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“Don’t Get Worried About People Branding You”: D-Stock Anchor Buttresses D-Stock Weatherman Buttressing DMK Govt While Disparaging IMD

By
The Commune
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As usual, when the ruling DMK government’s incompetence in administration becomes evident in Tamil Nadu, proponents of Dravidian ideology emerge like mushrooms, rallying around the DMK with the support of Tamil news media. One such figure is Pradeep John, known as Tamil Nadu Weatherman, a private weather reporter who favoured the DMK during the 2023 Michaung Cyclone.

He has now been mobilized again to present data that buttresses the DMK government over its inefficiency. Alongside him, Dravidianist journalist Karthigaichelvan S is also positioned to serve this agenda, further amplifying their narrative.

When there is a qualified weatherman like Dr. S. Balachandran, head of the RMC Chennai and a scientist from the IMD, the DMK often opts for Dravidian weather blogger Pradeep John, over established scientists.

In the interview on a private Tamil news channel, Dravidian journalist Karthigaichelvan aimed to showcase Pradeep John and his team’s predictions as accurate. His questioning technique and hints at specific answers indicated a calculated approach throughout the discussion. For instance, he asked how they accessed their data, then paused briefly before emphasizing that their predictions had indeed been proven correct, so that they may answer to that accordingly.

Later establishing narrative for some time about their background as significant predictors, Karthigaichelvan shifted to direct accusations against the IMD. He questioned when the IMD could fail how Pradeep John and his team managed to make accurate predictions. Karthigaichelvan remarked, “As far as I can see there is a lot of negativity in the digital world but in that you all have relatively positive response and I think people like you to that extent.” He then questioned another weatherman, Srikanth, asking, “Everyone has a view that how can private weatherman predict exactly. How is that possible, when you are also taking the data from IMD and predict, when they (IMD) can’t?”

In response, Srikanth explained that when data is provided in a generic form, it can lead to inaccuracies. He stated that the IMD needs to offer comprehensive data for all of Tamil Nadu, rather than just general information. He emphasized that there are many factors to consider. He added that while he or Pradeep might rely on intuition, the government cannot afford to use intuition at an official level.

During the interview, Pradeep also echoed the DMK’s narrative regarding the recent tragedy at the IAF Marina Air Show, attributing the loss of lives to humidity. This indirectly downplayed the acknowledged inefficiencies and mismanagement by the event organizers.

Later, Pradeep John addressed the perception that he was favoring the ruling government, clarifying that his focus was solely on serving the citizens, not supporting any political party. Karthigaichelvan reinforced this, stating that such branding is intended to undermine their work, urging Pradeep to disregard these claims and continue his efforts. Pradeep John said, “This has severe political sensitivity. If we post a comment like this, the branding that comes with it is very difficult. (They say) he is favoring them, for that government, but it is not like that. Our idea is whoever comes to power, we should work closely with them, benefit the people, and give as much as possible.”

When Pradeep attempted to clarify that they did not undermine the IMD, Karthigaichelvan quickly interrupted,  complimenting his work as the testament will contradict their agenda, opined, “Generally, branding is an attempt to curtail your activities so you don’t have to worry about it. There is big branding for you among people.”

Finally, before concluding, Karthigaichelvan, expressing his disdain for India’s premier institution, the IMD, posed a narrative question to ridicule it while praising American institutions. He questioned why, if Americans can accurately predict the weather using the same sites and data, India struggles with its predictions. In response, Srikanth explained that Indian models are improving and are on the right track, even though there are currently some errors due to reliance on external data thereby effectively countering the Dravidian journalist’s claims.

From the start to the end of the interview, it was clear that the entire discussion was scripted in advance. Whenever Pradeep John misspoke, Karthigaichelvan strategically intervened to change the topic or redirect attention to his team member, Srikanth. However, what were Pradeep John’s actual predictions like?

Weather Blogger Pradeep John’s Fudged Data During 2023 Floods

During the Michaung Cyclone that caused significant devastation to residents of Chennai, leading to widespread flooding across the city, the private weather blogger Pradeep John appeared at a press meeting with DMK ministers, where he manipulated the 36-hour rainfall data by comparing it to 24-hour data, claiming that the current administration is performing better. It’s important to note that Pradeep rose to prominence during the 2015 floods.

