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Cash-For-Jobs 2.0? DMK Tourism Minister Rajendran, Salem DMK MPs Named In Alleged Job Scam

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The Commune
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dmk job scam

In the latest wave of corruption and fraud allegations within the DMK, reports suggest that, yet another sitting minister & MPs may soon face charges similar to the cash-for-jobs scandal involving former DMK liquor minister Senthil Balaji.

These new accusations center around the recent appointment of ration shop executives across Tamil Nadu. According to reports, the allocation of posts was allegedly divided among ministers, district secretaries, and senior DMK officials. In Salem district, three key figures have come under the spotlight: Salem MP Selva Ganapathy, Rajya Sabha MP S. R. Sivalingam, and Tourism Minister R. Rajendran. They are accused of accepting bribes in exchange for job placements and then failing to deliver the promised positions.

It is alleged that Selva Ganapathy and Sivalingam split 140 available positions between themselves and distributed them unlawfully. Cadres claim they were instructed to collect money from ten applicants for every single post. “We acted on the minister’s orders,” some said, adding that many who paid bribes were ultimately denied jobs and left without recourse. These administrators reportedly revealed the full extent of the scheme to higher authorities.

When confronted, Selva Ganapathy and Sivalingam allegedly denied involvement, redirecting blame toward Minister Rajendran. The minister, in turn, insists he has no connection to the scandal. However, insiders claim that a formal complaint is likely to be filed against him soon, with comparisons being drawn to Senthil Balaji’s ongoing job fraud case. Minister Rajendran is said to be deeply unsettled by the developments but maintains his innocence.

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Best Memes Of Coolie Disaster – A Compilation

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The Commune
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coolie review disaster loki rajini

While hard core Rajinikanth fans still live in denial over the failure that Coolie has turned out to be, cinephiles have been having a field day coming up with memes to troll the disastrous multi-starrer offering by overrated director Lokesh Kanagaraj. In this article, we compile some of the most hilarious and best memes from the massive lot making the rounds on social media platforms.

As in our review of the film, there are several logical loopholes in the film, and this has been the base of all the memes that are floating on the internet.

Enjoy!

 

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A post shared by EvanoOruvan__ (@evanooruvan005)

 

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A post shared by Sujith Geevee (@sujith_geevee)

 

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A post shared by srmc_ parithabangal (@troll_srmc_)

 

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A post shared by Siva Somu MC (@siva_somu_mc.96)

 

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A post shared by zoro (@zoro.memes12)

 

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A post shared by @saaruhhhhhhhh

 

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A post shared by aahaan memes (@aahaan__memes)

 

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A post shared by Selva Vinayagam (@selvavinayagam96)

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Viral Video Shows Students Doing Construction Work In Vaniyambadi Govt School; Sparks Outrage

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The Commune
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vaniyambadi construction work

In yet another disturbing incident, a viral video has emerged showing students from the Panchayat Union Middle School in Vaniyambadi’s C.V. Pattarai area engaged in construction work on the upper floor of their school building. The footage, which has been widely shared on social media, has sparked sharp criticism and raised serious concerns about child safety and labor rights.

As the outrage grew, headmistress Shobana offered an explanation, stating that students had only assisted briefly during a cleanup effort to address water leakage caused by recent rains. According to her, students joined cleaning staff voluntarily and were sent back to class immediately once noticed. However, many locals and netizens remain unconvinced, arguing that the incident reflects a broader negligence in the state’s public school system.

Amid mounting backlash, Tamil Nadu BJP Youth Wing President S.G. Suryah launched a scathing attack on the DMK-led government. Sharing the video, he invoked a biting Tamil proverb, “If a ghost rules, even scriptures will allow eating corpses,” to emphasize the perceived decay in governance. He wrote, “This phrase accompanies a picture of school students in uniform working on the construction of the top floor of a school in Vaniyambadi. What is the response of Udhayanidhi’s full-time fan club president and part-time Minister of School Education, Mr. @Anbil_Mahesh?”

Critics are demanding accountability and questioning how such incidents continue to occur under the current administration, especially in institutions meant to safeguard and educate children not exploit them.

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Rameswaram Fishermen’s Strike Against Sri Lankan Navy Arrests Enters 8th Day

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The Commune
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sri lankan navy details tn fishermen protest rameswaram

The strike by fishermen in Tamil Nadu’s Rameswaram against the frequent arrests by the Sri Lankan Navy entered its eighth day on Monday. The strike has caused a loss of over Rs 7 crore so far.

