The domestic market for readymade garment (RMG), accounting for three-fourths of the sector’s revenue, will continue to see steady revenue growth of 8-10 per cent this fiscal, a report said on 26 August 2025. This will be fuelled by economic growth, interest rate cuts, and tax reductions, according to a Crisil Ratings report.
“This, in turn, will cushion the tariff blow and spur overall growth at the sector level, but at a slower pace than last fiscal,” Gautam Shahi, Director, Crisil Ratings. Meanwhile, revenue growth of India’s RMG industry is set to nearly halve on-year this fiscal as the imposition of 50 per cent tariffs by the US on its imports from India becomes effective from 27 August. Credit metrics for industry participants will be impacted by that, as well as a drop in profitability. Each company will be affected differently; some receive over 40 per cent of their revenue from the US. RMG exports totalled $16 billion last fiscal and accounted for 27 per cent of the RMG sector’s revenue, of which a third of the exports was to the US. The 50 per cent tariff puts India at a distinct disadvantage compared with competing nations like China, Bangladesh and Vietnam, the report stated.
“If the tariffs hold, RMG exports to the US will see a sharp decline. In the first quarter of this fiscal year, total exports from India rose 10 per cent on-year to $4 billion, with exports to the US recording a 14 per cent growth during the same period. The trend is expected to sustain through 26th August till the enhanced tariffs kick in,” said Manish Gupta, Deputy Chief Rating Officer, Crisil Ratings.
Post 50 per cent tariffs, Indian exports to the US may be minimal, despite the limited capacity of competing nations in value-added garments and the lead time taken by big-box retailers in the US to re-align their sourcing arrangements, Gupta added. Overall, “we expect the share of the US in India’s RMG exports to fall from 33 per cent last fiscal to 20-25 per cent this fiscal”, Gupta said further. According to the report, this would mean players will have to realign trade with other major export destinations — the European Union (EU), United Kingdom (UK) and United Arab Emirates (UAE), which together form 45 per cent of India’s exports for fiscal 2025. The recently signed Free Trade Agreement (FTA) with the UK is also likely to result in higher exports to that country from the end of this fiscal year, providing some relief to the industry.
– IANS
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The Army Recruiting Office (ARO) Tiruchirappalli has announced that the Agniveer Recruitment Rally 2025 will be conducted at the Muthamizh Arignar Doctor Kalaignar Karunanidhi District Sports Stadium (Nagapattinam Collectorate Sports Complex), Nagapattinam, from September 18 to 27, 2025.
The rally will enroll candidates in the categories of Agniveer General Duty, Agniveer Technical, Agniveer Clerk/Store Keeper Technical, Agniveer Tradesman (10th pass), and Agniveer Tradesman (8th pass).
The rally is open to candidates from 17 districts – Tiruchirappalli, Karur, Perambalur, Ariyalur, Thanjavur, Pudukkottai, Thiruvarur, Nagapattinam, Sivaganga, Ramanathapuram, Virudhunagar, Tirunelveli, Tenkasi, Thoothukudi, Kanniyakumari, Mayiladuthurai – and Karaikal (UT of Puducherry).
The rally will commence on 18 September 2025 at the , with candidates from Nagapattinam, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Tiruchirappalli, Ariyalur, Mayiladuthurai and Karaikal reporting on the opening day.
The district-wise schedule is as follows:
September 18 – Nagapattinam, Perambalur, Pudukkottai, Thanjavur, Thiruvarur, Tiruchirappalli, Ariyalur, Mayiladuthurai & Karaikal (UT of Puducherry)
September 19 – Thoothukudi
September 20 – Kanniyakumari
September 21 – Karur, Ramanathapuram, Sivaganga
September 22 – Sivaganga, Tirunelveli
September 23 – Tenkasi, Tirunelveli
September 24 – Virudhunagar, Tenkasi
September 25 – Virudhunagar
Important Guidelines for Participants
The ARO has confirmed that admit cards have been sent via email to all shortlisted candidates. Candidates must compulsorily bring all required documents in the correct format to the rally site, as per the notification dated 11 March 2025, uploaded on www.joinindianarmy.nic.in
Officials have cautioned that any candidate reporting without complete documents or with incorrect formats (particularly the affidavit) will not be allowed to participate.
All candidates must bring their Admit Cards and complete set of original documents for verification. Incomplete or missing documents will lead to immediate disqualification.
After clearing the physical fitness test, candidates may undergo random drug testing as part of the screening process.
The Indian Army has clearly stated that the recruitment will be conducted in a fair and transparent manner, based strictly on merit. To ensure this:
Candidates are warned against falling prey to fraudulent agents or touts promising guaranteed selection
Only official sources and platforms of the Indian Army should be trusted for information
Any suspicious activity or malpractice should be reported to the authorities without delay
Officials urged eligible youth to make use of the opportunity to join the Indian Army under the Agniveer scheme and serve the nation.
