, remember the truth of the soul according to Hinduism and re-align the mind and body with the truth of the spirit.

In the video, Naresh is also heard lambasting Hindu parents for introducing and initiating their children into the Ayyappa custom. One wonders why the athiest-rationalist does not dare to talk about the numerous stories of love, lust, incest, betrayal, favoritism, murder and a vengeful God in both Islam and Christianity. Why does he choose not to discuss the Islamic 12 hour, month long fasting period leading up to the Eid festivities where animals are slaughtered enmasse or the fasting period of Lent that the Christians follow where meat is discouraged but fish can be consumed, among other strange instructions.

The abstinence and simple living of the Ayyappa devotees during the 41 day period, with the goal of spiritual seeking and realization, is similar to the intent and spirit of Islamic and Christian periods of recommended fasting, abstinence and simple living without material comforts. Why do Bairi Naresh and his friends not criticize the beliefs and traditions of Islam and Christianity with equal courage and vigour in a “secular” country where atleast in theory, all religions are considered equal? This is the question that every sane person and a true rationalist should ask.

Old videos of Bairi Naresh are back in circulation on social media networks. One of the older videos show Bairi Naresh loudly insulting Lord Ram, ancient Hindu texts and Brahmins in obscene language. Like his more recent video on Lord Ayyappa, the older video is a recording of his speech in Telugu at a meeting of his atheist organization. The language and tone are shockingly inappropriate for a public meeting and highly insulting to Hindu beliefs.

Naresh talks of ancient Hindu rites and customs mentioned in the puranas and vedas like “yagnas” where thousands of revered cows were sacrificed and even eaten by the ‘wily Brahmins’ themselves who later advised other Hindus not to eat cow meat.

He explicitly calls Brahmins, as the original bastards of society (“lanja kodukulu”, a derogatory word in Telugu referring to children born to prostitutes). As if this were not shocking enough, Bairi Naresh goes on to state that if a charater called “Rama” is real Lord Ram is also bastard per many sections of Indian society because he ate all types of meat including beef, married many women or had affairs and tortured Sita devi in plenty of ways!

As expected, this recently surfaced and widely circulated video is also causing angst among the Hindus, who are again questioning the unacceptable attitude of Indian atheists and rationalists where only Hinduism is picked on and insulted in a manner ghat woilc not be tolerated in other nations and among believers of other faiths.

The literal definition of “atheist” is “a person who does not believe in the existence of a god or any gods.” Atheists do not believe in God or a higher power or in a spiritual force of any kind. Atheists in various countries go by alternative, interchangeable names such as rationalists. This is certain true in the case of Indian atheists, many of whom call themselves rationalists, who profess belief only in scientific reasoning, rationale and logical deductions.

If Indian atheists (or ‘rationalists’ as the case may be), do not identify with any God, why are they so bold and so quick to denigrate Hinduism in every way possible but lack the same motivation and courage to denounce aspects of Islamic and Christian beliefs of which there is plenty that go without scientific rationale and evidence? Why do they seem surprisingly hesitant to so much as merely speak of the main premise of Islam and Christianity, with a God that rewards and punishes men like little children and offers them a permanent home with all kinds of earthly material benefits or lack of such benefits in a scientifically unproven heaven hell respectively?

On the other hand, Indian atheists and “seculars” seem to be particularly eager to dismiss or belittle even the highest of philosophical thoughts pertaining to Hinduism such as Meditation or Yoga which have scientifically-proven health benefits for the human mind and body?

It thus becomes clear that these ‘atheists’ or ‘rationalists’ are none but covert agents of conversion with an anti-Hindu agenda. At the very least, by disproportionately cherry-picking on Hinduism, atheists are driving gullible, vulnerable Hindu Indians away from temples and into the waiting arms of proselytizing, missionary, fanatic Christians and Islamists whose conversion agenda, the atheists serve intentionally or unintentionally.

Either way, it is bad news for Hinduism and good news for missionary, evangelist religions like Islam and Christianity and in the end, does not serve the atheist, rationalist’s goal of converting a believer into a non-believer. Instead, Indian atheists are accused of converting Hindu believers into Christian or Muslim believers rather than scientic minded non-believers. Therein lies the problem, that Hindus discuss about and question. The Hindus have had enough of pseudo-atheism and pseudo-secularism. After decades and even centuries of sytemic discrimination and exploitation, the Hindus are finally examining and questioning all probable, ulterior motives of many Indian atheist organizations and their ‘secular’ counterparts.

