A Kashmiri doctor was allegedly forced to forgo a prestigious super-speciality seat at a Tamil Nadu hospital after being asked to shave his beard, triggering outrage and a call for intervention from the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association.
Dr. Zubair Ahmad, a practicing Muslim from Kashmir, had secured a DrNB (Nephrology) seat at Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital (KMCH), Coimbatore, through NEET-SS second counselling conducted by the National Board of Examinations in Medical Sciences (NBEMS). Upon reporting for admission, he was allegedly told to shave his beard to comply with hospital dress code norms.
National Convenor of the Jammu and Kashmir Students Association Nasir Khuehami said that the hospital was unequivocal in its demand that Dr. Zubair shave or trim his beard in order to enroll. “He was categorically asked to shave or trim his beard to be permitted to study at the super-speciality hospital,” the association’s letter stated.
The J&K Students Association has written to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, terming the incident as “religious discrimination” and a violation of Article 25 of the Constitution, which guarantees freedom of religion. “The hospital’s insistence on a so-called ‘clean-shaven, corporate appearance’ is neither essential to medical education nor aligned with patient care, ethics, or hygiene, the core pillars of the medical profession,” the association argued.
Khuehami added, “Such appearance-based restrictions are not only unnecessary but are also discriminatory and exclusionary. The lack of prior disclosure and the imposition of this requirement after seat allotment is unjust and violates both the spirit and the letter of the Constitution.” The letter further pointed out that had this beard policy been transparently disclosed during the counselling process, Dr. Zubair would not have opted for the institute. “With no alternative left, Dr. Zubair was compelled to withdraw from the programme, despite having secured the seat on an all-India merit basis. He has since requested NBEMS to allow his participation in the third round of counselling and to refund his ₹2 lakh security deposit submitted during the admission process”, it said.
The Association urged CM Stalin to take urgent steps to ensure that religious freedoms are protected across educational and healthcare institutions in Tamil Nadu. “We request your intervention to discourage discriminatory institutional policies that infringe upon constitutional rights and to help restore the confidence of students and professionals who look up to Tamil Nadu as a beacon of progress, tolerance, and justice,” the letter stated.
-IANS
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The family members of the 13-year-old girl, who was killed in a bomb blast at Kaliganj in West Bengal’s Nadia district, have refused the compensation extended by Trinamool Congress legislator. The parents of the minor girl said they would go to extremes, including approaching the Calcutta High Court for an investigation by a central agency.
“We have our farmland. We do not need any money. All we want is that my daughter gets justice and her killers are punished appropriately,” the victim’s mother said. She also made it clear that the refusal of any compensation was not just in relation to anything offered by the state government but also from any leader of Trinamool Congress, either in the individual capacity of that leader or on behalf of the party.
On 25 June evening, a former Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and Trinamool Congress legislator from Debra Assembly constituency in West Midnapore district, Dr Humayun Kabir, reached the residence of the victim and offered her mother an amount on behalf of a voluntary organisation that he claimed to be associated with. However, the victim’s mother refused to accept the money and told the ruling party legislator that her only aim now was to get justice for her daughter and ensure punishment for the culprits and not any compensation.
So far, five persons have been arrested in connection with the killing of the minor girl, Tamanna Khatun. The victim’s family members and the local people have alleged that the minor girl was killed after being hit by splinters of a bomb that was hurled during a victory procession of the ruling Trinamool Congress to celebrate the victory of its party candidate Alifa Ahmed in Kaliganj bypolls, the results of which were declared on 23 June.
The victim’s mother accused the investigating officials of the district police of ignoring the political angle behind the event of hurling bombs from the victory procession, exclusively targeting her residence, in which her daughter was killed. She said that her residence was specially targeted since her entire family is ideologically inclined to and was actively associated with the CPI-M for a long time.
Secondly, she questioned how just five persons have been arrested so far, despite around 40 to 50 bombs being hurled targeting her residence within a short period, which was not possible by just four miscreants. On 24 June, the National Commission for Women (NCW) took suo motu cognisance of the case and sought answers to some queries in the matter from the Krishnanagar District Superintendent of Police, Amarnath K, under whose jurisdiction Kaliganj comes.
-IANS
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After four years, a prime absconding accused in the killing of a BJP worker, Abhijit Sarkar, in the 2021 post-poll violence was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on 26 June 2025.