What Was The Reality Like?

In reality, the city was inundated like no other. Areas that had never been flooded even during the 2015 floods like Annanagar, Madambakkam etc which do not flood during the monsoon season, were all inundated and water had entered most of the ground floor homes by 4 December 2023. Kollywood actor Vishal who took to social media platform X shared his plight from his Annanagar home. He said, “During such rains, we all know what will happen and is happening. First they switch off the power, then waterlogging starts on the streets and then it enters homes. I am in Annanagar and water has entered my home. If this is the state of Annanagar, then imagine how it will be in low-lying areas. In 2015, we were able to help others as much as possible, but after 8 years, the situation is even worse. They announced a stormwater drain project, I am not able to find anything related to that – when was it started, when did they finish it, I have no idea. This is a request as a voter in the state, all MLAs from Chennai, please come out of your homes and have a look at the city and do whatever your constituency needs. This is not a political remark, this is a remark against the waterlogging problem. Even for a small rain, water gets logged in T Nagar but this time the entire city is waterlogged and it is a disgusting and embarrassing situation we are in. Please take immediate measures for resolving this.”

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Manipur Conflict: MLAs Of Meitei, Kuki, Naga Meet In Delhi To Find Solutions

By
The Commune
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The all-important meeting to find a way out to resolve the over 17-month-long ethnic strife in Manipur was held in New Delhi on Tuesday, sources said. Sources said that Ministers and MLAs belonging to the Meitei, Kuki and Naga communities attended the meeting called by the Intelligence Bureau under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA).

“Several rounds of meetings between the MHA officials and the elected representatives, civil societies and NGOs would be held in the upcoming weeks to find out a lasting solution to the ethnic crisis in Manipur,” the sources said. After around a four-hour-long meeting, neither the officials nor the Ministers and MLAs talked to the media to disclose the outcome of the meeting. Manipur Assembly Speaker Thokchom Satyabrata Singh, MLA Thongam Biswajit, belonging to the Meitei community, and representatives from the Kuki community — Letpao Haokip and Nemcha Kipgen, both ministers — attended the meeting. MLAs Ram Muviah, Awangbow Newmai and L. Dikho attended the meeting from the Naga community.

However, a highly placed source told IANS that several Ministers and legislators from the three communities — Meitei, Kuki and Naga — attended the meeting and raised their demands and viewpoints over the ethnic riot. An MLA, belonging to the Kuki community, on condition of anonymity said that they would discuss the matters of Tuesday’s meeting with their community leaders and functionaries then they would disclose their next course of action. “Because the meeting was called by the Central government, that’s why they attended the meeting. We do not have any faith in the Manipur state government,” the legislator told IANS over the phone from New Delhi.

He said that MHA’s advisor, North East Affairs, A. K. Mishra and other senior officials were present at the meeting. Tuesday’s meeting was the first deliberations convened by the government after the ethnic conflict broke out between the majority Meitei and minority Kuki-Zo communities in Manipur on May 3 last year. The vital meeting was held on Tuesday after Home Minister Amit Shah last month indicated to resolve the ethnic imbroglio in Manipur through discussions between the Meiteis and Kukis. On June 17, the Home Minister during a review meeting on the law and order situation in Manipur gave similar indications. Meanwhile, 10 MLAs, including seven BJP legislators, and several Kuki-Zo organisations including Indigenous Tribal Leaders’ Forum (ITLF) and Kuki Inpi Manipur (KIM) since the ethnic violence started in Manipur in May last year, have been demanding separate administrations or a Union Territory for the Kuki-Zo tribals in Manipur.

The 10 legislators included Letpao Haokip and Nemcha Kipgen, who are ministers in Chief Minister N. Biren Singh-led 12-member ministry in Manipur. The state and the Central governments have on a number of occasions rejected the demand for separate administrations or a Union Territory. The ethnic violence between the non-tribals Meiteis and tribal Kuki-Zo broke out in the northeastern state on May 3 last year after a ‘Tribal Solidarity March’ was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

So far, over 230 people have been killed in the strife. As many as 11,133 houses have been set on fire, out of which 4,569 homes have been completely destroyed. A total of 11,892 cases have been registered in different police stations in connection with the ethnic violence. The state government has established 302 relief camps to provide shelter to 59,414 internally displaced persons.

