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TN Doctors Turn To Gig Jobs – The Hidden Cost Of Dravidian Model Anti-Hindi Politics

By
The Commune
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Tamil Nadu, once a beacon of medical excellence in India, is confronting a severe crisis as its highly qualified doctors, trapped by low wages and scarce opportunities, are being forced to abandon their profession for gig economy jobs. The situation has ignited a fierce debate over whether the state’s political aversion to other Indian languages, particularly Hindi, is now crippling the career mobility of its own medical graduates.

The plight of the medical community was starkly highlighted when veteran surgeon Dr Jaison Philip revealed his take-home salary after nearly 30 years of service, and 275 kidney transplants is just ₹1.3 lakh. He alleged that corruption and a system that prioritizes profit over patients have broken the medical ecosystem.

An MBBS graduate begins at ₹15,000–30,000 a month, and by age 30, many barely reach ₹30,000, after spending 8–10 years studying medicine. Even specialists earn ₹60,000, and superspecialists ₹90,000, if they find a job at all. This testimony of Dr Jaison Philip was supported by a 28-year-old MBBS graduate who now works as a food delivery agent, hiding his reality from his parents who took huge loans for his education.

While the state government claims it has achieved “zero-vacancy” in existing posts, critics point out that the number of government medical posts has remained stagnant at 19,000 for two decades, while 5,000 new doctors graduate every year. This has created a massive pool of unemployed or severely underpaid medical talent.

Language Barrier Compounds Crisis, Limits Migration

A critical dimension of this crisis, often overlooked, is the linguistic barrier. As doctors in states like Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, and Madhya Pradesh command respectable incomes, Tamil Nadu’s medics find themselves geographically stranded. The state’s political climate, which has historically championed Tamil pride while often displaying hostility towards other Indian languages, has resulted in a generation of doctors who are not equipped to practice in neighboring states where higher-paying jobs may be available.

Political observers note that while the “Dravidian model” espouses social justice, its linguistic insularity is having an unintended economic consequence. By not ensuring medical graduates are proficient in at least one other major Indian language, the model is effectively limiting their employment horizons to Tamil Nadu’s saturated market. It is counterproductive for professionals to shun a language like Hindi and then find themselves stuck in a state with a salary lower than what a marketing agent in a metropolitan city might earn.

Systemic Failures and a Glimmer of Hope

The crisis is multifaceted. Senior doctors speak of the “corporatization of healthcare,” where boardrooms discuss revenue over patient recovery, and small clinics are suffocated by regulations and competition from corporate hospitals.

Despite the grim scenario, many young doctors are now taking matters into their own hands. Recognizing that opportunity lies beyond the state’s borders, a growing number are proactively learning new languages and preparing for licensing exams to practice in other Indian states or abroad. Their struggle is not just for a job, but to reclaim the dignity of a profession they once dreamed of joining.

(Source: DTNext)

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While DMK & Dravidianists Peddle Hate Against Biharis, Bihar’s Youngest BJP MLA Maithili Thakur Captures Hearts With A Beautiful Rendition Of Kannana Kanne Song

By
The Commune
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While DMK & Dravidianists Peddle Hate Against Biharis, Bihar's Youngest BJP MLA Maithili Thakur Captures Hearts With A Beautiful Rendition Of Kannana Kanne Song

As sections of the Dravidian political class in Tamil Nadu compete to see who can coin the ugliest slur for “Vadakkans”, a 25-year-old woman from Bihar has quietly done more for cultural harmony than all their rhetoric put together.

Maithili Thakur, a celebrated folk and classical singer who has just become Bihar’s youngest MLA from Alinagar on a BJP ticket, is going viral again in Tamil social media circles, not for a speech, but for her soulful rendition of “Kannana Kanney” from Ajith Kumar’s blockbuster Viswasam.

The same Tamil song she sang back in 2020 as a young girl during the COVID pandemic has now resurfaced as she steps into public life, and the contrast could not be sharper: while a young Bihari woman embraces Tamil language and music with respect and affection, prominent Dravidian leaders in Tamil Nadu have spent years demeaning Biharis, Hindi speakers, and North Indian migrants as pigs, panipuri sellers, toilet cleaners, and fools.

A Bihari MLA Who Sings Tamil, Not Slanders Tamils

Maithili Thakur’s rise has been straightforward and clean:
a gifted singer from Bihar, widely loved on social media for her bhajans, classical pieces and multilingual covers, she joined the BJP earlier this year and was fielded from Alinagar in Darbhanga. She went on to defeat RJD’s Binod Mishra by over 11,000 votes, making history as Bihar’s youngest MLA and the first BJP winner from that seat.

For many Tamil users, the discovery that this flawless rendition was by a girl from Bihar, singing in impeccable Tamil with visible emotion, was itself a quiet rebuttal to the stereotype that “North Indians don’t respect southern culture”.

That same video is now circulating again, with the caption changed from “What a voice” to “This is Bihar’s youngest MLA.”

Meanwhile In Tamil Nadu: Dravidianists & DMK Leaders, Ministers Call Biharis Pigs, Panipuri Sellers And “Fools”

While a Bihari MLA is winning Tamil hearts with a beautiful song from a Tamil film with impeccable pronunciation that will put the native Tamilian to shame, the ruling DMK leadership and its extended ecosystem have, over the years, normalized a steady stream of open contempt for North Indians and Biharis in particular.

