Facebook Instagram X Youtube
Thursday, May 7, 2026
Facebook Instagram X Youtube
Home Blog Page 500

The Chola-Era Temple In Thiruchendurai That Waqf Board Tried To Usurp

By
TS Krishnan
-
Waqf Board Claims Entire Hindu-Majority Trichy Village As Its Property
Waqf Board Claims Entire Hindu-Majority Trichy Village As Its Property

In September 2022, a rude shock awakened the villagers of Thiruchendurai in Thiruchirapalli District of Tamil Nadu. It had come to light that their entire hamlet which also consisted of a 1500-year-old Shiva temple had been declared as the property of the Waqf Board in Tamil Nadu.

Rajagopal of Mullikarupur, who owns agricultural land in Thiruchendurai village, agreed to sell 1 acre 2 cents of his land to one Rajarajeshwari. He went to the Joint III Sub-Registrar office in Trichy to arrange the purchase deed for ₹3.5 lakhs and get it registered.

However, the sub-registrar told him that the land could not be registered as it belonged to the Tamil Nadu Waqf Board and that he had to get a ‘No Objection Certificate’ from the state Waqf Board office in Chennai to sell the land. When Rajagopal asked why he needed an NOC from the Waqf Board to sell land he purchased in 1992, the sub-registrar reportedly told him that this is the procedure for deeding any land in Tiruchendurai village.

The Waqf Board has sent a letter to the Registration Department along with documents stating that the entire village belongs to them and that those who come to register a deed for land in the village should get an NOC from them.

He was also shown a copy of the 250-page Waqf Board letter. In that letter, the Waqf Board has said that tens of thousands of acres of land all over Tamil Nadu are theirs.

Chandrasekha Swami Temple

Thiruchendurai village is home to a beautiful temple, Chandrasekara Swami temple which belongs to the Chola period. The temple is a very ancient one & Periya Puranam says that it was sung by Thiru Gnanasambandar (7th century).

The temple was renovated during Parantaka Chola’s time by his daughter in law & wife of Arinjaya Chola, Budhi Aditha Pidari. The queen was from the Kodumbalur Velir family. She not only built the temple but also bought the land from the villagers and made this as Brahmadeyam.

She has also made lots of land donations to the temple & ASI has documented 36 such inscriptions in S.I.I vol 8. Lets see some of these inscriptions. This one speaks about Budhi Aditha Pidari donating 2 Velis of Land. One Veli is equal to about 6 Acres.

This one is about another land donation, with boundaries like Allur Vaikal specified. The donation was given for burning a perpetual lamp in the temple.

This is another fragmented inscription which mentions the donation of Araikani land to the temple for providing food (Salabogam).

This inscription mentions about multiple land portions in the village sold to the temple. The income from these lands used for burning lamps in the temple and donated by Budhi Aditha Pidari.

This inscription details about the land donation of 5 Velis (15 acres) made to the temple by Budhi Aditha Pidaran (brother of the queen) for various rituals in the temple. It mentions that the land donation to the temple stands till Surya & Chandra are there in the universe.

Hence it is clear that the temple owns lot of land the Thiruchendurai village. ASI will have many more details of the donations made to the temple which is built by a queen (princess during that time in fact). Many Chola kings & Vijayanagara kings too donated lavishly to the temple.

TS Krishnan is a Tamil scholar and author.

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Temple Land Encroachers Must Pay Rent Or Vacate, Rules Madras High Court

By
The Commune
-

The Madras High Court has reaffirmed that temple lands cannot be encroached upon, directing the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments (HR&CE) Department to proceed with the eviction of squatters from the land belonging to the Annamalainathar Temple in Kadayanallur, near Tenkasi.

The case originated after Uduman Mohideen of Tenkasi filed a petition challenging the eviction drive initiated by the Endowments Department. The department had taken action to remove encroachers from the temple land, citing past legal rulings that deemed the occupation unlawful.

According to the petition filed by the Endowments Department, the temple administration had auctioned the land in 1995. However, in 1997, the Endowments Commissioner canceled the sale, stating that it was conducted arbitrarily without the department’s approval. The Tenkasi District Court had also ruled that no one could claim ownership of the disputed land.

In an effort to regulate the encroachment, the Endowments Department had ordered that 81 squatters, who had been residing on the land for over 20 years, should pay rent. However, several occupants objected, prompting the department to seek police protection to enforce the eviction.