–IANS

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After CPI(M) Leader’s Remarks At Public Event, Kannur ADM Found Hanging At Residence

By
The Commune
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Kerala ADM Suicide: Court Adjourns CPI-M Leader’s Anticipatory Bail Plea Till Oct 29

In a tragic incident, Kannur Additional District Magistrate (ADM) Naveen Babu was on Tuesday found hanging at his residence near here. Babu was found dead in the morning even as his wife was waiting for him at the Chengannur railway station. He had seven more months to retire and had been transferred to his home district Pathanamthitta. Babu, according to people, was deeply hurt when at his send-off function held here on Monday afternoon, a top CPI(M) leader PP Divya, the Kannur district panchayat president had made some impolite remarks against him.

Divya had not been invited to the function and had barged in. She said that a person had approached her to speak to Babu with regards to the sanctioning of a petrol pump station despite several requests, which he had not been giving. But, just two days before his retirement, Babu gave the sanction, she alleged, adding that she knows how the sanction was given and will be revealed in two days. After saying this, the uninvited Divya left the venue. After his wife found out that Babu had not boarded the train she made attempts to reach her husband and it was then the news surfaced that Babu had committed suicide by hanging to death at his residence in Kannur.

Meanwhile, the Congress party was protesting near the house of the deceased. “We do not believe or have trust in the police. We demand that the inquest should be prepared in the presence of clean officers. We do not want to have people like Divya to be part of the team when the police make the report,” said Kannur district Congress president Martin George, who added that Divya should be charged for the death of Babu. An uncle of Babu, who identified himself as a local CPI(M) official in Pathanamthitta said Babu is known for his clean public life and good track record.

State BJP president K.Surendran said the need of the hour is for Divya to quit her post and face a probe. “The entire episode happened in the presence of the Kannur district collector and the police should take a statement from the collector. The police should probe the role of Divya,” said Surendran.

–IANS

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India To Make Digital Connectivity Affordable For Emerging Economies: Piyush Goyal

By
The Commune
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India To Make Digital Connectivity Affordable For Emerging Economies: Piyush Goyal

India has a key role to play in making technology available in the Global South and in leading the world in fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) to make digital connectivity affordable across the globe, Union Commerce and Industry, Piyush Goyal, said on Tuesday.

Speaking at the inauguration of the International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) World Telecommunication Standardisation Assembly (WTSA) 2024 and the eighth edition of ‘India Mobile Congress’ in the national capital, the minister said India is all set to become a provider of telecom services and domestic companies will become providers of high security and quality technological equipment to emerging economies. The ITU-WTSA is being hosted in India and the Asia-Pacific for the first time. The global event has brought together more than 3,000 industry leaders, policy makers and tech experts from over 190 countries.

According to the Commerce Minister, India’s stable network connectivity across rural and urban areas is an achievement of the flagship ‘Digital India’ campaign launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2015. Highlighting PM Modi’s foresight of using technology as an enabler for good governance, for providing business opportunities and as an enabler to expand the country’s economic activities, Goyal said the country today thinks as one nation. “When countries work with India, they are assured of high quality, affordability and cost-effective solutions and are assured of uninterrupted business activities allowing companies to look up to India for their global capability centres (GCCs),” said the minister.

The entire ecosystem of digitalisation involving machine learning, artificial intelligence and data analytics has its imprint in India. “India is recognised for its innovation, talent and the large market it provides. Innovation defines the India growth story and the world recognises India as a leader in democratising technology for the deprived and the whole world,” said Minister Goyal. The minister also praised the Telecom Equipment and Services Export Promotion Council (TEPC) for instilling confidence in making India self-reliant in technological achievements.

–IANS

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India’s Inland Waterways Transport Offers Robust Growth Opportunities Via PPPs

By
The Commune
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The Indian inland waterways transport (IWT) sector presents significant opportunities for growth through public-private partnerships (PPPs), and the government is eyeing expansion of the PPP model to drive development, according to a report on Tuesday.