DMK MSME Minister T.M. Anbarasan, speaking amid the delimitation debate, accused North Indians of “breeding like pigs” and blamed them for southern states losing Lok Sabha seats due to higher population growth in the Hindi belt. In another speech, he mocked Hindi speakers as fit only for cattle herding, construction work and panipuri vending, proudly declaring that those who studied Hindi were doing menial jobs in his own home.

He is not an outlier. DMK General Secretary and Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan had described Hindi as a “peeda” (curse), warning Tamils that learning it would bring “dosham” and “theetu” and likening Hindi to a second wife who will displace the first. In the same breath, he narrated a story about a bull running away because it could not bear the “stench of a North Indian” and mocked North Indians again for having “children like pigs”.

MP Dayanidhi Maran has repeatedly claimed that those who learn Hindi end up cleaning toilets and doing construction work in Tamil Nadu, while Tamils who study English rise to become CEOs in global tech companies. A. Raja has similarly reduced Hindi speakers to a stereotype of farm and construction labour.

DMK leaders like KN Nehru have declared that “Biharis are less brainy than Tamils,” blaming Lalu Prasad Yadav for “filling” railways with Bihari workers. RS Bharathi has called people in other states “fools” and repeatedly sneered that Tamil Nadu taxpayers are “feeding Biharis and UP people” through welfare canteens.

Add to this the routine “Vadakkan”, “pani puri vaayan”, “gomutra state” jibes from MLAs, ministers and MPs, and you have not fringe chatter but a sustained, normalized culture of xenophobia directed at North Indians and Biharis, from the very party that endlessly talks of “Constitutional morality” and “federalism”.

Maithili Thakur’s Kannana Kanney Vs DMK’s “Pani Puri Wala” Politics

The symbolism here writes itself.

On one side, you have a young Bihari woman, steeped in her own Maithili and Hindustani traditions, reaching across the Vindhyas to sing a Tamil lullaby with full respect for its lyrics, raga and sentiment and being embraced by Tamil listeners purely on the strength of her voice.

On the other, you have senior Dravidianists and politicians from the DMK who sneer that Biharis and other Hindi speakers are fit only to sell panipuri, laugh about them doing “toilet cleaning” work in Tamil Nadu, insist that learning Hindi will “turn Tamils into Shudras,” and openly call entire northern states “cow-urine states” and “fools”.

The DMK’s message to its cadre is that ‘North Indians’ are a threat, a joke, a lower rung. Maithili Thakur’s message, by contrast, is that language and region are bridges, not weapons and she didn’t have to deliver a single “unity” lecture to prove it. She just sang a song.

Dravidian Xenophobia Hurts Common People, Not Just “BJP Voters”

The consequences of this rhetoric are not academic. When ministers, MPs and party strategists keep repeating that North Indians are “idiots”, “pig breeders”, “toilet cleaners” and “panipuri sellers”, it filters down into everyday interactions in rental decisions, workplace behaviour, casual abuse, and even targeted violence against migrant labourers.

Tamil Nadu knows what it means to be stereotyped. For decades, all southerners were lazily labelled “Madrasis” in the north. Today, the same state that rightly resents those old slurs is allowing its ruling party to mainstream mirror-image abuse against Biharis and Hindi speakers.

Meanwhile, the very migrants who are mocked from podiums are the ones building Chennai’s flyovers, staffing food joints, working in factories, running kirana shops and doing jobs that locals are often unwilling to do at those wages. They are not sitting in television studios; they are standing behind tea stalls and construction mixers, trying to send money home.

A Different North–South Story Is Possible

Maithili Thakur’s rise offers a totally different template for what North–South relations can look like. Here is a Bihari girl who learns and sings Tamil songs with care, wins an election in her home state purely on people’s trust, and goes viral in Tamil Nadu not because of a hate speech clip, but because of a melody about a father’s love for his child.

Her victory and her music together quietly demolish the Dravidianist claim that North Indians only come south to “steal our jobs” or “sell panipuri”. They also expose the intellectual laziness of those who insist that learning Hindi is some kind of civilizational fall, while happily consuming Bollywood songs, Hindi OTT content and North Indian tourist money.

If Bihar’s youngest MLA can sing Kannana Kanney and win Tamil hearts, perhaps it is time some Tamil politicians stopped equating Biharis with pigs and panipuri stalls and started treating them as fellow citizens.

Until then, every time Maithili’s Kannana Kanney video resurfaces, it will stand as a quiet but devastating rejoinder to the DMK’s politics of contempt: a reminder that cultural respect travels both ways, and that a song from Viswasam can do more for unity than an entire season of Dravidian hate speeches.

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Ultra-Feminists & Detractors Mock UP’s Night-Shift Reform, But Many Haven’t Checked Their Own States’ Laws

By
The Commune
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Feminists Mock UP’s Night-Shift Reform - But Many Haven’t Checked Their Own States’ Laws

The Uttar Pradesh government’s recent decision to allow women to work night shifts, with written consent and strict safety measures, has triggered a wave of mockery from some feminist activists and habitual detractors of the state. Critics online portrayed the move as an outlier in a supposedly backward state.

However, labour-law data and state-wise policies show a very different picture: UP is not an exception but part of a nationwide, decade-long trend of cautiously lifting night-shift restrictions on women.