On a parting note, let us be clear that this has nothing to do with caste! Ig has everyghinb to do intense hatred of one religion, that has been patient for too long. A few apologists and members of the atheist organization are trying to bring the caste factor into something that is clearly wrong and absolutely indecent and unacceptable in civil society. For the record, Naresh belongs to the ‘Padmashali’ community of weavers and Rajesh is a member of the scheduled caste ‘Mala’ community. This is an offence against Indian culture, Hinduism and all Hindus regardless of caste! This is an offense for which anybody regardless of caste, religion and background, would have been arrested.

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The Cosmic Significance Of Vaikunta Ekadasi

The day of Vaikuntha Ekadasi that opens the door to Vaikuntha is an important day in all the Vishnu temples of South India. Lord Vishnu mounted on his Garuda vehicle leaves the temple through Vaikuntha Dvara (the Gate to Vaikuntha) or ‘Paramapada Vaasal’ (the Gate to Paramapada) well before sunrise followed by his devotees. This is the only day this special Gate is opened in any Vishnu temple with the concept that Vishnu is taking along with him his devotees to Vaikuntha. This day falls on Shukla Ekadasi in the month of Margashira.

This also happens to be the day Krishna rendered Gitopadesa to Arjuna. The intriguing fact is that this concurrence with the date of Vaikuntha Ekadasi is lost in the memory of our people for very long. Many think that Margashira Shukla Ekadasi identified as the day Krishna preached Bhagavad Gita occurred in the lunar month of Margashira. As a result the Gita Jayanti is being celebrated in the solar month of Kartika before the occurrence of Full Moon in Kartika star. Flawed understanding of the time computation has led to this mistake.

The Cosmic Significance

Vaikunta ekadasi is the day of cosmic significance – that of the earth coming in line with the galactic centre, Sagittarius (Dhanur Rasi) and the cosmic centre. In other words, on this day, the earth will be at the outer most point from the centre of our galaxy and the nearest point to the outer space from where we, the entire systen of ours evolved and is moving outward.

Looking at the past records, this day marks turbulance, eruptions and tsunamis. This day marks the birth of the previous manvanthra, the chakshus manvanthra. This manvanthra is marked with the very important of Lord’s flight on His vahana to save the Gajendran, or rather to destroy his enemy! This day thus marks the Lord’s flight travel on Gruda vahana with all his divya aayudhas. When He does not come to destroy someone, He destroys something on the surface of this earth.

Four-Fold Calculation Of Time

Time is calculated on the basis of four factors simultaneously. The location of the sun, the moon, the star transited by the moon and all these three occurring at or after sunrise in a day determine the time running on that day. A reference such as Margashira Shukla Ekadasi means the sun is in Margashira or Sagittarius with the moon in the 11th tithi of the waxing phase at that time. The star of the day could vary in different years, and therefore it is omitted in this particular reference, but these three (solar month, lunar paksha and tithi) pertaining to solar and lunar movement are always noted as a marker to denote a specific day.

The sun being the cause of time, it cannot be left out in any reference to time. As such Margashira Shukla Ekadasi as the day of Gitopadesa can be observed only when the sun is in Margashira and not in Kartika (Scorpio). This combination further denotes that the lunar month is Pushya. This leads to the revelation that the Mahabharata war had taken place in lunar Pushya month.

The month-wise analysis of the Mahabharata events done by me based on the internal evidences shows the date of Gitopadesa with the sun still confined within the sign of Margashira. (The ayanamsa is not exact but close to it by a degree or two further inside Sagittarius.)

Krishna’s advice to Arjuna being two-fold, one, showing the way to Moksha (liberation) and the other, projecting Himself as the protector of the good and the annihilator of the evil, these two are remembered on the day of Margashira Shukla Ekadasi as Mokshada Ekadasi or Vaikuntha Ekadasi by the followers of Vishnu.

Mahabharata has never been treated as a historical document, but as Veda accessible to all and understandable by everyone. The core teaching lies in Bhagavad Gita. More than the Mahabharata connection, the importance of the teaching of Krishna to attain Vaikuntha has taken precedence and a mock rehearsal is enacted on the same day in the solar month of Margashira. In the absence of knowledge of even the existence of the observance on this day in other parts of India, it is no wonder Gita Jayanti has lost touch with the time when it ought to be observed.