The arrested person was identified as Arun Dey, for whom the CBI had earlier announced a reward of ₹50,000. He was one of the five main accused persons in the murder of Sarkar, a resident of the Kankurgachi area in North Kolkata, during the violence that broke out after the 2021 West Bengal Assembly election. Sources said Dey was finally arrested on Thursday from a secret hideout in the North 24 Parganas district of West Bengal. However, further details on the matter are still awaited.
Four other prime accused persons in the case, namely Sukhdeo Podder a.k.a. Sukha, Gopal Das a.k.a. Vishal, Amit and Biswajit Das a.k.a. Bomba, are still absconding. All five of them were identified as Trinamool Congress strongmen in the area and were also known as close confidants of the ruling party legislator from Belegahta Assembly constituency in North Kolkata, Paresh Paul and Trinamool Congress councillor in Kolkata Municipal Corporation (KMC), Swapan Samaddar.
Paul has already been questioned by the CBI sleuths in this connection. However, his name was not in the charge sheet filed by the CBI in the matter, which angered the family members of the slain BJP worker. To recall, Abhijit Sarkar was killed on 2 May 2021, soon after the results of the 2021 Assembly elections were declared, where Trinamool Congress bagged a landslide victory. The CBI took over the investigation from the Kolkata Police following an order of the Calcutta High Court.
In September 2021, a trial court in Kolkata declared the five accused absconders. Thereafter, CBI declared a reward of ₹50,000 on each of them. Finally, after over four years, one of the five accused and absconding persons has been arrested by the CBI sleuths. He might be presented at a special court in Kolkata later in the day, and the CBI counsel is expected to seek his custody for further interrogation, sources said.
-IANS
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A typical leftist who is also a woke feminist, singer Chinmayi, is once again in the news. This time she was caught red handed spreading fake news and despite multiple confirmations from other netizens, she did not delete her post on social media platform X.
What Was The Post About?
On 23 June 2025, Chinmayi shared a post about a Scheduled Caste (Dalit) family that was boycotted socially by the villagers in Balasore district in Odisha, after the family refused to marry off their minor daughter. Here’s what Chinmayi wrote as the caption to the news clipping – “Why we are sh*t.”
In short, Chinmayi had already made the assumption that it was “upper class” villagers who boycotted the family.
The post she shared was from The Observer Post, a known leftist handle.
What Was The Truth?
In reality, Chinmayi did not bother to find out or read further that the family was boycotted by other Dalits in the village which is a Dalit hamlet in the first place!
When netizens confronted her with the truth, she simply wrote, “I’ll wait for someone to fact check this.”
Some even shared news links about the village and the issue, however, she did not bother to take down her post nor fact check on her own.
As per a report in Siasat.com, the report read, “When Siasat.com reached out to the police, they denied all claims, saying the complaint was motivated by a recent dispute between Prasant and the head of the village. The police informed that Prasant used to take water from Pradeep’s water cellar for agricultural purposes, but refused to pay him money for it. The police also alleged that Prasant’s daughter, then 14, had eloped with the man willingly was not kidnapped. They also informed that the man is now married and has a son. The police say the boycott is only a few days old, unlike the three years as claimed by a few media reports.”
Another report claims, the issue is only 3 months old.
In toto, it was an internal dispute that was recent and blown up by the media to make it look like some caste discrimination by villainous upper caste villagers on the poor family. Discrimination based on caste is wrong, especially in today’s day and age, but that does not mean one can amplify fake news without doing a basic fact check.
As expected, other self-proclaimed “Dalit” handles alone shared the news, as below:
Netizens slammed her for not checking before posting sensitive news such as these and called out her hypocrisy in hurrying to post anything about marginalized families while painting the upper castes as villains, when reality is otherwise.
Her post is still available on X, and we think it will take an eternity for Chinmayi to understand she has been factchecked multiple times over the past few days.
It is noteworthy that even in the Kalakshetra issue, Chinmayi was too eager to pin down all the blame on the alleged perpetrator – all the while basing her arguments on the flimsy allegation on a teacher in the institution.
Posting without verifying facts and letting such posts remain despite being fact checked is a hallmark of leftists, Chinmayi has morphed into a true-blue leftist – reminds us of the Rajinikanth dialogue in the film Chandramukhi where he tells his friend Saravanan (played by Prabhu) “Look at your wife Ganga, who has morphed fully into Chandramukhi, the dancer.”
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As the nation observes 50th anniversary of Emergency, imposed by the then Indira Gandhi government on June 25, 1975, it also marks a moment to recall the contributions and sacrifices of those who fought against the ‘murder’ of democracy and the suspension of civil liberties and fundamental rights of citizens for more than 20 months.