What many critics have overlooked is that several Indian states still retain significant restrictions, while many others removed them only recently, often with conditions very similar to those introduced in Uttar Pradesh.

What UP Has Done

Under the amended law, women in Uttar Pradesh can now work between 7 pm and 6 am after providing written consent. Employers must provide transportation, CCTV surveillance, security personnel, health facilities, and digital monitoring systems. Overtime pay has been doubled, and women can work in all hazardous sectors, up from just 12 earlier.

Supporters of the reform argue that these protections simply align UP with best practices followed across other industrial states.

What Critics Are Ignoring: Many States Still Restrict Night-Shift for Women

Let us begin with how it started.

The Factories Act, 1948 (especially Section 66) laid down restrictions on women working night shifts (generally defined as from 7 PM to 6 AM) mainly to protect women from potential hazards. This was brought about by India’s first Prime Minister, Nehru’s government.

This rule applied across India in various forms, but states had their own variations and enforcement mechanisms. Over decades, the restrictions were challenged as discriminatory, particularly after various High Court rulings in the 2000s deemed them unconstitutional for depriving women of economic opportunities.

Despite heavy commentary targeting UP, restrictions on women’s night work are still active in large parts of India:

As of 2024, West Bengal continues to prohibit women from working in shops or commercial establishments after 8 PM. A year later only partial exemptions were present in draft rules that were yet to be fully implemented.

Around 25 states still maintain statutory or operational limitations, particularly affecting migrant workers, contract workers, and factory employees. Several states did amend laws or issued exemptions allowing women to work night shifts, often requiring their written consent and safety measures:

Andhra Pradesh, Assam, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Maharashtra, Uttar Pradesh: Between 2014 and 2017, these states amended laws to allow women night shifts, usually with conditions on safety and consent.

Gujarat: Courts and later government orders allowed women to work night shifts with consent; no compulsion is allowed.

Punjab: Punjab lifted its night-shift restrictions for women only recently, and even today the relaxation is far from absolute. Until 2022, Punjab, like most states operating under the Factories Act, 1948 and the Punjab Shops & Commercial Establishments Act, largely prohibited women from working between 8/9 PM and 6 AM, except through special permissions. The state issued a notification in March 2022 allowing women to work night shifts in factories, shops, and commercial establishments, but only through a conditional exemption system. Employers must apply for approval and meet an extensive list of requirements, including strict POSH compliance, dedicated transport, on-site security, CCTV coverage, batch employment of a minimum number of women per shift, and continuous safety audits.

Delhi: Lifted restrictions in 2025, allowing women to work night shifts under safety protocols.

Odisha, Jharkhand, Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Madhya Pradesh, Telangana: These states have also lifted or relaxed restrictions in recent years, with emphasis on women’s consent and employer responsibility for safety.

Rajasthan: Issued a temporary exemption in 2024 allowing women night work in shops and establishments, subject to consent and safety norms.

Even where states allow night work, the fine print often includes rigid consent requirements, mandatory transport, minimum number of women per shift, and prohibitions on working alone – conditions very similar to UP’s.

A National Issue, Not a UP-Specific One

Labour researchers say India’s night-shift restrictions have historically been shaped by outdated “protective” laws dating back to the Factories Act, 1948. All states inherited these restrictions, and most have been lifting them only gradually in response to industrial demand, court rulings, economic growth needs, as well as pressure from women seeking equal opportunities.

Viewed in this context, UP’s reform is not an exception, it is part of a broader national shift toward equal workplace access.

Why the Mockery Is Selective

Analysts point out that criticism targeting UP often ignores. Many states still maintain harsher restrictions, including those governed by parties favoured by the same critics.

UP’s conditions viz, written consent, transport, safety protocols, mirror those in other states, including Delhi, Tamil Nadu, and Maharashtra.

The reform expands women’s economic opportunities in a state where 36% of the workforce is female.

Officials say the policy aims to increase women’s participation in industries operating round-the-clock while reducing gender discrimination in hiring.

A Policy Change That Reflects National Reality

While the debate continues online, labour experts argue that UP’s move is consistent with global norms and India’s gradual legal reform trajectory. The selective backlash, they say, overlooks both the national landscape and the realities of labour regulation in India.

In short: the UP reform is neither unusual nor regressive. If anything, it mirrors or exceeds protections offered in several states that are rarely scrutinised with the same intensity.

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55 Families In Idukki And Ernakulam Return To Hindu Fold In Community-Led Ceremony Facilitated By Hindu Seva Kendram & Kerala Adivasi Samrakshana Samithi

By
The Commune
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55 Families In Idukki And Ernakulam Return To Hindu Fold In Community-Led Ceremony Facilitated By Hindu Seva Kendram & Kerala Adivasi Samrakshana Samithi

In a coordinated community initiative, 55 families in Idukki and Ernakulam districts have formally returned to the Hindu fold, marking a significant homecoming facilitated by the Hindu Seva Kendram and the Kerala Adivasi Samrakshana Samithi.

Organisers said the families had moved away from their ancestral faith over earlier generations but chose to reconnect with their traditional practices and cultural identity. As part of the ceremony, participants offered prayers to their Kuladevata, Murugan Swamy, in what organisers described as a symbolic act of reaffirmation.