A Proud Step Toward National Service
This rally is a unique platform for aspiring youth to serve the country while pursuing a respectable and rewarding career. Those who qualify will receive structured training, a competitive salary package, and the prestige of joining one of the world’s most respected defense forces.
The initiative underscores the Army’s commitment to drawing skilled individuals from various regions, offering equal opportunities to all eligible applicants.
The Indian Army invites motivated, disciplined, and patriotic youth to step forward and become part of an organization that stands for courage, integrity, and national pride.
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Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his meeting with his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba this week, will review the Special Strategic and Global Partnership between India and Japan, including defence and security, trade and economy, technology and innovation, as well as discuss issues of regional and global importance.
The visit, which will reaffirm the longstanding special bond of friendship between the two countries, also comes close on the heels of the Africa summit hosted by Japan last week. With India already playing a key role as a leader of the developing countries, foreign affairs experts see the possibility of the India–Japan partnership, positioning itself as a force for inclusive growth across the developing region and the Global South.
Japan has already made investments in some infrastructure projects in African countries. “Through such projects, Japan aims to leverage the Indian Ocean as a highway of commerce connecting Africa with India and Japan. The long-term vision is not just about ports and railways but also about embedding Africa into critical mineral supply chains. A ‘China-plus-one’ strategy is emerging, where Africa provides raw materials, initial processing is undertaken locally to add value, further processing occurs in India, and Japanese industries consume the refined products,” according to an article by retired IFS officer Gurjit Singh published in Outlook.
The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) has just announced an investment of $40 million in India’s Aavishkaar Capital’s Global Supply Chain Support Fund to promote sustainable small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in Asia and Africa. This partnership aims to accelerate the growth of impact-driven companies within agriculture, food processing, and manufacturing supply chains, contributing to the economic development of emerging markets and strengthening Indo-Japanese cooperation. This could serve as a pointer for further investments involving the private sector to develop the Global South.
PM Modi will embark on his journey on 29 August, which also marks his first annual summit with PM Ishiba. Ever since PM Modi assumed office in 2014, it will be his eighth visit to the country, which highlights the deep ties between the two nations. “The visit will reaffirm the longstanding special bond of friendship between the two countries,” the statement added. In the second leg of his visit, at the invitation of China’s President, Xi Jinping, Prime Minister Modi will travel to China from 31 August to 1 September to attend the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summit in Tianjin. On the sidelines of the summit, the Prime Minister is expected to hold bilateral meetings with several leaders attending the Summit.
– IANS
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The Martin Charitable Trust, the CSR arm of the Martin Group of Companies, recently donated ₹1 crore to Loyola College, Chennai. The funds are being used for the construction of four modern classrooms in the Loyola Shyam Kothari Centenary Building.
The donation was handed over by Jose Charles Martin, Managing Director of the Martin Group, and his mother, Dr. Leema Rose Martin, Director of the company, to Rev. Fr. Antony Robinson SJ, Rector of Loyola Institutions. The college management publicly expressed gratitude, calling the gesture a demonstration of the group’s commitment to higher education.
Senior Jesuit administrators, including Secretary Rev. Fr. Thomas Alexander SJ, Principal Rev. Fr. A. Louis Arockiaraj SJ, Alumni Director Rev. Fr. A. Louie Albert SJ, and Loyola Alumni Association office-bearers, participated in the event and felicitated the donors.
The news was also shared by Jose Charles Martin, the eldest son of Lotery kingpin Santiago Martin on his X handle.
Investing in education, investing in the future! As part of its Education CSR commitment, Martin Charitable Trust has proudly contributed ₹1 Crore to Loyola College for the creation of 4 fully equipped modern classrooms in the prestigious Shyam Kothari Centenary Building (100th… pic.twitter.com/p09vPv9rbC
Santiago Martin, a Coimbatore-based businessman widely known as the ‘lottery king’, is under intense scrutiny by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) for his alleged involvement in large-scale illegal activities within the lottery industry. According to officials, Martin’s lottery operations generate an staggering annual turnover of approximately ₹15,000 crore.
Case Against Lottery King Santiago Martin
According to the ED, Martin’s lottery operations generate an annual turnover of more than ₹15,000 crore. The investigation, which began in 2014, is based on multiple FIRs. The Central Bureau of Investigation registered the first FIR in 2014, followed by two by the Kolkata Police in 2022, and one by the Meghalaya government in 2024 that alleged losses of ₹1,500 crore from illegal lottery sales.
