If you’re from a middle-class family that has moved from the southern parts of Tamil Nadu or any other region to the capital city in search of better job opportunities, it often feels like stepping through a one-way door: you can enter, but going back becomes nearly impossible. This is largely due to the government’s poor management of public transport, infrastructure, and related services. Every year, during festival seasons or auspicious times (muhurthams), there’s a massive rush of people trying to return to their hometowns. Yet, the ruling DMK government has consistently failed to address the situation, leaving ordinary citizens stranded on platforms, waiting endlessly for buses that never arrive.
From 5 June 2025 to 8 June 2025, except for the 7th, each day was a Subha Muhurtham—an auspicious day for weddings. On top of that, 7 June 2025 coincided with Bakrid, a major Muslim festival. Given this rare convergence, one would expect the so-called “Dravidian model” government, which prides itself on being socialist and people-centric, to have been well-prepared. But what unfolded was complete chaos not only at the Kilambakkam bus terminus, but on the roads leading to it from across Chennai.
Kilambakkam is located nearly 30 kilometers away from key city areas like T. Nagar. All regular long-distance SETC buses ranging from AC to semi-sleeper and sleeper coaches were fully booked well in advance. By Thursday night (5th June), people arriving at the terminus were left stranded. Only a few non-reserved buses were available, with one bus arriving every 3-5 hours. Families, elderly people, and solo women travelers were forced to watch helplessly as others pushed, shoved, and fought to grab seats. The scene was both chaotic and disheartening.
குறைந்தபட்ச அரசு நிர்வாகத்தை கூட தர முடியாததற்கு பேர்தான் #கோபாலபுர_கோமாளி மாடல்… ஓராண்டுக்கு குறைந்தது 1000 பேருந்துகளாகது வாங்க வேண்டும் ஆனால் #கோபாலபுர_கோமாளி ஸ்டாலின் மாடல் அரசு நான்கு ஆண்டுகளுக்கு 500 பேருந்துகள் கூட வாங்கவில்லை…
— Gowri Sankar D – Say Yes to Women Safety&AIADMK (@GowriSankarD_) June 6, 2025
When questioned, bus inspectors admitted they were powerless. They claimed that unless a minister intervenes, nothing could be done. One even criticized the government directly, saying they were aware of the situation but consistently chose inaction. The buses, most of which are over 10 years old, haven’t been replaced or upgraded. Authorities argue that such rushes happen only during festival times and that buses run empty otherwise. Yet even basic improvements like deploying upgraded city buses are ignored.
On 5th and 6th June, passengers at Kilambakkam had to wait up to 4 hours for a bus. Why? Because of a baffling traffic plan implemented by the Greater Chennai Police. From Chengalpattu toll gate, incoming traffic to Chennai was allowed only through a single service lane, while six full lanes were allotted for vehicles leaving the city. This left inbound buses stuck in traffic for hours. As a result, a bus that departed Kilambakkam at 10 PM didn’t even cross Chengalpattu until 2 AM.
This was the fate of those lucky enough to board the one bus that arrived. But for the remaining 1,000+ passengers—including solo travelers, couples, families, and those with young children—they were left standing all night, exhausted and in pain from hours of waiting. With no other option, the crowd eventually blocked the Trichy National Highway in protest. Only then did the police arrive—not with buses, but merely to calm the angry crowd. Even after that, no immediate action was taken to get buses running. The question that now haunts every common citizen is, where are the ministers during times like this? Were they unaware that a four-day holiday combined with Subha Muhurthams and Bakrid would lead to a surge in travel? Did they not anticipate that people would suffer under these conditions?These are the unanswered questions that everyday people are left struggling with—again and again.
This isn’t a one-time incident it’s a reflection of how the Dravidian model governance often plays out. While the government makes grand claims, it’s the common man who suffers the consequences, time and again.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
YouTuber A2D Nanda Kumar’s recent video titled “அழியும் நிலையில் தமிழர்கள் – South vs North ☠️ | Need More Babies 🥲”, that is focused on the recent controversy about delimitation, is not just riddled with factual inaccuracies—it’s a textbook example of how divisive political propaganda is cloaked in demographic fearmongering to serve partisan narratives. His alarmist predictions about the “extinction” of Tamils and the “end” of Tamil Nadu are not grounded in demographic science, but rather in a deliberate distortion of facts designed to push the DMK’s anti-Delhi, anti-North narrative.
A2D Nanda Kumar, known for his infinite love for Pakistan and vilification of India amid Operation Sindoor is also accused of scamming his subscribers earlier. His credibility is as true as a ₹3 coin—nonexistent, laughable, and only circulated by those who don’t know better.
Below is a detailed rebuttal to the claims made in his video—backed by data, historical context, and constitutional realities.
Fabricated Demographic Doomsday To Vilify Federal Policies
Claim:“Tamil population will collapse to 1 crore by 2100–2500, leading to ethnic extinction.”
Reality: Tamil Nadu’s Total Fertility Rate (TFR) of 1.4 aligns with developed nations like Japan and South Korea, reflecting socioeconomic progress, not collapse. Demographic projections show that while Tamil Nadu’s population may peak and then gradually decline, it will not collapse to a mere 10 million by 2100. The United Nations and Indian census projections indicate a gradual aging and slow decline, not a demographic collapse.