The focus on expanding PPPs and offering financial incentives, such as discounts up to 35 per cent on freight transported via key national waterways (NW), aims to further attract private sector participation, according to the report by Crisil Market Intelligence and Analytics. A subsidy scheme is being formulated for NW-1, NW-2 and NW-16, which traverse key states such as Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand, West Bengal and Assam, to promote the use of inland waterways for freight transport, the report mentioned. Since the government’s strategic shift in 2016, operational waterways have increased from just three in fiscal 2014 to 26 by fiscal 2024, driven by substantial budgetary support and key initiatives like the Jal Marg Vikas Project.

Launched in 2018 with a financial outlay of Rs 5,369.18 crore, the project aims to enhance the capacity of National Waterway 1 (NW), spanning 1,390 km along the Ganga-Bhagirathi-Hooghly river system. “India’s inland waterways are witnessing significant revitalization driven by targeted investments and policy reforms. The cost advantage is clearly benefiting this mode of transportation, transporting 1 tonne of freight by waterways is approximately Rs 1.06 per km, notably less than Rs 1.36 per km by rail and Rs 2.50 per km by road,” the report argued. The resurgence in the sector has resulted in a marked increase in cargo volumes, surging from 18.1 million tonnes in fiscal 2014 to 132.9 million tonnes in fiscal 2024, with the government setting ambitious targets of 200 million tonnes by fiscal 2030 and 500 million tonnes by fiscal 2047.

Digital innovations have played a key role in improving efficiency in the IWT sector. Platforms such as the IWAI Vessel Tracker, PANI Portal and Car-D Portal provide real-time navigation information, updates on cargo tracking, and efficient management of cargo and passenger data. Water transport also produces lower emissions, less noise and consumes less energy, making it an environmentally-friendly alternative to the traditional road and rail transport. Waterways are suitable for moving bulk commodities such as coal, iron ore, iron ore fines, sand and minerals.

–IANS

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Global Telecom Standards Should Ensure Security, Dignity And Equity: PM Modi

By
The Commune
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Global Telecommunication Standards Should Ensure Security, Dignity And Equity: PM Modi

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Tuesday that there is a need for a human-centric dimension to the ongoing technological revolution, stressing that principles of security, dignity, and equity should be central to global telecommunication standards. Inaugurating the historic International Telecommunication Union’s (ITU) ‘World Telecommunication Standardization Assembly (WTSA) 2024’ in the national capital, PM Modi said that standards set here will determine the future direction.

“Our goal should be that no country, no region and no community is left behind in this digital transformation,” said the Prime Minister, underscoring the need for innovation balanced with inclusion. “The time has come to accept the importance of a global framework for digital technology. We have to ensure that our future is both technically strong and ethically sound,” PM Modi told the gathering. PM Modi also inaugurated the 8th edition of the ‘India Mobile Congress 2024,’ saying that while WTSA’s objective is to work on global standards, the role of the ‘India Mobile Congress’ is associated with services and both the events “bring global standards and services on a single platform”. Discussing telecom sector reforms, the Prime Minister noted India’s efforts in lowering data costs. The cost of internet data in India is now as low as 12 cents per GB compared to many countries in the world where one GB of data is 10 to 20 times more expensive. “Today, every Indian consumes about 30 GB of data on an average every month”, said PM Modi.

Today, the country has a mobile phone user base of 120 crore, 95 crore internet users and digital transactions of more than 40 per cent of the entire world in real-time. “India had showcased how digital connectivity had become an effective tool for last-mile delivery,” said PM Modi. “India’s mobile and telecom journey in the 21st century is a subject of study for the whole world. Telecom is not just a medium of connectivity but also a medium of equity and opportunity in India,” the Prime Minister emphasised. The four pillars of Digital India — low-priced devices, extensive reach of digital connectivity to every nook and corner of the country, easily accessible data and goal of ‘Digital First’, are leading to robust results. The Prime Minister also underscored the remarkable advancements in infrastructure, including the rapid installation of Wi-Fi facilities at public places like railway stations and the connection of islands like Andaman-Nicobar and Lakshadweep through undersea cables.

