Tamil Nadu to become hub for manufacturing Apple products

January 31, 2021

Tamil Nadu is all set to become the manufacturing hub for Apple products from the upcoming fiscal year. Following the fallout between China and the US, major companies have started to shift base from China to India. In this regard, following a state cabinet meeting over the weekend, the proposals of 34 industrial projects were sanctioned. Out of these, several were major players like Tata Electronics, Pegatron Corporation and such.

Notably, most of these companies are component manufacturers of Apple. This goes to say that Tamil Nadu could soon become the manufacturing hub of Apple products generating employment for several thousand people.

It is significant to note that a few months earlier, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka had been locking horns for claiming monopoly of the manufacture of Apple products. In fact, Pegatron, a Taiwan-based company recently opened its office in Chennai after duly registering with the Registrar of Companies under the name Pegatron Technology India Private Limited which is classified as a subsidiary of foreign company.

But, two of the contract manufacturers of Apple – Wistron and Foxconn – are manufacturing iPhones in India, of which Wistron has set up facilities in Bengaluru and Narasapura in Karnataka. Its new greenfield plant started manufacturing iPhones at Narasapura recently. However, the Foxconn plant near Sriperumbudur, 50 km from Chennai, has already begun manufacturing high-end Apple iPhones, giving a boost to the ‘Make in India’ programme of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government. This new deal gives Tamil Nadu an edge over its counterpart.

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Hamid Ansari slips up during interview, gets a taste of his own medicine

The Commune

January 31, 2021

During an interview with Zee TV News’ Aman Chopra, ex-Vice President Hamid Ansari tried to play the ‘Musalman khatre mein hai’ angle while promoting his latest book ‘By Many A Happy Accident’. During this interview, he was faced with a volley of questions regarding his last interview. In this interview, Ansari had reportedly claimed that Muslims of the country faced a ‘sense of unease and unacceptance’ and had said that the “ambience of acceptance” is now under threat.

In this regard, Ansari once again reiterated that there is indeed a “feeling of unease” among Muslims in the nation during his interview with Zee TV News. Aman Chopra cleverly tackled this, asking if he personally felt that way since he was also a Muslim. He repetitively asked Ansari whether the decisions of the Central Government towards issues like CAA, triple Talaq, Ram Mandir, etc., have impacted him on a personal standpoint. The ex-VP, however, tried to beat around the bush, stating no concrete reason, and loosely hinted about lynching incidents.

To this, Aman Chopra can be heard asking, “Sir, lynching is not exclusive to Muslims, even Hindus are lynched, why are they not insecure?” Here, Hamid Ansari, who now appears to be a little enraged, says that he is not sure whether Hindus are lynched or not. Calling Ansari biased, Aman Chopra says he could list a number of Hindus who have been lynched in West Bengal, in Kerala for example over time.

When Ansari tried to retort saying that the BJP rule has propagated the presence of widespread Hindutva sentiments throughout the country, leading to lynching, Aman shut him down saying that having been the ex-VP for ten years and having received an umpteen number of benefits on account of the same, it was unfair on his part to insinuate religion-based injustice. This left the former Vice President flabbergasted. Notably, the ex-VP had favoured Islamic sentiments far too often in the past, going as far as supporting the presence of Sharia courts.

Click here for the full interview.

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Sasikala discharged from hospital

The Commune

January 31, 2021

V K Sasikala, the former aide to Jayalalithaa was discharged from Victoria Hospital in Bengaluru, Karnataka on January 31.

Sasikala was formally released from the central jail in Bengaluru’s Parappana Agrahara on January 27. However, she spent some more days at the Victoria Hospital as she was recently diagnosed with COVID-19.

She was admitted to the Bowring and Lady Curzon Hospital in Bengaluru on the evening of January 20 after she had fever, breathlessness and cough with her oxygen levels dipping.

Later she was diagnosed with Severe Acute Respiratory Illness (SARI) and was sent for a CT Scan for further investigation.

Officials had suspected she might have been infected with COVID as she showed symptoms of fever and breathlessness.

While the AIADMK led by CM Palaniswami and Deputy CM O. Panneerselvam have stated that Sasikala’s release would not have any impact on the ground, it is expected that at least a ripple would be created in the party. It is expected that Sasikala will be joining the Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK), which was founded as a separate party by Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dhinakaran.

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India aims to vaccinate 30 crore high-risk groups by July

The Commune

January 31, 2021

India has achieved a significant milestone when it completed vaccinating 37 lakh healthcare workers as of the 15th day of its nationwide immunisation drive against COVID-19 yesterday (30 January), reports Times of India.