The second feature is the ingeniously designed idea of Garuda Seva – of Vishnu flying in his Garuda Vahana on this day. Krishna had given the word to protect the Dharmic people from the adharmic ones. Whenever He comes out mounted on Garuda, it means He is out to destroy the Evil. This “ugra roopam” of the Lord with ‘panchayudhas’ – the five weapons is in tune with his promise of protecting the righteous from the evil that Krishna had given on Margashira Shukla Ekadasi.

The two core concepts of Gitopadesa enshrined in the observance of Vaikuntha Ekadasi can have no other rationale than remembering the day Krishna gave Gitopadesa to mankind through Arjuna.

Vaikuntha Ekadasi observance must put at rest any doubts on the solar month of Gitopadesa.

This article was originally published in the author’s blog and has been republished here with permission.

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DMK Councillor’s Husband Arrested For Extorting Money From Street Vendors

The Washermenpet police arrested the husband of a DMK councillor on charges of criminal intimidation and demanding money from street vendors.

Jagatheesan is the husband of Niranjana, the 51st DMK ward councillor of Chennai. DMK Councillor’s husband Jagadeesan has been extorting money from the street vendors of MC road in Chennai on a regular basis. The street vendors refused to pay the DMK councillor’s husband as he demanded more and more money. Jagadeesan, enraged by their response, attempted to evict them with the help of corporation officials.

Objecting to the blatant misuse of power by the DMK councillor’s husband, the street vendors besieged the corporation officials and staged a road roko.

They later filed a complaint with the old Washermanpet police, who investigated and arrested the DMK councillor’s husband Jagadeesan. He was lodged in jail after producing before the court.

According to one of the street vendors, “He kept on asking for’maamul’. We are ladies. How can we give him money?. we are daily workers. We will protest in front of the MLA office if we do not get justice in the issue.”

They also urged Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin to take action against his party’s cadres who commit atrocities on the streets while claiming to be from the ruling government.

It should be noted that DMK councillor Niranjana’s husband is a serial offender who was previously arrested on charges of intimidating police officers on duty in the Washermenpet station limits. On April 20, 2022, the police charged Jegadeesan and five others with unlawful assembly, uttering obscene words, criminal force to prevent a public servant from performing his duties, and criminal intimidation.

(With inputs from NewsJ)

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Will KCR Meet The Same Fate Of CBN?

2023, the year of Telangana state elections is here and it has started with a spate of arrests in the run up to the state elections scheduled to be held before the end of this year. The 2023 Telangana legislative assembly election is scheduled to be held in or before December 2023 to elect all 119 members of the state’s Legislative Assembly.

Telangana Congress leaders were placed under house arrest by the police in Hyderabad on Monday, in anticipation of their planned protests over the problems faced by the village panchayat presidents (sarpanches) in the state. Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president A. Revanth Reddy, vice-president Mallu Ravi and other leaders were placed under house arrest. Police personnel were deployed outside the residence of Revanth Reddy in Jubilee Hills to prevent him from leaving for Hyderabad’s Indira Park, to lead a “peaceful” dharna. The state police department had earlier denied permission for the same.

A “sarpanch” is the head of the “panchayat” at the village level and together with other elected panchayat members, constitute gram panchayats and zilla panchayats. The sarpanch is the focal point of contact between government officers and the village community and retains power for five years.

In Telangana, sarpanches, who have mostly supported the ruling BRS (TRS earlier) party thus far, have been expressing concern over not receiving government funds for about a year. Many of them have come forward to submit their resignations, over their helplessness in discharging their duties at the village panchayat level, on account of a shortage of allocated funds.

The Congress party has said that it had been protesting to highlight the problems of 12,750 panchayats in Telangana. The state Congress leaders allege that the state government run by the BRS party, is misusing funds meant for panchayats, denying them their due share, thus affecting the development of villages who have up to this point, supported the BRS. State Congress president, Revanth Reddy had encouraged sarpanches across the state to assemble at the Congress-led dharna site to express their disappointment with the BRS government and its callous attitude in disbursement of funds rightfully meant for villages.

This round of house arrests of the state Congress party’s leaders, comes just two weeks after the previous December 14, 2022 house arrests, when Congress party leaders including party president, Revanth Reddy were placed under house arrest, when he called for a protest outside the Hyderabad City Commissioner’s office, over the arrest of five party workers from the office of the Congress party’s chief electoral strategist, Sunil Kanugolu, for allegedly posting derogatory comments on Chief Minister, K Chandrasekhar Rao.