So far, the agency has attached assets worth over ₹1,000 crore, including properties valued at ₹622 crore by its Kochi zonal unit and ₹409 crore by the Kolkata unit. Recent searches at Martin’s premises led to the recovery of ₹12 crore in cash and fixed deposits worth ₹6.4 crore, along with evidence of unaccounted properties across Coimbatore, Chennai, Mumbai, Dubai, and London.
The ED has alleged that Martin created over 350 companies and special purpose vehicles to acquire properties using proceeds of crime. Prize-winning unsold lottery tickets were reportedly used in land transactions, with relatives and associates named as prize claimants despite the tickets never being sold to the public.
The Madras High Court has allowed the Enforcement Directorate (ED) to resume and continue its PMLA money laundering case against Santiago Martin, his wife, and associates—nullifying a lower court’s closure of the case. The Court reaffirmed that money laundering charges under PMLA are independent offences, and closing the root/predicate case without proper scrutiny is a miscarriage of justice.
Political Funding Trail
The probe has also revealed that Martin’s company, Future Gaming & Hotel Services Pvt. Ltd., was a major donor through electoral bonds. Between 2019 and 2024, it contributed ₹1,368 crore to various political parties. The Trinamool Congress (TMC) reportedly received ₹542 crore, while the DMK received ₹503 crore of its total ₹632 crore from the company. Other recipients included the BJP, YSRCP, and Congress.
Fresh Allegations in Meghalaya
The Director of Meghalaya State Lottery, Mary Sonty Marak, lodged a complaint in 2024 alleging that Martin and his associate Subbayan Nagarajan intimidated distributors and obstructed the official lottery system, causing losses of ₹1,500 crore to the state.
In a series of hearings on 25 August 2025, the Supreme Court of India delivered two seemingly divergent opinions on freedom of speech and expression, drawing attention to what critics are calling “judicial double standards” in its approach to high-profile cases.
Case 1 – SC Stays Action Against Psephologist Deleted Post
In the first case, a bench led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice N.V. Anjaria stayed proceedings against psephologist and Lokniti-CSDS co-director Sanjay Kumar, who was facing multiple FIRs for a now-deleted tweet claiming a sharp decline in voter numbers during the Maharashtra assembly elections. Kumar had apologised, calling it an unintentional error caused by a data misreading. The court issued notice on his plea to quash the complaints.
Case 2 – SC Asks Govt To Form Guidelines To Regulate Social Media
In another case hearing, a different bench comprising Justices Surya Kant and Joymalya Bagchi took a starkly different stance. Hearing a case concerning comedians and influencers including Samay Raina over jokes deemed offensive to persons with disabilities, the court urged the Union government to develop strict guidelines to regulate social media content. It emphasized that commercial free speech must not “hurt the sentiments” of vulnerable groups, including women, children, seniors, and minorities.
The court observed that influencers who monetize their speech must be held accountable for content that threatens the dignity of communities. It directed the Centre to consult media bodies and propose regulations that balance free expression with social responsibility.
The comedians involved in the second case have since apologized and removed contentious content. The matter will be heard again in November 2025.
Double Standards?
Observers and critics have questioned the apparent inconsistency. In Kumar’s case, the court provided relief by staying FIRs around what was publicly framed as election-related misinformation. In the second, it pushed for stricter content regulation, warning that “insensitive” speech could undermine constitutional values.
Some critics have accused the court of judicial overreach, arguing that content regulation falls within the legislative domain.
Others, however, support the court’s attempt to address hate speech without stifling dissent.
Same day, same Court – Two completely opposite stands!
👉 Case 1: Milords stay action against CSDS’s Sanjay Kumar, whose erroneous post gave cover fire to @RahulGandhi’s Vote Chori toolkit. A post that had the potential to create nationwide chaos, brushed aside as a “mistake.”… pic.twitter.com/MctEZx5iz9
Like the classic “toolkit” playbook that gets activated whenever there is an opportunity to malign Hindu institutions, the so-called Dharmasthala “mass burial” case became the latest target. A flood of unverified claims and sensationalist reports were churned out across mainstream outlets and YouTube channels, each trying to outpace the other in “breaking news.” In the end, most peddled outright falsehoods without the slightest effort at verification what was nothing but a calculated smear campaign against a respected Hindu religious institution.
Among the worst offenders were channels notorious for anti-Hindu and anti-BJP propaganda. One prime example is ETamil News, where anchor Abdul Hakkim interviewed Dravidianist sympathiser and professor Manjula. The entire discussion was a concoction of fake claims, emotional theatrics, and Hinduphobic rhetoric designed to push a Dravidianist agenda.