The video’s apocalyptic framing mirrors DMK’s fearmongering about delimitation, which it claims will reduce Tamil Nadu’s political representation.
Misleading Comparison With Japan
Yes, Japan has a TFR of 1.3 and faces an aging crisis. But equating Tamil Nadu with Japan ignores key differences:
India’s population is younger.
Tamil Nadu continues to receive migration from other parts of India, which Japan does not.
Economic structures, urbanization rates, and welfare systems differ dramatically.
To suggest that Tamil Nadu will become a retirement home by 2040 like Japan is lazy, fear-based analogizing. And at this point, he is once again creating a fear of “invasion” subtly when he speaks of internal migration because it would only point to the “north Indians” moving down south.
Alarmism Over Cultural Disappearance
Claim:“If it continues like this, eventually, the Tamil ethnic group itself might disappear. End of Tamils.”
Reality: The idea that “Tamils will disappear” is absurd and not just alarmist—it’s dangerously misleading. Tamil culture, spoken by over 75 million people across the globe and sustained by a vibrant diaspora, is far from extinction. Even with a low fertility rate, populations do not vanish within a few generations. These panic-driven claims ignore demographic science and serve only to manufacture ethnic anxiety rather than inform policy.
Tamil Nadu is a state with rich linguistic, cultural, and political history. No demographic model predicts its disappearance, and the only people talking about such doomsday scenarios are those who benefit politically from portraying Tamils as victims.
In addition to this, Nanda Kumar also mentions how sparse the Tamil population in Singapore and Malaysia is as if they were the original inhabitants of those regions. Nanda Kumar might need some anthropology lessons to understand that Tamils from India, Sri Lanka migrated as plantation workers to Malaysia, Singapore and other Far East nations during British rule. The Tamils in these regions assimilated very well into the population and are present in a sizeable number that one of the official languages in Singapore and Tamils are in significant political roles.
Delimitation Fearmongering To Stoke Regional Hostility
Claim: “Delimitation will erase Tamil Nadu’s political voice, leading to a ‘North Indian dictatorship’.”
Reality: Delimitation is a constitutional process to ensure proportional representation based on population. Southern states’ contributions to India’s GDP and federal institutions like the Rajya Sabha ensure continued influence. Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured the people that the Southern states’ concern on delimitation will be taken care of. And since steps for delimitation has not even commenced, one wonders what the need for such fearmongering is.
Claim: “If delimitation happens, the voice of the South will not be heard in Parliament at all. This will lead to a dictatorship for South India.”
Reality: While the South’s relative representation in Parliament may decrease if seats are reallocated strictly by population, the claim that this will result in a “dictatorship” or complete disenfranchisement is hyperbolic. As mentioned earlier, no concrete steps have been taken for delimitation process so far, and Union Home Minister Amit Shah has assured the political leaders from south of India that their concerns will be addressed. The Indian political system includes multiple checks and balances, and Southern states will continue to have significant influence through other mechanisms (Rajya Sabha, federal negotiations, economic contributions, etc.).
Claim: “North Indian migration to Tamil Nadu is due to low population caused by family planning.”
Reality: Labor migration is driven by economic opportunities, not population decline. Tamil Nadu’s thriving industries attract workers nationwide, a sign of economic integration, not “invasion.”
Claim: “The Indian government forced sterilization in the 1970s, especially in South India, but not in North India.”
Reality: Forced sterilization during the Emergency (1975-77) was a nationwide policy, but it was particularly aggressive in North Indian states like Uttar Pradesh, Haryana, and Delhi, with quotas and police coercion, not just the South. The suggestion that only South India followed family planning is misleading and factually incorrect; implementation varied, but forced sterilization was not a South-only phenomenon.
To selectively highlight the South is either ignorance or deliberate distortion.
Claim: “States like UP and Bihar did not follow population control, so their population increased, and now Tamil Nadu will be punished by losing MP seats after delimitation.”
Reality: This trope—popular in DMK circles—feeds into a grievance narrative that Southern states are being “punished” for responsible governance. While it is true that Northern states like UP and Bihar have higher TFRs, they also have higher poverty, illiteracy, and health challenges. The demographic transition occurs at different paces in different regions.
Delimitation is a constitutional mandate meant to ensure fair representation based on population. Calling it “punishment” is emotional manipulation.
Claim: “North Indian states give a baby bonus of ₹3,000 for the second child.”
Reality: While the baby bonus is real, there is a factual error in his statement. Truth is that the Pradhan Mantri Matru Vandana Yojana (PMMVY), under the Ministry of Women and Child Development, supports every pregnant and lactating woman from disadvantaged backgrounds all over the country. Under PMMVY 2.0 (from April 2022), ₹5,000 is provided in two instalments for the first child, along with ₹1,000 under Janani Suraksha Yojana (JSY), totaling ₹6,000. For the second child, a ₹6,000 benefit is given in one instalment if the child is a girl, promoting positive attitudes towards daughters and improving the sex ratio at birth. In cases of miscarriage or stillbirth, the mother remains eligible for full benefits in subsequent pregnancies.