During the hearing, a bench comprising Justices R. Suresh Kumar and Maria Claude noted that 58 squatters had accepted the department’s notices, while 23 remained defiant. The judges reiterated that temple lands could not be unlawfully occupied and instructed the department to issue notices again, collect rent from occupants, and take necessary action against those who refuse to comply.

The court further directed the police to provide security to prevent any law-and-order issues during the eviction process. It also instructed the Endowments Department to immediately remove occupants who fail to pay the mandated rent. The case has been adjourned to April 21 for further proceedings.

This ruling aligns with previous High Court directives emphasizing the recovery of temple lands and preventing unauthorized occupation.

(With inputs from Indian Express Tamil)

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

India Stands Less Impacted By Trump Tariffs Than Global Peers: India Inc

By
The Commune
-
trump tariffs king india us russian oil

As US President Donald Trump announced reciprocal tariffs on dozens of countries, including India, industry experts said on Thursday that it appears India’s export competitiveness to the US market stands far less impacted on a relative basis compared to global peers.

Tariffs unveiled by Trump would bring a major realignment in global trade and manufacturing value chains. “India has been placed somewhere in the middle of the tariff rates at 26 per cent in addition to 10 per cent baseline duties, which needs to be assessed for real impact”, said Assocham President, Sanjay Nayar.

”Net-net, it appears India’s export competitiveness to the US market stands far less impacted on a relative basis. Yet our industry should make concerted efforts to increase export efficiency and value addition, to mitigate impact of these tariffs,” he said in a statement. Since most of American trading partners have planned to levy reciprocal tariffs, no country gets a winning advantage while consumers may end up paying more leading to inflationary pressures.

“While we wait and watch for global reaction, for India, the way forward could be a quick preferential trade deal keeping in view that President Trump still respects leadership of PM Narendra Modi”, said Nayar, adding that India Inc would work closely with the government towards this matter. Arsh Mogre, an economist with PL Capital Institutional Equities Research, said the US imposition of a 26 per cent uniform tariff on Indian exports marks a significant yet strategic recalibration of trade dynamics towards bilateralism and the end of multilateralism — less an act of protectionism, more a high-stakes gambit in trade negotiations.

“While the near-term impact on India’s $75–78 billion US-bound exports is non-trivial, the disruption is sectorally uneven and contextually mitigated by India’s emergent relative tariff advantage over Asian peers,” he noted. For high-exposure verticals like textiles, footwear, and electronics, the move paradoxically enhances India’s competitiveness in a post-China+1 global sourcing landscape — where Vietnam, Cambodia, and Thailand now face 10–20 percentage-point steeper barriers. Moreover, in sectors like auto components, chemicals, and electronics, India retains cost resilience versus China, which now contends with a prohibitive 54 per cent effective tariff wall, Mogre noted.

–IANS

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Waqf Amendment Bill Passed In Lok Sabha, To Be Tabled In Rajya Sabha Today

By
The Commune
-

After the Lok Sabha passed the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, it will be tabled by the government in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday. The Lok Sabha intensely discussed the bill for more than 12 hours, which began at Wednesday noon and continued till the early hours of Thursday.

The Waqf Bill was passed with 288 votes in favour and 232 against. Apart from the Waqf bill passage, a resolution was adopted by the Lower House confirming the President’s Rule in Manipur. As per the Business List for Thursday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah will move in the Rajya Sabha the Statutory Resolution confirming the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur. HM Shah will “move the following Resolution – that this House approves the Proclamation issued by the President on the 13th February 2025 under Article 356(1) of the Constitution in relation to the State of Manipur.”

The Lok Sabha early Thursday passed the Statutory Resolution confirming the imposition of President’s Rule in Manipur. Even though members across party lines supported the decision, some opposition members slammed the Centre for the situation in Manipur. HM Shah said that the government has taken every possible measure to bring back normalcy in the restive Northeastern state. Minister Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasani will lay a statement regarding the withdrawal of funds from the Contingency Fund of India for servicing Interest on Sovereign Guarantee Bonds (SGBs) raised by Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Limited (MTNL).

In the Lok Sabha, the Coastal Shipping Bill, 2024, will be put up by Minister Sarbananda Sonowal for consideration and passing. The motion was moved by Sonowal on April 1, namely – “That the Bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to regulation of coastal shipping, promote coasting trade and encourage domestic participation therein, to ensure that India is equipped with a coastal fleet, owned and operated by the citizens of India for its national security and commercial needs, and for matters connected therewith or incidental thereto, be taken into consideration.”

