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NTK Exodus: Is Seeman’s Party Eroding Away?

By
The Commune
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NTK Exodus: Is Seeman's Party Eroding Away?

The Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) has recently been grappling with a wave of resignations from key cadres, and the departure of prominent district secretaries has become a recurring story. Those who have resigned, as well as insiders, point to the autocratic leadership style of the party’s chief coordinator, Seeman, and the absence of internal democracy as the root causes of the ongoing turmoil.

On 4 December 2024, the entire Vaniyambadi NTK cadre has resigned en masse following the departure of their leaders last month, including Secretary Devendran, Vaniyambadi City Secretary Raj Kumar, and City Head Barath. Over 40 members have announced their resignation, citing the party’s autocratic decision-making on political alliances, and a recent meeting with Rajinikanth as reasons for their departure.

Among the notable resignations are Krishnagiri Regional In-charge Karu Prabhakaran, Trichy Regional In-charge Prabhu, Villupuram West District Secretary Boopalan, Villupuram IT Wing Secretary Sudhan Raju, and others. Prior to the parliamentary elections, Chennai district administrator Pugazhenthi Maran, a close associate of the leadership, also stepped down. This followed the removal of Vetrikumaran, who had been with Seeman for many years. The list of resignations continued with the departure of state administrator Raja Ammaiyappan, a key figure in the Kongu region.

Below is a list of some of the recent key resignations:

  • On 1 December 2024, over 200 functionaries of the Tirunelveli NTK, including members of the youth wing, resigned from the party, accusing Seeman of favoritism. They alleged that he appointed five members from the same family to key positions, failed to engage with cadres at the grassroots level, and showed a lack of respect for the party’s rank-and-file members.
  • On 28 November 2024, Vinoth Kumar, former District Secretary of the Naam Tamilar Party in Namakkal, along with 50 members from the agriculture wing and youth wing, Mohanur city secretary, and the women’s wing, have announced their resignation. They cited differences over party policies as the reason for their departure.
  • On 26 November 2024, more than 50 cadres from the Villupuram West district and Vikravandi NTK including Vikravandi Constituency In-charge Farooq, Union Vice President John Kennedy, Youth wing Secretary Vasanth, South Union Deputy Secretary Velu and others joined the AIADMK, led by NTK West District Secretary Boopalan. Previously, Salem Municipal District Secretary Thangam, Veerathamizar Front Municipal District Secretary Vairam, and Mettur City Vice President Jeevanandam Raja have all resigned from the Naam Tamilar Party.
  • On 25 November 2024, Salem West District Secretary Jagadish resigned from NTK, citing reason like autocratic decision making without consulting the district secretaries.
  • On 22 November 2024, showcasing a mass withdrawal from NTK party, all cadres from the North district, led by Coimbatore North District Secretary Ramachandran, have resigned. During a press conference, he stated that key leaders are stepping down, and others are expected to follow suit.
  • On 19 November 2024, Thanga Durai, the secretary of the Selam Metropolitan District, resigned from the NTK party, accusing the party leader of acting like a dictator and stifling the voices of others within the party.
  • On 7 November 2024, Ilavanji, NTK’s state coordinator of the Doctor wing resigned. She alleged that the party neglected women’s issues and stated that she did not agree with the current direction the party was taking.
  • On 7 November 2024, Tirupathur North District Secretary Devandran, along with 10 other members, has resigned from the NTK party.
  • On 1 October 2024, Krishnagiri District Secretary K. Prabhakaran resigned from the NTK party, accusing party leader Seeman of failing to acknowledge their efforts. Despite garnering 20,000 party cadres and securing 1 lakh votes in the Lok Sabha elections, Prabhakaran claimed they were not recognized by Seeman, who makes decisions unilaterally and without consulting them.
  • During the Lok Sabha elections in April 2024, several South Chennai district administrators resigned from the NTK party. Among those who stepped down were M. Raja, President of NTK T.Nagar Assembly Constituency, Treasurer M. Murugan, Joint Secretary Kishore Prabhakaran, and Spokesperson Vigneshwaran. They accused Seeman’s wife, Kayalvizhi, of exerting excessive influence within the party.