Right from the beginning of the interview in the video published on 6 August 2025, when asked about the “current status” of the case, Manjula fabricated a tale, alleging that 11 sites had been dug up and that over a hundred skeletons had been unearthed. She claimed she “could not bear it,” deliberately setting an emotional tone before launching into direct attacks on dharmic saints and Hindu institutions. Her words were carefully chosen to inflame suspicion and disgust, such as, “Here, women were so casually treated as sexual commodities. After fulfilling their desires, to ensure no one would know, they disfigured their faces and poured acid on them. How can they be so cruel, like such monsters? I don’t know. But what are these people called? They are spiritual people, those who are in a temple. Would people in a temple commit such wrongs? Some even say, ‘Would Hindus go and do such wrong?’ Then who did this? Were the ones who did this foreigners or people who don’t follow the Hindu religion? At least tell us that openly. After all this injustice, after today retrieving more than a hundred buried skeletons, can you confidently say that those who did this are not Hindus? The perpetrators were also Hindus, and the women who were murdered were also Hindu women.”
She even attempted to drag Dharmasthala’s present head, Veerendra Heggade, into the mud, linking him to the BJP and alleging that this “connection” would ensure no justice is delivered. Throughout the interview, the professor avoided facts and instead indulged in broad-spectrum attacks on Hindu practices, calling temples unsafe, accusing dharmic leaders of predatory crimes, and weaving conspiracy theories about cover-ups by the forest department and police.
She said, “We often say, ‘How could a fair-skinned person will lie?’ In the same way, we’ve been conditioned to believe that those who are in a temple, those who manage or protect a temple they couldn’t possibly be bad people. For women, there are restrictions on going anywhere, but if they say they’re going to a temple, they’ll be sent. So, this level of injustice has happened in a place that is considered holy, divine, and trusted. What these people did was fulfill their sexual desires, and then, fearing that the victims might reveal what happened, they murdered them. And where would they go to bury them? They told the sanitation worker, ‘Let’s just illegally bury this, since there’s no one to question us anyway.’ When they said this, they created fake stories, saying, ‘These women came to the Netravati river to bathe and died,’ or ‘They died in some accident.’ They even told them that burying unclaimed bodies is a righteous act, a good deed. By brainwashing them with such ideas, they took the bodies and illegally buried them in a forest area. Then, what were the forest officials doing? What are the forest department people doing? It’s baffling.”
Manjula’s narrative crescendoed with wild allegations that villagers were aware of murders, avoided the temple, and were silenced under threat. She claimed missing reports were brushed aside and that families were intimidated into fleeing town. With no evidence, she speculated that “powerful people” bribed their way into ensuring the truth was buried forever.
She alleged, “It’s become clear that the police did not do their job, they did not fulfill their duty. How do we understand the fact that there were no deaths or fatalities in that specific period, from this year to that year? And they’re saying that the girls from those homes are missing, aren’t they? The child who went to school is missing, the child studying medicine is missing. Think about how many dreams those parents must have had. Imagine how much that child would have regretted not having experienced anything, not having seen anything good or bad in life, thinking, ‘I haven’t experienced anything yet.’ Those girls have gone missing, and their whereabouts are unknown. Even when a missing person’s report was filed, if someone said, ‘Who may she ran away with,’ how devastating would that be for those parents? How much mental anguish would they have endured? So I understand that no one was even prepared to take those complaints.”
She added, “That’s why they haven’t even registered who died after that or the names of the deceased. I even have a suspicion that perhaps all of those people were forced to vacate the town. It wouldn’t be surprising if they were threatened with, ‘Look, if you keep coming this way, we’ll wipe out your entire family. Either you stay quietly with your mouth shut, or you get out of this town.’ Perhaps something like that happened, and they sent everyone away. I don’t know, because when they talk about this issue, they say that after the sanitation worker went into hiding, the number of missing women in that town dropped to zero. What could be the reason for that? The people of the town came to a realization. They decided, ‘When we go to schools or colleges associated with this temple or under its authority, these kinds of sexual assaults and murders happen. So we’ve figured it out, and from now on, we shouldn’t go there.’ That’s one report that came out. So maybe the people thought, ‘The problem is us being in this area. We can just leave from here and at least save the family we have.’ I don’t know if that’s what happened. So, the blatant truth that is clear to us is this: because a very influential person took care of everyone they needed to bribed them this truth never came to light, not even to the bare minimum of our attention.”
But reality demolished this carefully manufactured script. The SIT investigation exposed the fraud:
No human remains were found in the alleged “mass grave” sites.
The single skull showcased as “proof” was decades old and identified as male.
The 100+ bones discovered in one of the sites belonged to a male.
The so-called “masked man,” Chinnayya, confessed he was trained by a Chennai-based gang to fabricate the story.
Key “witnesses,” including Sujatha Bhat (who posed as a victim’s mother), publicly admitted on record that the entire tale was fabricated.