The continuing arrests of Tamil Nadu fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy on charges of crossing the maritime boundary have triggered an indefinite strike by the fishing community in Rameswaram.

The Sri Lankan Navy has been detaining fishermen from Tamil Nadu who, according to Colombo, intrude into its territorial waters. The latest incidents have intensified anger among the fishing community of Rameswaram, who argue that they have traditionally depended on these waters for generations and are being unfairly targeted.

In protest, fishermen in Rameswaram launched a strike on August 11, suspending all fishing operations. For over a week, hundreds of mechanised boats have remained anchored at the shores, with owners and crews determined not to resume work until their safety is assured.

Fishermen’s representatives have reiterated that unless the Centre intervenes diplomatically with Sri Lanka and secures a permanent solution, they will continue their agitation. The strike has caused a severe financial setback, with the local economy already reporting losses exceeding Rs 7 crore.

The usually busy fishing harbour, known for its trade in prawns, crabs, and other seafood, has fallen silent. Auction houses, ice factories, and seafood exporters have all been paralysed, leaving thousands of workers who depend on the fishing sector without income.

Local leaders of fishermen’s unions said their demand is straightforward: an end to recurring arrests. “We cannot risk our lives every time we go to sea. The government must act swiftly and bring back our brothers languishing in Sri Lankan prisons,” a union leader said.

The crisis has also impacted daily-wage workers and ancillary industries such as boat repair workshops, net suppliers, and transporters. With no fresh catch available, local shops and seafood markets are reporting shortages, hitting consumers as well.

The fishermen have warned that if the Centre and state do not take immediate steps, they will be forced to intensify their agitation. They are pressing for compensation from the Tamil Nadu government and a permanent diplomatic mechanism with Sri Lanka to prevent such arrests in the future.

-IANS

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CP Radhakrishnan: A Swayamsevak, Grassroots BJP Organiser, Former MP, Governor – Now NDA’s Pick For Vice President

By
The Commune
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The decision of the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) to field Maharashtra Governor CP Radhakrishnan as its Vice-Presidential candidate has placed the spotlight on a veteran BJP leader whose political journey spans nearly five decades, marked by grassroots work, organisational discipline and administrative experience.

Born in 1957 in Tiruppur, Tamil Nadu, Radhakrishnan was drawn to public life early through the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. His association with the Bharatiya Jana Sangh in the 1970s laid the foundation for a long career in the BJP, where he rose steadily through the ranks.

He went on to serve as president of the party’s Tamil Nadu unit between 2004 and 2007 and has been a key figure in building the BJP’s organisational presence in the state. Radhakrishnan twice represented Coimbatore in the Lok Sabha, winning in 1998 and 1999, and was noted for his focus on industrial development, infrastructure and education.

In 2016, he was appointed chairman of the Coir Board in Kochi, where he oversaw record levels of exports. He later served as BJP’s national in-charge for Kerala, a role that tested his skills in organisational management and political outreach. His Constitutional responsibilities began in 2023 when he was appointed the Governor of Jharkhand. He also briefly held additional charge of Telangana and Puducherry before being shifted to Maharashtra in 2024.

In these roles, Radhakrishnan earned a reputation for being measured and controversy-free, a style of functioning that distinguished him from some of his predecessors. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, while endorsing his candidature, praised him as a leader who combined “dedication, humility and intellect” with an unbroken commitment to grassroots empowerment.

BJP leaders believe his elevation will also bolster the party’s political positioning in Tamil Nadu, where he belongs to the influential Gounder community, an OBC group with significant electoral weight. At 67, Radhakrishnan brings with him nearly 40 years of public life, marked by both political and administrative experience.

His selection as NDA’s vice-presidential nominee reflects not only the ruling alliance’s numerical strength in the electoral college but also its intent to project a leader with cross-party goodwill and regional significance. If elected, as widely expected given the NDA’s majority, Radhakrishnan will succeed Jagdeep Dhankhar and step into a role where his low-profile, statesmanlike persona is likely to shape his tenure.

Meanwhile, Radhakrishnan on Sunday expressed deep gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP President J.P. Nadda, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra Chief Ministers N. Chandrababu Naidu and Devendra Fadnavis, respectively, after being declared the National Democratic Alliance’s candidate for the Vice Presidential election.

