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Chaos Ensues As Temporary Drivers Grapple With TNSTC Strike Fallout, Unions Call Off Strike Till Jan 19 In Public Interest

By
The Commune
-

Following unsuccessful negotiations with transport authorities on 8 January 2024, transport union representatives announced that they would proceed with the indefinite strike.

The strike, led by workers associated with prominent unions such as the Centre of Indian Trade Union (CITU), All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC), and Anna Thozhir Sanga Peravai (ATSP), among others, is fueled by a range of demands.

In the wake of strike by Tamil Nadu transport workers unions, the DMK government’s decision to appoint temporary bus drivers has sparked chaos and raised concerns about passenger safety.

One such incident unfolded when a temporary bus driver, assigned to operate a government bus from Kallakurichi to Ulundhurpettai, demonstrated a lack of proficiency in handling the vehicle. Witnesses reported that the driver struggled to change gears and navigate turns, resulting in an agonizingly slow and precarious journey.

The situation escalated when the overwhelmed temporary driver abruptly stopped the bus midway, declaring, “If it were a Tata vehicle, I would have operated it much better. Operating a government bus is tough, so leave me alone,” before hastily abandoning the bus.

Similar mishaps occurred in Aaralvaaimoli, Kanyakumari, where another temporary bus driver inadvertently damaged a petty shop while attempting a turn.

In Kanyakumari, an accident involving a government bus operated by temporary drivers occurred.

In Kallakurichi,  a different temporary driver struggled to maneuver a bus out of the bus stand, prompting onlookers to jestingly comment, “Apprentice, take the bus.” A skilled driver stepped in, emphasizing, “It’s not a rented cycle for everyone to operate; it’s a government bus,” underlining the need for experienced hands in control.

Chaos also unfolded in Chennai as passengers were unceremoniously forced to disembark midway, citing purported bus repairs.

Here are some more incidents:

Meanwhile, the transport union has notified the Madras High Court about the temporary halt of the strike until January 19, when the next round of conciliation discussions with the government is scheduled to happen.

 

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“We Are The First State To Have ₹8 Lakh Crore As Debt,” Says TN BJP Head Annamalai

By
The Commune
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Annamalai To Return Chennai On 23 November

Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party leader K Annamalai met with the press on 9 January 2023 at the BJP headquarters in Chennai. Beginning the meeting, he shared his observations from the En Mann En Makkal Yatra, that many districts in Tamil Nadu are grappling with a shortage of job opportunities. Specifically, Chengelpet, Chennai, Kanchipuram, and Coimbatore, comprising only four districts, collectively contribute to 34% of Tamil Nadu’s economic output. In contrast, Dharmapuri registers a mere 1.7%, Karur a modest 1.3%, and several others fall below the 1% mark. The southern regions of Tamil Nadu appear to face challenges in development and growth, with a conspicuous absence of significant job opportunities.

Annamalai added that thanks to Prime Minister Modi, India stands as an appealing destination for Foreign Direct Investment (FDI), holding the position of either the second or third most attractive globally. The expectation is that Tamil Nadu will receive investments totalling up to ₹10 lakh crores. Reflecting on past events, he said, “In February 2023, Uttar Pradesh had conducted a similar meet and signed MoUs worth over ₹33 lakh crore, five times greater than what Tamil Nadu has now attracted. Even Karnataka in February 2022 had attracted investments worth over ₹9 lakh crore. The state government should stop boasting about the investments they have received and work harder to be better than the other states.” Notably, even one of the less developed districts, Purvanchal Bundelkhand, attracted a substantial ₹9 lakh 50 thousand crores. Meanwhile, in Gujarat’s investment summit held in January 2024, a pre-signing phase already secured ₹7 lakh crores, with the final figure expected to be revealed after the summit concludes.

During the recently concluded Tamil Nadu Global Investors Meet 2024, a total of 631 Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) were inked, reflecting a substantial commitment from investors. The pledged investment amounted to ₹6,64,180 crore, with a promise to generate 26,90,657 jobs.