Modi Story, a popular social media handle on X, has documented some details of the darkest hours of Emergency and also how a young Narendra Modi struggled to defend democracy and safeguard the Constitution as a ‘ground worker’. The X handle also shared some inspiring instances from the dark era, when Narendra Modi juggled between different roles to strengthen people’s faith in democracy and rally students to stand up against the state oppression.
It shared videos of some ‘defenders of democracy’ who worked with young Modi and narrated stories of how he concealed his identity during the Emergency and kept rallying the students to stand up against the dictatorship. Vijay Rajpal, who met Modi for the first time in 1973 at the RSS office in Ahmedabad, recalled that Narendra Modi once took shelter at his house, and it was here that he learnt the art of wearing turban to avoid police lens.
“Narendra Bhai was under the watch of Gujarat police then because of his association with mass movement against Emergency. We went to Chandni Chowk area, where he bought turban and went to Gujarat disguising himself as Sardar,” he recalled. Prakash Mehta, an NRI citizen currently living in Australia, recalled the days of their resistance against Emergency under the banner of ‘Navnirman movement’.
“Police were not allowed inside the campus. We worked as underground workers from this place. Narendra Modi rallied students to stand up against the Emergency. He held secret meetings in hostels and encouraged them to spread the message through graffiti in public spaces. To evade police and act swiftly, he gave them an innovative idea — making steel stencils to spray ‘Emergency Hatao’ in just two minutes!” he recounted.
Daxesh Mehta, former Councillor in Gujarat, also reminisced the days of fightback against Emergency, where he along with young Narendra Modi worked to contribute to the movement against Emergency.
“During the peak of the Emergency, key documents and literature often had to be moved from the RSS office in Ahmedabad — which was under constant police surveillance. To avoid detection, Modi would send young boys to carry them, instead of older men, slipping past street checks unnoticed. A seemingly small task, but it reflected a young Modi’s foresight and strategic clarity even under intense pressure,” he shared in video message. Swami Govind Dev Giri Mahraj, a seer of Shri Ram Janambhoomi Tirth Kshetra Trust disclosed that not many know that during the Emergency, Narendra Modi spent several weeks in solitude, meditating at the Garudeshwar Mandir. One of the anecdotes refers to young Modi’s role as ‘food transporter’.
Nirmal Motwani, a resident of Surat recalled: “One of Narendra Modi’s key responsibilities during the Emergency was looking after the families of jailed karyakartas. On one occasion, the wife of an imprisoned karyakarta requested him to deliver some home-cooked food to her husband. Modi agreed — and despite the constant threat of arrest, he personally went to the jail and delivered the food!”
–IANS
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While Dravidianist actor Karthi, whose children reportedly go to elite international schools, showered praise on Tamil Nadu’s School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh portraying government schools as thriving under his leadership — his remarks appear more like political appeasement toward the DMK’s first family than a reflection of reality. On the ground, the condition of government schools in Tamil Nadu tells a very different story. In just the span of two days, multiple alarming incidents were reported across the state: students caught using drugs and even assaulting a teacher who tried to intervene; school toilets being used as kitchens to cook mid-day meals due to lack of infrastructure; and a breakfast program so poorly managed that children were served meals contaminated with lizards. These troubling events cast a harsh spotlight on the actual state of public education in Tamil Nadu far removed from the glowing endorsements of celebrity supporters.
In just two days, multiple disturbing reports have surfaced from different districts across the state.
One such incident took place at the Panruti Government Boys Higher Secondary School in Cuddalore district, where students were allegedly caught using drugs such as Ganja and created ruckus on campus. When a teacher tried to intervene, he was attacked with stones by the students. The shocking event has prompted the public to demand strict measures to curb drug use among students and to provide proper counseling services.
In another case from Ramanathapuram district, the Panchayat Union Higher Secondary School in Thirupalaikudi, R.S.Mangalam Taluk, faces a severe lack of basic facilities. Despite having thousands of students enrolled, the school lacks functioning toilets. Even more alarmingly, the space near the defunct toilets is being used as a kitchen to prepare midday meals. As a result, female students, especially, face serious discomfort and hygiene issues. Local residents have called on the authorities to immediately intervene and ensure that the school is operated under proper conditions, with adequate facilities for cooking and sanitation.