In a series of posts on X, Radhakrishnan said he was “moved and touched beyond words” by the confidence reposed in him by the NDA leadership. “My heartfelt thanks to our beloved People’s leader, our most respected Honourable Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji, our most respected Honourable Home Minister Shri @AmitShah Ji, BJP President Shri @JPNadda Ji, parliamentary board members, NDA partners and ministers for choosing me as their Vice-Presidential candidate. I assure to work hard for the Nation until my last breath. Jai Hind!” he wrote.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah, while congratulating him, described Radhakrishnan as an experienced parliamentarian and administrator. “Your roles as a parliamentarian and as governor of different states have played a significant role in effectively fulfilling the constitutional duties. I am sure your vast experience and wisdom will enhance the prestige of the Upper House and achieve new milestones,” Shah said on X, adding his gratitude to PM Modi and the BJP parliamentary board for the decision.

Radhakrishnan responded by thanking the Home Minister and calling him a “beloved and respected people’s leader”. Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and TDP chief N. Chandrababu Naidu also welcomed the announcement, calling Radhakrishnan a “senior statesman who has long served the nation with distinction”. He added that the Telugu Desam Party “warmly welcomes his nomination and extends full support”.

Replying, Radhakrishnan said: “My heartfelt thanks to our beloved People’s leader, our most respected Honourable Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh Shri. @ncbn Garu.” Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis too congratulated him, saying his nomination “fills all Maharashtrians with immense pride”. He highlighted Radhakrishnan’s legislative and constitutional expertise gained during his tenure as a two-time MP and Governor of different states. Radhakrishnan, in turn, conveyed “heartfelt thanks” to Fadnavis for the warm wishes.

He also thanked Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman and Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal.

-IANS

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‘Netaji Shown As Coward, Assam Missing From Map’, ABVP Slams Kerala CPI(M) Govt For Distorting History In School Textbooks

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The Commune
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abvp kerala textbooks cpim

The Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) has accused the CPI(M)-led Kerala government of deliberately spreading distorted history through school textbooks and teacher handbooks published by the State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT).

The student body alleged that the Class 4 Environmental Studies teachers’ handbook contained “fake propaganda” against freedom fighter Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose, claiming he had fled to Germany out of fear of the British regime. ABVP said this amounted to defaming a national hero who had laid down his life for India’s independence.

ABVP also pointed to serious errors in the same textbook, including the omission of Assam and Jharkhand from an India map in the second chapter. The organisation described the omission as part of a larger conspiracy to weaken the country’s unity.

“By leaving out Assam, the government is indirectly supporting the Chinese Communist Party’s ambitions to occupy Indian territory, while neglecting Jharkhand exposes its disregard for tribal communities,” the organisation charged.

ABVP National Secretary Shravan B. Raj said in a statement that the move was “a calculated attempt by the Communist Party-led Kerala government to manipulate the young generation with fake narratives”. He added: “Portraying Netaji as a coward is nothing but a malicious lie. The errors in the map are not accidental but a conspiracy to damage national integrity. This is a campaign of breaking India by anti-national forces.” He further alleged that by omitting Assam, the ruling CPI(M) was showing “loyalty to their ideological progenitors in China” and misleading students, “the future of Bharat.”

ABVP Kerala State Secretary E.U. Eswaraprasad said the incident exposed the “poisonous narrative” being promoted by the Education Department. “Kerala claims to be a model for other states, but this is nothing short of a heinous act.

This is a deliberate ploy by the ruling party to plant anti-national ideas in young minds,” he said. Eswaraprasad added that the ABVP has submitted formal complaints to the state Education Minister and the Director of NCERT, demanding strict action against the officials responsible.

“We will continue to resist any attempt to politicise academic materials and distort history,” he said. The controversy has triggered sharp reactions, with ABVP vowing to launch protests if corrective steps are not taken immediately.

-IANS

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Chaos At NTK Rally: Seeman Walks Off Stage In Villupuram Protest Meeting

By
The Commune
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Seeman NTK annual income villupuram protest

A dramatic scene unfolded at a Naam Thamizhar Katchi (NTK) public meeting in Senji, Villupuram district, on Sunday when the party’s chief coordinator Seeman abruptly walked off the stage, sparking confusion among supporters and onlookers.

