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PETA once again conspires against Puducherry’s darling Lakshmi

By
The Commune
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PETA has filed a petition in the Madras High Court on Saturday to separate the elephant Lakshmi from its home in Manakkula Ganesha temple.

This move of PETA comes just 2 weeks after Puducherry’s Chief Minister intervened and brought the elephant back to its home from where PETA had kept her.

Lakshmi had returned to the temple after she was kept in incarceration for 40 days with scanty food and water and no proper shelter.

Murali, an animal welfare activist has mentioned that the Puducherry Forest Department is trying to bring Lakshmi elephant under their control through the Tamil Nadu Captive Elephants (Management and Maintenance) Rules, 2011.He had posted a video in which Lakshmi can be seen at her home with all required facilities.

The Indu Makkal Katchi has alleged that foreign NGOs are interfering in cultural traditions of the Hindus.
“We warn that this time we will not face PETA only through the internet and will do anything to keep Lakshmi in the temple,” the IMK said in a tweet.

https://twitter.com/rawincare1/status/1289841904864002048

 

 

Earlier, Lakshmi was displaced from her home in Manakula Vinayagar Temple by taking her away reportedly in an unethical and illegal manner. She was kept at Krishi Vigyan Kendra in a pathetic condition. Various Hindu organizations mobilized a campaign to rescue Lakshmi from PETA. They had sought the intervention of Puducherry Chief Minister V. Narayanasamy to bring back Lakshmi home. Following this, Lakshmi was brought back to the Puducherry Manakkula Vinayagar Temple from the Kamaraj Agricultural Science Center in Kurumbapet.

Seniors in DMK upset over Junior Stalin’s interference

By
The Commune
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It is being said that there have been various changes in the activities of the DMK chief MK Stalin’s son and ‘actor’ Udhayanidhi Stalin after he was appointed the party’s youth wing secretary. His focus seems to be beyond the activities of the youth wing secretary.

DMK seniors are lamenting over how the junior Stalin has been making statements without consultations and taking decisions without deliberating with senior leaders like Duraimurugan, AV Velu, K.N. Nehru, Tiruchi Siva, etc. Party insiders also mention that Udhayanidhi Stalin meets district secretaries in private and how he isn’t taking on-board leaders of the alliance partners like Congress and VCK.

There are even allegations that Udhayanidhi is interfering in affairs that Stalin as youth wing secretary never did when DMK stalwart M. Karunanidhi was alive, especially in the matter of appointment and meeting of district secretaries. It is being told by party insiders that senior leaders are unhappy over this interference.

Many who believed that Stalin’s rise as DMK chief would give a new energy to the party cadres are now finding themselves putting up with junior Stalin’s activities. Amidst all these ,the DMK chief is still hoping to sit on the CM’s chair soon.

20,000 people protest in Berlin over coronavirus restrictions

By
Vaibavi Jayakumar
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Over 20,000 people took part in demonstrations against coronavirus restrictions in Berlin on Sunday. There were scattered protests all over the city, following which they converged, batting a blind eye to social distancing norms. The protesters had reportedly called it an ‘End of Pandemic – Day of Freedom’.

The demonstrators spanned a wide range of interest groups, from left to rightwing extremists, including members of the neo-Nazi NPD party and Reichsbürger or Citizens of the Reich – who reject the legitimacy of the German state – as well as followers of QAnon, the rightwing conspiracy theory group, members of the Querdenken or Lateral Thinkers movement, followers of the anti-Islam protest group Pegida, anti-vaxxers and self-declared esotericists. Some individuals said they were not affiliated to any group.

The gathering was broken up by police after repeated warnings over participants’ failure to wear face coverings or keep a 1.5-metre distance from each other were ignored. Police said 133 demonstrators were arrested and 45 officers were injured, with some needing to be hospitalised. Several journalists reported being verbally or physically attacked.

The country’s politicians stand divided over this issue. Although most parties came out in criticism of the protestors, the far-right Alternative für Deutschland (AfD) and the pro-business Free Democrats (FDP) defended them, saying they had the right to protest. Meanwhile, Germany’s infection rate has crept up in the last two weeks to a level not seen since mid-May.

Source: The Guardian

Curfew imposed in Silchar, Assam after stone pelting incident

By
Vaibavi Jayakumar
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Guwahati: Security personnel stand guard near Janta Bhawan during an indefinite curfew clamped by the Assam government following deteriorating law and order situation over the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill 2019; in Guwahati on Dec 12, 2019. (Photo: IANS)

An indefinite curfew has been imposed in Maulgram, Silchar, a border town in Assam, following a stone-pelting incident, instigated by communal violence between two religious groups.

In an order issued to this effect on August 3rd, 2020, the District Magistrate, Keerthi Jalli, said apprehending breach of peace and tranquillity, curfew has been promulgated ‘prohibiting the total movement of persons’ in areas under Malugram Police Outpost of Silchar town with immediate effect.

