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Madras HC restrains TN govt from constructing Collectorate complex on temple land in Kallakurichi

By
The Commune
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madras hc arthanareeswarar temple

In a victory for temple actvisits, the Madras High Court has asked the Tamil Nadu government to halt the construction of Kallakurichi district collectorate complex on the lands belonging to Sri Nareeswarar Temple in Veeracholapuram.

The decision was given by the High Court bench, comprising Justices M Sathyanarayanan and R Hemalatha, staying the construction of the collectorate after several devotees and Hindu organizations registered their objections with the Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) department and subsequently filed a case. 

14.09 hectares (34.82 acres) of drylands belonging to Sri Arthanareeswarar Temple located at Veerachozhapuram in Kallakurichi district was slated to be alienated by the HR&CE department to the Government of Tamil Nadu to build the Kallakurichi Collectorate complex.

This land is set to be usurped by the Tamil Nadu government for a pittance of ₹1.98 crores when the actual value of the property amounts to more than ₹88 crores. 

The HR&CE department itself had earlier said that the value of the 40 acres land is around ₹29.17 crores. The land if sold should done at a rate 275% more than the this rate which comes to ₹80.21 crores.

However, on September 19, a government order was passed by the HRCE Commissioner that the lands were being sold at a meagre ₹1.98 crore. 

The groundbreaking ceremony for the new Collectorate complex was held on October 23 without purchasing the land from the HR&CE department.

Locals and devotees questioned if whether the Collectorate should be built only by usurping the temple land and whether no area was available.

After the issue came to light through social media, the HR&CE held a public hearing on October 29, a move taken after lands were handed over to the government.

During the hearing in the court, the government pleader Jayaprakash Narayanan submitted that only road leading to the land was constructed and no other work had commenced.

Issuing a stay order, the court has posted for the matter to be heard on December 9. 

To know more about the temple click here. 

Sadhguru kicks off Isha Insight 2020, Big Basket CEO shares striking revelations

By
The Commune
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“With sheer consciousness and responsible action, businesses can not only ride the pandemic storm but rise above it,” said Sadhguru as he launched the first-ever online session of “Isha Insight: The DNA of Success”, a three-day leadership intensive programme that explores what it takes to lead through uncertainty. For the past eight years, Isha INSIGHT has been running as a unique onsite leadership intensive programme for CEOs/CXOs, exploring the science of scaling up one’s business and one’s own self as a leader.

At a time when the disruption caused by Covid-19 is so profound that thousands of businesses have shut down, the first day was marked by topical sessions with a plethora of insights from the founder of Isha Foundation and BigBasket CEO Hari Menon. To examine practical solutions and help businesses hit by the global pandemic, this leadership programme brought together over 300 business leaders and top CEOs from nearly 30 different industries.

Sadhguru started off the programme by addressing the participants LIVE from the Isha Institute of Inner Sciences in Tennessee. The mystic inspired the participants, saying: “Human beings have to realise that only with conscious and responsible action can we rise through this pandemic.”

Offering invaluable insights, Sadhguru said, “As a leader, you need insight. You can get all the people who know the subject and do the business. Insight will happen when you see something not necessarily in the logical perspective of the data in your mind. For this, you have to bring Clarity of Perception.”

He encouraged the participants to continue to rise above the challenges presented by the pandemic and the economic fallout. “You must be behind the wheel, putting your shoulder to the wheel, so that it goes faster and creates possibilities. If you’re on the other side of the wheel, you’ll get crushed.”

Sadhguru’s session was followed by an honest interaction between BS Nagesh, Founder, TRRAIN, and the CEO of BigBasket, Hari Menon. According to Menon, his company lost 80 percent of their workforce within two days of the nationwide lockdown announced earlier this year in March, but with the sheer resilience of the team to bounce back, the organisation hired 12,300 people in 16 days to turn their fortunes around.

“After losing 80% of the workforce for two days we were really dumbstruck as orders poured in and we hired 12300 people in 16 days- through this we demonstrated the power of resilience,” Hari Menon said, adding that communication is “the only way to solve every problem is to be there.”