Claim: “Because of low population, there are no people to work in Tamil Nadu, so North Indians are being imported. This is a problem caused by family planning.”
Reality: Migration for work is a complex phenomenon influenced by economic opportunities, wage differentials, and labor market needs. While Tamil Nadu does have a lower TFR, labor migration from North India is driven more by economic disparities and the demand for labor in growing Southern economies, not solely by population decline.
Blaming labor migration on low TFR is a flawed and ethnocentric analysis. Tamil Nadu’s economy is advanced and industrialized—it needs workers, and North Indians are filling that gap. This is not a problem, it’s federal economic cooperation. But in the hands of propagandists like Nanda Kumar, it’s turned into a xenophobic narrative.
Family Planning – A Western Conspiracy?
Claim: “After WWII, Western powers forced India to adopt family planning as a condition for loans, to prevent communism and poverty.”
Reality: While international agencies like the World Bank and IMF did encourage population control in developing countries, the claim that it was a Western conspiracy to prevent communism is speculative and not backed by mainstream historical research. India’s family planning policies were influenced by both international advice and domestic concerns about resource constraints and poverty.
But off all the bizarre claims, Nanda Kumar goes on to make an inflammatory analogy, comparing South India to a repressed sister and North India to an irresponsible brother. He claims that while the ‘sister’ (South India) earns and sustains the household, she is denied basic freedoms simply because she’s a woman, while the ‘brother’ (North India) enjoys unchecked liberty. He asks, “Won’t the girl want to leave the house?” — a thinly veiled call for separatism, cloaked as concern. This kind of rhetoric dangerously normalizes anti-national sentiment.
The Bigger Picture: Pushing the DMK’s Narrative Under The Guise Of Social Commentary
Nandakumar is not an independent commentator. His views reflect long-standing DMK propaganda points:
South India vs. North India
Hindi vs. Tamil
“North Indian” suppression vs. Tamil self-respect
Population control as an anti-Tamil plot
This video fits neatly into that template—weaponizing half-truths and demographic anxiety to fuel regionalist sentiment. It’s political theatre masquerading as social concern.
Beware The New Age Propagandist
A2D Nandakumar isn’t just misinformed—he’s misleading thousands. His video is not a cry for Tamil survival; it’s a DMK-adjacent political tract dressed up in demographic pseudo-science. Tamil Nadu deserves better than fear-based narratives and falsified history.
For real empowerment, we need facts, federal cooperation, and informed debate—not shrill YouTube propaganda where the host oscillates like a pendulum spouting nonsense that is Dravidian populism in disguise.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday confirmed that he will attend the upcoming G7 summit in Canada, putting to rest media speculation and political criticism over India’s participation. The summit is scheduled to take place from 15 June 2025 to 17 June 2025 in Kananaskis, Alberta.
Taking to X, the Prime Minister stated, “Look forward to our meeting at the Summit,” confirming that Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney had personally extended the invitation.
Glad to receive a call from Prime Minister @MarkJCarney of Canada. Congratulated him on his recent election victory and thanked him for the invitation to the G7 Summit in Kananaskis later this month. As vibrant democracies bound by deep people-to-people ties, India and Canada…
The announcement comes in the wake of reports suggesting that India had not been invited to the summit, allegedly due to strained diplomatic ties between New Delhi and Ottawa. Bloomberg led the narrative with a report on 5th June titled “Modi Not Invited to G-7 Summit in Sign of Frayed Canada Ties.” The article, citing unnamed officials in Delhi, claimed that PM Modi had not received an invitation, emphasizing that invitations to non-member countries are at the discretion of the host nation.
Following Bloomberg’s report, several Indian and international media outlets, including the Financial Times, National Herald, and Pakistan’s Dawn, echoed the same claim. Indian political opposition quickly seized upon the reports to criticize the Modi government’s diplomatic handling.
The Congress party labeled the alleged non-invitation as a “big diplomatic bungle.” Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh remarked that when the G7 included Russia as the G8 prior to 2014, then-Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had been a regular invitee. He added that invitations continued post-2014, and the supposed omission this year represented “yet another major diplomatic blunder.”
G7 शिखर सम्मेलन 15 जून 2025 से कनाडा के अल्बर्टा प्रांत के कानानास्किस में आयोजित हो रहा है। इस सम्मेलन में अमेरिका और फ्रांस के राष्ट्रपतियों, ब्रिटेन, जापान, इटली और कनाडा के प्रधानमंत्रियों तथा जर्मनी के चांसलर की भागीदारी होगी।
Additionally, several other media reports suggested that even if invited, PM Modi was unlikely to attend the summit. India Today, citing government sources, claimed the Indian leadership was not inclined to participate due to tense bilateral relations and unresolved security concerns tied to rising Khalistani activities in Canada.
Times of India also reported that a last-minute invitation would be difficult to accommodate due to logistical challenges.
Contrary to these reports, PM Modi’s confirmation affirms India’s continued engagement with the G7 grouping, where it has been a regular guest since 2019. The invitation from PM Carney and PM Modi’s acceptance effectively nullify earlier media claims and opposition accusations.