Speaking to the media, a social activist named Thangaraj said, “There’s a higher secondary school in Thirupalaikudi Panchayat, R.S.Mangalam Taluk. Thousands of students are studying there today, but if you see it lacks proper toilet facilities. The very place where students go for toilet is used to cook the midday meals. The cooking area is a toilet. This is causing a lot of hardship for the people, especially the girl students who don’t have proper restrooms. It’s not just the absence of toilets; the cooking area itself doubles as a toilet. We urge the local administration and officials to immediately address this issue and ensure the Thirupalaikudi Government Higher Secondary School operates properly. There are many shortcomings, and we request that they all be resolved.”
Meanwhile, in Anaivari village near Thiruvennainallur in Villupuram district, a deeply troubling food safety lapse occurred at the Panchayat Union Primary School. Over 50 students fell ill after consuming breakfast that allegedly contained a lizard. Several students started vomiting and fainted shortly after eating. They were promptly taken to the nearby Kalpattu Government Primary Health Centre for treatment. Following the incident, two temporary kitchen staff were dismissed, and an investigation has been launched by the School Education Department under the Assistant SSA Project Director.
These incidents collectively cast a grim shadow on the claims of excellence in Tamil Nadu’s public education system. Despite political praise and curated narratives, the lived experiences of students in government schools highlight systemic negligence, poor infrastructure, and lapses in student safety and welfare.
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On 11 and 13 May 1998, India made history under the leadership of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee by successfully conducting nuclear tests in Pokhran, Rajasthan. The event marked India’s formal emergence as a nuclear weapons state. However, interestingly, not everyone in Parliament welcomed the move. The Congress, especially, was totally against this move.
In a session in Parliament, Congress MP P Chidambaram makes a near half-hour speech urging the NDA government to “abjure weaponization”. He also said there was a “cynical manipulative agenda behind this testing”.
Let’s take a deeper look at his statements in Parliament.
“Vanity Project” and “Cynical Agenda”
In perhaps his harshest criticism, Chidambaram accused the Vajpayee government of triggering a dangerous arms race for electoral gains. He said, “India would have incurred an unbearable cost just to satisfy the vanity of a political party which is a quiet part after the election.”
He went on to suggest that the nuclear tests were a “cynical” ploy to generate nationalist sentiment before elections, not a well-thought-out defense strategy.
Congress Opposed Weaponization, Not Just Timing
While Congress claimed to support the scientific achievements behind the Pokhran tests, Chidambaram made it crystal clear that they opposed the weaponization of India’s nuclear capability. He said, “We are opposed to weaponization, we are opposed to building a nuclear arsenal, we are opposed to inducting nuclear weapons, we are opposed to taking India into an arms race.”
This is not a disagreement over process or transparency; this is a categorical rejection of the national security direction India chose under the Vajpayee government.
Fearmongering About Arms Race
Chidambaram argued that the tests would push India into a perilous arms race with Pakistan and China, claiming that, “You have made both your major neighbours sworn enemies as a result of what you did… and what will they do? They will acquire air defense systems… missiles… and even seek a nuclear umbrella.”
He likened India’s decision to the Cold War’s “Star Wars” arms race, ignoring that India was merely asserting its sovereignty in a volatile neighbourhood, not initiating global hegemony. He said, “You have made both your major neighbors sworn enemies as a result of what you did on lemons and the 13th of May and what will they do they will acquire air defense systems as a scientist can see some of your scientists think that we can get over their air different systems which means they will acquire air different systems which can get over your missiles which can get over your current air defense systems they will acquire surface-to-air missiles they will acquire air-to-air missiles they may even ask superpowers to provide them a nuclear umbrella and then what will you do you will then acquire missiles which can get over their new air defense systems precisely the kind of arms race which Mark the core this is precisely the scenario of Star Wars which the world debunked and criticized and condemned what you are doing in this South Asian theater is a smaller version of the Star Wars in which Russia Soviet Union and the U.S engaged for 30 years and which invited the condemnation of the whole world.”
Claimed 1974 Tests Different From 1998
Trying to prove that the nuclear tests under Indira Gandhi were different, Chidambaram said, “We don’t make a bomb and keep it the basement. Mr Jagmohan asked Mr Natwar Singh what was the difference between 1974 and 1998? The difference was this, Indira Gandhi tested, she did not utter the word weaponization’ you tested and before the mushroom cloud died down, your ministers were talking about weaponization, about mounting warheads and missiles, about an unfinished agenda, about Hot Pursuit, about a fourth War.”