The meeting had been organised by NTK to protest against UNESCO’s recognition of Senji Fort, a historic landmark. Party members argued that the fort was being attributed to the Marathas, which they claimed amounted to the erasure of Tamil history and heritage.

Addressing a large gathering, Seeman spoke strongly against what he described as a “distortion” of Tamil identity in historical narratives. The situation, however, took a chaotic turn when local journalists approached Seeman for comments while he was on stage. NTK’s security personnel reportedly tried to block the media from reaching him, leading to an altercation.

Witnesses said the scuffle created tension in the crowd, drawing the attention of police officers who were present at the venue to oversee security arrangements. Believing that a clash had erupted between police and his own security team, Seeman appeared visibly alarmed.

In a sudden move, he rushed off the stage, leaving the gathering stunned. His hurried exit triggered a commotion among party members and supporters, who scrambled to understand the situation. When questioned later, NTK functionaries sought to downplay the incident.

They explained that Seeman had misunderstood the scene as a potential confrontation between police and NTK personnel. The dramatic walkout overshadowed the purpose of the meeting, which had been called to highlight NTK’s opposition to the official narrative of Senji Fort’s origins.

The party has long maintained that the historic fort stands as a symbol of Tamil pride, and attributing its construction to the Marathas undermines the region’s heritage. Despite the disruption, NTK leaders vowed to continue their campaign against what they call attempts to “rewrite Tamil history”.

The incident, however, has once again underlined the volatile atmosphere surrounding Tamil identity politics in the state.

-IANS

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Chinese FM Wang Yi Arrives in India Today; To Hold Key Boundary Talks With NSA Doval, Bilateral Meeting With Jaishankar In New Delhi

By
The Commune
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jaishankar wang yi india china

Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi will begin his two-day visit to India on Monday, where he will hold crucial bilateral meeting with External Affairs Minister (EAM) S. Jaishankar.

However, the Chinese Foreign Minister’s visit also assumes significance in view of increasing tensions in India-US relations following President Donald Trump doubling tariffs on Indian goods to 50 per cent, which included an additional penalty of 25 per cent for purchasing Russian oil. India and China are expected to discuss new confidence-building measures for durable peace and tranquillity along their contested border during Wang Yi’s visit, which comes ahead of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s China trip later this month.

The Chinese Foreign Minister’s visit is largely seen as part of ongoing efforts by the two neighbours to rebuild their relationship after it came under severe strain following the deadly Galwan Valley clashes in 2020. Wang Yi will be in India primarily to hold a fresh round of Special Representatives (SR) dialogue on the boundary question with National Security Advisor Ajit Doval. Wang and Doval are the designated special representatives for the boundary talks.

The Chinese Foreign Minister will arrive in New Delhi at around 4:15 p.m. on Monday. At 6 p.m., he will meet EAM Jaishankar for bilateral discussions. On Tuesday morning, Wang Yi is scheduled to hold a new round of the Special Representatives (SR) dialogue with NSA Doval at 11 a.m.

The meetings could see both sides deliberate on a range of key issues, including the border situation, trade and resumption of flight services. The Chinese Minister will then call on Prime Minister Narendra Modi at his residence, 7 Lok Kalyan Marg, at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA).

The meeting assumes significance as it is taking place days before PM Modi’s planned trip to China to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO). Though the two sides disengaged troops from the friction points, they are yet to de-escalate the situation by pulling back the frontline forces from the border. Each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the LAC in the eastern Ladakh region. As per the plan, Prime Minister Modi will visit Japan around August 29 and then travel to the northern Chinese city of Tianjin for the SCO summit.

NSA Doval travelled to China in December last year and held the SR talks with Wang Yi, weeks after Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping decided to revive various dialogue mechanisms between the two sides at a meeting in the Russian city of Kazan. The military standoff in eastern Ladakh began in May 2020 and the clashes at the Galwan Valley in June that year resulted in a severe strain in bilateral ties.

The decision to revive various dialogue mechanisms was taken at a meeting between Prime Minister Modi and Chinese President Xi in Kazan on October 23, 2024. The two sides also initiated several initiatives to rebuild ties, including the resumption of the Kailash Mansarovar Yatra and New Delhi restarting the issuance of tourist visas to Chinese nationals.