Critics speculate that this may be part of the ruling DMK’s strategy, especially since the Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) recently gained state party status from the Election Commission of India following the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. This raises suspicions that many of the departing functionaries are either joining the DMK under Senthil Balaji’s Camp or aligning with Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi under Velmurugan’s leadership.

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‘Member Of Backward Community’: Chhattisgarh HC Sees Hope For Convict’s Reformation, Commutes Death Sentence to Life

By
The Commune
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'Member Of Backward Community': Chhattisgarh HC Sees Hope For Convict's Reformation, Commutes Death Sentence to Life

The Chhattisgarh High Court has commuted the death sentence of a man convicted for the rape and murder of a seven-year-old girl in 2021. The court’s Division Bench, led by Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Justice Amitendra Kishore Prasad, concluded that while the appellant’s crime was heinous, there was no evidence to prove that he could not be reformed. The Bench noted that the appellant, who was 29 years old at the time of the offence and from a backward community, could potentially be rehabilitated.

“These are the incriminating circumstances, but there is no evidence on record that the appellant cannot be reformed or rehabilitated as at the time of offence he was aged about 29 years and he is a member of Other Backward Class, thereby he belongs to backward community and his chances of being reformed or rehabilitated cannot be ruled out,” the Bench observed.

The incident occurred on 28 February 2021, when the appellant lured the victim away from a function, raped her, and then murdered her by crushing her head with a stone. He disposed of the body on the railway tracks to conceal the evidence. The appellant was arrested after the police recovered key evidence, including DNA samples linking him to the crime.

The trial court had convicted the appellant on charges of kidnapping, abduction, rape, and murder, and sentenced him to death. The appellant’s defense argued that the convictions under Sections 363 (kidnapping) and 366 (abduction for illicit intercourse) were redundant. However, the High Court upheld both convictions, stating that each charge was applicable. “Conviction for offence under Section 363 would be just for commission of the offence of kidnapping the deceased from the lawful custody of her guardian and liability under Section 366 of the IPC would be sustainable as the abduction was for the purpose of subjecting the deceased girl to ‘illicit intercourse,’” the court explained, citing prior Supreme Court rulings.

While affirming the convictions, the court questioned the appropriateness of the death sentence. Referencing guidelines from Manoj & Ors. v. State of Madhya Pradesh, the Bench noted that the trial court had failed to consider the possibility of rehabilitation. The report from jail authorities indicated that the appellant had behaved normally while in custody, with no involvement in jail offenses.

“Though it shocks the conscience of society at large, but, yet, in the facts and circumstances of the case, considering the young age of the appellant, upon thoughtful consideration, we are of the view that extreme sentence of death penalty is not warranted in the facts and circumstances of the case,” the court concluded.

As a result, the High Court commuted the death sentence to life imprisonment, ordering the appellant to serve the remainder of his natural life in prison.

(With inputs from LiveLaw)

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32 Cows From Cuddalore Swept Into Sea After Cyclone Fengal, Over 60 Cattle Affected

By
The Commune
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32 Cows From Cuddalore Swept Into Sea After Cyclone Fengal, Over 60 Cattle Affected

Thirty-two cows belonging to Kesavan, Selvam, Manohar, Kaliyamoorthy, Bhaskar, Guna, and others from Mohan Singh Street in the Moodhunagar area of Cuddalore went out to graze three days ago.

Normally, these cows would return home by the evening, but this time, they didn’t. When the cows still hadn’t returned by yesterday, footage showed them being swept into the sea from the river near Devanampattinam in Cuddalore.

In light of this, a formal complaint has been filed with the police.

While reports had previously stated that 35 cows had died in the Cuddalore district due to Cyclone Fengal, it has now been confirmed that the cyclone affected over 60 cattle, including the 32 missing cows.