The G7 comprises the United States, United Kingdom, Germany, France, Italy, Canada, and Japan, with non-member countries invited annually by the host nation.
In what appears to be a long-running case of systemic corruption, officials and contractors associated with the Tamil Nadu Water Supply and Drainage (TWAD) Board are allegedly embezzling close to ₹90 crore each year by underpaying contract workers through a well-organized scheme. This malpractice reportedly affects thousands of labourers employed in the Combined Water Supply Schemes (CWSSs) throughout the state.
A formal complaint was submitted last month by the Tirunelveli-Tenkasi Bharathiya TWAD Board Contract Labourers Union to TWAD Managing Director Kiran Gurrala. It stated that although the mandated monthly minimum wage for around 12,000 workers is ₹15,401, labourers are being paid only ₹7,500 to ₹9,800 a reduction of 40–50%. The remaining portion of the salary roughly ₹7.42 crore per month is allegedly being misappropriated by corrupt board officials and contractors.
The contract workers claim they’ve been campaigning for fair wages for over two decades. Despite various departments including the labour department, Employees’ Provident Fund (EPF) office, and even the Chief Minister’s office acknowledging irregularities and recommending reforms, the workers allege that influential parties within the system have persistently blocked any corrective measures.
According to former TWAD MD V. Dakshinamoorthy, who shared relevant details with the union in 2022, approximately 11,597 workers serve in the CWSS network across Tamil Nadu, mostly in roles such as electricians, pump operators, and maintenance personnel. All are legally entitled to the government-prescribed minimum wage.
In their petition, the union claimed that the wages are not being directly deposited into workers’ accounts, as required. Instead, they receive reduced amounts in cash, without official documentation. Meanwhile, salary records falsely show full payments an arrangement allegedly orchestrated with the help of Executive Engineers in various districts. The union estimates that over each three-year contract cycle, around ₹267 crore is being siphoned off.
Supporting the workers’ claims, a 2018 showed that a committee was to be formed to investigate wage discrepancies, as ordered by then MD C.N. Maheswaran. However, workers say no inquiry was ever conducted.
Moreover, despite tender documents clearly stipulating that payments must be made via cheque or direct bank transfers, this guideline has largely been ignored. In a 2018 review meeting, then Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami raised concerns about wage distribution irregularities. Following that, several senior TWAD officials, including Chief Engineer P. Manimohan and Superintending Engineer S. Rajasekar, issued urgent directives between 2021 and 2024, instructing compliance with wage regulations. Another such directive came in August 2024 from MD Dakshinamoorthy, urging adherence to the legally mandated pay structure.
Despite these directives, a contract agreement valid until March 2026 signed between contractor S. Balasubramania Pandian and the TWAD Board’s Chief Engineer (Madurai) committed to following the Madras High Court’s 2022 wage order. Yet, workers allege that this commitment has also not been honored.
Furthermore, according to reports, enforcement officers from the Central EPFO and inspectors from the State Labour Department were denied access to essential documents like salary registers by TWAD’s Executive Engineers and CWSS contractors in Tirunelveli and Tenkasi.
Current MD Kiran Gurrala was unavailable for comment, while Minister for Water Supply K.N. Nehru stated on 25 May that he would inquire with the involved parties.
Did you know? Back in 2006, the Congress-led UPA government under Sonia Gandhi was reportedly engaged in behind-the-scenes efforts to hand over the strategically crucial Siachen Glacier to Pakistan India’s long-standing adversary without consulting the Indian Armed Forces or intelligence agencies. This secretive move, had it gone through, would have severely undermined the sacrifices of countless soldiers who have risked and given their lives defending one of the world’s most unforgiving military outposts.
The shocking revelation came from one of the Indian Army’s most respected and battle-hardened leaders, former Chief of Army Staff General J.J. Singh. In a candid disclosure, he accused the then government of bypassing the military leadership and national security apparatus while pursuing backchannel negotiations with Pakistan over a mutual troop withdrawal from Siachen.
According to General Singh, the discussions in 2006 were held without taking the Indian Army or intelligence agencies into confidence. This claim gains further credibility as a former Foreign Secretary also later confirmed that both India and Pakistan were indeed working on a proposal for demilitarizing the glacier region that same year.
General Singh questioned the rationale behind such a move, especially when Indian soldiers had never once asked the government to pull back despite the extreme weather, treacherous terrain, and frequent casualties. He emphasized that India holds a significant advantage in high-altitude warfare, making Pakistan the side struggling more in Siachen, not India.
What stunned him most was the complete lack of consultation. General Singh stated that even as Army Chief at the time, he was kept in the dark about these diplomatic overtures. He saw it as a grave insult to the memory of the soldiers nearly 890 of whom, including officers, laid down their lives during Operation Meghdoot in 1984 to secure the glacier.
He strongly condemned the Congress government’s assumption that peace with Pakistan could be achieved by simply vacating a territory so hard-won by Indian forces. If this was their definition of peace, he said, it was nothing short of delusional.
This incident stands as a stark reminder of how political miscalculations can risk national security and disregard the courage, sacrifice, and commitment of India’s armed forces.