Accusations of “Invented Threats”
Chidambaram even went as far as to accuse the Vajpayee government of manufacturing threats from China. He said, “China was no threat on the 18th of March, China was no threat on the 19th of March, China was no threat on the 8th of April, China was no threat on the 11th or the 13th of May, you have invented a threat in China”
He also said, “China was no threat to India; the last war with China was fought 36 years ago and the circumstances under which that War began and concluded are still surrounded in controversy; the last war with Pakistan was fought 27 years ago.”
This statement has not aged well. Today, with Chinese incursions in Galwan, Doklam, and the PLA’s military buildup in Arunachal Pradesh, Chidambaram’s dismissive tone about the China threat appears dangerously naïve. Additionally, Pakistani soldiers and militants infiltrated into Kashmir (beyond LoC) in 1999 and today, we have the ongoing Operation Sindoor apart from many other terrorist attacks that have been ably aided by the Pakistani Army.
He further said, “Weaponization, induction of this weapon into the Armed Forces, mounting weapons and missiles and aircraft developing missiles to deliver it into enemy territory, these are very serious subjects on which I do not believe your government has a mandate to take a unilateral decision.”
Undermining Strategic Autonomy
Rather than applauding India’s assertion of sovereignty in an unequal global nuclear order, Chidambaram argued, “Possessing nuclear weapons is simply inconsistent with the moral authority that India had acquired over the last 30 years to tell the world that our goal is a nuclear weapon-free state; if you’re seriously a weapon-free world, I urge you I most humbly urge you abjure weaponization until there is a full and proper debate in this country and this parliament of the need to acquire nuclear weapons and to induct them into the Armed Forces it is simply inconsistent it cuts at the very root of our commitment to a nuclear weapon-free state to acquire a whole arsenal of nuclear weapons.”
The Congress position ignored India’s decades-long struggle for recognition as a legitimate nuclear power and instead clung to abstract moralism, a luxury most sovereign nations, especially those surrounded by hostile neighbours, cannot afford.
Congress Wanted Delay, Not Deterrence
Chidambaram claimed that the government had “violated” its own promise of conducting a Strategic Defence Review before any nuclear decision. He mocked the decision to proceed with testing just weeks after Vajpayee assumed power, insinuating that politics and not national interest drove the decision. He said, “You have not discovered a new threat; you invented one.”
Yet, the need for credible deterrence wasn’t new. India had kept the nuclear option open since 1974, and the regional environment post-1998 vindicated Vajpayee’s urgency.
Congress Favoured Signing the CTBT
Chidambaram said he felt betrayed that the opposition was not taken into confidence with regard to the tests. He said, “My fear is that from this point of time this government can take one of three roads. One is a road to a local limited War and I think there are people in this government who would actively canvas to travel down that road. The other is the road to sign the CTBT, there are statements by a number of people including the principal secretary to the prime minister that we are willing to negotiate and accept aspects of the CTBT. I think we should have a full-scale debate on the meaning of that statement. The CTBT is not open to negotiation, it is only open to signature; 149 countries have already signed, and you can sign it up to September ’99. It does not provide for negotiation and who will you negotiate with, who was offered to negotiate CTBT with you. So, the second Road therefore means the road which France and China took; do a few tests acquire some political advantage and quietly sign the CTBT which means all the carefully constructed arguments of the last five years that we will not sign the CTBT will lie in a shambles. The Third Road is a road to elections. Since I do not believe that you have the courage to take us to a war and since I do not believe that you have the skills to negotiate a CTBT, I’m afraid you are cynically taking us to the road to an election. We’re not afraid, we’re only sad, if that is your real agenda say so.”
This would have permanently capped India’s nuclear posture and denied it a credible deterrent — a decision that would have severely impacted India’s long-term strategic parity with China.
A Divisive Stand
Perhaps the most telling line of Chidambaram’s speech was his closing remark, “For the first time in India’s history, India’s foreign policy and nuclear policy, which hitherto enjoyed unprecedented consensus, stand fractured.”
That fracture was caused by the Congress party, not by the tests. By refusing to rise above partisan calculations, Congress broke ranks on one of the most significant moments in India’s post-independence history.
The 1998 Pokhran tests were not just a technological triumph — they were a moment of civilizational assertion. In opposing them, the Congress Party revealed its discomfort with strong nationalist posturing and its preference for global approval over sovereign assertion.
Today, when many Congress leaders attempt to claim credit for India’s nuclear capabilities or wrap themselves in the tricolor of nationalism, their 1998 record speaks otherwise.
Did you know that former PM Rajiv Gandhi championed the cause of nuclear disarmament?