(With inputs from PTTV)

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Dravidian Model Hypocrisy: TNEB Poised To Award Smart Meter Contracts To Adani Group; Here’s How DMK Publicly Vilified Adani

By
The Commune
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Dravidian Model Hypocrisy: TNEB Poised To Award Smart Meter Contracts To Adani Group; Here's How DMK Publicly Vilified Adani

The Tamil Nadu Electricity Board (TNEB) is expected to award the first phase of its ambitious smart metering initiative to Adani Energy Solutions Limited (AESL), a subsidiary of the Adani Group. According to senior sources within the TNEB, AESL has emerged as the lowest bidder for the project.

The initiative, which is part of the Union government’s Revamped Distribution Sector Scheme (RDSS), aims to enhance the efficiency of electricity distribution through advanced metering infrastructure. AESL’s proposal highlights Tamil Nadu as a priority state, with plans to install the highest number of meters among participating states. The initial budgetary allocation for the project in Tamil Nadu is approximately ₹19,000 crore.

The tender for the first package, currently in the financial bid evaluation stage, lists AESL as the lowest bidder on the state government’s official tender portal. While this positions AESL favorably, TNEB officials noted that a final decision is pending.

The smart metering project, initiated in August 2023, was divided into four packages to cover different regions of the state. Each package encompasses the installation of approximately 80 lakh smart meters, totaling around three crore meters. Tamil Nadu, the state with the highest number of sanctioned meters under the RDSS, has experienced delays in contract finalization due to legal hurdles, although these issues have now been resolved.

If selected, AESL will act as the Advanced Metering Infrastructure Service Provider (AMISP) under the Design, Build, Finance, Own, Operate, and Transfer (DBFOOT) model. As per RDSS guidelines, the AMISP will handle the project’s infrastructure and operations for 10 years using a TOTEX (total expenditure) framework, which combines capital and operational expenses.

The AMISP’s responsibilities will include providing, maintaining, and operating the smart metering infrastructure. While an initial portion of the capital cost will be borne by the government, the remaining expenses will be paid over time on a per-meter, per-month basis during the operational period.

According to TNEB officials, AESL has quoted service charges higher than the rates it offered in other states, where charges were reportedly under ₹120 per meter per month. Negotiations are underway to bring the quoted price down. TNEB has already piloted smart metering in Chennai’s T Nagar area, installing 1.10 lakh meters as part of the Smart City project in 2018.

DMK Hypocrisy Exposed – Here’s How They Publicly Vilified Adani

In February 2023, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin called for a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probe into allegations against the Adani Group, describing the accusations as a direct reflection on the Central government. He urged Parliament to hold a debate on the issue, emphasizing the significance of accountability. Stalin criticized the expunction of Rahul Gandhi’s remarks about Adani in the Lok Sabha, calling it an affront to parliamentary democracy, and stated that such actions cannot erase the concerns from public memory. He also condemned Prime Minister Narendra Modi for failing to address questions raised by the opposition, particularly regarding the Hindenburg Research report on the Adani Group.

At a rally in Tamil Nadu in April 2024 just before the Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the Narendra Modi government of operating as the “Adani government,” claiming it favours billionaire Gautam Adani in key projects. Rahul alleged that infrastructure projects, including airports and highways, are systematically handed over to Adani, citing the example of Mumbai airport, where he claimed a CBI inquiry led to its transfer to Adani. He further stated that his Lok Sabha membership was revoked after raising the Adani issue in Parliament.

In September 2023, amidst the “Eradicate Sanatana Dharma” controversy, DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government of using it as a distraction from critical issues such as the Adani controversy, corruption, and the Manipur violence. He alleged that the BJP twisted his remarks on Sanatan Dharma to shield itself from public scrutiny over failures and accused Modi of evading accountability by “globe-trotting.”

In February 2023, DMK MP Kanimozhi questioned the government’s stance equating criticism of the Adani Group with questioning India and demanding clarification on this linkage. Participating in a Lok Sabha debate, she criticized the ruling BJP for shielding corporates, citing the government’s vehement reactions to any mention of Adani while other nations treated such reports as company-specific issues.