The event included ritual offerings and community gatherings, with volunteers from both organisations supervising the proceedings. Representatives said the initiative aimed to support families seeking to revive their ancestral customs and reintegrate into long-held spiritual traditions.

Local organisers added that similar programmes are being planned in other districts for families expressing interest in re-embracing their heritage.

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Two Years Gone, AR Rahman Concert Ticketholders Who Went Through A Miserable Experience Wait For Their Refund

By
The Commune
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marakkuma nenjam ar rahman

Two years after the infamous Marakkuma Nenjam concert in Chennai collapsed into chaos, thousands of AR Rahman fans continue to wait for full refunds, despite assurances, interviews, public apologies, and even an email sent in Rahman’s name promising compensation and a “surprise.”

The September 2023 event, organised by ACTC Events at Adityaram Palace, became one of Tamil Nadu’s worst-managed large-scale shows. The fiasco left families stranded outside locked gates, thousands crushed in overcrowded entry points, and many who paid as much as ₹1 lakh for tickets unable to even enter the venue. Today, several attendees say that they have received only partial refunds or none at all.

A Crisis That Began With Overselling and Overcrowding

The controversy erupted when the venue, spread across only 5–6 acres, was used to host a crowd far beyond its capacity. While permission was granted for 25,000 attendees, ACTC claimed to have sold 36,000 tickets and issued 4,000 free passes. Public estimates suggested the numbers were far higher.

The venue itself could accommodate only around 7,000–8,000 people comfortably. Insufficient parking space, no clear entry or exit points, and a near-total absence of toilets, drinking water, or first-aid facilities compounded the crisis.

Video evidence later showed volunteers verbally abusing attendees and security personnel failing to manage the crowd. There were also reports of physical altercations and medical emergencies with no ambulances in sight.

Organisers Shift Blame, Issue Late Apology

Hemanth Raja, CEO of ACTC Events, appeared on Thanthi TV after widespread outrage but failed to provide clear answers. He denied overselling and instead alleged that duplicate tickets—particularly of complimentary passes—had caused the surge in attendees.

He also admitted that the company had aimed to “break attendance records,” seeking to push far beyond the approved limit.

While calling the event’s outcome “inconvenience,” he conceded that choosing the ECR location was a mistake. But his explanations did little to address the trauma felt by families, children, and elderly attendees who faced suffocation-level crowding and were forced to leave without witnessing the concert.

A Mass Email From Rahman, but No Meaningful Resolution

Following massive backlash, fans received a mass email signed in A.R. Rahman’s name, apologising for the distress caused and promising refunds along with an unspecified “surprise.” Many recipients, however, found the message impersonal, an automated template asking for bank details, tickets, and receipts.

Critics questioned why Rahman, who had gone live on Instagram to address the postponement of the earlier August concert, did not issue a similar personal message or video after the September disaster.

Two years later, fans report that the promised surprise never arrived, and refunds remain incomplete.

ACTC Promises Refunds After Outcry—but Delivery Remains Patchy, Even After 2 Years

As anger reached its peak in 2023, ACTC’s CEO posted a video stating:

  • AR Rahman was “not to blame” and had only performed.
  • ACTC bore full responsibility.
  • Refunds would be issued to all who paid “in a proper manner.”

Yet multiple attendees say they have never received the compensation promised, and many state that ACTC has stopped responding altogether.

Two Years Later, the Pain Remains

For fans, the memory of the night remains vivid; hours spent in crowds without information, police turning them away despite valid tickets, children crying, and elderly attendees collapsing from heat and pressure.

And for thousands who still wait for accountability and their rightful refunds, the frustration continues.

Two years have passed since the fiasco and for many, all they have received is silence.

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DVAC Files FIR Against Anna University Officials And Four Colleges In ‘Ghost Faculty’ Scam

By
The Commune
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DVAC Files FIR Against Anna University Officials And Four Colleges In ‘Ghost Faculty’ Scam

The Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) has registered an FIR against 10 officials of Anna University, including two former registrars, along with three professors and four engineering colleges, in connection with the large-scale ‘ghost faculty’ scam exposed by the anti-corruption organisation Arappor Iyakkam in July 2023.

According to the FIR, private engineering colleges colluded with officials at the university’s Centre for Affiliation of Institutions (CAI) to manipulate faculty strength data required for affiliation. Colleges allegedly placed on their rolls faculty members who were already employed at other institutions, while Anna University officials approved these inflated lists despite inspection reports indicating irregularities.

DVAC stated that the practice directly compromised academic quality and constituted cheating, fraud, and a breach of trust. Its investigation found that 224 out of 480 engineering colleges in Tamil Nadu during 2023-24 had duplicated faculty entries, with 353 individuals falsely shown as full-time faculty in more than one institution.

The FIR alleges that colleges inflated faculty numbers both to meet affiliation norms and to reduce salary expenditure. It also accuses Anna University officials of knowingly submitting favourable inspection reports supporting these institutions despite being aware of the falsified data.

Among those named in the FIR are former CAI director Dr. A. Elayaperumal, deputy directors M. Chitra and Shiloah Elizabeth, former registrars G. Ravikumar and J. Prakash, and former CAI director V. R. Giridev. Deputy directors from Anna University’s regional centres – Marshal Anthoni (Coimbatore), V. Malathi (Madurai), S. Brahadeeswaran (Tiruchy), and S. Silas Sargunam (Tirunelveli) have also been listed as accused.