However, the Modi government has a far more ambitious plan wherein it aims to vaccinate over 30 crore high-risk groups by July. These include healthcare workers, frontline workers and the elderly and those with any comorbidities.

Among all States, Uttar Pradesh has vaccinated the largest number of people so far at 4,63,793 followed by States of Rajasthan (3,26,745), Karnataka (3,15,343) and Madhya Pradesh (2,73,872).

At global scale, India stands at the fifth spot but it has climbed up the ladder even though India had begun its vaccination programme much later than the nations ahead of it like the United States (US), China, the United Kingdom (UK) and Israel.

The US has vaccinated 27.88 million people so far, followed by China at 22.77 million, the UK at 8.37 million and Israel at 4.63 million. Meanwhile, the total global population to have been vaccinated so far stands at 90.44 million and is closing in on the 100 million mark.

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Irony dies a thousand deaths: DMK office bearer accused of grabbing temple land protests with cadres for restoration of temple land

The Commune

January 31, 2021

If one were to cite an example of irony dying a thousand deaths, it would be this. A DMK office bearer accused of encroaching temple land cadres jumped in to protest with his cadres demanding the removal of encroachments on the temple land near Valangaiman in Thiruvarur district.

Abhaya Varatharaja Perumal Temple is located near the Panchayat Council Office in the Kuthalam area of Alangudi near Valangaiman in Thiruvarur District. This temple is nearby to Arulmigu Abathsahyeswarar Temple, also known as the Guru Sthalam both of which is believed to date back to the same era. The temple owns several acres of land. Opposite the panchayat office is the house of Kumar, the former deputy president of the Alangudi panchayat. Kumar was erecting a pillar to erect a concrete compound wall at the back of his house.

Upon coming to know of this, Alangudi panchayat leader Mohan, a DMK man, rushed to the area and went on a hunger strike at the Alangudi village administration office premises demanding immediate action by the Revenue Department and the HR&CE Department to stop the construction of the wall. The DMK cadres tooo joined in to protest. DMK Union Secretary of the area Dakshinamoorthy, DMK Union Deputy Secreataries Gnanasekaran and Gopal and a few from the party’s youth wing participated in the protest. Officials then promised to hold talks and take appropriate action.

However, Mohan himself is accused of encroaching temple land. He is said to have demolished the buildings on the land belonging to the temple to build a paid parking lot. He was even sued for the same.

The DMK has been sweating over the rising Hindu consolidation in Tamil Nadu with many of its leaders trying to placate the Hindu voters.

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Nadda seals ADMK-BJP alliance for TN Assembly elections

The Commune

January 30, 2021

BJP National President J.P. Nadda on January 30 confirmed that the party would fight the 2021 Tamil Nadu Assembly polls together with the AIADMK while addressing a public rally in Madurai.

Hints of the parties forming an alliance surfaced when on December 30, BJP National General Secretary C.T. Ravi tweeted that the AIADMK is the largest partner in NDA alliance and that the Chief Minister will be from the largest partner adding that the NDA Co-ordination Committee will announce the CM candidate once elections are announced.

Prior to that Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam on November 21 in the presence of Home Minister Amit Shah had declared that the AIADMK’s alliance with the BJP will continue for the Assembly Elections to be held in May 2021.

26 bank accounts of evangelical Christian organization and its group of FCRA registered NGOs frozen by Telangana CID

The Commune

January 30, 2021

The Crime Investigation Department (CID) of the Telangana Police, the premier investigation agency of Telangana, has reportedly frozen twenty six bank accounts of the Operation Mobilisation (OM) India group of Charities on November 21, 2020. The twenty six bank accounts belong to a total of seven related charity groups.

CID, Telangana had filed a criminal case against Joseph D’Souza, his son Josh D’Souza and others vide FIR No.22/2016 dated 29-09-2016 based on a complaint by Albert Lael, the former Chief Finance Officer (CFO) of OM India group of charities and National Director of 103 Good Shepherd Schools run by the same organization.

Investigations revealed that the accused received huge amounts of money via donations from abroad to run various charities in India. The funds thus received were deposited in banks as Fixed Deposit (FDs). These funds were then diverted and misappropriated by the accused, thus cheating the donors and other patrons of the organisation. To put a halt to any more transactions which may lead to the accused misappropriating and diverting more of the charity funds, the CID froze the accounts. The CID is also investigating alleged violations of the Foreign Contribution (Regulation) Act (FCRA).