Both sides are also discussing modalities to resume direct flight services between the two countries. The flight services between the two sides were suspended following the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020. It was not restored in view of the border row. Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and EAM Jaishankar visited China in the last two months to attend the SCO meetings.

-IANS

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Trump Says Zelensky Can End War ‘Almost Immediately’ If Ukraine Accepts Russian Conditions

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The Commune
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trump zelensky russia war ukraine

US President Donald Trump has said that Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky could chose to end the war with Russia “almost immediately” or “he can continue to fight”.

“President Zelensky of Ukraine can end the war with Russia almost immediately, if he wants to, or he can continue to fight,” Trump said on Sunday on his Truth Social platform.

“No getting back Obama given Crimea (12 years ago, without a shot being fired!)…and NO GOING INTO NATO BY UKRAINE. Some things never change!!!” On the eve of highly consequential talks with Zelensky and a large delegation of European leaders, President Trump has previewed the message he will deliver to his White House visitors: Zelensky must agree to some of Russia’s conditions for the war in Ukraine to end. The post underscored the pressure Zelensky will face on Monday as Trump works to end the conflict.

The two conditions he listed — that Ukraine cede Crimea, which Russia illegally annexed in 2014, and that it agree never to join NATO — are among the conditions Russian President Vladimir Putin has set for ending the war. European leaders visiting the White House with Zelensky on Monday are concerned the meeting will amount to Trump pressuring the Ukrainian leader to accept the conditions Putin put forward in their Alaska summit last week. They hope to glean more information from Trump on what Russia might concede as part of a peace deal, including what role the US would play in providing security guarantees going forward.

“Big day at the White House tomorrow. Never had so many European Leaders at one time. My great honour to host them!!!” Trump posted after his message to Zelensky. The European delegation: French President Emmanuel Macron, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, Finland President Alexander Stubb and NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte will all join Zelensky for the visit to the White House on Monday.

Trump met Putin in Alaska on Friday but the talks failed to yield any breakthrough on a ceasefire — though White House envoy Steve Witkoff said both leaders had agreed to provide “robust security guarantees” to Ukraine. European Commission Chief Ursula von der Leyen hailed the news, but Zelensky, speaking alongside her at a news conference in Brussels, rejected the idea of Russia offering his country security guarantees.

“What President Trump said about security guarantees is much more important to me than Putin’s thoughts, because Putin will not give any security guarantees,” he said. Zelensky later said on social media that the US offer regarding security guarantees was “historic”.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who will take part in the Washington meeting along with von der Leyen and others, said European leaders would ask about the extent of the security guarantees offered to Ukraine in any peace agreement.

Of Moscow’s position, he said: “There is only one state proposing a peace that would be a capitulation: Russia.” Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova called that an “abject lie” in a statement on Telegram later on Sunday. Moscow had been proposing a “peaceful resolution” of the conflict for seven years under the terms of the Minsk Accords, she said. Macron, she added, was trying to convince Ukraine that it could win on the battlefield even when he knew that that was “impossible”.

Trump, who pivoted after the Alaska meeting to say he was now seeking a peace deal rather than a ceasefire, on Sunday posted “BIG PROGRESS ON RUSSIA. STAY TUNED!” on his Truth Social platform, without elaborating. Trump’s sudden focus on a peace deal aligns with the stance long taken by Putin, one which Ukraine and its European allies have criticised as Putin’s way to buy time while trying to make battlefield gains.

Zelensky also said he saw “no sign” the Kremlin leader was prepared to meet him and Trump for a three-way summit, as had been floated by the US President. The leaders heading to Washington on Monday to appear alongside Zelensky call themselves the “coalition of the willing”.

On Sunday, all the European leaders held a video meeting to prepare their joint position. Speaking to US broadcaster CNN, Witkoff said: “I’m hopeful that we have a productive meeting on Monday, we get to real consensus, we’re able to come back to the Russians and push this peace deal forward and get it done.” US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking to NBC on Sunday, warned of “consequences” — including the potential imposition of new sanctions on Russia — if no peace deal was reached on Ukraine.

European leaders have expressed unease from the outset over Trump’s outreach to Putin, who has demanded Ukraine abandon its ambitions to join the EU or NATO. They were excluded from Trump’s summit with Putin. Witkoff, in his CNN interview, said the process of offering “game-changing” security guarantees would involve territorial “concessions”. According to an official briefed on a call Trump held with Zelensky and European leaders as he flew back from Alaska, the US leader supported a Putin proposal that Russia take full control of two eastern Ukrainian regions in exchange for freezing the frontline in two others.