DVAC has additionally named three professors: S. Marichamy, who appeared on the payrolls of 11 engineering colleges, and Y. Ravikumar and S. Kannan, who were listed as full-time faculty in two colleges each. The four colleges named in the FIR include Prathyusha College, Venkateshwara College of Engineering and Technology, Madha Engineering College, and Kathir College of Engineering.

The FIR notes that 34 full-time faculty members of Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan College and 33 faculty members of TJ Institute of Technology were simultaneously listed as employees of other colleges during 2023-24. DVAC said Anna University failed to scrutinise such discrepancies, despite its responsibility under AICTE regulations.

The then Vice-Chancellor R. Velraj has not been named in the FIR. DVAC had earlier sought permission from Governor–Chancellor R.N. Ravi to investigate him, but approval was denied. Velraj, who was suspended by the state government on July 31 – his retirement day, later had his suspension revoked by the Governor.

The government granted permission to proceed against the accused officials on May 26, enabling the registration of the case. DVAC’s findings indicate widespread manipulation and systemic collusion within Tamil Nadu’s engineering college affiliation process, prompting concerns over academic governance and regulatory oversight in the state.

(Source: The New Indian Express)

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20,000 Jobs Walk To Andhra Pradesh, DMK Minister TRB Rajaa’s “Won’t Join Race To Bottom” Justification For Lost Investment Rings Hollow

By
The Commune
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20,000 Jobs Walk To Andhra Pradesh, DMK Minister TRB Rajaa's "Won't Join Race To Bottom" Justification For Lost Investment Rings Hollow

Tamil Nadu’s Industries Minister TRB Rajaa has come under sharp scrutiny after his response to the high-profile exit of South Korean sports-shoe manufacturer Hwaseung – a $150-million, 20,000-jobs project that has now shifted from Tamil Nadu to Andhra Pradesh’s Kuppam.

As reported in Economic Times, Hwaseung, a key global supplier to Adidas, had signed an MoU with the Tamil Nadu government in August to set up its first India plant in Tirunelveli. The firm has now abandoned that plan and moved its investment to Andhra Pradesh, citing skilled manpower availability, smoother land access, and long-term alignment with its expansion requirements.

Instead of addressing what went wrong with Tamil Nadu’s investment processes, Minister Rajaa said that the state “would not join a race to the bottom” by matching the aggressive incentive package reportedly offered by Andhra Pradesh – a justification that critics say glosses over deeper issues.

According to senior officials familiar with the negotiations, Andhra Pradesh offered Hwaseung free land and higher resource subsidies. Tamil Nadu was asked to match the package but declined. The company subsequently switched to Kuppam, the constituency of CM N. Chandrababu Naidu, after concluding that Andhra Pradesh provided a better long-term fit.

As reported in The New Indian Express, Rajaa argued that Tamil Nadu would resist participating in “daily competitive games” over incentives and claimed that the state prioritised “high-value jobs” rather than competing aggressively for manufacturing investments. He said land in Tamil Nadu carried “different economic pressures” and could not be handed out casually.

But the minister’s framing has triggered questions about whether the government is deflecting from the actual reasons behind losing a major employment-heavy project. Opposition parties said his stance attempted to shift the narrative instead of accepting that Tamil Nadu was outcompeted on basics such as land facilitation, investment timelines, and responsive negotiations. Business chambers privately pointed out that footwear manufacturing is a labour-intensive sector ideally suited for southern districts, and losing 20,000 potential jobs in a region like Tirunelveli is not a trivial issue to dismiss.

In contrast, Andhra Pradesh’s investment agencies moved swiftly after Hwaseung first approached Invest India. The company said India was chosen over multiple countries due to its young workforce and that Andhra Pradesh edged out Tamil Nadu because it better aligned with its manpower and expansion needs. Hwaseung has already been allotted 100 acres in two Kuppam villages.

Rajaa reiterated that Tamil Nadu remained “the most trustworthy and most industrialised state,” accusing opposition “proxies” of belittling the government’s investment record. However, the criticism has persisted: while Andhra’s proactive pitch secured a flagship export-oriented project, Tamil Nadu’s response appeared defensive, vague, and dismissive of the economic stakes involved.

For now, the departure of a high-volume employer like Hwaseung and the minister’s attempt to frame it as a principled choice has intensified questions about whether Tamil Nadu under the DMK government is losing its edge in a competitive investment landscape.

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Self-Styled ‘Fact-Checker’ Mohammed Zubair Shares Deepfake Video Of Indian Army Chief Without AI Mark Or Context Under The Garb Of ‘Fact-Check’

By
The Commune
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Mohammed Zubair, co-founder of Islamo-leftist propaganda rag Alt News, is facing intense criticism for sharing a deepfake video of Indian Army Chief General Upendra Dwivedi that falsely depicted him announcing a plan to reduce non-Hindu soldiers by 50% by 2028.

The video, which went viral on social media, lacked any AI watermark or contextual disclaimer, leading to accusations that Zubair deliberately amplified misinformation and incited communal tension.

The incident began when Zubair posted the video on X (formerly Twitter) on November 15, 2025, without any indication that it was AI-generated. The caption, which questioned whether the Army Chief had made such statements, further fueled the perception that the content was authentic.