Minister Rammohan Naidu Kinjarapu will move The Protection of Interests In Aircraft Objects Bill, 2025, for consideration and passing. The Bill seeks to “provide for protection of interests in aircraft objects and to implement the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment and the Protocol to the Convention on International Interests in Mobile Equipment on Matters Specific to Aircraft Equipment, each signed at Cape Town on 16th November, 2001.” Minister Manohar Lal Khattar will make a statement in the Lower House regarding “the status of implementation of the recommendations contained in the 10th Report of the Standing Committee on Housing and Urban Affairs on PM Street Vendor’s AtmaNirbhar Nidhi (PM SVANidhi) pertaining to the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs”.

–IANS

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Mamata Explains Why Ram Navami Should Be Celebrated Along With Durga Puja

By
The Commune
-

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, on Wednesday, submitted that Ram Navami should be celebrated along with the state’s most popular festival, Durga Puja, during autumn while asserting that Lord Ram worshipped Goddess Durga to seek her blessings to defeat 10-headed demon king Ravana.

Her remarks came amid preparations underway in the state by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to celebrate Ram Navami on April 6 on a grand scale. Speaking to the mediapersons on Wednesday afternoon, the Chief Minister also gave the logic on why she feels that Ram Navami should be celebrated along with Durga Puja.

“We know that Lord Ram worshipped Goddess Durga during the autumn to get the blessing to kill Ravana. Our annual Durga Puja celebration is done at that point of time every year keeping in mind the worship of Goddess Durga by Lord Rama. Wasn’t that Ram Navami also?” the Chief Minister questioned.

Speaking on the occasion, she said that she is not against processions on Ram Navami in a peaceful manner. “That is an auspicious day. West Bengal has a rich tradition of unity. We follow Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Swami Vivekananda. We respect all religions. So let everyone follow his or her religious programmes peacefully,” the Chief Minister said.

At the same time, she issued a strong note of caution that the administration will not spare anyone trying to disturb the peace in the state on the occasion of Ram Navami. “Do not try to create riot-like situations. The people of West Bengal are against riots. We follow the lessons of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and not what the Jumla Party propagates,” the Chief Minister said.

She said that some vested interests are trying to create communal tension in the state on the occasion of Ram Navami. “They have brought about a new religious theory to divide people and thus create a riot-like situation,” the West Bengal CM said.

To recall, while addressing a gathering at Red Road in central Kolkata on the occasion of Eid, the Chief Minister claimed that both the BJP and the CPI-M-led Left Front in West Bengal were equally responsible for propagating communal tension in the state. Banerjee also said that she and her party are always there to protect the interests of religious minorities.

–IANS

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Karnataka High Court Orders Bike Taxi Aggregators To Halt Operations In State Within 6 Weeks

By
The Commune
-

In a major development, the Karnataka High Court on Wednesday ordered bike aggregators, including Rapido bike taxis, to halt their operations in the state within six weeks.

Passing the order, a bench, headed by Justice B.M. Shyam Prasad, instructed the state government and the Transport Department to ensure that bike taxi operations cease within six weeks in Karnataka. “Regulatory clarity is vital before allowing such services to continue,” it held.

The court has also asked bike taxi aggregators Rapido, Uber, Ola, and others to halt their services within the stipulated period of 6 weeks. Justice Prasad, dismissing the petitions, opined that the court cannot give directions to the state to frame regulations and it can’t order the state to register non-transport vehicles as transport vehicles.

“The Transport Department cannot be directed to register motorcycles as transport vehicles or issue contract carriage permits for such services until appropriate government regulations are in place,” the bench said.

The bench rejected the petitions filed by the Roppen Transportation Services Private Limited, which owns Rapido, ANI Technologies owing Ola, and Uber Technologies owning Uber, seeking to legally recognise bike taxi services by permitting the registration of such vehicles.

The petitioners had also sought the directions to the authorities concerned to implement a legal framework for bike taxis. Rapido had sought directions to the government authorities from interfering with its business.

The court stated that the bike taxi aggregators cannot operate in the state unless the government notifies relevant guidelines under Section 3 of the Motor Vehicles Act, 1988, along with necessary rules.