At a time when China had become a nuclear power and Pakistan was stealthily advancing its nuclear weapons programme with covert international support, Rajiv Gandhi chose to champion global nuclear disarmament.
In 1988, he presented an Action Plan for a Nuclear-Weapons-Free and Non-Violent World Order at the United Nations General Assembly. While idealistic in tone, the plan was seen by many as disconnected from India’s strategic necessities amid an increasingly hostile neighborhood.
“India remains convinced that its security would be strengthened in a nuclear weapon free and non-violent world order,” the plan stated. “We are prepared to negotiate a global No-First-Use treaty… Our proposal for a Convention banning the use of nuclear weapons remains on the table.”
While India’s moral commitment to non-proliferation was commendable, this disarmament push during an era of nuclear arms build-up in both China and Pakistan signaled strategic naïveté rather than pragmatic leadership. Critics say such posturing weakened India’s bargaining position and gave adversaries room to maneuver. Critics argue this emboldened Islamabad’s asymmetric warfare, culminating in Kargil (1999) and 26/11 (2008).
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After the propaganda around Keeladi, the Dravidianists seem to be upping the ante on propaganda around Sanskrit and government funding.
An article in Hindustan Times stated that the central government spent “₹2532.59 crore on the promotion of Sanskrit between 2014-15 and 2024-25, 17 times the combined spending of ₹147.56 crore on the other five classical Indian languages – Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia, according to the data obtained by Hindustan Times through a RTI application and from public records.”
The central government spent ₹2532.59 crore on the promotion of Sanskrit between 2014-15 and 2024-25, 17 times the combined spending of ₹147.56 crore on the other five classical Indian languages –– Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia, according to the data obtained by… pic.twitter.com/dzpjbrZbtN
The truth, however, is that these numbers largely reflect the operational costs of three central Sanskrit universities, originally established during the Congress-led UPA era, with annual budgets of ₹150–₹200 crore. These universities alone account for over ₹1,500 crore of the total Sanskrit spending.
Unlike Sanskrit, regional language institutions are usually established and run by state governments, with central support extended through bodies like the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL) and the Central Institute of Classical Tamil (CICT) in Chennai. Funding discrepancies are not a new phenomenon. Under the UPA, similar patterns existed: for instance, in 2009–10, Sanskrit received ₹120.58 crore while Tamil received ₹9.75 crore. In 2011–12, Sanskrit was allocated ₹134.58 crore versus ₹9.36 crore for Tamil, yet the DMK, with six ministers in the cabinet, did not protest the imbalance.
The Tamil University in Thanjavur remains the only dedicated classical Tamil institution in the state and was founded by M.G. Ramachandran, not the DMK. Despite this, Dravidian parties continue to demand increased central funding without initiating substantial academic infrastructure or programs themselves.
While accusations of central bias persist, the data suggests long-standing structural factors, not a targeted exclusion. Unless similar universities for classical Tamil and other languages are centrally established, the Sanskrit funding gap will remain. Critics argue that political rhetoric has overshadowed practical efforts to strengthen Tamil as an academic and economic asset.
Dravidianist Journo Peddles Same Propaganda
Amid this, Dravidianist and DMK supporting ‘journalist’ known for peddling their propaganda and lies also amplified this report. On his X handle, he wrote, “Centre spent ₹2532.59 crore on the promotion of Sanskrit between 2014-15 and 2024-25, 17 times the combined spending of ₹147.56 crore on the other five classical Indian languages –– Tamil, Telugu, Kannada, Malayalam and Odia.” and shared the article link.
Arvind Gunasekar – The Dravidianist Buttresser
Apart from peddling Pakistani propaganda during Operation Sindoor, he has always buttressed the DMK and amplified all types of fake news if it matters even a little bit to the ruling DMK. Here are a few instances where he did the same.
Twisted Facts To Defend DMK Govt Not Following SOP Of National Anthem
In the wake of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s walkout from the Assembly over the omission of the National Anthem at the session’s start on 6 January 2025, journalist Arvind Gunasekar drew criticism for defending the state government’s stance. Gunasekar argued that the Assembly followed tradition by playing the state song, Tamil Thai Vaazhthu, first and the National Anthem at the end. However, Gunasekar was actually feigning ignorance to constitutional protocol, which mandates playing the National Anthem at both the beginning and end of the Governor’s address. The Governor’s office condemned the omission as disrespectful to national symbols. Gunasekar’s claims, including that the Speaker is the sole authority in the Assembly and that the Governor sought to boycott the session, were constitutionally incorrect and misleading.