He further stressed on the importance of being a learning organisation. “An organisation needs to be a learning organization and the first thing we did at BigBasket was set up an excellent training and innovation function. Learning elements of culture and managing people is more critical than being a technocrat and understanding technology, since that can be outsourced as long as you know where your organisation is headed,” Menon added.

The second day of the three-day Isha INSIGHT programme will see Sharad Sharma, Co-Founder, iSPIRT Foundation/Product Nation about “Transforming Healthcare in India and emerging opportunities”. In addition, Varun Berry, Managing Director, Britannia Industries, will be in conversation with Ajay Kaul, Former CEO, Jubilant FoodWorks. The session will see Berry sharing his insight on focusing on the core in an uncertain environment.

Isha Leadership Academy, part of the Isha Foundation set up by Sadhguru, has been established with the intention of providing the highest quality of leadership education in India. The Academy has been conducting leadership forums focused on scaling up, leadership, talent management and innovation with C-level attendees.

In recent years, this programme has also featured prominent business leaders and industry experts including Padma Bhushan recipient Kiran Mazumdar-Shaw, industrialist Ratan Tata, Infosys founder Narayana Murthy and KV Kamath, the former chief of the New Development Bank of BRICS countries.

India and Vietnam Defence Ministers hold talks

By
The Commune
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Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and Minister of National Defence of Socialist Republic of Vietnam H.E. General Ngo Xuan Lich held bilateral talks via video-conferencing on November 27.

During the talks, both Ministers reaffirmed the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership between the two countries and discussed various ongoing projects and the future trajectory of bilateral Defence engagements. The Defence Ministers expressed satisfaction that despite the COVID-19 situation Defence exchanges between both Armed Forces have maintained a positive momentum. Both the Ministers discussed collaboration in Defence Industry capability building, training and cooperation in UN Peacekeeping Operations.

In a further step towards deeper bilateral cooperation, both sides signed an Implementing Arrangement for cooperation in the field of Hydrography between National Hydrographic Office, India and Vietnam Hydrographic Office in the presence of the two Ministers. The Arrangement will enable sharing of Hydrographic data and assist in production of navigational charts by both sides.

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh underlined Prime Minister’s vision of “Atma Nirbhar Bharat” for enhancing self-reliance including Defence industries. He outlined that a strong and self-reliant India shall positively contribute to capacity building of friendly partner countries like Vietnam. He urged for closer Defence industry cooperation between India and Vietnam by concluding an institutionalised framework Agreement in the near future.

The Defence Minister also appreciated Vietnam’s innovative and successful leadership of Defence related events in ASEAN during its presidency of ASEAN despite the COVID-19 pandemic situation.

Vietnamese Defence Minister thanked the Rajnath Singh for the assistance by Indian Armed Forces in capacity building of Vietnamese Defence Forces especially in the field of Human Resource development. Raksha Mantri conveyed India’s willingness to enhance the scope and level of training for all three services of Vietnam Defence forces in Indian Defence Institutes.

Vietnamese Defence Minister also invited the Raksha Mantri for ADMM Plus meeting being hosted by Vietnam on 10 Dec 2020, through virtual mode.

TN Minister Rajenthra Bhalaji trolls DMK chief MK Stalin

By
The Commune
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Tamil Nadu Minister for Milk and Dairy Development K. T. Rajenthira Balaji took a dig at DMK chief MK Stalin comparing the latter with Vijayakanth in ‘Pulanvisaranai’ movie.

Addressing the press after participating in an official event, the Minister said that when Chennai floods happened in 2015, Karunanidhi who was the Leader of Opposition then, along with his family members secured themselves in the 5th floor of their building adding that it was the AIADMK government that stood with the people. He said that it was Amma’s (Jayalalithaa’s) government that went on the ground and served people.

“Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami went to Chembarambakkam lake and was standing with an umbrella dripping wet in the rain. This was getting broadcasted in all news channels and people having confidence that their Chief Minister is working on the ground. The Chief Minister is standing as a big support to the people. On seeing this, he [Stalin] went about wearing big coat suit and other accessories looking like Vijayakanth in Pulanvisaranai. These drama and all will not work with the people. People look for leaders who are simple and serve people in need. Edappadiyaar and OPS are such leaders. Tamil people all over the world are praising our Chief Minister and view him as a honest and modest leader.”, the Minister said.

He also referred how the Chief Minister came out of his car and blessed the newly-wed couple standing amidst the crowd when he was on his visit to Cuddalore to take stock of Cyclone Nivar’s damage.

The Minister also said that DMK’s future will go wasted as the party is on a decline mode.

https://twitter.com/iamSri_Sri/status/1332290292888653829

Religious training camp suspected of preaching radical Islam busted, 35 Muslim youth held

By
The Commune
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(Image on the left side is representative)

In an alarming development, the Tamil Nadu police have arrested 35 youths from Periyapattinam in Ramanathapuram district on suspicion of infusing radicalism among Muslims through secret religious training camps.

On November 24, the police led by the Superintendent of Police E. Karthik conducted a surprise raid in Periyappatinam and took into custody 35 Muslim youth, suspected of preaching radical Islam through religious training camps under the name ‘Beginners Camp’.

The investigation revealed that the Muslim youth aged between 20 and 25 belonged to the extremist and militiant Muslim organization Popular Front of India (PFI). A case has been registered at the Thirupullani police station against PFI in various sections.

In 2013, police nabbed 30 youths from Assam, Kashmir, Bihar and Odisha who were engaged in covert training in the same coastal groves of Periyapattinam.

People of the area are skeptical and suspicious of the motive behind the secret gathering in the groves. According to locals, the panchayat administration being under the control of the PFI bring in many people from different states under the pretext of conducting yoga and conduct secret training sessions. Any religious propaganda meeting requires the permission of the district administration, however the PFI is said to be holding covert religious stealthily.

The Rashtriya Muslim Manch (Muslim wing of the RSS) has called for a thorough investigation.

It is noteworthy to mention that it was in this same in this same village that a panchayat office building constructed by the government had a plaque with the inscription declaring that Periyapattinam is Tamil Nadu’s first capital of the Muslims.

However, following opposition from locals and other Hindu organizations, the controversial plaque installed at the government building was removed but no action has been taken so far on the officials who permitted the plaque.

True Indology is back with a bang! Person behind handle reveals identity

By
The Commune
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After the episode where True Indology and D Roopa IPS engaged in a spat over the issue of historical references to bursting crackers for Deebavali, and the subsequent suspension of the former’s Twitter account after D Roopa said ‘your time is up’, True Indology is back with a bang and in a brand new avatar.

In this yet another virtual re-birth, the person behind the prominent Twitter handle has revealed his identity in a sly rebuttal to D Roopa IPS who had called him a ‘nameless and faceless troll’.

True Indology is now back on Twitter as ‘Bharadwaj’ (@BharadwajSpeaks) with the bio saying  “Man on a mission. Personal account. Tweeting in personal capacity. Not affiliated with any other account or entity.”

Within a few hours, the account crossed more than a lakh followers without a single tweet put. Netizens on Twitter gave a rousing welcome to True Indology er.. Bharadwaj with the hashtag #TrueIndologyIsBack.

Several noted personalities too took to Twitter to express their delight. Author and Professor at JNU, Anand Ranganathan confirmed that the handle belongs to original person behind True Indology.

https://twitter.com/ARanganathan72/status/1332223820824944642

(Note: Initially, the handle’s ID was @TheTrueIndology which was later changed to @BharadwajSpeaks).

Former IPS officer M Nageswara Rao welcoming Bharadwaj called his return on Twitter as “extraordinary solution in extraordinary situation”.

https://twitter.com/MNageswarRaoIPS/status/1332524825986809856

Following his suspension from Twitter, True Indology received massive support to the extent that a few members of the public filed a case against Twitter India for suppressing freedom of expression and arbitrarily suspending his account. The hashtag #BringBackTrueIndology trended worldwide at number 4 for a day.