In battleground Telangana, 2023 is a tough year for the incumbent Bharat Rasthra Samithi (BRS) party, led by K.Chandrashekar Rao (KCR). The BRS party formerly known as Telangana Rashtra Samiti party (TRS) has won two consecutive terms since the new state’s elections were held in 2014 and 2018. In the upcoming 2023 elections, the BRS party is under immense pressure to fight growing anti-incumbency after almost ten years in power as well as a strong opposition presence in the state, including the BJP which has seen significant growth in the state, a recently resurgent TDP party led by Chandrababu Naidu, a stubborn Congress party still in the fray inspite of infighting and other setbacks and the newly launched YSRTP party, led by Sharmila, sister of the current Andhra Pradesh chief minister and leader of the YSRCP party, YS Jagan Reddy.

The BRS party’s victory in the last two state elections as well as its national ambitions, have resulted in a confidence (some say, arrogance), that have alienated it from all other parties and previous allies.

The TRS/BRS party was founded on 27 April 2001 by Chandrasekhar Rao with a single-point agenda of creating a separate Telangana state with Hyderabad as its capital. It has been instrumental in carrying forth a sustained agitation for the granting of statehood for Telangana. Chandrasekhar Rao was a long-time member of the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and remains a fan of the TDP’s founder and famous Telugu actor, N.Taraka Rama Rao (NTR) after whom he named his own son, the current Telangana Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development, Industries & Commerce, and Information Technology, K.Taraka Rama Rao.

Chandrasekar Rao (KCR) and his BRS party have had a colorful history of alliances. He and his party have been politically associated with the Congress, the TDP and the BJP.

Telangana state was carved out of the erstwhile larger state of united Andhra Pradesh in 2014, under the aegis of the then Congress party-led UPA 2 government at the centre, which agreed to Chandrasekar Rao and his TRS/BRS party’s long standing demand of a separate state for the Telugu speaking region of Telangana, distinct from the Telugu speaking region of Andhra Pradesh, claiming perceived/ alleged discrimination, negligence and differences in history and culture.

The BRS party won both the first and second elections of the new Telagana state in April-May 2014 and December 2018, respectively. The 2018 election saw the coming together of once arch enemies, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP), the Indian National Congress (INC) and the Communist Party of India (CPI) which formed an opportunistic alliance for the first time. This unlikely, ideologically mismatched alliance, lost the elections to the BRS party. The TDP’s alliance with arch enemies, the Congress and the CPI, also had ramifications in the neighboring Telugu state of Andhra Pradesh, where Naidu’s ruling TDP party was in a shaky alliance with the BJP from 2014-2019. The TDP without an alliance with the BJP, fared poorly in the subsequent 2019 A.P state elections and lost to Jagan Reddy’s YSRCP party.

Chandrababu Naidu’s TDP is now hoping to revive its alliance with the BJP in both the Telugu states- Telangana goes to polls in Dec 2023 or slightly earlier and Andhra Pradesh is scheduled for June 2024 or earlier.

Chandrababu who held a sway over his state tried to position himself against PM Modi in 2019. Today, he is desperately crying and trying to find his feet on the ground.

In the first Telangana state elections of April-May 2014, the then TRS party (currently BRS party) contested state elections on its own without an alliance with the Congress-led UPA or the BJP-led NDA. It won a decisive madate from the people of the new state and emerged victorious in 63 of the 119 Assembly seats. KCR was sworn in as the first Chief Minister of Telangana.

KCR awaits the same fate of Chandrababu Naidu in the coming years if he goes overboard with his unabashed anti-Modism.

Probably, that is why he is toning it down saying ‘Modi is his best friend’.

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‘SMART’ Program For Ayurveda Professionals To Boost R&D In Ayurveda In The Country

Indian Ayurvedic dietary supplement called Chyawanprash / chyavanaprasha is a cooked mixture of sugar, honey, ghee, Indian Gooseberry (amla), jam, sesame oil, berries, herbs and various spices

The National Commission for Indian System of Medicine (NCISM) and the Central Council for Research in Ayurvedic Sciences (CCRAS), the two prominent institutions under the Ministry of Ayush, Government of India for regulating medical education and conducting scientific research respectively, have launched ‘SMART’ (Scope for Mainstreaming Ayurveda Research in Teaching Professionals) program aimed to boost scientific research in priority healthcare research areas through Ayurveda colleges and hospitals.