The Adani Group has announced an investment of over ₹42,700 crore in Tamil Nadu through various group companies, as part of its commitments made at the Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024. The largest investment, ₹24,500 crore, will be made by Adani Green Energy in three pump storage projects over the next 5-7 years. Adani Connex plans to invest ₹13,200 crore in a hyperscale data center, while Ambuja Cements will invest ₹3,500 crore in three cement grinding units. Additionally, Adani Total Gas will invest ₹1,568 crore to expand its operations over the next 8 years.

The DMK has been vocal in demanding an investigation into Adani following the allegations made by Hindenburg. However, this stance appears contradictory as the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government simultaneously awards contracts to Adani and accepts his investments in the state. While criticizing Adani is a strategy to target the central government, it raises questions about the state’s position. If Adani is as corrupt and unstable as claimed, why would a rational state government entrust him with major contracts? Or does the DMK now consider Adani and his firm above reproach?

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“He Speaks With Patience & Maturity,” NTK Chief Seeman Praises TN BJP Chief Annamalai, Welcomes His Education Pursuit At Oxford

By
The Commune
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seeman, annamalai

Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) party leader Seeman recently expressed his admiration for Tamil Nadu BJP president K Annamalai, praising his pursuit of education. Annamalai had just returned from the United Kingdom after completing the prestigious Chevening Gurukul Fellowship for Leadership and Excellence at Oxford University. Seeman lauded Annamalai for his maturity and patience, noting that his recent speeches have left a positive impression on him.

In a press conference held in Tiruppur, the NTK chief Seeman praised Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai, saying, “I welcome his pursuit of education and wish him all well. That’s all. Everyone says now, he speaks with patience and maturity. In the same way, I believe we should send some people here to the places where he studied — that could be beneficial too.”

Seeman also discussed various political issues in the state and commended actor Vijay for his efforts to aid those affected by the floods in Panayur. Seeman acknowledged Vijay’s noble intentions but warned that his visit might lead to potential issues due to the large crowds it would attract.

Seeman also critiqued the quality of government infrastructure, stating, “If a flyover built by the government collapses, it reflects the administration’s incompetence.” Responding to questions about Minister Ponmudy’s recent controversy, Seeman remarked, “If you wash it, it will go away,” suggesting that it would not bring about any real change in people’s lives.

On central funding, Seeman raised questions about the allocation of resources, saying, “Where is the money for the government ruling India? The state government provides revenue to the central government. Why should the state continue to contribute if the central government does not release funds? Are they afraid of the Enforcement Directorate?”

Commenting on the ongoing case of Minister Senthil Balaji, Seeman quipped, “Three courts for one case. It’s a game for the powerful, and we, the common people, can only watch.”

Seeman also voiced concerns about the Gail gas pipeline project, questioning why it should pass through agricultural lands in Tamil Nadu when it could be routed via road from Kerala. He raised concerns about the potential risks to farmers in case of an accident.

Regarding the controversy surrounding the Kangeyam bull statue, Seeman suggested, “Once the administration changes, you can place the statue wherever you like.”

(With inputs from Simplicity)

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Ex-IAS Officer Anil Swarup, Who Served As Education Secretary Of GoI Exposes His Financial Illiteracy, Pro-Congress Alleged Financial Journo Sucheta Dalal Amplifies It

By
The Commune
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Ex-IAS Officer Anil Swarup, Who Served As Education Secretary Of GoI Exposes His Financial Illiteracy, Pro-Congress Alleged Financial Journo Sucheta Dalal Amplifies It

A social media post by Anil Swarup, former IAS officer and Founder Chairman of Nexus of Good, has sparked controversy for its flawed portrayal of wealth distribution in India. His analysis, which attempted to highlight disparities in wealth concentration, was amplified by financial journalist Sucheta Dalal before she later deleted her comments. Critics have slammed the post as a striking example of financial misunderstanding and have rebutted its methodology in detail.

The Claim

Anil Swarup stated that India’s GDP in 2024 stands at approximately $4 trillion (₹330 lakh crore), with a per capita income of $2,800 for a population of 1.4 billion. He argued that this figure is misleading when factoring in wealth concentration among the richest individuals.