In a old private TV debate General JJ Singh said, “In this particular case, we made our stand very clear. No withdrawal unless the Pakistani army agrees to authenticate on map and satellite imagery of their present position and tell their nation that they are nowhere near Siachen Glacier – there is a Saltoro Ridge between them and us. Till that time, I think we should not do any withdrawal And this is not going to work out. It will land us into a trap. We’ll be embarrassed. The nation would be embarrassed and the army would always be very very unhappy to take a task like this.”
Ex-Army General JJ Singh (a UPA appointee) reveals that then UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi attempted to cede the Siachen Glacier to Pakistan.
She nearly got the then-PM MMS to sign the deal after being pressured by the US-Pak lobby.
The near handover of the strategically vital Siachen Glacier to Pakistan in 2006 was not only highlighted by former Army Chief General J.J. Singh but also confirmed by former Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran. Both revealed that the Congress-led UPA government, under Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, had almost finalized an agreement to demilitarize the glacier — a crucial position from which Indian forces monitor both Pakistan and China along the northern frontiers. This deal, however, was ultimately derailed by the intervention of then National Security Advisor (NSA) M.K. Narayanan.
In his book How India Sees the World, Shyam Saran provides detailed insights into how close India and Pakistan came to formalizing a mutual troop withdrawal from the Siachen region. The plan also involved setting up a joint monitoring mechanism to oversee the area after demilitarization. According to Saran, this wasn’t the first time such discussions had occurred. Similar negotiations had taken place in 1989 and 1992 — both under Congress governments — but had failed to materialize due to unresolved disagreements, particularly on Pakistan’s side.
The earliest effort, during Rajiv Gandhi’s tenure in 1989, failed due to Pakistan’s unwillingness to agree to key terms. Another attempt was made in 1992 under Prime Minister P.V. Narasimha Rao, focused on mutual withdrawal from the Actual Ground Position Line (AGPL), but the political leadership then decided to defer the issue to future rounds of dialogue.
The most serious effort came in 2006, when Saran, then Foreign Secretary, and his Pakistani counterpart Riaz Mohammad Khan reached a tentative agreement under directions from the Manmohan Singh government. Saran disclosed that the draft deal even included clauses for authenticating troop positions before any withdrawal would take place — a key demand from the Indian side. Both sides agreed that the main agreement and its annexure would hold equal legal standing.
Manmohan Singh reportedly urged Saran to work toward sealing the deal, but also instructed him to secure consensus from all key stakeholders, including top officials in the ministries of Defence, Home Affairs, and Finance, all of whom were part of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS). Despite this groundwork, the proposal failed to move forward, largely due to strong reservations from the defence establishment and security advisors.
The book read, “To give the document additional strength, we insisted, and the Pakistani side agreed, that both the agreement and the Annexure will be signed and that the main agreement will explicitly declare that the annexure had the same legal validity as the agreement itself,” writes Sharan.
“Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had asked me to work on this agreement but had also insisted that I obtain a consensus on it form all the key stakeholders in our own system. I did many rounds of consultations, both at the senior bureaucratic and ministerial levels in the ministries of defence, home and finance (whose members are part of the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS).”
According to Saran, the proposal had initially gained the support of key members of the security establishment, including then-Army Chief General J.J. Singh and the heads of India’s intelligence agencies.
The Indian Army had reportedly agreed to the draft framework, which outlined specific details such as the current troop positions of both India and Pakistan, their respective withdrawal lines, a timeline for redeployment, and a joint monitoring arrangement to prevent cross-border incursions. These technical components were to be formalized in an annexure accompanying the main agreement.
Once this draft received preliminary approval from the stakeholders, it was presented to the Cabinet Committee on Security (CCS) — the country’s apex body for national security decisions — for final clearance.
However, during the CCS discussions, National Security Advisor (NSA) M.K. Narayanan voiced strong objections. He warned that Pakistan was an unreliable negotiating partner and cautioned that such a withdrawal would not only trigger political and public backlash but could also weaken India’s military posture in the region — particularly in relation to both Pakistan and China. His intervention proved pivotal. Saran notes that, surprisingly, General J.J. Singh, who had earlier supported the plan, shifted his stance during the meeting and aligned with Narayanan’s concerns. He expressed that moving forward with the Siachen deal could jeopardize national security. This change of heart effectively stalled the agreement.
Interestingly, while Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister Shivraj Patil remained non-committal during the CCS meeting, they reportedly did not endorse the deal either. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was keen on sealing the agreement with Pakistan, refrained from pushing back once key security officials raised objections.
Narayanan also suggested that the Siachen issue be removed from the India-Pakistan negotiation agenda entirely. Though Pranab Mukherjee is said to have later supported the idea of demilitarization, citing former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi’s earlier openness to such talks, the plan was ultimately abandoned due to mounting security concerns.
Saran’s revelations are not the only source confirming this behind-the-scenes episode. A separate WikiLeaks cable had previously exposed how the UPA government, led by Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh, was prepared to cede control of the Siachen Glacier despite resistance from the Indian military, which warned of the long-term risks.