Earlier, in April 2022, the bench headed by Justice Jyoti Mulimani had given interim relief to the bike taxi aggregators, directing the authorities not to initiate any coercive action against the bike taxi aggregators. The interim relief has been continued to date, enabling the operations of bike taxis. The new development is considered a huge setback for bike taxi aggregator app Rapido.

–IANS

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Home Minister Amit Shah Cooks Opposition On Waqf Amendment Bill

By
The Commune
-

Addressing the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Union Home Minister Amit Shah, asserted that misconceptions about the Waqf (Amendment) Bill were being deliberately spread by certain parties to bolster their vote banks. He said that the proposed legislation was in line with fulfilling the wishes of RJD chief Lalu Prasad, something the opposition had failed to do.

The Home Minister explained that the new law might not have been necessary had the Waqf (Amendment) Act of 2013, passed under the Congress-led UPA II government, not been rushed through just months before the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. At that time, Lalu Prasad, whose party had been part of the ruling coalition before withdrawing and later offering support, had raised concerns about the state of Waqf properties.

Quoting Lalu Prasad, HM Amit Shah said: “We welcome the amendment bill presented by the government. I support the statements made by (BJP’s) Shahnawaz Hussain and others. Most of the land has been grabbed, be it government-owned or otherwise. People in the Waqf Board have sold all the prime land. In Patna, apartments have been constructed on Dak Bungalow property. There has been a lot of loot like this.” The Home Minister further quoted the RJD leader’s call for tougher action: “We support the amendments, but we want you (the UPA government) to bring in a strict law in the future and put such people behind bars.”

While sharing this, HM Shah smilingly pointed to the Opposition benches and remarked: “Lalu Prasad’s wishes were not fulfilled by them (Congress-led UPA), but Prime Minister Narendra Modi is doing it. Lalu ji had asked for a stricter law.” The Home Minister also reiterated that the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, 2025, was not aimed at any particular religion and that the Congress and other opposition parties were spreading misinformation about the bill to serve their vote-bank politics.

–IANS

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

BEL Inks Deal With Indian Air Force For Maintenance Of Akash Missile System

By
The Commune
-

Navratna defence public sector undertaking Bharat Electronics Limited (BEL) has signed a contract with the Indian Air Force, valued at Rs 593.22 crore, for providing maintenance services for the Akash missile system to kick off the new financial year 2025-26. The BEL had also supplied the IAF with the Akash missile system for which it has won the maintenance contract.

Further, the company has concluded negotiations with customers for acquisition of orders worth Rs 5,000 crore, BEL said in a statement.

Meanwhile, Bharat Electronics Limited has achieved a turnover of around Rs 23,000 crore during the financial year 2024-25, against the previous year’s turnover of Rs 19,820 crore, registering a growth of 16 per cent.

This includes export sales of around $106 million during FY 2024-25, as against the previous year’s export turnover of $ 92.98 million, registering a growth of 14 per cent, according to a company statement.

In the fiscal year 2024-25, BEL secured orders worth Rs 18,715 crore. Some of the major orders received during the year are BMP II Upgrade, Ashwini Radar, Software Defined Radios, Data link, Multi-Function Radars, EON 51, Seekers, Anti Drone System, Airport Surveillance Radar, Sonar Upgradation, Flycatcher spares, Radar upgradation, Spares and Services, etc, and other projects in the non-defence sector.

With this, the total order book of BEL as on April 1, 2025, stands at around Rs 71,650 crore, including the export order book of $359 million. BEL Chairman & Managing Director, Manoj Jain, said: “BEL strives to attain self-reliance through enhanced Indigenisation efforts, expansion and modernisation, outsourcing to Indian Industries, including MSMEs & startups. BEL has rolled out strategies to maximise its global outreach and footprint in International market segments in the coming years. All these efforts will help BEL to retain its market leadership position in the strategic electronics sector.”

BEL has reported a 47.3 per cent growth in its net profit for the third quarter ended December 2024 to Rs 1,316.06 crore, compared to Rs 893.30 crore in the same quarter of the previous year. The Navratna defence public sector company’s consolidated revenue from operations in the third quarter shot up by 38.6 per cent to Rs 5,770.69 crore, from Rs 4,162.16 crore reported in the corresponding quarter of the previous financial year.