During the time he was suspended from Twitter, True Indology remained active on other social media like Facebook where the account has more than 1.3 lakh followers. In a Facebook post on November 27, True Indology mentioned that no reason was given by Twitter for suspension of the account, not even a mail intimating of the suspension. Bharadwaj stated that Twitter has not responded to his appeals despite the fact that #bringbacktrueindology had trended at #4th worldwide

“This is a long drawn out battle and I am not giving up. I am sending a legal notice to twitter and two criminal cases have been filed against them for unfair suspension of my account. This is going to take long. In the meanwhile, please follow @bharadwajspeaks for a lot of insightful posts on Indology and for keeping the battle up with against anti Indic propaganda on that platform. I am thankful for your support.”, Bharadwaj wrote.

Pakistan cricketers violate COVID-19 protocols in New Zealand, gets warned of being sent home

By
The Commune
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Pakistan’s cricket tour to New Zealand is in jeopardy after many players were found violating the COVID-19 protocols in the country with the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) CEO Wasim Khan reportedly warning the players that if rules are not followed the entire team will be sent back home. This could spell more financial trouble for the PCB which already finds itself in losses. 

In a WhatsApp voice note sent by Wasim Khan to Pakistan players on Thursday (November 26),  Khan says that the “final warning” was given by both New Zealand Cricket Board and its government after six Pakistan players tested positive for the coronavirus on arriving in the country and “it will be embarrassing” if anything further happens.

He said, “They have a zero-tolerance policy and they’ve given us a final warning. We understand that this is a difficult time for you, and you went through similar conditions in England. It’s not easy. But this is a matter of the nation’s respect and credibility. Observe these 14 days and then you’ll have the freedom to go to restaurants and roam about freely. They have told me in clear terms that if we commit one more breach, they’ll send us home.”

Under normal circumstances, players are free to go where they choose. In the wake of the Wuhan virus pandemic, special steps have been taken  to ensure that the virus does not spread and the players stay in a bubble. 

However, closed-circuit television footage showed some members of the Pakistan squad violating these strict protocols on the very first day of managed isolation, states the report.

“Please guys, I know it’s difficult, it’s very tough, but do stay disciplined and follow through the protocols … they will not compromise on health and safety in New Zealand, so please adhere to it,” Khan told his players.

India is right now on a long tour to Australia where similar restrictions have been applied. Pakistan cricket team is scheduled to play three T20s and two Tests in New Zealand and before they embarked on this tour, each player was reportedly tested four times and all tested negative.

Hindu Munnani cadres remove mural allegedly drawn to denigrate Hindu faith in Thiruparappu falls

By
The Commune
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A mural drawn on a wall near the Thiruparappu Falls in Kanyakumari has been taken down after strong opposition from cadres of the Hindu Munnani.

The painting depicts a woman trying to entice the a sage in a carnal and sensual manner.

It is learnt that a complaint was earlier lodged on behalf of the Hindu Munnani with the concerned department but no action was taken. The Hindu Munnani had also announced earlier that they would stage protests if the mural was not removed.

Now, it has been reported that the Hindu Munnai along with few cadres of the BJP have taken down the mural on the wall of the Tirprappu Falls.

Locals and Hindu organizations in the area have demanded an inquiry to find out who drew the mural and action be taken on the them.

Concrete houses put smiles on the faces of Khadi artisans in North East, thanks to KVIC Workshed Scheme

By
The Commune
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Meet Ms Niru Kalita, a 44 year old Khadi artisan in Nalbari district in Assam. She, along with her family, was driven to the verge of homelessness due to aggressive soil erosion by flooding of River Brahmaputra, until Khadi and Village Industries Commission came to her rescue by granting her a house under Artisans’ Workshed Scheme.

According to KVIC, Ms Kalita, working as a Khadi spinner for the last 15 years, was forced to relocate 14 times along with her three children as her temporary accommodations got submerged in the Brahmaputra River every year. As life became precarious for the distressed family or the victim of Nadi Khohonia, as referred to in the local dialect of Assam, Ms Kalita found shelter at village Tapabori in Nalbari district. This is where the KVIC came to the rescue of the family and she was granted a concrete house.