These disclosures underscore a troubling pattern in the Congress party’s approach to national security and territorial integrity. Had the deal gone through, India could have lost control over one of its most strategically important military zones — the Siachen Glacier, often referred to as the world’s highest battlefield, crucial for monitoring activities of both Pakistani and Chinese forces in the region.
In the end, it was the strong opposition from NSA M.K. Narayanan that prevented what could have been a major strategic misstep, ensuring that Siachen remained under Indian control.
These revelations underscore the extent to which the UPA government was willing to compromise on a highly sensitive and strategic frontier — risking a hard-won military advantage and the legacy of over 890 Indian soldiers who laid down their lives to defend Siachen during Operation Meghdoot and beyond.
A 34-year-old woman lost her life after being ejected from a Tamil Nadu State Transport Corporation (TNSTC) bus following a suspected mechanical failure near Alangulam on 5 June 2025.
According to police reports, the incident occurred around noon as the bus was traveling from Idaikaal to Alangulam. While passing through Nadarpatti, the vehicle veered off the road and crashed into a nearby field after the driver reportedly lost control, possibly due to a broken axle.
The victim, identified as Jayalakshmi from Idaikaal, had been standing near the front entrance of the bus when the accident happened. She was flung from the vehicle and sustained severe head injuries. Tragically, she succumbed to her injuries before she could be taken to a hospital.
Other passengers on board sustained minor injuries and were treated at the Alangulam Government Hospital. Eyewitnesses stated that the bus began to wobble noticeably just before reaching Nadarpatti, raising suspicions about its roadworthiness.
Alangulam police have registered a case and launched an investigation into the incident.
Former Idol Wing Chief A.G. Ponn Manickavel has raised serious concerns about the state of temple management in Tamil Nadu. Speaking to the media after visiting the Akilandeswari-Jambukeswarar Temple in Thiruvanaikaval, Trichy, he criticized the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department for mismanaging temple funds.
According to Manickavel, temples across the state collect around ₹1.79 crore in donations each day amounting to nearly ₹53.7 crore every month all of which is taken by the HR&CE Department. Yet, despite this substantial revenue, basic infrastructure in temples remains severely lacking. He pointed out that nearly 90 percent of temples do not have proper lighting at night.
He further noted that at the Chandrasekara Swamy Temple in Tiruchendurai, operations now begin only after 9 a.m. a cost-saving measure to reduce electricity usage rather than in the early hours as per tradition. Moreover, priests who have been performing daily rituals for decades are still being paid as little as ₹50 a day.
Manickavel also highlighted that 95 percent of temples lack traditional Nagaswaram instruments, which are an essential part of temple ceremonies. Calling the situation deeply concerning, he urged for immediate reforms. He stressed that temple assets must be protected, and revenues should not be siphoned off by politicians, officials, or contractors. To achieve this, he said, the Endowments Department must be dismantled.
Speaking to the press A.G. Ponn Manickavel said, “In every temple, they should play mangalavadyam (auspicious music) in this temple too. But whether that will happen or not, I really don’t know. Because this is a very wealthy temple, there is a chance it might happen. After all, shouldn’t the musicians who rely on this for their livelihood be able to eat or not?
So what did she did for the sake of having mangalavadyam played at all times — not just for a year, but for 100, 200, 300, or even 400 years, she donated another five kalanch (a unit of gold). That is, they gave gold. And to whom she gave it? The Mahasabha (great council) of the Esan Mangalam temple. When “Mahasabha” is written in Tamil, it appears as “Parudaiyar”. That gold was given to the Parudaiyar, and with that, they bought six ma of land (a traditional measurement of land area). Ma is used in Tanjore but I’m not aware of that.
This land was purchased and assigned to the family who played the pipi (a traditional wind instrument). In Thanjavur, they refer to them as mozhakkarars (instrumentalists). Here, it is mangalavadyam. These people were considered prominent and respected back then. Some of them would play right near the sanctum (karuvarai), slightly farther outside. They were given the means to live, and this tradition continued for over 100 years.
But today, if you look at the situation the salary payments had already stopped for past 20 years. That kind of event is no longer followed in the temple. This is a temple with great antiquity, the HRCE since 1925, but now have brought to streets (abandoned). This is the truth.”
Former Idol Wing CID Inspector-General A.G. Ponn Manickavel launched a scathing attack on the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments (HRCE) Department and Minister Sekar Babu, accusing them of mismanagement, historical ignorance, and moral failure in preserving temple heritage.
He stated that anyone can download critical documents related to temple records — and that these can even be submitted in Tamil Nadu courts or the High Court. However, he alleged that the authorities will either claim such records don’t exist or point to a single file buried in a pile, ignoring the rest.
He emphasized that key records, especially those detailing ancient temple properties and donations, are not held by the HRCE department but can be found with the Department of State Archaeology or through institutions in Delhi or the Madras circle. “If the Archaeological Survey of India is asked, they will produce the documents,” he added.
Among the vital documents he mentioned are files numbered 316, 316E, 291, 294, 298, 300, 310, 319, 320, and most importantly, 325. He pointed out that these records, detailing temple land, gold donations, and service grants, were meticulously documented by British Christians over 120 years ago — long before the HRCE Department or even the Waqf Board Act came into existence.