–IANS

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Food Safety Officials Seal Hotel Bilal Biryani In Following Severe Food Poisoning Incident Linked To Stale Beef

By
The Commune
-

Food Safety officials have sealed Hotel Bilal Biryani in Triplicane following allegations that the restaurant served spoiled food, leading to severe food poisoning in customers. On 30 March 2025, at least 20 people reportedly fell ill with symptoms of vomiting and dysentery after consuming beef biryani and beef rolls. The affected individuals were subsequently admitted to the Communicable Diseases Hospital in Tondiarpet for treatment.

The action came after protests by some customers and complaints lodged by two of the victims at the Triplicane police station. On 2 April 2025, a team of officials, led by designated officer P. Satheesh Kumar, conducted an inspection of the restaurant’s food safety practices, accompanied by health officials from the Chennai Corporation.

According to reports, a group of six people – V. Vignesh, M. Jaishankar, K. Shyam, K. Vivekanandan, A. Stephen, and S. Rebecca – dined at the hotel on the evening of 30 March 2025. The following morning, all six experienced severe stomach pains and vomiting, and were initially treated as outpatients at a nearby private hospital for suspected food poisoning. However, as their symptoms persisted, they were transferred to the CDH for further treatment.

Based on a complaint from Vignesh’s parents, the Triplicane police have filed a case against the restaurant.

In a separate case, the Ice House police have also filed charges against Hotel Bilal on Mount Road, Anna Salai, after two college students fell ill following a family dinner at the restaurant on 30 March. The girls suffered from vomiting and stomach pain and were admitted to Government Royapettah Hospital on 1 April 2025, where they are currently receiving treatment.

(With Inputs From The Hindu)

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

Kunal Kamra Granted Transit Bail By Tamil Nadu Court Over ‘Gaddar’ Joke Targeting Shinde

By
The Commune
-

Stand-up comedian Kunal Kamra has been granted transit anticipatory bail by the District Munsif-cum-Judicial Magistrate Court in Vanur, Tamil Nadu, following legal action over a satirical remark targeting Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.

Kamra had initially approached the Madras High Court seeking temporary protection from arrest. A Zero FIR was initially registered against him by Shiv Sena MLA Muraji Patel under Sections 353(1)(b) and 353(2) (related to public mischief) and 356(2) (concerning defamation) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS). The case was subsequently transferred to the Khar police station in Mumbai.

The High Court provided him interim relief until 7 April 2025 and directed him to approach the appropriate lower court for further proceedings. Complying with this order, Kamra appeared before the Vanur court, which subsequently granted him transit bail.

The controversy arose from Kamra’s stand-up performance on 23 March 2025 at Mumbai’s Habitat Comedy Club, where he humorously modified a song from the 1997 Bollywood film Dil Toh Pagal Hai to make a reference to Shinde. Although he did not mention the Deputy Chief Minister by name, his use of the term gaddar (traitor) led to a political uproar.

Following the performance, members of the Shiv Sena vandalized the comedy club in protest. Days later, the Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) initiated demolition work at the venue, further escalating tensions.

Meanwhile, Mumbai Police officers attempted to question Kamra at his registered address, but he criticized the move, stating he had not lived there for over a decade. Through his lawyer, Kamra argued in court that his remarks were purely satirical and lacked any malicious intent. He contended that his arrest was being sought without justifiable cause.

Kamra has consistently defended his right to political satire, stating, “Making jokes about political leaders is not a crime.” He has also refused to issue an apology for his remarks.

The Madras High Court has directed him to appear before it on 7 April 2025 for further legal proceedings.

Earlier, according to social media reports, Kunal Kamra is currently hiding in Tamil Nadu ruled by DMK, an ally of the Congress.

Kunal Kamra who was born and brought up in Mumbai claimed that he is a permanent resident of Villupuram in Tamil Nadu and argued that the Madras High Court has the jurisdiction to hear his plea.

(With inputs from NDTV)

Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.

1...499500501...1,858Page 500 of 1,858
TheCommune
The Commune is a news and views portal focusing on social and political issues of the southern part of India with a focus on Tamil Nadu.
Contact us: thecommune.news@gmail.com
Facebook Instagram X Youtube

NATIONAL NEWS

Bengal’s Decisive Shift: What Are The Forces Behind BJP’s Bengal Breakthrough?

Bengal’s Decisive Shift: What Are The Forces Behind BJP’s Bengal Breakthrough?

The Commune - 0
The 15-year regime of Trinamool Congress (TMC) rule is now a matter of history. The 2026 West Bengal Assembly election marks a significant political...
© The Commune 2025. All Rights Reserved.