Annamalai added that Tamil Nadu must set higher targets to generate job opportunities in regions like Thoothukudi, Ramanathapuram, and Dharmapuri. Despite previous derogatory remarks about Adani’s alleged connections with the BJP, today, DMK leaders are praising him as the state welcomes a substantial investment of ₹42,762 crores. Additionally, Ambani’s investment stands at ₹35,000 crores, and the Tata group has contributed ₹83,212 crores.

Annamalai revealed that following the implementation of the Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme by Prime Minister Modi, investments have seen a notable increase. The PLI initiative aims to encourage investments in sectors such as battery manufacturing, solar energy, textile, mobile manufacturing, food processing, telecom, white goods, IT hardware, and medical devices. Investors in these industries can claim incentives totaling up to ₹1,97,000 crores. Presently, ₹95,000 crores have already been claimed under this scheme. He said, “We (BJP) welcome the recent investments. But for this, DMK should refrain from boasting. These investments did not come for the DMK. These investments were inspired by PM Modi’s Production Linked Incentive (PLI) scheme. The Centre is providing an incentive of ₹1.97 lakh crores for investments. Due to this, companies are coming forward to invest in the states,” 

On Alliance With ADMK

When asked about the potential alliance with the AIADMK in the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections, Annamalai stated, “The BJP is not hesitant to air its views on the AIADMK but the decision to forge an alliance with AIADMK will be taken by the BJP parliamentary board, but the board has not met even once for the 2024 Lok Sabha election. We (BJP) have not started discussions on the Lok Sabha election officially, and I do not have the authority to speak about it”.

This came after AIADMK leader Edappadi K Palaniswami’s declaration that their party would not ally with the saffron party in the forthcoming Lok Sabha and 2026 Assembly polls. Annamalai remarked, 

“The central party leadership is yet to start talking about the elections. I have been saying whatever I could as the state president. Whoever accepts Modi as the Prime Ministerial candidate is with us. The 2024 election is very important for us.” 

Annamalai also said that a significant shift in the state’s ground dynamics, emphasising the undeniable influence of religion and caste in Tamil Nadu. He added, “However if someone thinks that traditional voting patterns will continue, the same won’t happen because unlike the previous Lok Sabha elections, when who would emerge victorious was a major concern, this time everyone knows that Narendra Modi will become the Prime Minister for the third time and hence, the voting pattern will differ.”

Criticising the DMK government for their criticism towards Adani, Annamalai said, “DMK badmouthed Adani group during the election but they are now lauding Adani after receiving an investment of ₹42,768 crore from the conglomerate. Similarly, Ambani has invested ₹35,000 crore and Tata has invested ₹83,212 crore. These, beyond politics, build that some parties should strive only for the progress of Tamil Nadu.”

Further, Annamalai flayed the ruling DMK government over the bus strike and said, “Whatever the state government holds the talks with the transport unions, neither the Transport minister nor the government has the power to resolve it. Tamil Nadu’s financial burden is high. Impact of the debt burden will be visible in the next two years.” 

He added, “TN government has a debt of ₹8 lakh 23000 crores. This year’s projected debt is an additional ₹25000 crores. Both Shivashankar and the CM know that this discussion is just an illusion. They don’t have anything in hand to give their commitment to. According to me, if they agree to the 6 demands, they will have to spend ₹8500 crore rupees to fulfill them. That’s because you have to pay the old arrears, hire a specific number of people, and their salaries have to be paid. Now they are overdoing their shifts. Even the Transport Unions are smart, they are playing a patient game. TN govt knows whatever it says, will never happen, even the Unions know this. Except for the old age pension, the other 5 demands are justified. But when the current financial situation is down in the trenches, what right does Shivashankar have to commit to this? They are offering free bus passes to children and collegegoers. But who will pay for the maintenance, and spare parts, to pay the interest for the purchases? We are going to bring forth the financial situation of the government. How it affects each individual is that each ration card has a debt of ₹3,61,000. As the debt increases, the weight of the interest will also increase. We are the first state to take so much loan. Today, we have 87 years to repay this debt. TN government has reached an impossible stage. Whether they can handle this, whether the finance minister is competent enough to deal with this. You can see for yourselves, in two years they will go to the central government asking for a grant-in-aid of ₹2-3 lakh crores to save the state.” 