In short, what was paraded as a horrific temple scandal was nothing more than a propaganda operation fake evidence, staged testimonies, and deliberate emotional manipulation all aimed at discrediting a Hindu institution.
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The Tamil Nadu police have booked 12 individuals, including a DMK councillor, for allegedly barging into a house and assaulting a youth in Tiruvarur district.
The victim, Kishore (20), a resident of Srinivasapuram, reported that his sister Mahalakshmi had recently purchased and begun renovating an old house in the locality. While painting work was underway, DMK councillor Purushothaman (45) and his associates put up large banners in front of the house to announce a local temple consecration ceremony.
When Kishore objected to the placement of the banners, an altercation broke out. On 23 August 2025, Purushothaman and over a dozen men allegedly stormed into the house, assaulted Kishore, and caused property damage estimated at ₹35,000.
Following Kishore’s complaint, Tiruvarur police registered a case against the councillor and his associates. Purushothaman, however, also lodged a counter-complaint. As a result, police filed cases against both groups, naming more than 75 people in total from either side.
Reacting sharply to the Tiruvarur incident, former Tamil Nadu BJP chief K. Annamalai lashed out at the ruling DMK through a post on his official X handle. He wrote, “Goondagiri of DMK in full public display. DMK Tiruvarur ward councillor Purushothaman and his gang attacked a person for objecting to the placement of a banner in front of his residence. From Ministers to Councillors, goondaism is DMK’s political culture. Your party that thrives on thuggery and violence cannot hide behind staged apologies, Thiru @mkstalin.”
Goondagiri of DMK in full public display. DMK Tiruvarur ward councillor Purushothaman and his gang attacked a person for objecting to the placement of a banner in front of his residence.
From Ministers to Councillors, goondaism is DMK’s political culture. Your party that… pic.twitter.com/AbE4r8LC4v
Tamil Nadu BJP president Nainar Nagenthiran has come down strongly against Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s decision to invite DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin as the Chief Guest for the Global Ayyappa Sangamam. Nagenthiran asserted that this move is nothing more than a political spectacle, designed to mislead Hindu voters ahead of the elections, while conveniently ignoring the DMK’s long and undeniable history of anti-Hindu rhetoric.
He stressed that if MK Stalin genuinely wishes to participate in such a sacred Hindu gathering, the very first step should be a public apology from his party leadership for years of “vulgar and disgraceful statements” against Hinduism. He specifically demanded apologies from:
Udhayanidhi Stalin for his disgraceful remarks on Sanatana Dharma.
T.R. Baalu for boasting about demolishing ancient temples.
Nagenthiran, in his social media post, wrote, “I have learnt that the Honourable Chief Minister of Kerala, Thiru @pinarayivijayan avl, has invited Honourable Tamil Nadu CM Thiru @mkstalin avl to be the Chief Guest at the Global Ayyappa Sangamam on September 20 in Pamba. With just 8 months left for the state elections in Tamil Nadu and Kerala, it is hardly surprising that two of the most anti-Hindu governments – the DMK and CPI(M) – are now attempting a spectacle to mislead Hindu voters. Ironically, Thiru MK Stalin’s own son, Thiru @Udhaystalin, only recently vowed to destroy Sanatan Dharma. The DMK has a long record of Hindu hatred, repeated through the years in vulgar and disgraceful statements. For the convenience of Kerala CM Thiru Pinarayi Vijayan, I have attached a video with Malayalam subtitles, compiling these shameless remarks by DMK leaders. It would be best if he acted according to his conscience after watching it. And Thiru @mkstalin avargale – if you truly intend to participate in this sacred event, your first step is clear: make your @arivalayam leaders apologise to Hindus
@Udhaystalin for his disgraceful remarks on Sanatana Dharma
@dmk_raja for abusing Hindus
@KPonmudiMLA for insulting Saivam and Vaishnavam
TR Baalu for boasting about demolishing centuries-old temples.
This is not even accounting for the filth spewed for decades by your ideological parent Dravida Kazhagam and your alliance partners against Hindus, Hinduism, and Hindu Gods.“
To drive home his point, he shared a compilation video with Malayalam subtitles highlighting the hate-filled speeches of DMK leaders and their ideological allies:
A. Raja, Nilgiris MP & Deputy General Secretary of DMK said, “As long as Hinduism is here, as long as there is even a half-foot idol in India, communism will not come here. If you are a true Tamil, leave the Hindu religion immediately. Leave the Hindu religion immediately.”
T.R. Baalu, DMK MP & Treasurer says, “I have demolished 100-year-old temples. This same T.R. Balu. Saraswati temple, Lakshmi temple, what’s the other temple? Saraswati, Lakshmi, another deity? Parvati temple. I am the one who demolished all three of these temples.”