This omission of critical context and the absence of an AI mark is being seen as a deliberate attempt to exploit the video’s potential to spread misinformation rapidly.

Prominent voices, including Major Gaurav Arya (Retd), have condemned Zubair for what they describe as a “reckless and dangerous” act.

Zubair’s failure to disclose the video’s fabricated nature from the outset was a calculated move to engage his audience and incite discord.

“This is not fact-checking; it’s misinformation with intent,” Arya stated, referencing Zubair’s history of controversies involving his fact-checking methods.

The video’s virality coincided with heightened global concerns about deepfake technology, particularly following recent demands by watchdog groups like Public Citizen for OpenAI to withdraw its AI video app Sora due to safety risks.

Alt News itself, later confirmed the video was a deepfake, but the damage had already been done. The absence of an AI mark or contextual disclaimer allowed the video to spread unchecked, exacerbating the problem of misinformation on social media, where fake news can disseminate faster than accurate information.

On the other hand, Alt News, widely cited among left-leaning circles as a “fact-checking” portal, has not renewed its International Fact-Checking Network (IFCN) certification, which expired on 26 April 2020. Despite this, the website continues to present itself as a credible authority on misinformation, publishing content under the banner of “fact verification” while selectively targeting certain issues.

Zubair had recently spread misinformation against Doordarshan News (DD News) and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, insinuating that the state broadcaster had advance knowledge of an NDA victory in Bihar.

Zubair, claimed that USAID’s $21 million voter turnout funding was meant for Bangladesh and not India are false, as official U.S. records show the funding was explicitly allocated for voter turnout efforts in India, exposing intentional misinformation.

Zubair is known for his notoriety in weaponizing an edited clip of a news panel discussion of former BJP leader Nupur Sharma. By isolating Sharma’s remarks and amplifying them across social media without the provocative context from other panelists, he single-handedly painted a target on her back for his Islamists gang.

15 Attacks On RSS Offices And Workers Traced Over Three Decades

By
The Commune
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RSS

On 10 November 2025, the Gujarat Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) foiled an alleged ISIS-linked terror plot to carry out attacks on the RSS office in Lucknow and Azadpur Mandi in Delhi.

In the coordinated operation, three individuals were arrested –  Dr Ahmad Mohiuddin Syed from Hyderabad, and Azad Suleman Sheikh and Mohammad Suhail from Uttar Pradesh.

According to officials, the trio was allegedly involved in planning the attacks and had been in contact with operatives linked to the Islamic State network.

For over three decades, offices of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) have been frequent targets of attacks, ranging from vandalism to sophisticated terror plots.

In this report, we take a look at 15 such incidents, highlighting a persistent pattern of violence against the organization’s premises and workers. The threats have originated from various quarters, including Islamist terror groups like ISIS and Jaish-e-Mohammed, as well as from political rivals, particularly in Kerala, underscoring the organization’s contentious position in the Indian socio-political landscape.

#1 ISIS Plot to Attack Lucknow RSS Office Thwarted – 10 November 2025

The Gujarat ATS uncovered and thwarted an ISIS-linked terror plot targeting the RSS office in Lucknow and Delhi’s Azadpur Mandi. Three individuals, including Dr. Ahmad Mohiuddin Sayed from Hyderabad, were arrested on 09 November. Investigations confirmed the accused had conducted reconnaissance of the Lucknow RSS office as part of their preparation for a planned strike, highlighting the continued targeting of the organization by global jihadist networks.

#2 JeM Operative’s Bail Denied in Nagpur HQ Recon Case – 21 March 2025

The Bombay High Court rejected the bail plea of Rais Ahmad Sheikh, a Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operative arrested in September 2021. He was accused of conducting reconnaissance of the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, including the Dr. K. B. Hedgewar Memorial, and sharing location details with handlers in Pakistan. The court’s dismissal underscored the seriousness of the threat to the RSS’s central office.

#3 Petrol Bomb Hurled at RSS Office in Kerala – 23 September 2022

Amid statewide protests following the crackdown on the Popular Front of India (PFI), two unidentified men on a motorcycle hurled a petrol bomb at an RSS office in Kannur, Kerala. The attack damaged the building’s window panes but caused no injuries. Police linked the incident to the heightened tensions during the arrests of PFI members.

#4 JeM Terrorists Reconnoiter Nagpur HQ – 07 January 2022

Security was intensified at the RSS headquarters in Nagpur after intelligence confirmed that terrorists linked to Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) had conducted reconnaissance of the premises. Nagpur Police registered a case under the UAPA against unidentified Jaish-e-Mohammed (JeM) operatives for allegedly conducting reconnaissance of key sites, including the RSS headquarters and Dr Hedgewar Smriti Temple. Sources said a Kashmiri youth arrested with a grenade in Pulwama revealed details of the 2021 Nagpur recce during interrogation. The case came days after JeM commander Mir Owaisi was killed in Kashmir.

#5 Mastermind of 2006 Nagpur Attack Killed in Pakistan – 01 January 2006

Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) terrorist Razaullah Nizamani Khalid, also known by aliases Abu Saifullah Khalid, Vinode Kumar, and Mohammed Salim, was shot dead by unidentified assailants in Sindh, Pakistan. Khalid, the mastermind of the 2006 RSS headquarters attack in Nagpur, had previously headed LeT operations from Nepal and was linked to several major terror strikes in India, including the 2005 IISc Bengaluru attack and the 2008 CRPF Rampur attack. He was known to maintain close ties with senior LeT and Jamaat-ud-Dawa operatives such as Azam Cheema, Yusuf Muzammil, and Muzammil Iqbal Hashmi.