On The Maldives

Discussing the historical ties between India and the Maldives, Annamalai highlighted that an Indian contingent has been stationed in the island nation since the attempted coup in 1988. He noted that India traditionally holds the position of National Security Advisor (NSA) for the Maldives, with an Indian IPS officer serving as the nation’s NSA.

Despite the customary first visit of a Maldivian PM to India, the newly elected PM broke tradition by visiting Turkey and China, garnering support from the latter, as evidenced by an official press statement. Notably, a significant portion, about 25%, of the Maldives’ tourism revenue comes from India. In contrast, Lakshadweep receives only 25,000 Indian visitors. Annamalai mentioned that the PM actively promoted an Indian destination as a tourist hotspot.

Recalling contentious tweets from Maldivian ministers, Annamalai drew a comparison, stating that the workforce in a single company like TCS surpasses the entire population of the Maldives. He expressed satisfaction in witnessing Indians uniting to defend the country amid such developments.

On Hindi

In response to actor Vijay Sethupathi’s statement that the people of Tamil Nadu are merely advocating against the imposition of Hindi, not opposing the idea of learning the language, Annamalai remarked, “Vijay Sethupathi has every right to make whatever comment he wishes to and act in whichever language he wants to. But one has to understand that such comments garner all types of comments.”

He added, “Many north Indian companies are recruiting across the country and many native Hindi speakers prefer Bengaluru (in Karnataka) over Tamil Nadu because here, they need to communicate in Tamil. We are getting fewer investments because of this.”

“As far as I am concerned, people who wish to learn Hindi can learn and the rest can ignore. What we propose is a three-language policy. Prime Minister Narendra Modi never forced anybody to learn Hindi. One definitely needs to learn Tamil, English and a third language is optional — it could be anything. People near Hosur learn Kannada, in Coimbatore people learn Malayalam and many people here learn Telugu. We cannot stop them from studying that. Learn whatever you wish, this is BJP’s stand,” Annamalai said.

Annamalai voiced criticism against Chief Minister M.K. Stalin for turning down a proposal from the Public Works Department (PWD) to desilt the Mettur dam for increased water storage. He raised concerns about the government’s priorities, pointing out that the rejection was attributed to financial constraints.

On Sports & Athletics

In the realm of sports, Annamalai lauded TRB Rajaa’s daughter for her achievements in rifle shooting and expressed a desire to see more emerging athletes from Tamil Nadu. He also urged DMK Sports Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin to take additional measures to enable underprivileged children to access sports like rifle shooting and equestrian, typically considered affluent pursuits.

On A Possible Alliance With The DMDK

Addressing the speculation surrounding the alliance with the DMDK and the tribute paid by Prime Minister Narendra Modi to late actor Vijayakant, Annamalai clarified that the tribute was a gesture of genuine affection for the DMDK leader and devoid of any political motives. He said, “The decision on alliance with DMDK will be taken by the party leadership in Delhi and by DMDK general secretary Premalatha Vijayakant.” 

He dismissed any political implications, emphasising that Prime Minister Modi’s homage to Captain Vijayakant is a reflection of the widespread admiration for the late leader’s innocence. He added, “Captain’s innocence is loved by many and there is no politics in the PM’s tribute to him. Similarly, the visit of Union Minister Piyush Goyal to Captain’s house is because of the closeness that the Union Minister had with him.”

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Indian Traditional Medicine Goes Global: ICD 11 Includes A Traditional Medicine Module Now For AYUSH

By
The Commune
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The ICD (International Classification of Diseases) serves as a universal language, enabling healthcare professionals to exchange standardized information globally. Within the 11th revision, the traditional medicine module offers a set of diagnostic categories for systematically collecting and reporting information on traditional medicine conditions in a standardized and internationally comparable fashion.