He has issued the curfew in areas under Malugram police outpost of the town as due to the prevalence of sectarian tension. He said that there was a likelihood of breach of public peace and tranquillity.  “Two groups indulged in pelting stones at each other at Ghoniwala area of Silchar town on Sunday evening. Assam Police, CRPF and other security personnel rushed to the area of the incident and brought the situation under control,” the DM said. However, the order allows the operation of magistrates on duty, police, military and paramilitary forces, health functionaries, including doctors and paramedics.

The police are investigating this issue, and have found that the shops belonging to both groups had been vandalised. The authorities fanned out security personnel across localities to thwart any untoward incident. It was reported that the riots had broken out after people had put up posters of the Ram Mandir Bhumi Pujan, slated to happen on August 5.

 

Muslim litigant of Ram Janmabhoomi case gets invitation for Bhumi Pujan in Ayodhya

By
Vaibavi Jayakumar
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Iqbal Ansari who was one of the main litigants in the Ram Mandir – Babri Masjid case received the invitation for the Ram Mandir Pujan ceremony in Ayodhya.

Iqbal confirmed that he will be attending the event and added that it was Lord Ram’s wish that he receive the first invitation. He was jubilant and said that communal tension between Hindus and Muslims has finally come to an end.

He said, “Yes, I have received the invitation from Shri Ram Janmabhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust for the Bhoomi Pujan ceremony. I will certainly attend it. The dispute is over now after the court’s verdict. I belong to Ayodhya. All this (temple’s construction) will change the fate of Ayodhya. We all want our child to get better opportunities”.

Ansari added that he would be gifting a ‘Ram nami’ stole and a copy of the Ramcharitmanas to Prime Minister Modi, who would be attending the Bhumi Pujan on August 5. He went on to say that he respected sadhus and saints and that he was happy to have received the invitation for the ceremony.

Notably, Iqbal Ansari father Hashim Ansari was the primary litigant of the Babri Masjid title dispute. Iqbal had continued the battle following his father’s passing. However, in the historic verdict of November 2019, the site was handed over to Hindus to build the Ram Mandir.

6 staff members of Karnataka CM BS Yeddyurappa also test positive for coronavirus

By
Vaibavi Jayakumar
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Six staff members from the Chief Minister’s Office in Karnataka have tested positive for coronavirus a day after Chief Minister BS Yediyurappa tested positive for the disease. Mr Yediyurappa was hospitalised late last evening. Karnataka Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa and his daughter Padmavathi tested positive for coronavirus on Sunday. He conveyed this in a brief post on Twitter, he said that he was fine but had been hospitalised on the advice of doctors. Notably, his son had tested negative for the infection. He also requested those in contact with him to self-isolate themselves and get themselves tested if possible.

The Chief Minister had undergone his routine weekly tests when it was confirmed that he had undergone with his staff when he had been tested positive. A staff member at Mr Yediyurappa’s home office, Krishna, had only tested positive early last month. At that time Mr Yediyurappa said: “I am going to discharge my duties from home from today for the next few days in view of some of the staff in the office-cum-residence Krishna testing positive”. Mr Yediyurappa had also met Karnataka Governor Vajubhai Vala in Bengaluru on Friday. State Home Minister Basavaraj Bommai was also present at the meeting.

He is the third major politician to have tested positive for coronavirus since Union Home Minister Amit Shah had tested positive for COVID-19 on Saturday. This was following the corona positive test results of Madhya Pradesh’s Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. Another high-profile politician to have tested positive for coronavirus is Tamilnadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit.

Meanwhile, India recorded 18 lakh coronavirus cases on Monday, with the death toll at 38,135.

 

SpaceX’s Dragon Capsule brings home NASA astronauts from the International Space Station

By
Vaibavi Jayakumar
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NASA astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken ‘splashed down’ in the Gulf of Mexico, south of Pensacola on Florida’s Gulf coast, carried by SpaceX’s Dragon Capsule. They returned from the International Space Station, on the first-ever commercially made and operated aircraft. This could potentially pave the way for another SpaceX launch as early as next year. This mission is not just a new space venture by NASA, but also a trial of a new business model

This new business model is based on the fact that NASA will no longer own the vehicles it uses but will merely purchase the “taxi” service offered by SpaceX henceforth. This comes after the retirement of shuttles by the space agency nine years ago.

This is also the first crewed water landing by NASA, post which a recovery boat had rescued the astronauts who had landed in the Gulf of Mexico by means of a parachute. There were many private boats which came close to the Dragon were asked to leave amid concern over hazardous chemicals venting from the capsule’s propulsion system. NASA administrator Jim Bridenstine said the presence of the boats “was not what we were anticipating”. “What is not common is having passersby approach the vehicle close range with nitrogen tetroxide in the atmosphere; that’s not something that is good,” he said.

SpaceX is to launch the next mission after a 6-week inspection, around September this year, which will spend six months on the space station.

Former IAF Chief BS Dhanoa says Rafale jets will provide India advantage in Tibet

By
The Commune
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The newly acquired generation 4+ Rafale fighter jets will give India a strategic advantage against China in the mountainous region of Tibet, said former Chief of the Indian Air Force (IAF) Chief Marshal (retd) BS Dhanoa, the Indian Express reported.