“In just 10 years, India has laid optical fibre which is eight times the distance between Earth and the Moon”, said PM Modi, adding that the country is already progressing towards 6G technology, ensuring a future-ready telecommunication infrastructure. India democratised digital technology and created digital platforms where innovations on these platforms created millions of new opportunities The transformative power of the JAM Trinity—Jan Dhan, Aadhaar, and Mobile—has laid the foundation for countless innovations. PM Modi said that Unified Payments Interface (UPI) has provided new opportunities for many companies and ONDC is revolutionising digital commerce. “In an interconnected world, security cannot be an afterthought. India’s Data Protection Act and National Cyber Security Strategy reflect our commitment to building a safe digital environment”, noted PM Modi.

It is for the first time that the ITU-WTSA is being hosted in India and the Asia-Pacific. The global event has brought together more than 3,000 industry leaders, policy makers and tech experts from over 190 countries, representing telecom, digital and ICT sectors. Union Minister for Communication Jyotiradiya Scindia, Minister of State for Communication, Dr Chandra Sekhar Pemmasan, and Secretary General of ITU, Doreen Bogdan-Martin, were also present at the inaugural session.

–IANS

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“Gap Between Expectation And Reality Can Lead To Frustration”: Chief Election Commissioner Trolls Congress, Dismisses Allegation Of EVM Tampering

By
The Commune
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On Tuesday, Chief Election Commissioner Rajiv Kumar once again dismissed charges of possible tampering with EVMs or their batteries. He also suggested introspection over the sample size chosen by exit poll agencies to avoid distorted expectations. The CEC also promised to develop an FAQ to dispel doubts about EVMs.

He said that over the past few elections, exit poll outcomes have been creating distorted expectations, and all responsible for this issue need to consider steps for self-regulation. “The gap between expectation and reality can lead to frustration,” he said, criticising some TV channels for running incorrect trends in an alleged bid to match the findings of their exit polls.

Addressing media persons after announcing the dates of the Maharashtra and Jharkhand Assembly elections, CEC Kumar replied to a question about the difference between the results of the Haryana Assembly elections and the drastically opposite projections by exit polls. The CEC also ruled out any scope for EVM tampering and promised to reply to all 20 candidates complaining about the voting machine malfunction in the recent Assembly polls. “The answers will carry details of when the battery was commissioned and where all it was used,” he said.

Expressing displeasure at rumours about EVMs, the Chief Election Commissioner said that sometimes it is said pagers can be tampered with, so EVMs can also be tinkered with, and sometimes it said the vote does not go to the candidate whose button is pressed. Indirectly answering the doubts raised by some Haryana Congress candidates who lost the election, the CEC said the batteries are loaded into EVMs when commissioning and even candidates’ agents are made to sign on the seal.

Some Congress candidates had complained on the counting day on October 8 that some of the EVMs were charged up to 99 per cent despite use for voting. To this, the CEC said: “EVMs have a single-use battery that is used at a stretch for five years. After commissioning, it is checked in mock polls, which are also held at polling stations, and the number of candidates is also different in all seats.”

–IANS

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Rajnath Singh Lays Foundation For Navy’s VLF Station In Telangana

By
The Commune
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Rajnath Singh Lays Foundation For Navy's VLF Station In Telangana

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh laid the foundation stone for the Indian Navy’s Very Low Frequency (VLF) communication transmission station in Telangana’s Vikarabad district on Tuesday. Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Union Minister for Coal and Mines G. Kishan Reddy and Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar attended the programme at Puduru village.

The state government in January this year transferred 1,174 hectares of forest land for the station, which is expected to be completed in 2027. The Navy uses VLF communication transmission stations to communicate with ships and submarines. This will be the second such station in the country. INS Kattabomman Radar Station at Tirunelveli, Tamil Nadu was the first of its kind. It has been serving the Navy since 1990. The Eastern Naval Command in Visakhapatnam had identified Telangana as a suitable area for setting up a second radar station. The Union Forest and Environment Department approved the Navy’s proposals in 2014. Campa funds of Rs 133.54 crore for handing over forest land have been paid. The Navy has also paid Rs 18.56 crore for the works undertaken for land conservation measures. Meanwhile, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president K T Rama Rao has opposed setting up the VLF radar station in Telangana, saying it threatens the ecosystem of the Musi River.