Kanimozhi, DMK MP & Deputy General Secretary: “There is a undiyal (collection box) here against the deity. Isn’t there? Yes. Why is a guard standing there with a stun gun?” — mocking the ability of Hindu gods to protect offerings.
Another clip features a news report showing DMK chief and current Chief Minister MK Stalin at a temple entrance while canvassing for votes. When Kumkum was applied to his forehead, he hastily wiped it off on the spot, triggering a brief commotion among those present.
MK Stalin, current CM says, “Let’s uproot Sanatana Dharma.”
M. Karunanidhi, late CM says, “There is no historical evidence that a person named Rama existed, that he studied engineering, or that he built a bridge.”
MK Stalin, again, on rituals, “A priest will recite some mantras. But if you think about their inner meaning, those mantras will be in such a disgusting manner.”
Udhayanidhi Stalin, Deputy Chief Minister, “We should not oppose mosquitoes, dengue fever, malaria, and corona. We should eradicate them. That’s what Sanatana (Dharma) is like.”
Durai Murugan, DMK Minister: “What is the proof that Rama was born? Where was he born?”
Thol. Thirumavalavan, VCK Chief: “If it’s built like a dome, it’s a mosque. If it’s built tall, it’s a church. If there are a lot of disgusting idols, it’s a temple.”
A. Raja, again: “As long as you are a Hindu, you are a Shudra. As long as you are a Shudra, you are the son of a prostitute. How many of you want to be the son of a prostitute?”
A DMK canvasser for Dayanidhi Maran: “Their Puranas say that Rama’s sandals ruled the country for 14 years. The beating of a slipper dipped in cow dung should fall on them every day.”
K. Veeramani, Dravidar Kazhagam President, “The Mahabharata is a book of complete debauchery. That’s all. A story that was born in debauchery, grew up in debauchery, and ended in debauchery.” In another instance he says, “Ram is a drunkard and Sita is a prostitute.”
Ponmudi, former DMK Minister, ridiculing Shaivite and Vaishnavite traditions saying, “A man goes to a prostitute’s house. When he goes there, the woman asks, ‘Are you a Shaivite or a Vaishnavite?’ He doesn’t understand anything. She says, ‘No, if you’re a Shaiva, you lie down. If you’re a Vaishnava, you stand up.’ Standing up is five, lying down is ten.”.
I have learnt that the Honourable Chief Minister of Kerala, Thiru @pinarayivijayan avl, has invited Honourable Tamil Nadu CM Thiru @mkstalin avl to be the Chief Guest at the Global Ayyappa Sangamam on September 20 in Pamba.
It has been reported that MK Stalin has withdrawn from attending the event due to “prior personal commitments” and has nominated DMK Ministers PK Sekarbabu and Palanivel Thiagarajan to attend.
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In the race for who breaks the news first, several end up posting fake news without basic verification. But in what was seen as a calculated attempt at defaming a Hindu religious institution, The News Minute played a major role in amplifying the fake claims. Its sister organisation Newslaundry also did the same – while they simply reposted TNM’s videos, there was one video (which seems to be deleted now) sometime when the Parliament was in session (as mentioned in the video) defaming the temple and the Dharmadhikari. The now-debunked Dharmasthala “mass burial” saga stands as a stark lesson in journalistic malpractice. But will they learn?
Coming back to the article, Newslaundry’s Manisha Pande, in what seems to be a now-deleted video, became a prime example of how activism can be disguised as reporting, meticulously constructing a narrative to implicate the Dharmadhikari of Dharmasthala, Veerendra Heggade, based on nothing but a fabricated story.
Pande’s report, framed as an issue that “hasn’t got the attention it deserves,” did not seek to investigate the claim but to legitimize it through emotional manipulation and selective omission of facts. Her approach followed a well-worn leftist playbook: amplify the allegation, ignore countervailing evidence, and frame any attempt at legal defense as the action of a powerful, guilty party silencing the truth.
Pande’s segment was all about persuasive storytelling, not objective journalism. She begins by lending credibility to the “chilling report” from publications like Deccan Herald and The Hindu.
She then meticulously details the masked man’s “gory claim,” sharing TNM’s video which repeats every horrific detail – bodies with acid attack marks, girls in school uniforms, signs of sexual assault, and death threats. This served to horrify and provoke outrage, making the audience emotionally invested in the allegation itself rather than its validity.
The most glaring failure of Pande’s reporting was her portrayal of the judicial response. She framed the ex-parte injunction secured by Harshendra Kumar Heggade purely as “censorship” by a “powerful political figure” to silence the truth.