He claimed that:

  • Mukesh Ambani and Gautam Adani collectively hold $200 billion in wealth.
  • The top 10 wealthiest individuals account for $420 billion.
  • The top 200 individuals hold $1 trillion.
  • The top 1% of the population controls $1.6 trillion, and the top 5% hold $2.5 trillion.

Swarup suggested excluding these groups would drastically lower India’s per capita wealth. For example:

  • Excluding Ambani and Adani reduces per capita wealth to $2,700.
  • Excluding the top 10 wealthiest individuals lowers it to $2,500.
  • Removing the top 1% brings it to $1,730.
  • Excluding the top 5% reduces it further to $1,130, which Swarup compared to the per capita income of Sub-Saharan African countries.

What Is The Truth?

Critics dismissed Anil Swarup’s claims as fundamentally flawed. They pointed out the following issues:

Conflation of Wealth and Income
Swarup’s analysis conflated GDP per capita—an income measure of economic output per person—with wealth, which represents accumulated assets over time. They argued that such a conflation is a basic error that renders his conclusions invalid.

Irrelevant Wealth Exclusions
Excluding the wealth of individuals like Ambani and Adani from GDP per capita calculations was deemed statistically and conceptually incorrect. GDP is the sum of all goods and services produced in a country, and individual wealth has no bearing on GDP per capita figures.

Exaggerating Inequality
Critics noted that while wealth inequality exists in every economy, Swarup’s focus on the richest segments without examining median or average wealth skewed the perspective. This approach, they argued, sensationalized inequality without providing an accurate picture of societal well-being.

Flawed Redistribution Logic
Critics also rejected the implicit assumption that excluding the wealthiest individuals would evenly redistribute wealth among the population. They highlighted that wealth distribution is governed by complex economic mechanisms, such as investments and productivity, which Swarup’s simplistic analysis ignored.

Amplification By Sucheta Dalal

Sucheta Dalal, a financial journalist and frequent government critic, quoted Swarup’s analysis, adding her commentary (in a now deleted post):
“Some perspective for those wearing saffron-tinted glasses. Try thinking when you cheer a government that kills faith in institutions/regulators (SEBI), makes it hard to reclaim your own money, [and] extracts 18% GST on essentials.”

Dalal’s post quickly attracted backlash, with critics accusing her of endorsing an ill-conceived analysis that conflates basic economic metrics. Observers mocked her for failing to differentiate between wealth and GDP, which they argued should be elementary knowledge for a financial journalist. Dalal subsequently deleted the post, but not before sparking a wider debate.

The episode drew comparisons to viral social media miscalculations, such as claims that dividing a billionaire’s wealth among citizens would make everyone rich. Critics argued that Swarup’s analysis fell into the same category of oversimplified reasoning.

In conclusion, the debate has exposed fundamental misunderstandings of economic principles and highlighted the risks of amplifying flawed analyses by influential individuals. The incident underscores the need for diligence and accuracy when discussing economic inequality in public forums.

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Adani Defence Hands Over 2nd Drishti-10 Drone To Indian Navy To Enhance Maritime Security

By
The Commune
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Adani Defence Hands Over 2nd Drishti-10 Drone To Indian Navy To Enhance Maritime Security

In a bid to boost the country’s maritime surveillance capabilities, Adani Defence and Aerospace has handed over a second Drishti-10 Starliner surveillance drone to the Indian Navy. Drishti 10 Starliner drone or UAV, manufactured by Adani Defence and Aerospace which is part of the Adani Group in Hyderabad, is an advanced intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance (ISR) platform with 36 hours of endurance and 450-kg payload capacity.

According to sources close to the development, the induction of the second UAV, a version of Israel’s Hermes 900 medium-altitude long-endurance UAV, into naval maritime operations was initiated at Porbandar in Gujarat. The first Drishti-10 drone was delivered to the Indian Navy earlier this year. This marks the first-ever integration of such advanced payload suites onto a Medium Altitude Long Endurance (MALE) platform, enabling the Indian Navy with differentiated capabilities to dominate maritime surveillance. MALE is a type of UAV that can fly at altitudes of 10,000 to 30,000 feet. Adani Defence previously delivered the Drishti-10 Starliner to the Indian Army in June this year.