KVIC Chairman Shri Vinai Kumar Saxena said apart from creating livelihood for the artisans, KVIC also ensured that they worked in a better condition that will ultimately improve their productivity. “This initiative is aligned with Khadi’s core Gandhian principle of “rural resurgence” which also coincides with the Prime Minister’s vision – Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas,” Saxena said.

Ms Kalita belongs to a poor family of five members that earned livelihood from  Khadi spinning and cultivation on a small chunk of land. Due to constant soil erosion in recent years, her agriculture land is now in the middle of the River Brahmaputra and thus making Khadi spinning the only source of livelihood.

Ms Kalita expressed happiness on receiving the house. “This is for the first time I have lived in a concrete house. Every year we were forced to move to a new location due to flooding of the river but never found any assistance from the government authorities. This house given by the KVIC has eliminated all woes of my family. While I can work in a better condition; my children have finally found safe accommodation,” she said.

It may be noted that the KVIC has provided similar houses to 411 families of Khadi artisans in the North East region in the last three years. Under the Artisans’ Workshed Scheme, a concrete low-cost house is provided to the artisans with financial assistance from KVIC and the concerned Khadi institutions. These houses costing Rs 66,000 each have been designed in consultation with IIT Guwahati. While Rs 60,000 is provided by the KVIC; remaining Rs 6000 is contributed by the Khadi Institutions to which the artisans are registered.

‘Bee-hold bee-keepers!’: Union Agriculture Minister inaugurates Honey Farmer Producer Organizations

By
The Commune
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Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar inaugurated the Honey FPO Programme of National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India Limited (NAFED) on 26th November 2020. The inauguration programme was hosted online and attended by the new Honey FPOs, farmers and FPOs from various parts of the country.

Inaugurating the programme, the Minister stated that “Beekeeping in India is highly predominant in the unorganized sector among  the rural and tribal population. Despite having a huge potential of honey production in the country, the beekeeping industry is still underdeveloped. The adoption level of beekeeping is also quite less due to various constraints. NAFED will address these issues by acting as an intermediary and filling up the gaps between the elements of the beekeeping supply chain and also ensure price remuneration to the beekeeping farmers. Through these Honey FPOs, NAFED will also work for promotion of beekeeping as an occupation for unemployed women and tribal populations and uplift their livelihood”.

Minister Tomar also said that honey beekeeping will change the lifestyle of small and marginal farmers and help in achieving the goal of increasing farmer’s income.

Government of India is promoting the creation of FPOs in view of their significant role in fulfilling the mission of implementing  agricultural reforms in the country. Promotion & Formation of FPOs is the first step for converting Krishi into Atmanirbhar Krishi. For this purpose new Central Sector Scheme for Formation & Promotion of new 10,000 FPOs was launched.

Implementing Agencies have identified block wise clusters where FPOs will be developed by specialist ‘Cluster Based Business Organizations (CBBOs)’ engaged by the Implementing Agencies. NAFED had already empanelled the CBBOs and other IAs are in the process of empanelment of CBBOs.

The Honey FPOs made by ISAP under the aegis of National Bee Board (NBB) and NAFED will help its members in not only upgrading their skills in Scientific Bee Keeping but will also help in making its members set up state of the art infrastructural facilities for processing honey and allied beekeeping products like bee’s wax, propolis, royal jelly, bee venom, etc., quality control laboratories, collection, storage, bottling and marketing centres. These FPOs will benefit by the schemes of Mini Mission – 1 and Mini Mission – 2 of National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) of National Bee Board. The beekeepers / honey collectors of all the 5 states would be helped in branding and collective marketing of their Honey and other allied products of bee keeping through the marketing channels of NAFED. Efforts will also be made to explore the overseas market for improving the returns to the Bee Keepers and Honey collectors.

(Published from PIB)

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The Commune is a news and views portal focusing on social and political issues of the southern part of India with a focus on Tamil Nadu.
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