Buttressed VCK MP Thirumavalavan Over His Rubbing Off Vibhuti From Forehead
A few days ago, a video of VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan wiping off vibhuti from his forehead in front of a camera, moments before posing for a selfie, sparked controversy online, with critics accusing him of calculated religious posturing to appease minority sentiments. Although he had accepted vibhuti and a garland during a temple visit, his deliberate removal of the ash drew sharp criticism, especially after photos emerged showing him at a dargah wearing a skullcap. Arvind Gunasekar defended Thirumavalavan, dismissing the backlash with a sarcastic remark: “So, one can’t wipe their own face in ‘New India’?” This response drew further criticism for his hypocrisy, with detractors accusing Gunasekar of acting as a spokesperson for the DMK-Congress-Left ecosystem while selectively targeting the BJP.
Hyped Up DMK Coimbatore MP Candidate As Doctorate In Journalism, Ph.D Thesis Was On Jayalalithaa
In April 2024, a video of an interview with DMK’s Coimbatore LS candidate Ganapathy Rajkumar was shared on social media. This prompted journalist Arvind Gunasekar to praise him as a “calm and composed” leader with a “PhD in Journalism.” However, this claim drew scrutiny from netizens, who discovered that Rajkumar’s doctoral thesis was actually titled “Emergence of Jayalalithaa as a Mass Leader.” Completed in 2015 at Bharathiar University, the thesis analyzed Jayalalithaa’s leadership through public perception surveys and praised her political acumen, even drawing comparisons to global female leaders. Rajkumar’s open admiration for the late AIADMK leader, including reportedly performing a Gaja Puja for her after completing his PhD, sparked online mockery, especially since he is now contesting as a DMK candidate against AIADMK. Gunasekar’s endorsement was ridiculous and exposed his sycophancy of both the thesis and his love for the DMK.
Buttressing Max For DMK Govt Even As People Suffered Amid Rains
In October 2024, as Chennai was grappling with waterlogging, and road closures following heavy rains, Arvind Gunasekar praised the DMK government’s handling of the deluge, calling it well-coordinated and crediting political leadership for improved preparedness. In a post on X, he claimed that flooding was less severe than in previous years and that people “should not be scared of NEM anymore.” However, many residents reported continued flooding, inundated homes, and poor drainage across key areas like Kolathur, Velachery, and Pallikaranai. Gunasekar’s enthusiastic praise ignored on-ground realities and served more to bolster the government’s image than reflect actual conditions. Despite the DMK’s claims of having spent ₹4,000 crore on stormwater systems, persistent issues highlighted chronic infrastructure failures and poor planning.
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In a remarkable contrast to typical public gatherings especially in Tamil Nadu, the recently held Murugan Devotees Conference in Madurai organized by the Hindu Munnani has received widespread praise not only for its massive turnout but also for the discipline and cleanliness maintained throughout the event. What stood out even more was an unexpected observation from TASMAC employees that liquor sales remained unchanged during the conference, unlike the usual surge seen during political rallies or other public events.
Typically, large-scale political meetings in Madurai bring in thousands of people, many of whom are transported in buses and vans arranged by organizers. Often, such gatherings involve daily-wage attendees, mobilized by agents. These events usually lead to increased liquor consumption, evident in the heavy sales at TASMAC outlets, and leave behind a trail of litter plastic waste and empty liquor bottles scattered across the grounds.
However, during the recent Murugan Devotees Conference, things unfolded very differently. Despite a crowd of lakhs, the venue remained pristine. No liquor bottles, no plastic trash just a well-managed, clean space. Even after the event ended, volunteers from Hindu Munnani and other groups stayed behind to clean and organize the area. By the next morning, Amma Thidal, the venue was spotless, with all chairs neatly arranged and not a trace of the massive crowd that had gathered.
No TASMAC Sales?
TASMAC officials confirmed that they anticipated a spike in liquor sales, as is usually the case during such large gatherings. Shops in both divisions of Madurai—North and South—had stocked up in expectation. Yet, the sales data told a different story. On 14 and 15 June 2025 – 9,415 and 10,900 bottles were sold, respectively. On 21 and 22 June 2025, which coincided with the conference, the sales were 9,140 and 11,200 bottles—figures that show no significant increase.
TASMAC officials remarked, “Normally, political events lead to a noticeable jump in liquor sales in the surrounding areas. But during the Murugan devotees’ gathering, we saw no such spike. The devotees stayed away from liquor shops, reflecting the event’s spiritual focus and disciplined crowd. If this had been a political rally, the revenue from alcohol sales would have been substantially higher.”