The program was launched today by Vaidya Jayant Deopujari, Chairman, NCISM and Prof. Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, CCRAS in the presence of Prof. B. S. Prasad, President of Board of Ayurveda, NCISM and other senior officials.

Vaidya Jayant Deopujari, Chairman, NCISM, lauded the initiative and said, “I am confident that this program has the potential to transform clinical research in Ayurveda. It was observed that the research potential of the large community of Ayurveda teachers remains under utilised mostly. Therefore, the ‘SMART’ program will have a deep long term rejuvenating impact on research in the field of Ayurveda and it will be a great service to the nation, I congratulate CCRAS for this initiative and ensure all support on behalf of NCISM.”

While highlighting key points of ‘SMART’, Prof. Vaidya Rabinarayan Acharya, Director General, CCRAS said, “The proposed initiative is conceptualised with an objective to identify, support and promote innovative research ideas in healthcare research areas including Osteoarthritis, Iron Deficiency Anaemia, Chronic Bronchitis, Dyslipidemia, Rheumatoid Arthritis, Obesity, Diabetes Mellitus, Psoriasis, Generalised Anxiety Disorder, Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD)”.

He also added, “The eligible Ayurveda academic institutions may apply by 10 January, 2023. All details regarding contact information, eligibility criteria and application process has been shared to all recognized academic institutions and hospitals through NCISM”.

Prof. B. S. Prasad, President of Board of Ayurveda, NCISM, mentioned, “The large network of Ayurveda colleges and hospitals across the country is an asset for the country in terms of its healthcare needs. This network has not only been offering healthcare services in hardest times, but it also has contributed significantly in terms of healthcare research in the country. The ‘SMART’ program will certainly motivate teachers for taking up projects in designated areas of healthcare research and create a large database.”

(Published from PIB)

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DMK Functionaries Molest Female Police Officer In Meeting Attended By DMK MP Kanimozhi, Cadres And Leaders Come In Support Of Accused

On Sunday, a commotion erupted during a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam meeting in Chennai attended by DMK MP Kanimozhi, Tamilachi Thangapandian MP, and Virugambakkam MLA Prabhakar Raja after police attempted to detain two DMK functionaries for allegedly molesting a female police constable. While the accused were being detained by police, party cadres surrounded them and prevented them from arresting them, with MLA Prabhakar Raja speaking in support of the accused.

On Sunday, the DMK held a meeting near the Dasarathapuram bus stand in Chennai’s Saligramam neighborhood. MP Kanimozhi, Tamilzhachi Thangapandian, and MLA Prabhakar Raja also attended the event and distributed welfare materials to the general public.

When the event neared its end, two members of the Youth wing of DMK of the 129th ward acted inappropriately toward the lady police on duty. The police officer was seen crying after two miscreants, Praveen and Egambaram allegedly misbehaved with her. When the cops arrested both of them, the party members present at the public meeting got into a heated argument with them.

After MLA Prabhakara Raja, who was on stage, said, ‘don’t aggravate the situation,’ the police warned both of them and released them. While Kanimozhi was speaking about women’s rights, the DMK member’s inappropriate behavior with a female police officer at a meeting she attended shocked many.

Sources also say that the accused were let go scot-free upon the intervention of Virugambakkam DMK MLA Prabakara Raja, without registration of FIR.

Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai slammed the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for standing by and not taking action against the accused DMK youth wing functionaries who molested a female police officer.

(With inputs from NewsJ)

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Hypocrisy, Thy Name Is Thirumavalavan: VCK Head Takes 180° U-Turn, Supports ONGC And Oil Extractions

Thirumavalavan, the chief of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, has made a spectacular U-turn on his opposition to ONGC and oil extraction by ONGC, saying that people should be made aware of the good work done by ONGC.

In a meeting organized by the workers union of ONGC in Chennai, VCK Lok Sabha MP Thirumavalavan said,” The members of our union have explained to me using audiovisuals about how the ONGC company works, what difficulties they face, and what their future holds. ONGC is a public sector unit owned by the Union Government. Our comrades on stage are employees and officers of ONGC who work for the people and the government. Their role is to act as a link between the government, which makes policy, and the people.”