She deliberately omitted the fundamental legal principle behind such injunctions: the protection of reputation from unproven and potentially defamatory allegations. The court’s action was a standard legal remedy available to any individual or institution facing what appears to be a baseless, public, and damaging smear campaign. By not explaining this context, Pande painted a picture of a guilty man using his influence to hide his crimes, effectively pre-judging the case and poisoning the well for her audience.
Just watch how Manisha Pandey of NewsLaundry spreads innuendos and insinuations against Dharmasthala Administration Head Veerendra Hegde for pursuing a legal injunction to remove all content about a case THAT IS UNDER INVESTIGATION!
A responsible journalist would have asked critical questions that Pande conspicuously avoided. Pande, like all other leftist publications, accepted his story at face value without any independent verification of his identity, employment history, or the sudden awakening of his conscience.
The media outlet’s role shifted from verifying facts to acting as a megaphone for an allegation, demanding that the accused prove a negative.
As we now know, these questions would have revealed the truth far sooner. The entire narrative collapsed under the slightest scrutiny:
The SIT found no evidence in the locations identified.
The skull presented as evidence was found to be decades old and belonging to a male.
The “masked man,” identified as Chinnayya, confessed to being trained by a gang in Chennai to spread the lie.
Key “witnesses” like Sujatha Bhat (the alleged mother of one victim) publicly admitted on camera that their entire story was fabricated.
Manisha Pande’s report for Newslaundry was not an isolated error but a calculated piece of narrative-building. It amplifies a lie with sensationalist detail, frame the legal self-defense of the accused as an admission of guilt, and then quietly disappear or memory-hole the content when the fabrication is exposed, offering no apology or correction.
The target was not just Veerendra Heggade but the very institution he represents. The objective was to “sow a seed of doubt in the minds of the public,” to question the credibility of a revered Hindu temple, and to portray it as a suspicious institution rather than a center of faith and social service.
If the video has indeed been deleted, the deletion from YouTube is a silent admission of its falsehood. However, the damage inflicted by this propaganda on the reputation of a sacred institution and a respected individual is a testament to the perils of activist journalism, where the agenda to “question” Hindu institutions outweighs the duty to report the truth.
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Sameer MD is a Kannada YouTuber from Bengaluru, now known for his investigative content that tackles sensitive social and criminal issues. He operates the channel “Dhootha” (meaning “messenger” in Kannada) and lives in Bengaluru and also maintains a residence in Bellary.
His channel was launched in August 2024. Till date, he has posted 20 videos.
The YouTuber’s claim to fame is the 39-minute video on a 2012 alleged rape and murder of a 17-year-old second PU student, Soujanya, who was studying at the Sri Dharmasthala Manjunatheshwara College.
The Soujanya case itself had a complex history. Soujanya, a 17-year-old Pre-University student, went missing on 9 October 2012 while returning from college. Her body was found the following day, showing evidence of assault. Initially investigated by local police and later the CID, the case saw multiple suspects before the CBI took over in 2013. After years of investigation, Santhosh Rao, the prime suspect, was acquitted by the CBI special court in June 2023 due to insufficient evidence. The High Court rejected pleas for reinvestigation in 2024. Soujanya’s father, Chandappa Gowda, passed away in January 2024 without seeing justice for his daughter.
Soujanya Murder Case Video
Sometime in February end 2025, Sameer MD, through his YouTube channel Dhootha, posted a video titled “Dharmasthala Soujanya Case” which gained over 18 million views. The video revisited “decades of crimes” in Dharmasthala, focusing on the 2012 rape and murder of Soujanya, the wrongful conviction of Santhosh Rao, and alleged influence in investigations.
On 5 March 2025, Cowl Bazaar police filed an FIR against the video, citing that it hurt religious sentiments. Advocate A. Velan, representing Sameer, argued the FIR was misuse of law and violated free expression.
A writers’ convention scheduled for 9 March 2025 at the Kannada Sahitya Parishat (KSP) in Bengaluru was cancelled after the organisers received legal notices. The event was planned to demand justice for Sowjanya, a teenager raped and murdered in 2012, and to protest an FIR against YouTuber Sameer MD for his video on the case. The KSP withdrew permission, stating it only hosts literary events, not controversial or sub-judice matters.
Several YouTubers also tried to push the same lies he was pushing which framed the Dharmadhikari family, but all the videos had to be removed from YouTube.
Sameer didn’t stop there. He continued to peddle more lies through his AI-generated videos to keep targeting the Jain family. His modus operandi is to use AI to create visuals and present details that far exceeded the official complaints and court records.
Dharmasthala Mass Burial Video
This video was published in July 2025. It is a 23-minute video titled “Who Are Serial K!llrs of Dharmasthala?”, which gathered over 7.8 million views as of today. Following this AI-generated video which also had provocative content, FIR was registered under Sections 192 (provocation with intent to cause riot), 240 (false information), and 353(1)(b) (statements conducing to public mischief). The Police alleged the video contained AI-generated content with fabricated details beyond the official complaint, revealing protected witness identities. Sameer faced legal notices demanding his appearance before Belthangady police in connection with the video.