The Army will deploy it at its Bhatinda base in Punjab, from where it can keep an eye on the western border with Pakistan. Drishti-10 Starliner is the only unmanned military platform with NATO ‘STANAG 4671’ certification, which allows military UAVs to operate in other NATO members’ airspace.

It has four hard points on wings, and a large internal bay for special missions. Drishti-10 Starliner provides over the horizon, persistent multi-payload, fully autonomous capabilities and SATCOM-based operations. It is the country’s only indigenous UAV, operating reliably above 32,000 feet with large payload-carrying capacity and distinctively long endurance. Adani Defence and Aerospace boasts several ‘firsts’ to its credit – from being India’s first private sector military UAV manufacturer exporting to global markets, to establishing India’s first private small arms manufacturing facility, and the country’s first private sector ammunition player, thus nurturing a domestic defence ecosystem.

–IANS

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AAP MLA Naresh Balyan Held Under MCOCA, Minutes After Securing Bail In Extortion Case

By
The Commune
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AAP MLA Naresh Balyan Held Under MCOCA, Minutes After Securing Bail In Extortion Case

The Delhi Police on Wednesday rearrested Aam Aadmi Party’s Naresh Balyan under MCOCA minutes after he secured bail in connection with an extortion case. After the Rouse Avenue Court allowed his bail application in the extortion case, the Delhi Police Crime Branch arrested the AAP leader within the court premises and took him to its office. Earlier on Tuesday, the Rouse Avenue Court sent the MLA from Delhi’s Uttam Nagar constituency to police custody for another day and in the meantime, asked Delhi Police to respond to his bail application in the extortion case.

In the course of the hearing, Balyan’s lawyer questioned the necessity of arrest and submitted that he was ready to appear before the investigating officer, as and when needed, and will cooperate with the ongoing probe. Initially, the AAP leader was sent to two days of police custody on Sunday in connection with the extortion case. The Delhi Police had then argued that Balayan should be sent to its custody for 5 days for interrogation. Balyan was arrested on November 30 following the release of audio clips allegedly featuring him in a conversation with gangster Kapil Sangwan, alias Nandu.

The clips purportedly reveal plans to threaten and extort money from Delhi’s builders and others. The BJP has described Balyan as an “extortionist” and accused AAP leaders of colluding with gangsters to extort protection money from traders and builders. BJP national Spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia alleged that Balyan’s activities were conducted with AAP supremo and former Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal’s full knowledge and consent.

Similarly, BJP leader Kailash Gahlot on Sunday dismissed claims of conspiracy surrounding Balyan’s arrest, asserting that the matter had been “known to senior leaders for the last one year”. Gahlot raised serious concerns about the lack of action from AAP’s top brass, including Kejriwal, despite their awareness of the issue. “It would be completely wrong to call this a conspiracy because every senior AAP leader has known about this for the last year. The real question is why no action was taken despite senior party leaders, including the National Convenor, being aware of such activities. It is disturbing that the issue has escalated to this point,” he said

–IANS

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“₹1,153 Crores Looted From Temples”: Retired Idol Wing IG Pon Manickavel Accuses HR&CE Of Misappropriating Temple Properties

By
The Commune
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Retired IG Pon Manickavel accuses DMK and AIADMK of misappropriating ₹1,153 crores from Tamil Nadu temples as taxes.

Retired IG Pon Manickavel has accused the DMK and AIADMK governments of misappropriating over ₹1,150 crores from Tamil Nadu’s temples under the guise of taxes.

Speaking to reporters after visiting the Arudra Kapaleeswarar Temple in Erode, Manickavel expressed his concerns over the state of the temple, stating that it had been damaged. He alleged that the ancient idols surrounding the sanctum sanctorum had been stolen and replaced with new ones. Manickavel echoed the remarks of the Prime Minister, who had earlier commented on the looting of temple property in Tamil Nadu. He further accused both the previous and current state administrations of imposing taxes on temples while also conducting audits under the pretence of oversight.