#6 Deadly RDX Blast at Chennai RSS HQ – 08 August 1993

A powerful RDX bomb exploded at the RSS Tamil Nadu headquarters in Chennai during a Guru Pooja celebration, killing 11 people, including 8 full-time workers, and injuring 7 others. Investigations revealed the bombing was executed by Islamist extremists as part of a broader plan to intimidate Hindu organizations, marking one of the deadliest attacks on the RSS.

#7 Terrorist Massacre at RSS Shakha in Punjab – 25 June 1989

Terrorists opened fire on an RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh) morning shakha in Moga, Punjab, killing 25 swayamsevaks and civilians and injuring over 31 others. The attackers reportedly demanded that the RSS flag be lowered, and when members refused, they fired indiscriminately. Undeterred, the RSS resumed its shakha the very next morning, on June 26, at the same location – an act of defiance that strengthened Hindu–Sikh unity and dealt a symbolic blow to terrorist intimidation. The site was later renamed Shaheedi Park, serving as a lasting memorial to the martyrs and a symbol of courage and service.

#8 Live Grenade Found at RSS Office in MP – 24 February 2024

A major plot was uncovered in Bhind, Madhya Pradesh, when police recovered a live hand grenade from the RSS office campus near the flag post. A bomb disposal squad safely defused the explosive. The office was empty at the time, as workers were away at a meeting in Indore.

#9 RSS Office Targeted in Midnight Stone-Pelting – 29 December 2023

Unidentified miscreants cut the electricity supply and pelted stones at an RSS office in Sehore, Madhya Pradesh, around midnight. The attack caused minor damage to the office property. This incident was part of a pattern of localized intimidation and vandalism targeting the organization’s premises.

#10 Armed Assault on RSS Office in Meerut – 27 August 2023

Two individuals attacked an RSS office in Meerut’s Shastri Nagar, breaking the door and assaulting three workers. The attackers threatened to shoot them but were overpowered. Police arrived and arrested both individuals, recovering a pistol from their possession.

#11 RSS Office Vandalized and Set Ablaze in UP – 03 August 2023

Unruly individuals vandalized the RSS office in Kotwali, Rae Bareli, Uttar Pradesh. They set fire to two kitchen cylinders, beat up a student, and caused significant damage to the office premises in a brazen act of arson and violence.

#12 Explosive Device Blasts RSS Office in Kerala – 12 July 2022

Unidentified individuals hurled a bomb at the RSS office in Payyannur, Kannur, late at night. The blast shattered windowpanes and damaged doors, but no workers were injured. Police suspected the attack was intended to intimidate the local RSS unit amid rising political tensions in the region.

#13 Steel Bombs Hurled at RSS Office in Kannur – 08 November 2017

Alleged CPI(M) workers attacked an RSS office in Koothuparamba, Kannur, hurling two steel bombs at the building. The miscreants also proceeded to vandalize a nearby Sree Narayana Guru temple. The incident was investigated by senior police officers from the Thalassery region.

#14 RSS Office Set on Fire in Political Clash – 11 July 2017

Following a political clash during a CPI(M) event, the RSS office in Payyannur, Kannur, was vandalized and set on fire, allegedly by CPI(M) workers. The office was “completely destroyed,” leaving only the structure. A nearby BJP office was also vandalized in the same spree.

#15 Crude Bomb Attack Injures Four RSS Workers – 03 March 2017

A crude bomb attack on an RSS office in Nadapuram, Kerala, injured four RSS workers. The assailants, who remain unidentified, fled after hurling the bomb. The incident occurred hours after an RSS functionary in Madhya Pradesh announced a bounty for the Kerala Chief Minister, highlighting the volatile political climate.

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12 Global Cases Of Church Fund Misuse And Financial Fraud By Clergy

By
The Commune
-
Faith, Funds, and Fraud: 18 Church Fund Embezzlement and Fraud Cases Exposed Worldwide in 2025

Between January and November 2025, at least twelve major cases were reported worldwide exposing church authorities and religious leaders misusing institutional funds for personal luxury, fraud, or self-enrichment.

The incidents span the United States, India, Pakistan, China, and Rwanda, revealing a disturbing global trend of financial abuse within religious institutions. From stolen daycare donations and cryptocurrency scams to embezzlement and property misuse, these cases highlight the widening gap between moral preaching and ethical practice among certain clergy.

#1 Grace Chapel Church Daycare Director Arrested for $60,000 Theft – 5 November 2025 | Place: DeLand, Volusia, USA

Former daycare director Jennifer Olson was arrested for stealing $59,185.50 from Grace Chapel Church’s accounts. She inflated her overtime, fabricated paychecks, placed her husband on the payroll, and transferred stolen funds via 39 unauthorized Zelle transactions to her personal account. The money was used for home renovations, credit card bills, luxury shopping, and travel. An internal audit uncovered the theft, and Olson was charged with money laundering, organized fraud, and grand theft, booked into Volusia County Jail on a $55,000 bond.