The World Health Organization (WHO) launched the TM2 module of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD) 11 series in New Delhi on 10th January 2024. This module will include the data and terminology of diseases based on Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani (ASU) systems of medicine.

This effort will lead to global uniformity in ASU medicine as a code of vocabulary defining diseases. It will also strengthen and expand India’s public healthcare delivery system, research, Ayush insurance coverage, research and development, and policymaking systems. It will also help in the formulation of future strategies to control various diseases in the society.

The Ministry of Ayush has developed the Code for Ayurveda, Siddha, and Unani Medicine through the National Ayush Morbidity and Standardized Electronic Portal (NAMSTE). The Ministry of Ayush has also signed a Donor Agreement with the WHO for the same. The Central Bureau of Health Intelligence (CBHI) is an agency under the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare that serves as the WHO Collaboration Centre for ICD-related activities.

Example of ASU Disease Terminology: Infectious diseases like Malaria and lifestyle diseases like chronic insomnia are included in this classification. Ayurveda, Siddhas, and Unani, Vertigo Guidance Disorder (parent name), commonly recognized by the three traditional systems, as a nervous system disorder known in Ayurveda as ‘Bhramaha’ siddha as ‘Ajal Kirkrippu’ and in Unani as ‘Sadra-o-Dwar’.

History of the initiative

After numerous consultations spanning a decade, ICD-11 has successfully incorporated Module-1, encompassing traditional medicine conditions originating from ancient China, now widely utilized in China, Japan, Korea, and globally.

With approximately 17,000 distinct codes and over 120,000 codable terms, all now in digital format, the eleventh revision officially took effect in January 2022.

Utilizing ICD-11’s traditional medicine chapter with other sections on neoplasms, patient safety, and injuries can enhance adverse event reporting. This integration paves the way for incorporating traditional medicine into insurance coverage and reimbursement systems, aligning with the broader goals of the WHO concerning universal health coverage. Furthermore, it establishes connections between traditional medicine practices and the norms and standards of global conventional medicine.

The Ministry of Ayush actively supports the development of Module-2 for Ayurveda-related diagnostic systems. This initiative draws extensively from the practical implementation experience gained by the National Ayush Morbidity and Standardized Terminologies Electronic portal and the Ayush Health Information Management System, according to the Ministry.

This move by the PM Modi Govt. comes at a time when the Indian Traditional medicine is under attack by the left-liberal cabal. This shows even the field of medicine is not spared when it comes to politicization by the opposition. The most recent example is the ‘controversy’ of colouring the picture of Dhanwantari in the NMC was called out for being pseudoscientific. Many doctors on the social media, such as Dr. Abby Philips, known as @theliverdr on X have repeatedly called the Indian traditional medicinal system and other traditional medicinal systems as pseudoscientific. They claim that it damages a person’s health rather than healing them.

However, when confronted by the medical practitioners of these systems, influencers like Dr. Abby Philips mute or block them with a demeaning comment without answering any questions raised by them. Despite such opposition, the AYUSH system of medicines has been growing in India rapidly and offers a viable alternative to patients who aren’t completely satisfied with the allopathic system of medicine.

With inputs from PIB

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TNM Peddles Half-Truths About Annamalai Dharmapuri Church Mother Mary Garlanding Issue, Suppresses DMK Background Of Man Who Protested

By
The Commune
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During his ‘En Mann En Makkal’ padayatra in Dharmapuri, Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party President K Annamalai encountered a confrontation with young members from a Roman Catholic church in B Pallipatti, Dharmapuri district on 9 January 2024. The youths heckled him and objected to his entry into the shrine of Our Lady of Lourdes, where he intended to garland the idol.

The situation escalated when the youth raised slogans against him, resulting in a heated exchange of words between the protestors and the state BJP chief.

A video capturing the noisy altercation went viral; the footage showed Annamalai attempting to pacify the agitated youth emphasising that anyone should be allowed to worship at a church.