Putin “de facto demands that Ukraine leave Donbas”, an area consisting of the Donetsk and Lugansk regions in eastern Ukraine, which Russia currently only partly controls, the source said. In exchange, Russian forces would halt their offensive in the Black Sea port region of Kherson and Zaporizhzhia in southern Ukraine, where the main cities are still under Ukrainian control.

Several months into its full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Russia in September 2022 claimed to have annexed all four Ukrainian regions even though its troops still do not fully control any of them. On the ground in Ukraine, the conflict rages on, with both Kyiv and Moscow launching attack drones. Ukrainian authorities reported early Monday that 13 people were wounded in Russian strikes on Kharkiv and the Sumy region.

-IANS

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Dharmasthala ‘Mass Burial’ Allegations By ‘Masked Man’ Collapse: SIT Finds No Evidence

By
The Commune
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dharmasthala mass burial grave nhrc sit mass burial masked man soujanya murder case

The controversy surrounding allegations of “mass burials” of women and minor girls at the Lord Manjunatha shrine in Dharmasthala has taken a dramatic turn after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) formed by the Karnataka government failed to recover any remains supporting the claims.

The case originated on 3 June 2025, when an unidentified complainant, who appeared in public fully covered to conceal his identity and came to be known as the “masked man,” claimed to be a former sanitation worker at the shrine. He alleged that he had been forced to bury large numbers of women and minor girls between 1995 and 2014, who were allegedly raped and murdered. He submitted skeletal remains in court which he claimed to have exhumed from one of the sites and later testified before a court in the same concealed manner.

Following his complaint, another woman lodged a case stating that her daughter had gone missing during a trip to Dharmasthala.

Given the seriousness of the charges, the state government formed an SIT on 19 July 2025 to investigate. The “masked man” pointed investigators to 13 alleged burial sites. Excavations were carried out at 17 sites in total, but the case began unraveling as the SIT found no evidence of mass burials.

At one location, bone fragments recovered were determined by forensic experts to belong to a male. At another site, identity cards recovered belonged to a man who reportedly died of illness. The skull handed over to the court by the complainant was tested in two hospitals, both confirming it was that of a male who died about 30 years ago.

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) was later deployed at the request of the complainant. At site number 13, where he had claimed 60–100 bodies were buried at a depth of 16 feet, the radar showed no anomalies and excavation produced no findings.

During digging at site number 11, the complainant abruptly claimed that the actual burial spot was about 150 metres away. At that new location, investigators recovered 81 bones lying on the surface rather than buried. Experts said these too appeared to be from a male. Male clothing and a red saree were found, along with indications that the site may have been connected to a suicide. Excavation there also yielded nothing further.

As the SIT continued to find no corroboration, officials announced they would not excavate every site identified by the “masked man,” but would check a few more, including a location flagged by another complainant who claimed to have witnessed the burial of a 13-year-old girl.

So far, the SIT has registered cases of unnatural death in connection with skeletal remains recovered at two sites and is also investigating the missing girl complaint filed by the mother of Ananya Bhat.

The collapse of the allegations has sparked political confrontation. Devotees staged protests demanding action against those who spread what they called false charges to defame the temple. The state government has assured action against what it described as propaganda.

Deputy Chief Minister D. K. Shivakumar stated that the ongoing investigation would expose what he termed a conspiracy to tarnish the temple’s reputation. He added that strict action would follow if the “mass burial” charges were proven false. Shivakumar accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of politicising the case, saying the party had not spoken when the allegations first surfaced but had later attempted to gain political mileage. He remarked that the BJP acted as though “Hinduism is their private property” and suggested the party was exploiting Dharmasthala for political ends.

The BJP staged a rally on Saturday at the temple, demanding punishment for those behind the allegations. Party leader S. R. Vishwanath said the BJP had initially refrained from commenting because it believed there could have been some truth in the charges. He said the party decided to intervene once excavations disproved claims of mass burials and pledged support to Dharmasthala against what he called false propaganda.

Meanwhile, the “masked man” remains under witness protection. In an interview with India Today, he maintained his allegations, claiming that natural causes or infrastructure activity could have displaced bodies, explaining why excavations yielded nothing.

(With inputs from OpIndia)

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