He said the VLF station was coming up in Damagundam forest, where the Musi originates. He slammed the Congress government for its “double standards”. On one hand, the Telangana government has taken up a project for the beautification of Musi River while on the other it is writing a “death warrant” for the river by agreeing to VLF radar station, he said. The BRS leader alleged that the installation of a radar station would cause serious damage to the environment. He said the project will be undertaken by cutting down 12 lakh trees along with around 2900 acres of forest land.

Rama Rao said for 10 years, the BRS government did not give permission for the radar station and asked the Congress government why it agreed to the project. However, the Congress government claimed that the final approval for the radar station was given in 2017 when TRS (BRS) was in power. It clarified that Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy merely respected the age-old concept of continuity of governance, and cooperative federalism, and supported a project of national security and significance. The ruling party alleged that with KTR opposing the project, BRS’ “hypocrisy was exposed”.

–IANS

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Karnataka BJP To Approach President Urging Sacking Of ‘Anti-Hindu’ Cong Govt

By
The Commune
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Karnataka BJP To Approach President Urging Sacking Of ‘Anti-Hindu’ Cong Govt

Karnataka BJP President and MLA B.Y. Vijayendra has announced that the party delegation will soon meet President Droupadi Murmu to demand the sacking of Karnataka’s “anti-Hindu” Congress government. On Tuesday, he spoke to media representatives during a meeting of BJP representatives held in Bantwal, Dakshina Kannada district, regarding the upcoming Legislative Council by-election.

Vijayendra stated, that the government is adopting anti-people policies and it is unresponsive. “We will meet President Droupadi Murmu in the coming days and we will sack the corrupt and anti-Hindu Congress government and the Chief Minister,” he said. “We are considering it seriously and after discussion with party leaders, we will make an announcement in this regard,” he informed. He added that the government is not being helpful to farmers, Dalits or anyone. “The BJP has been working towards teaching a befitting lesson to the Congress. Whether it’s the MUDA or tribal welfare scam, diversion and misuse of money reserved for SC and STs. Keeping all these factors in mind, we will strategise,” he stated.

Vijayendra further announced that the party would soon organise a massive protest in Hubballi against the Congress government’s decision to withdraw sedition cases. He criticised the Congress government’s move, recalling that in 2022, anti-nationals in Hubballi pelted stones at a police station, attacked the police, and created unrest. “The Siddaramaiah-led government has withdrawn the cases against those responsible for this violence. The decision is highly unfortunate and condemnable,” he charged. He added that the Home Minister-led sub-committee had recommended this withdrawal, adding that the FIR was filed by the police, and an investigation by the NIA is still ongoing. “However, this action by the state government is an unforgivable crime,” he stated.

He also mentioned that a symbolic protest against this decision was conducted on Monday in Bengaluru. Criticising the Congress government and the Chief Minister for being mired in corruption and for not allocating funds for development, Vijayendra stated that the BJP has consistently fought against the Congress government and will continue its protests. Vijayendra further mentioned that the BJP will soon decide on the next course of action regarding the Valmiki Development Corporation scam, the Mysuru MUDA scam, and the misallocation of SEP and TSP funds. Referring to the election results in Haryana and Jammu and Kashmir, he noted that the BJP has successfully returned to power for the third time in Haryana.

“The voters there have appreciated the development work done by the state government and have shown their trust in the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modiji. On the other hand, Congress, which was dreaming of coming to power in Haryana, has once again faced defeat,” he maintained. He added that In Jammu and Kashmir, after the election results, the BJP has emerged as the official opposition. “The Congress party has long followed policies of minority appeasement,” Vijayendra added. He said that the by-election for the Legislative Council is being held for the seat vacated by BJP MP Kota Srinivas Poojari.

“The BJP has announced Kishore Kumar Puttur, a young activist and a strong supporter of Hindutva, as its candidate. All our MLAs and representatives are working with enthusiasm, and they are putting in efforts to ensure our candidate wins with a large margin,” he said. He expressed confidence that the BJP would win this seat by a significant margin.