The gathering of youth pressed Annamalai with questions about the Manipur riots, accusing the BJP of killing Christians. Annamalai clarified that the conflict in Manipur was a fight between two tribes and religion played no role. However, the youth insisted that the BJP, being in power in the state, failed to prevent the killing of Christians. Annamalai urged them not to adopt a stance similar to the DMK and asserted his right to enter the church. 

Police intervened to remove the angry youth, facilitating Annamalai’s entry to garland the idol.

How The News Minute Twisted The Issue 

A report on the issue by The News Minute seemed to paint a totally contrarian picture aligning with the narrative of the ruling DMK. 

For starters, the title of the article says “Protesters in TN stop Annamalai garlanding Mary idol in solidarity with Manipur”. By looking at this, one would assume that Annamalai was unable to garland the Mary statue at the church. However, in reality, police intervened and facilitated the garlanding. 

The entire article seems to have been written from a Christian viewpoint – right from explaining the significance of the church “The hilltop shrine is a part of the Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church and considered hugely significant to Christians in the area.” to harping about Manipur – “However, it must be noted that hundreds of churches were attacked in the violence in Manipur, with the Archbishop of Imphal Domnic Lumon alleging in June last year that 249 churches had been destroyed in a span of 36 hours.”

The News Minute also gave legitimacy to the background of the protestors. They wrote “When the protesters continued to argue with Annamalai, he said, “Do not speak like a DMK person.” His comment led to an uproar among the protesters, many of whom replied that they were not even part of the DMK.”

However, it has come to light that the person in question, the youth who was at the forefront of the “protest” is a DMK cadre. Some checks by the BJP IT wing have proved that the protestor has been seen with DMK’s Udhayanidhi Stalin and Anbil Mahesh. He also shared posts with the words “I love DMK”. He is also seen in pictures garlanding Karunanidhi.  

This was not revealed by TNM in its report. Also,  contrary to their title, The News Minute article ends with “Despite the protests, Annamalai went on to garland the idol of Mary while many raised slogans against him and the BJP.” 

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Madras High Court Directs Investigation Into Murasoli Trust Land Dispute

By
The Commune
-

The Madras High Court on 4 January 2024, presided over by Justice SM Subramaniam, directed the state government to furnish revenue documents related to Murasoli Trust’s land in the Panchami land case. The Trust, representing DMK, sought to restrain the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) from hearing a complaint by Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party Secretary R Srinivasan. The Trust argued insufficient evidence for the Panchami land claim, citing ownership documents. They challenged Srinivasan’s standing, questioning the political bias of former NCSC vice-chairman L Murugan. The NCSC asserted its duty to investigate SC deprivation. 

On 5 January 2024, the Tamil Nadu government informed the Madras High Court that, based on revenue department records, the land housing the Murasoli office belongs to Anjugam Publications, refuting Panchami land claims. RS Bharathi, DMK organization secretary, challenged the National Commission for SC/ST’s notice on the alleged Panchami land issue. The Additional Advocate General asserted Anjugam’s ownership, accusing political misuse of the commission. The Murasoli Trust’s counsel claimed a prolonged, publicity-driven delay. 

In a development on 10 January 2024, the Madras High Court directed the National Commission for Scheduled Castes (NCSC) to issue new summons in the Murasoli Trust land dispute. Justice SM Subramaniam invalidated the prior summons by ex-NCSC Vice-Chairman L Murugan, now a Central Minister, ordering a fresh notice. The judge urged the commission to conduct an unbiased inquiry, considering the TN government’s documents and BJP’s R Srinivasan’s complaint. 

Dismissing RS Bharathi’s plea to annul the 2019 summons, Justice Subramaniam stated that the disputed facts about Panchami land should be examined through the commission’s investigation. 