Manickavel questioned the minister’s claims of spending ₹100 crores on Palani Murugan statue, asking, “What moral authority do they have to make such statements when they have no knowledge of or access to the actual historical records?”
He also revealed that records show donations like six ma (traditional units) of land and five kalanju of gold made to temple musicians likely Molakars, those who perform mangalavadyam (auspicious music). He criticized the current temple administration for allowing traditions to vanish, pointing out that many temples now open only after 9 AM to save electricity, and most remain poorly lit at night.
Speaking passionately about a specific temple, he described it as a sacred space — likening the Shivalingam to the feet of the Supreme — now neglected and encroached upon. Families that once served the temple have disappeared, and modern ministers, instead of preserving the legacy, are complicit in its decline.
Manickavel lamented, “Isn’t it all destroying? There’s no mangalavadyam (traditional temple music), no lamps in the temple. My stomach burns seeing this, that’s why I keep criticizing the HRCE Department. I pray to God that they should get destroyed. Why I pray that this department should get destroyed? Do I have some personal grudge against the department? No. In a democratic country, I’ve had to come and beg you. If this were the time of the old kings, the conversation would be over. I’m a southern man, I would have taken what belonged to us and barge in because this is our heritage. I’ve already mentioned the revenue. Just in one day, the HRCE Department collects ₹1.75 crore from Tamil Nadu temples. I have lied in due to little lost of memory — it’s actually ₹1.79 crore daily. They take over ₹54.75 crore every month. Yet in 275 temples, there are no lights at night. In 90% of temples, night-time lighting is missing. The mangalavadyam is no longer played. That entire tradition is vanishing. The art, the culture — everything is slowly fading away.”
Ponn Manickavel also exposed how deep-rooted corruption operates in temple renovations and Kumbabishekam (consecration ceremonies). He highlighted that while authorities claim to spend ₹100 crores on such projects, including ₹20 crores is quietly siphoned off. This isn’t mere theft—it’s a calculated manipulation and a serious breach of public trust, punishable by life imprisonment under the law but court doesn’t issue but god will. He compared corruption to cancer—spreading quietly and destructively. It begins with officials in charitable and religious administrative circles. Finally, contractors step in and take what’s left.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
Actor-turned-politician Kamal Haasan, who has long projected himself as a staunch rationalist and outspoken critic of religious customs, filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha on Friday, 6 June 2025 — notably on an astrologically “auspicious” muhurtam day, and conspicuously after the Rahu Kalam window had ended.
The event, held at the Tamil Nadu Secretariat, was attended by a full roster of DMK brass, including Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and Deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin, as well as leaders from alliance parties like VCK’s Thol. Thirumavalavan, MDMK’s Vaiko, and Tamil Nadu Congress chief K. Selvaperunthagai. The nomination marks Kamal Haasan’s formal entry into the Rajya Sabha as a representative of the DMK-allied Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), which he founded in 2018.
#WATCH | Chennai, Tamil Nadu | Makkal Needhi Maiam President and Actor Kamal Haasan files his nomination for Rajya Sabha at TN Secretariat in the presence of DMK President and TN Chief Minister MK Stalin and TN Dy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin.
Haasan, who once infamously declared that “saffron is the colour of violence” and has regularly dismissed religious rituals as superstitious nonsense, now finds himself partaking in the very traditions he ridiculed — filing his nomination at a carefully calculated time to avoid Rahu Kalam, an inauspicious time period in traditional Tamil astrology.
MNM’s Quid Pro Quo With The DMK
The DMK, which leads the INDIA bloc in Tamil Nadu, had earlier allocated one Rajya Sabha seat to MNM as part of a political deal. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, MNM did not field any candidates but instead campaigned for the DMK alliance. In return, the party was promised a Rajya Sabha seat. MNM had won just 2.62% of votes in the 2021 Assembly elections — an electoral performance that wouldn’t merit a Rajya Sabha nomination under normal democratic merit, but political patronage evidently writes a different story.
With 158 MLAs between the DMK and its allies in the 234-seat Assembly, Kamal Haasan’s victory in the June 19 Rajya Sabha election is practically guaranteed. The other candidates fielded by the DMK are poet Salma, legal heavyweight and incumbent MP P. Wilson, and S.R. Sivalingam.
While Kamal Haasan may have acted in the mega flop Thug Life, the real “thug life” may be Kamal Haasan’s political trajectory — from self-declared rationalist and anti-establishment voice to a backroom-deal beneficiary of the Dravidian elite, bowing to both political power and astrological custom in a matter of days.
In a ruling that reinforces the rights of LGBTQIA+ individuals in India., the Madras High Court has held that while same-sex marriages may not yet be legally recognised, queer individuals are fully entitled to form families and live with partners of their choice.
A Division Bench comprising Justice G.R. Swaminathan and Justice V. Lakshminarayanan made these observations while adjudicating a habeas corpus petition filed by a woman whose same-sex partner had been allegedly abducted and detained by her natal family.