Aside from TASMAC outlets, around 80 private establishments—clubs, bars, and hotels—operating in the Madurai district also reported no noticeable rise in liquor sales during the event.
This disciplined and dignified behavior by Hindu devotees has set a new benchmark for public gatherings, both in terms of crowd conduct and cleanliness. It has highlighted the difference between faith-driven events and typical political mobilizations, with the former emphasizing spiritual focus and social responsibility over indulgence.
Students from Tamil Nadu who were evacuated from Israel under Operation Sindhu have voiced concerns that the Tamil Nadu state government failed to make any arrangements for their travel from Delhi to their respective hometowns.
Amid ongoing tensions between Iran and Israel, the Indian government launched Operation Sindhu to safely evacuate its citizens from the conflict zones. Among those rescued were five students from Tamil Nadu who had been pursuing their studies in Israel. These students expressed gratitude to the central government, particularly Prime Minister Narendra Modi, for ensuring their safe return to India.
However, they criticized the Tamil Nadu government for not assisting them with their onward journey from Delhi. According to the students, after arriving in the capital, they were left to fend for themselves without any state-supported arrangements, including the lack of flight tickets. After traveling for three days, they had to cover the cost of their own air travel to reach Coimbatore.
In their statements to the media, the students shared their frustration over the lack of support, highlighting the challenges they faced upon their return. The five students arrived at Coimbatore airport safely by flight 24 June 2025 evening.
One of the students speaking to the media said, “We reached Kuwait after a lot of difficulties. We arrived in Kuwait from Amman (Jordan). After we arrived, we were put on a flight from Kuwait and were on our way to Delhi when suddenly, Qatar’s airspace was closed. Because of that, we were sent back to Kuwait. From there, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs helped us a lot again. We are very grateful to the central government for that. Then, as soon as we arrived back in Delhi, the Tamil Nadu government came to pick us up. But the problem was, they weren’t able to help us properly this time. They said they would arrange train travel for us. However, our journey had started at 3 AM on a Sunday, and after all the hardships we faced, undertaking another train journey of three or four days was impossible for us. We were in a difficult situation, so we asked them to arrange flight tickets for us. But they couldn’t do that. They were unable to help us this time, and that’s a bit disappointing for us.”
He added, “Last Thursday, when we contacted the Indian Ministry of External Affairs in Israel, they immediately helped us. We were the first to be evacuated. The Indian central government greatly assisted us in crossing the borders from Jordan and Egypt.”
Another female student expressed appreciation for the Indian government while criticizing the DMK-led state administration, stating that they hadn’t received the same level of support as in previous years. She remarked, “A big thanks to the Indian government! However, the last time we came, the Tamil Nadu government had arranged flights from Delhi to Tamil Nadu. But this time, no one arranged anything. We had to book our own tickets after arriving here. Last time, there were about 50-60 of us from Tamil Nadu, and they even dropped everyone off at their homes. This time, the Tamil Nadu government did come to the airport, but they only offered to book train tickets if we wanted them. It would take three days to reach here from Delhi by train.”
Another student, recounting his experience of being stranded in the conflict zone, said, “Like our friends said, we were all quite scared because bombs were falling very close to where we were staying. We were always in bunkers, only coming out to eat or in emergencies. We were in a very difficult situation. Even though the Indian government rescued us and brought us out, it wasn’t easy at all; we faced many hardships. We spent a full day traveling through Jordan. Then, we went to Kuwait and faced many difficulties there as well. We’re happy to have finally made it back, despite everything we went through.”
Operation Sindhu
On 24 June 2025, India successfully evacuated over 1,100 citizens from Iran and Israel amid escalating tensions between the two nations, raising the total number of people brought home under Operation Sindhu to 3,170.
From Israel, 594 Indians were repatriated, with the Indian Air Force deploying C-17 heavy-lift aircraft to airlift more than 400 individuals who had first been transported by land to neighboring Jordan and Egypt. An additional 161 Indians who had reached Amman, the capital of Jordan, by road were flown back to New Delhi via a chartered flight.
In parallel efforts from Iran, India evacuated 573 citizens along with three Sri Lankan and two Nepalese nationals using two chartered flights, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).
With these latest operations, the total number of Indians evacuated from Iran alone has reached 2,576. Since the initiation of Operation Sindhu following the flare-up in hostilities between Iran and Israel, India has now rescued 3,170 of its nationals from both conflict zones.
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