The judge observed, “Such disputed facts relating to immovable properties cannot be adjudicated in the present writ proceedings. The complaint before the NCSC is that the Panchami lands allotted to scheduled caste members were transferred to other persons in an illegal manner. Thus an investigation and an inquiry by the commission is warranted for the purpose of ascertaining the truth regarding the character of the land in safeguarding and protecting the interest of the scheduled caste members.” 

Justice Subramaniam noted that the notices from the commission to the petitioner lost relevance as the third respondent, Murugan became a Minister and no longer held the vice-chairman position in the NCSC.

Addressing arguments against the commission investigating property rights, the judge emphasised the primary duty of the commission to safeguard the rights and socio-economic development of SCs under Article 338(5)(b). He said, “It squarely falls within the ambit of the NCSC to probe any such complaints with respect to the deprivation of rights and safeguards of the SCs. It is the duty of the Commission to inquire into any such illegal occupation of Panchami lands”.

Rejecting assumptions about the commission exceeding its powers, the judge stated that mere presumption isn’t grounds for a writ of prohibition, especially regarding Bharathi’s plea to halt the commission from hearing complaints.

Regarding allegations of political motive and malice in the summons, the judge emphasized the need to examine the nature of the dispute, prioritizing constitutional and legal rights over political affiliations in the public interest.

TN BJP chief K Annamalai took to his X handle to write about this. He wrote, “Allegations that the Panchami land belonging to Scheduled Castes, where the office of Mursoli, the DMK’s official newspaper, is located have been for years. The fact that the DMK, which should have been asked to explain this allegation on several platforms, has avoided giving an answer has raised strong suspicions among the public. In the case of BJP4Tamilnadu state general secretary Mr. @ProfessorBJP as the first complainant and @BJP4Tamilnadu

 state list team leader Mr. @tadaperiyasami as the second complainant, the DMK sought a ban on the inquiry by the National Listing Commission. The following petition was dismissed today by the Hon’ble Madras High Court and a fresh notice has been issued to start the investigation.

I earnestly request that the DMK should not try to delay the investigation any more and cooperate with the investigation. BJP’s legal struggle to recover Panchami lands belonging to Scheduled Community will continue.”

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“RSS-BJP Event, Won’t Attend”: Congress Declines To Attend Ayodhya Ram Janmabhoomi Consecration Ceremony

By
The Commune
-

On Wednesday, the Congress announced that Sonia Gandhi, Mallikarjun Kharge, and Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury will not be attending the Ram Mandir event scheduled for January 22. This statement from the party aims to put an end to speculations regarding the Congress’s stance on the Ram Temple event, which had been a topic of conflicting opinions within the INDIA bloc partners.

The Congress expressed its view that the consecration event has taken on a clear RSS/BJP character. While acknowledging that Lord Ram is revered by millions in India, the Congress accused the RSS/BJP of turning the construction of the temple in Ayodhya into a political endeavor. They noted that the inauguration of the incomplete temple by BJP and RSS leaders seemed to be motivated by electoral considerations.

“The inauguration of the incomplete temple by the leaders of the BJP and the RSS has been obviously brought forward for electoral gain. While abiding by the 2019 Supreme Court judgment and honouring the sentiments of millions who revere Lord Ram, Shri Mallikarjun Kharge, Smt. Sonia Gandhi and Shri Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury have respectfully declined the invitation to what is clearly an RSS/BJP event.“, the statement read.

The statement by Jairam Ramesh, a general secretary of the party, further criticized the RSS/BJP for politicizing the Ram temple project, highlighted the temple’s incomplete status, and raised concerns about the timing of the inauguration for political gain. Nonetheless, they affirmed their adherence to the 2019 Supreme Court judgment.

The Congress declining to attend the comes weeks after the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), had criticised Congress for what it deemed a ‘non-committal’ stance on attending the Pran Pratishtha ceremony in Ayodhya. The message conveyed was that Congress must explicitly declare its non-attendance, akin to CPI(M), to avoid alienating its Muslim vote bank in Kerala.