#2 “Crypto Pastor” Convicted in $1.3 Million Fraud Case – 5 November 2025 | Place: Denver, Colorado, USA

Self-styled “Crypto Pastor” Eli Regalado and his wife Kaitlyn were convicted of defrauding followers through a fraudulent crypto investment scheme disguised as a divine plan. They raised over $1.3 million, claiming it was blessed by God, but spent the money on luxury cars, vacations, dental work, and home remodeling. Eli admitted to the fraud on video. A Denver grand jury indicted the couple on 40 counts of theft and securities fraud. The court ordered them to repay $3.3 million, and Eli faces up to 20 years in prison.

#3 Tallahassee Church Treasurer Arrested for $70,000 Fraud – 3 November 2025 | Place: Tallahassee, Florida, USA

Marisa Humose, treasurer of Greater Mount Pleasant Baptist Church, embezzled more than $70,000 over three years by misusing the church’s Cash App account. She transferred funds for personal use while hiding records. Marisa also defrauded her government employer, Florida Fish and Wildlife, by claiming fake work hours. She was arrested for grand theft and organized fraud, fired from her state position, and now faces prosecution for dual institutional fraud.

#4 Xi’an Church Leaders Re-Arrested for Donation Fraud – 2 November 2025 | Place: Xi’an, China

Three leaders of the underground Church of Abundance — Pastor Lian Changnian, Pastor Lian Xuliang, and Preacher Fu Juan — were re-arrested on fraud charges related to misuse of church donations. The trio had been under house surveillance after their 2022 detention and 2025 trial. Their church, known for refusing to join the state-sanctioned Three-Self Patriotic Movement, faced continued crackdowns, and the reason behind the renewed arrests remained unclear.

#5 Oklahoma Bishop Convicted of $170,000 Church Fund Misuse – 30 October 2025 | Place: Meeker, Oklahoma, USA

Bishop Michael Hall and his wife Vickie Hall were convicted of embezzling $170,000 from Living Waters Tabernacle Church. They used the money for home upgrades, cars, and retail purchases. When irregularities were exposed, Hall retaliated by locking out the new pastor. He was arrested and removed from all church duties, facing embezzlement and fraud charges.

#6 Kerala Church Operator Arrested for ₹45 Lakh Fraud – 9 October 2025 | Place: Kottayam, India

T.P. Hariprasad, operator of the Pentecostal Mission of India (PMI) centre, was arrested for deceiving a victim of ₹45 lakh and stealing gold ornaments under the pretext of charity. After fleeing across Kerala and Tamil Nadu for eight months, he was caught in Kollam. Police confirmed the entire scheme was executed using his church position as a cover.

#7 Alabama Pastor Used $400,000 in Church Funds for Luxury Purchases – 7 October 2025 | Place: Huntsville, Alabama, USA

Adrian Davis, former pastor of All Nations Worship Assembly, was found guilty of diverting $400,000 in church money to buy an Audi, a GMC Yukon, luxury jewelry, and pay personal debts. He filed a false tax return in 2021 to hide the theft. Federal prosecutors charged him with wire fraud, and Davis agreed to repay $549,199 in restitution, facing up to 20 years in prison.

#8 Nigerian Pastor and Monarch Convicted in $3.76 Million U.S. Fraud – 26 August 2025 | Place: Ohio, USA

Oba Joseph Oloyede and Pastor Edward Oluwasanmi were convicted for stealing $4.2 million in COVID-19 relief loans through fake business applications. They used the funds for real estate, vehicles, and luxury goods. The U.S. court sentenced Oloyede to 56 months in prison, ordered $4.4 million restitution, and seized his Ohio property.

#9 Indiana Church Employee Caught in Major Theft Case – 8 August 2025 | Place: Lafayette, Indiana, USA

Julia Wonnacott, an employee of Heartland Community Church, was accused of stealing thousands via PayPal transfers and forged credit applications. She used the stolen funds for vehicles, travel, and home purchases, even applying for a $170,000 loan in the church’s name. Authorities filed criminal charges after recovering multiple fake documents.

#10 Greek Orthodox Priest Admits $155,000 Theft for Gambling – 18 February 2025 | Place: Pittsburgh, USA

Father George Athanasiou stole $155,000 from All Saints Greek Orthodox Church to support his gambling addiction. He repaid the money after conviction and was sentenced to one year of home detention, five years’ probation, and 300 hours of community service. Parishioners described the betrayal as a deep moral wound.

#11 Rwandan Bishop Detained for Misusing Church Assets – 21 January 2025 | Place: Kigali, Rwanda

Rt. Rev. Samuel Mugisha Mugiraneza, Bishop of Shyira Diocese, was detained for embezzling church property. He was accused of giving business contracts to his wife, using diocesan land for personal cattle, and forming a private company to supply materials for church projects. The bishop remains under investigation for embezzlement and abuse of power.

#12 Pakistani Pastor Removed for Diverting Seminary Funds – 2 January 2025 | Place: Gujranwala, Pakistan

Rev. Majid Abel, former head of Gujranwala Theological Seminary, was found guilty of diverting foreign donations and construction funds into private accounts. He awarded contracts to his brothers, issued fake receipts, and loaned seminary money to himself. The seminary board dismissed him immediately, banned him from representing the institution, and filed a review report to Pakistani authorities.

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