–IANS

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Dravidian Model: CM MK Stalin’s Constituency Drowns While His Home Remains Unscathed In The Rains

By
The Commune
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CM MK Stalin's Constituency Drowns While His Home Remains Unscathed In The Rains

The Dravidian model government repeatedly claimed to have allocated over ₹4,000 crore in 2023, with approximately ₹1,321 crore earmarked specifically for storm-water drainage in the Chennai corporation’s 2024 budget. However, despite only receiving an average rainfall of 6-9 cm across various localities in the city, the recent rains as of 15 October 2024 has exposed the government’s administrative shortcomings and its inability to prevent such disasters.

Since the rain began on 14 October 2024, the city has experienced significant flooding, with water pooling in many areas due to incomplete drainage projects. Particularly shocking was the dire situation in Chief Minister MK Stalin’s constituency, Kolathur, where residents were seen towing their two-wheelers by hand wading through knee-deep water. Many vehicles stalled as water flooded into their engines.

GKM Colony in the Kolathur area has become a scene of distress. Residents are swimming through floodwaters just to access their daily essentials. They attribute their plight to government negligence, as repeated requests for improvements to the rainwater drainage system in Stalin’s constituency have been ignored. Due to the area’s low elevation, there are no proper pumps, and minor drains have been severely lacking maintenance. Officials have not initiated new infrastructure projects. Despite claims from the MLA and local ward members that the work has been completed successfully, the reality is quite the opposite. This situation is not unique to GKM Colony; nearby areas such as Thillai Nagar, Kumaran Nagar, and Kambar Nagar, all within Chief Minister Stalin’s constituency, are experiencing similar challenges.

When speaking to reporters, one resident expressed disappointment about the constituency, lamenting the ongoing issues. “It is very bad; we are suffering silently not only this year but every year we are suffering the same. It has only rained for one day, it didn’t rain yesterday, only today. Look at our situation, we are towing our vehicles. You are saying this is the Chief Minister’s constituency, what kind of constituency is this? Very bad. Check out other constituencies, they are also bad, but this one is the worst. We are living a bad life here.”

The reporter then asked if there was a rainwater drainage facility in the area, to which the resident replied, “Yes, everything is there, there is a rainwater drainage and every other thing, but they are not maintaining it properly. During this monsoon season, just two days ago they came and looked at it, my home is on 31st street, many manholes have not been closed and it’s still the same. What shall we do? we have complained to them many times, they come and check, give us false hope and leave, a common man’s life is like that. I don’t know what else to say, everyone knows this is the CM’s constituency, still, he should take strong action. We go and say to the DMK office, they too come and see, but they are not taking proper steps.”

The reporter asked another woman resident about the situation in the Chief Minister’s constituency, and she responded with a mocking laugh, “You could see the situation very gladly. They have mentioned things like rainwater drainage and others, I was very happy that there won’t be any floods hereafter. This is an elevated area, if the situation here is like this my mother’s house in Perambur Barracks, Choolai, where the water level is up to the throat. I asked them to come over, but they could not even come. We were with hope that there won’t be any floods hereafter as they took up rainwater drainage works since it is a new regime we looked forward to something new, to say the least, this (DMK) is more than to them (AIADMK).”

She also expressed frustration that essential items, like milk, were unavailable in the area, stating, “We hope for a change, but nothing seems to improve.”

While residents lamented their situation, the contrast was stark with the Chief Minister’s home and street, which remained spotless and free of any water. The drainage there was efficient, leaving no signs of the heavy rainfall that had affected the rest of Chennai. Residents struggled in flooded conditions, while the CM’s street appeared untouched by the deluge. This highlighted the administration’s ability to manage floodwaters, suggesting that the DMK, which champions social justice, only extends that concern to its leaders and elites, leaving ordinary citizens to fend for themselves.

(Pic Credit: Tamil Janam)

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'Can Hurt Religious Sentiments Of Hindu Community', Says Allahabad High Court On Non-Veg Waste Thrown By Muslim Men In River Ganga During Iftar

‘Can Hurt Religious Sentiments Of Hindu Community’, Says Allahabad High Court...

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The Allahabad High Court has observed that throwing non-vegetarian food waste into the river Ganga could hurt the religious sentiments of the Hindu community...
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