He further said,” In this situation, there is presently criticism about the functioning of the ONGC’s activities, particularly on the environmental front. The criticism is not just for ONGC but also for the Kudamkulam plant that generates electricity. People protested against the Sterlite administration, which had been operating for decades, and many people lost their lives in the ensuing firing. Similarly, people are protesting against the extension of the Neyveli lignite plant.”

He added,”People protested and opposed the Chennai to Salem eight-way lane project as they feared that thousands of acres of tress will be cut down, which will adversely affect the environment. Similarly, those affected by the announcement of an airport in Parandur are opposing and protesting the government’s decision. And the list goes on.”

Thiruma said,” It is because of technology and social media that people have this awareness that was lacking 50 years ago. People are creating their own news rather than relying on traditional media. However, social media is used both for spreading correct information and also sometimes for misinformation. It is in this situation that ONGC is also facing a similar problem.”

He went on,”Several workers and officials explained to me how the ONGC works. It is their responsibility to do so. They should, however, explain not only to me but also to the general public. For our survival, we require oil, petroleum, sand, electricity, coal, and other mineral resources extracted from the earth. Large energy production is needed to meet our demands. As a result, the government generates electricity from a variety of sources, including hydroelectricity, thermal power plants, wind turbines, and even nuclear power plants. However, several environmentalists oppose these energy productions, claiming that air, water, and soil are becoming polluted, and water levels in the north and south poles are rising, among other things.”

He added,” Throughout the world, there is opposition to energy extraction, whether it is thermal extraction of power or atomic extraction of power. It is not a problem between the people who live near these projects and companies; rather, it is a problem between modern technology and the human race. The problem is caused by population growth and the demands of that population, which are causing these issues.”

He stated, “We need modern technology and innovations to meet the demands of an expanding population. Oil and natural gas are essential for all of these. As a result, we can only extract where it is present to meet the power needs of the human population. But if we extract, there is opposition from environmentalists. However, this is a problem shared by all companies, not just ONGC. Therefore, it is the responsibility of those who understand technology to explain this problem to the public.”

He went on to say, “No one, including me, is aware that ONGC does not extract oil through hydraulic fracturing, which has a negative impact on the environment. There is a need to explain to the public that extracting oil several hundred meters below the water level will not harm the underground water. But in general, the idea that drinking water is polluted is what reaches the people. It is our responsibility to tell the people that water is not getting polluted. I am bound to say that Thirumavalavan will be a partner in that effort. ”

However, Thirumavalvan had opposed these developmental schemes in the past during the AIADMK regime. He has spoken out against all of the schemes that he supported in his speech today, including ONGC oil extraction, Sterlite copper production, the Koodankulam Atomic power plant, the Chennai-Salem eight-lane project, the Theni Neutrino plant, and others.

Instances When Thirumavalavan Opposed ONGC

Thirumavalavan had condemned the ONGC organization on June 17, 2021, saying it was shocking for him to see ONGC seeking environmental clearance for setting up exploratory wells in Ariyalur while Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin was writing a letter to PM Modi to stop the implementation of hydrocarbon projects in Tamil Nadu.

On May 13, 2019, Thirumavalavan condemned the central government for granting Vedanta a license to extract hydrocarbons in the sea and on land in the Villupuram and Puducherry areas. He urged both state and central governments to cancel the project immediately.

Thirumavalavan issued a statement on July 22, 2019, “VCK call on not only farmers but also the public from all walks of life to fight against the hydrocarbon project to protect our soil and people.”

On June 13, 2021, Thiruma said, “On behalf of VCK, we welcome and appreciate Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Thalapathy MK Stalin’s letter to the Hon’ble Prime Minister stating that the hydrocarbon project should not be started in Tamil Nadu. Let us protect our soil, as well as agriculture and groundwater.”

VCK chief Thirumavalavan was arrested on March 29, 2018, along with 800 other people, including political party leaders, who attempted to blockade a crude oil well near Ammapet.

On July 3, 2017, VCK Party leader Thol. Thirumavalavan has insisted that the Tamil Nadu government should cancel the No-Objection-Certificate (NOC) certificate given to ONGC company for setting up oil wells in more than a hundred places in the delta districts.

Opposing ONGC’s hydrocarbon extraction in Tamil Nadu when the AIADMK was in power and now speaking in support of the very same has exposed Thirumavalavan’s hypocrisy.

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