The former head of the IAF made this statement on Sunday (2 August) and explained that the Rafale fighters will enjoy terrain advantage, destroy enemy air defence and incapacitate the surface-to-air missiles.

Getting deeper into the overall capabilities of the fighter, Dhanoa talked about the electronic warfare suite and manoeuvrability and how Rafale jets will have the advantage in the mountainous terrain in the Tibet to blind the enemy before India’s strike aircraft penetrate hostile airspace to carry out their missions.

The Indian Rafale jets are much more advanced than the ones which are being operated by the French Air Force. When India ordered the jets in 2016, it had asked for the requirement to operate in unique conditions.

Dhanoa was at the helm when the IAF carried out the Balakot airstrikes deep into Pakistan territory and he also said once the IAF receives the S-400 Triumf air defence missile systems from Russia, the combination of Rafale jets will give the IAF a major combat edge in the entire region.

He made it very clear that from now on India’s adversaries will have to think twice before provoking it.

Temple funds misused in Tamil Nadu, Petition filed against HR&CE Minister and Commissioner at Madras HC

By
The Commune
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A petition has been filed at the Madras High Court by the Indic Collective Trust against Tamil Nadu Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Minister and the HR&CE Commissioner for alleged misuse of funds from temples like Mylapore Kapaleeswarar Temple and Mangadu Kamakshi Amman Temple, Swarajya reported.

The Indic Collective Trust represented by TR Ramesh accused both the HR&CE Minister and HR&CE Commissioner of using cars bought from the temple funds of the respective temples for their own purposes.

They had used the temple funds even for fuel expenses.

Justices M M Sundresh and R Hemalatha who heard the petition have now ordered notice to the State government and the HR&CE Commissioner.

Along with this petition, another one filed by Rangarajan Narasimhan was also attached in which Mr. Rangarajan had accused the State government of ordering ₹10 crores to be collected from 20 rich temples in the state to be used for renovating 10,000 village temples. The High Court has issued a stay order with respect to this.

Quoting Mr. TR Ramesh, Swarajya reported that it is unconstitutional for the State to appropriate funds from temples and other religious institutions. He also alleged that the Tamil Nadu government is not following any procedure in utilising the temple funds.

It was also reported that these funds were utilised without seeking public opinion as mandated by the HR&CE Act. Many provisions of the Act itself have been challenged by the Indic Collective Trust at the Supreme Court.

There is also pendency in appointment of nearly 19,000 trustees to the temples as a result of which the government employees themselves are managing the trusts which is against the law.

The HR&CE has also been accused of using temple funds to renovating and repairing its own offices and to buy computers.

Earlier the State government was accused of misappropriating temple funds to execute public infrastructure projects which a brazen violation of the HR&CE Act. Recently, it had also attempted to regularise encroachments on temple lands through an order. However, this was stayed by the Madras High Court. The State government is now trying to vacate the stay saying that the lands are ‘unwanted lands’.

The Tamil Nadu HR&CE has not earned the goodwill of the devotees owing to the large scale corruption and irregularities in the department.

Baloch and Sindh Separatists unite to target China’s expansion in Pakistan

By
The Commune
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As China has increased its presence in the Pakistani states of Balochistan and Sindh, for the expansion of the Belt and Road Initiative projects, Baloch and Sindh separatist groups have announced that they are forming an alliance and plans to attack ‘expansionist Chinese’ in their region the Nikkei Asian Review reported.

The Baloch Raj Aajoi Sangar (BRAS), an umbrella organization comprising of Baloch Liberation Army (BLA), Balochistan Liberation Front (BLF), Baloch Republican Army (BRA), Baloch Republican Guards (BRG), and the Sindudesh Revolutionary Army (SRA) held a meeting at an unidentified location to deliberate on the changing geopolitical situation and to put up a united front against Pakistan.

The statement read, “Sindh and Balochistan are equally affected by the ‘expansionist’ and ‘oppressive’ resolves of China. Through the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), China aims to subjugate Sindh and Balochistan and occupy the coasts and resources from Badin to Gwadar”.

“The participants in the session unanimously agreed that the Sindhi and Baloch nation have had political, historical and cultural ties that have persisted for thousands of years. Currently both nations aim for independence and both consider Pakistan state (Punjab) an arch enemy.”, the statement further added.

Just recently Baloch separatists attacked Pakistan Stock Exchange in Karachi with the support from Sindhi separatists. Security officials in Pakistan now think the alliance between Sindhi insurgents and Bolach fighters will enable them to launch deadlier attacks against the Islamic State of Pakistan.

Prime Minister Imran Khan blamed India for the attack on the Pakistan Stock Exchange, which is practically owned by China.

Balochistan is the largest province in Pakistan and is very crucial for the success of CPEC because it has the Gwadar port and with the Baloch and Sindhi separatists, it could create several hurdles for China and Pakistan to execute their plans.

However, China is very much invested in CPEC, part of the broader BRI. According to Mohan Malik, a professor of strategic studies at the National Defense College of the United Arab Emirates, told the Nikkei Asian Review “As China doubles down on the CPEC infrastructure projects from Kashmir to Karachi and Gwadar, the insurgent forces will seek to raise the costs by launching attacks and raids”.

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