The prime accused Joseph D’Souza has challenged the CID order in the Telangana High Court to remove the restrictions on the multiple accounts.

Operation Mobilisation India, along with Dignity Freedom Network (founded as Dalit Freedom Network) and Operation Mercy India Foundation, have partner-organisations and affiliates in Canada, UK, USA and Australia.

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India condemns vandalization of Gandhi statue in California, USA

The Commune

January 30, 2021

On 28 January 2021, the statue of Mahatma Gandhi which was gifted by the Government of India in 2016 and located at the Central Park in the City of Davis, was vandalized by unknown miscreants.

The Government of India has strongly condemned the incident and has called it a ‘malicious’ and ‘despicable’ act. The local Indian community organizations have also condemned the act of vandalism.

The Embassy of India in Washington D.C. has taken up the matter with the U.S. Department of State for a thorough investigation into the incident and has sought appropriate action against those responsible for this despicable act. The Consulate General of India in San Francisco has separately taken up the matter with the City of Davis and local law enforcement authorities, which have initiated the investigations.

The Mayor of Davis has conveyed deep regret over the incident and informed that they have initiated an investigation.

The US Department of State has conveyed that this act of vandalism is unacceptable and has expressed the hope that perpetrators will be brought to justice as quickly as possible.

(With inputs from MEA press release)

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Blackshirts face boycott, ‘Periyarists’ chicken out from speaking against Hindu Gods

The Commune

January 30, 2021

Following protests by cadres of the BJP, members of Dravida Kazhagam (DK) promised that they would not speak abusive of Hindu Gods and finished their meeting in just 15 minutes, at an event in Salem district on January 27.

A public meeting was organized near Kotaikarai Mariamman Temple in Attur near Salem by Dravida Kazhagam, a quasi political organization founded by E.V. Ramaswamy Naicker (known as ‘Periyar’ by his followers).

Upon coming to know of it, BJP members protested demanding that the meeting should not be held near the Amman Temple, as ‘Periyarist’ groups are known for selectively targeting and abusing Hindus and Hindu Gods.

The protest had caused a stir in the area with the police reaching the spot to pacify both the parties. After the Dravida Kazhagam members assured that they would not speak against Hindus and Hindu Gods, the BJP cadres left the area with the blackshirts concluding the meeting in 15 minutes.

Many point out that this chickening out by DK comes in the light of the upcoming Assembly elections where its political offshoot DMK is trying to placate Hindus post the Karuppar Koottam episode.

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Karnataka makes weekly off mandatory for cops

The Commune

January 30, 2021

Karnataka Police to have mandatory weekly off

Representational Image | Credits: Kannadiga World

Karnataka state Director General of Police (DGP) Praveen Sood issued a circular on Thursday making the weekly off mandatory for police personnel. The circular comes as part of a measure to lighten the workload of overworked policemen, who have taken on the job of enforcing rules and guidelines to tackle the COVID-19 pandemic.

A few policemen had written to the DGP complaining that they were not being given leave by their superior officers. Although the rule regarding the weekly off is not new, with similar circulars issued in the past, authorities were not implementing it properly.

However, with the newly-issued circular, the higher officials have now been instructed by the DGP to provide weekly offs to police personnel. The instructions were issued to the SPs, range IGPs, Commissionerates and senior officers at the State headquarters.

“It has been time and again reiterated that mandatory weekly off , spread over all the days of the week by rotation, should be provided to all policemen, except in emergency situation like major bandobast, elections and natural calamities,” the circular said.

A study conducted by Bureau of Police Research and Development (BPRD) a few years ago revealed that 90% of police officers work long hours and 73% of them do not avail an off even once a month. The BPRD concluded that denying a weekly off to policemen not only affects their behavioural pattern, but also takes a toll on their health.

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The Commune

Tamil Nadu to become hub for manufacturing Apple products

Hamid Ansari slips up during interview, gets a taste of his own medicine

Sasikala discharged from hospital

India aims to vaccinate 30 crore high-risk groups by July

Irony dies a thousand deaths: DMK office bearer accused of grabbing temple land protests with cadres for restoration of temple land

Nadda seals ADMK-BJP alliance for TN Assembly elections

26 bank accounts of evangelical Christian organization and its group of FCRA registered NGOs frozen by Telangana CID

India condemns vandalization of Gandhi statue in California, USA

Blackshirts face boycott, ‘Periyarists’ chicken out from speaking against Hindu Gods

Karnataka makes weekly off mandatory for cops

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