This video centers on the allegations made by the masked man who alleges he was forced to secretly bury – Sameer went on to state that “over 1,000 bodies were buried on the orders of his supervisors”, with the complicity of local police paid off by the temple’s management. The video claims most victims were women and underage girls who were raped and murdered, their bodies found in temple lodges.
Screenshot from Sameer’s videoScreenshot from Sameer’s video
A specific, graphic allegation is made regarding the disposal of the body of Soujanya, a previous rape and murder case victim, and the mysterious death of a key witness, Ravi Poojari.
Screenshot from Sameer’s video
He claimed these burials were done with police connivance.
Screenshot from Sameer’s video
The video is presented not as an allegation but as established fact, using highly emotional and provocative language (e.g., “Shiva Tandava,” “final war”). It directly accuses the temple head, Veerendra Heggade, and his family of being behind a vast criminal conspiracy of murder and cover-up.
Sameer narrates the entire “story” as if he had seen it happen in front of his eyes. Too many unverified claims, too many lies, and a cinematic and concocted story – this is basically what the video is all about. The language is deliberately inflammatory, designed to provoke outrage. He also calls for street protests saying, “You have to come to the streets and protest against this injustice. Everyone should raise their voice and if any scoundrel comes in between and tries to create Hindu-Muslim divide, beat that son of b**** with slippers.”
Ananya Bhat Video
When the Ananya Bhat story surfaced, he came up with an AI-generated video where he recounted the alleged disappearance case, presenting it as another tragic incident linked to Dharmasthala, similar to the Soujanya case. He stated that Ananya, a first-year MBBS student at Manipal Medical College, had visited the Dharmasthala temple with her hostel friends. He claimed that her friends had asked her to wait at the temple while they returned to their hostel to collect clothes, but upon their return, she had vanished without a trace. Sameer stated that the friends immediately informed Ananya’s mother, Sujatha, a single woman working in Kolkata, who then rushed to Dharmasthala. He alleged that despite Sujatha’s efforts, she found no clues about her daughter’s disappearance. When she tried to file a missing complaint at the local police station, he asserted that the police dismissed her concerns and sent her away. He further made the grave accusation that when Sujatha approached a female temple official for help, the official instead had her brutally beaten and locked in a godown, leaving her in a coma for three months. Upon awakening, Sameer claimed, Sujatha lost all hope of ever finding justice for her daughter.
However, these claims have been entirely discredited when Sujatha Bhat herself confessed that she had never had a daughter named Ananya, exposing the narrative as a complete fabrication.
Anticipatory Bail And Arrest Notices (August 2025)
On 20 August 2025, police attempted to arrest Sameer at his Bengaluru residence, but he was missing. He obtained anticipatory bail from a Mangaluru court on 21 August 2025 and was directed to cooperate with the SIT investigation. He appeared before Belthangady police on 24 August 2025 with a legal team, complying with instructions to refrain from making inflammatory statements. But the look on his face seems like he was on a picnic.
Scoundrel MD Sameer must be arrested for his role in amplifying fake propaganda against Dharmasthala 😠
Just see his body language, so cocky and undeterred despite his fakery being busted to smithereens 😠😠pic.twitter.com/CyuhL8ieGO
Earlier, Sameer faced a ₹10 crore defamation suit filed by Shri Kshetra Dharmasthala representatives, alleging deliberate targeting over the unsolved 2008 college student murder case.
He is accused alongside activists Mahesh Shetty Thimarody and Girish Mattannavar in a separate case concerning the assault on three YouTubers and a cameraman at Ujire on 6 August 2025.
Sameer Must Be Treated As Co-Conspirator
Sameer’s videos present imaginary stories with a little bit of truth as if the entire details he talks about are facts – without providing a single piece of corroborating evidence. There are no dates, no official police records referenced, no medical reports about the alleged coma, and no independent verification of any events described.
The language he uses in his videos are deliberately designed to bypass critical thinking and provoke a raw emotional response. Phrases like “you will really cry,” and the repeated focus on a mother’s suffering are used as a substitute for factual storytelling.
He has always been seen to shift the burden of proof and would cite other YouTubers as his sources. He would avoid the responsibility of providing evidence by redirecting the audience to another YouTube video. This creates an echo chamber of unverified claims rather than establishing a foundation of truth.
Now that the entire saga has crumbled like potato chips, will Sameer atleast apologise?
Sameer’s videos are a prime example of how misinformation was weaponized in the broader campaign against Dharmasthala and how he played a central role in tarnishing the sanctity of the institution.
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