According to Manickavel, the government collected ₹327 crores in 2018, ₹348 crores in 2019, and ₹478 crores in 2021 from temples as taxes. Currently, the tax collection from Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu amounts to ₹656 crore, equating to a monthly tax revenue of ₹56 crore.

Pon Manickavel said, “This temple is very old and ancient. The ancient characteristics of this temple have been completely wiped out replaced with new draped colors, as if they say ‘barbaric vandalism has been done at its best’. Inside the temple, surrounding the sanctum, there are many Kosta deities, all of which are new. The original antique idols that were once present were stolen and taken away. No one knows this because they did not have the understanding or knowledge. Last year or the year before, I think Prime Minister Modi visited the temple. He accused that the temple properties were being stolen in Tamil Nadu, and in response Stalin opposed, saying “It was nothing like that.” Whoever says something, let it be, but this temple is an example of what Mr. Modi accused, saying ‘Yes, the accusation he made is true’. I’m saying this based on activities done inside.”

Manickavel accused the executive officers from the HRCE department of misappropriating the temple properties. He revealed that a report regarding this issue was submitted to the commissioner in 2017, but it was ignored. In connection with this, the government has suspended two of the three accused executive officers. However, there was internal pressure to conceal these allegations from the court. Manickavel urged the government to take strict legal action in response.

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Dravidian Model: DMK Ministers Hold Birthday Parties Titled “Udhaya Naal” To Commemorate Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Birthday Amidst Cyclone Fengal Aftermath

By
The Commune
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While TN grapples with Cyclone Fengal, DMK ministers are busy hosting Udhaya Naal birthday parties.

Even as Tamil Nadu is still reeling from the devastating impact of Cyclone Fengal, DMK ministers seemed busy throwing parties titled “Udhaya Naal” to commemorate the birthday of the DMK scion and the Deputy Chief Minister, Udhayanidhi Stalin.

Cyclone Fengal, which brought heavy rainfall and widespread flooding to the state, displacing thousands of people and causing extensive damage to life and property. Areas like Vikravandi and Krishnagiri have been among the hardest hit, struggling with the aftermath of the cyclone over the past week.

Meanwhile, the DMK ministers have come under criticism for seeming to neglect the people’s suffering.

On 4 December 2024, the DMK minister for HR&CE PK Sekar Babu shared a post stating, “Humanitarian Udhay Day – Udayam 10 #HBDDyCMUdhay All beings are equal! May dawn (Udayam) rise everywhere!! On the occasion of the birthday of Hon. Deputy Chief Minister – Youth wing Secretary Mr. @udhaystalin, today (04.12.2024), a grand welfare assistance program held on behalf of the Chennai (East) and Egmore North Area Youth wing at Kosapet Arignar Anna Social Welfare Center, Avadi MLA and Hon. Fellow Minister Nassar (Minorities & Non Resident Tamils Welfare Department) participated and gave a special speech and providing one month’s worth of groceries including rice and financial assistance to 200 transgenders. Local Secretaries, Former MLAs, Councilors and party Executives participated in the event.”

In another post, on 4 December 2024, DMK Minister for Medical and Family Welfare, Ma Subramanian, in a series of posts, shared a celebration of DMK scion Udhayanidhi Stalin’s birthday in a grand manner.

Even School Education Minister Anbil Mahesh was seen celebrating the DMK scion’s birthday on 2 December 2024, at the height of the cyclone’s impact on the state.

In this regard, AIADMK Organizing Secretary and former Finance Minister D. Jayakumar has condemned these celebrations, stating, “At a time when even the most marginalized people of Tamil Nadu are shedding tears after seeing the flood damage in Villupuram and Tiruvannamalai, ministers who should be responsible are holding birthday parties called ‘Udhayanini Udhaya naal’! The people will soon answer these slave ministers!”

 

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