Referring to the recent Supreme Court ruling in Supriyo @ Supriya Chakraborty v. Union of India (2023 INSC 920), the High Court acknowledged that, “While Supriya Chakraborty v. Union of India case may not have legalised marriage between same sex couples, they can very well form a family. Marriage is not the sole mode to found a family. The concept of ‘chosen family’ is now well settled and acknowledged in LGBTQIA+ jurisprudence.”
The Court also echoed earlier sentiments expressed by Justice N. Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court, who had advocated for the recognition of civil unions among same-sex couples.
Background: Abuse, Confinement, Police Inaction
The case was brought before the Court after the petitioner alleged that her partner had been forcibly taken and detained by her family. The local police, instead of intervening to assist the couple, reportedly pressured the detenue into going with her parents, who then subjected her to physical abuse and coercive “corrective” rituals aimed at changing her sexual orientation.
The detenue’s mother accused the petitioner of manipulating her daughter and alleged drug addiction. However, during a direct interaction in court, the Bench dismissed these claims.
“The detenue is aged about 25 years. She is well qualified. She appeared to be a perfectly normal looking young woman. It would be unfair to accuse her of any kind of addiction. To a specific question from us, the detenue replied that she is a lesbian and in relationship with the writ petitioner. She made it clear that she wants to go with the petitioner. She confirmed the allegation that she is being detained against her will by her natal family. It appeared that she was forcibly taken to her home and beaten.”
Yogyakarta Principles And A Mother’s Prejudice
In support of their ruling, the judges referred to the Yogyakarta Principles — an international legal framework adopted in 2006 on the application of human rights in relation to sexual orientation and gender identity.
They also drew a poignant comparison with Justice Leila Seth, the late Chief Justice of Himachal Pradesh and mother of renowned author Vikram Seth, who had openly supported her son’s coming out as gay.
“The mother of the detenue is no Leila Seth. We could understand her feelings and temperament. She wants her daughter to be like any other normal, heterosexual woman, get married and settle down in life. We endeavoured in vain to impress upon her that her daughter, being an adult, is entitled to choose a life of her own.”
The Court lamented that Justice Seth did not live to witness the Navtej Singh Johar v. Union of India judgment that decriminalised homosexuality in India.
Critique Of Terminology And Final Orders
In an aside, the Court expressed discomfort with the term “queer,” stating that conventional dictionary meanings such as “strange” or “odd” still carry pejorative undertones.
Upholding the detenue’s right to live freely with her partner, the Court delivered a strong rebuke to the authorities. “We censure the rank inaction on the part of the Police and the insensitivity shown by them. The Yogyakarta Principles affirm the right to security of the person concerned. When there is a right, there has to be a correlative duty. We hold that the Government officials, in particular the jurisdictional Police, have a duty to expeditiously and appropriately respond whenever complaints of this nature are received from the members of the LGBTQIA+ community.”
To ensure continued safety, the Court issued specific directives: “We also restrain the detenue’s natal family members from interfering with her personal liberty. We issue a writ of continuing mandamus to the jurisdictional Police to afford adequate protection to the detenue as well as the petitioner as and when required.”
Advocate M.A. Mumtaj Surya appeared for the petitioner, while Additional Public Prosecutor E. Raj Thilak represented the Respondents.
In the aftermath of a horrific crime in Ranipet district, the AIADMK IT Wing has strongly criticized the ruling DMK government, accusing it of failing to maintain law and order. This follows the arrest of a 19-year-old man by Arcot Town Police for the sexual assault and murder of an 80-year-old woman in a village under Arcot taluk.
On 5 June 2025, the AIADMK IT Wing, through its official X account, posted, “Sexual assaults happening under Vidya’s regime from young girls to elderly women! If this is the condition of elderly women, what about the plight of young girls?”
— AIADMK IT WING – SayYesToWomenSafety&AIADMK (@AIADMKITWINGOFL) June 5, 2025
This statement came in response to a disturbing incident that occurred on 3 June 2025. The accused, identified as S. Nandakumar from Kathiyavadi village, allegedly entered the elderly woman’s residence in an intoxicated state around 5:30 PM. The woman, a brick kiln owner, lived with her son, granddaughter, and great-grandchildren in a small house within her mango grove.
According to preliminary investigations, Nandakumar forcibly entered the home and assaulted the woman. When she tried to flee, she fell and sustained injuries. He then dragged her out of the house. The entire incident was captured on CCTV installed at the property.
Later that evening, upon returning home, the victim’s granddaughter checked the footage on her phone and was horrified to witness the assault. She rushed to the scene and found her grandmother critically injured. Authorities were immediately alerted, and the woman was taken to the Government Medical College Hospital in Vellore, where doctors declared her brought dead.
Police registered a case under Sections 64(1) (rape) and 103(1) (murder) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). Investigators learned that Nandakumar, who had been working as an electrician in the area for the past three years, was familiar with the woman’s residence and had been seen frequently lingering nearby.
To locate the suspect, police reviewed CCTV footage from surrounding roads and public junctions. After matching the images with local residents’ input, officers traced his native village and apprehended him near a hillock on the evening of 4 June. Nandakumar was formally arrested, and further investigations are underway.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.