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How Dravidanist Media Tried To Peddle Propaganda Against Modi Govt Using A Dubious Complaint Of An “IRS Officer” While Ignoring The Farmer Who Was Detained By DMK Govt Under Goondas Act 

By
The Commune
-

The Case of Arul

In November 2023, the DMK government in Tamil Nadu involved the Goondas Act against seven farmers engaged in a sit-in protest opposing the land acquisition for the SIPCOT project in Melma, Cheyyar taluk, Tiruvannamalai district.

Following widespread criticism of the action against protesting farmers, Chief Minister MK Stalin announced the reversal of the decision on 17 November 2023. Six out of the seven detainees were released after their family members met with Cheyyar MLA and Minister for Public Works, Highways, and Minor Ports, E V Velu, requesting their release, as mentioned in the Chief Minister’s statement.

However, the decision to invoke the Goondas Act against environmental activist Arul Arumugam was not rescinded. Arumugam gained prominence for opposing the Chennai-Salem eight-lane highway project during the previous AIADMK regime. Arul, originally from Krishnagiri district, was born into a family of land-owning farmers. Despite working as a Software Engineer at Polaris and Infosys in Bengaluru, Arul’s passion for agriculture led him to leave his corporate job around 2018 and return to Krishnagiri. Taking charge of his patta lands in Chengam region, Tiruvannamalai, after his father’s demise in 2009, Arul fully embraced farming in 2018.

In response to the government’s eight-lane expressway project in 2018, targeting wetlands in Tiruvannamalai, Arul, along with fellow farmers, protested against potential land acquisition. 

Despite campaigning for the DMK in 2021 based on their promise to halt the expressway project, Arul faced criticism when the government did not drop the initiative. Nevertheless, he continued supporting farmers affected by the SIPCOT project through his position as the state Chairman of Uzhavan Urimai Iyakkam. Arul assisted in submitting petitions and organising peaceful protests against the acquisition of 3,174 acres of wetlands, emphasising his commitment to agricultural rights.

Addressing reporters, E V Velu defended the government’s intention to provide jobs for the educated youth in the district, accusing “outsiders” of creating trouble. Velu claimed that one of the detainees, Devan, did not own any land and labeled Arul from Krishnagiri as the chief instigator behind the protest, alleging a pre-planned hindrance to development work.

Contradicting these claims, Devan’s father stated he did not support the protest, while Devan’s wife, D Kalaiselvi, mentioned that some DMK members intimidated the family and coerced her father-in-law to speak against his son. The Goondas Act invoked on Arul was rescinded on 5 January 2024. 

The Case Of 2 Dalit Farmers

A verdict copy that has come to light in the bison death case. On 15 January 2017, as per information received by Salem Forest Guard, Forest Officer Sirajeedin, Athar Divisional Forester P. Ponnusamy, and Nagalur East Beat Conservator of Forests A. Murugan visited Atthar Vattam, Ramanayakanpalayam, Karamanitattu around 5:00 PM to address the issue of an electric fence installed by Chinnuswami’s sons, Krishnan and Kannayanai, in the presence of the village administration officer, to destroy the rats that were destroying tapioca (kuchi kizhangu) planted on the land.

Voluntarily, the sons admitted to setting up the electric fence on their land on the night of 1 January 2017. They reported that on the morning of 2 January 2017, a male bison and a female bison got entangled in the electric fence and died. The brothers (who turned adversaries later) dug a hole and buried the bison at Ramanayakanpalayam on 2 January 2017. When asked to show the spot where they buried the bison, Kannaiyan revealed the spot and dug up the bison, and in the presence of forest officials from Ramanayakanpalayam, the village administration officer and adversaries. They discovered a male and a female bison dead and decaying in the pit. A veterinary assistant from Kalpaganur confirmed that the decaying animals were wild buffaloes and a veterinary surgeon conducted a post-mortem examination.

Following the doctor’s advice, a pit was dug, and the dead bodies were buried at the location where they were found. Additionally, two buffalo horns, which were not decomposed, were identified by A. Murugan, Nagalur East Beat Conservator of Forests. The horns were seized . Samples were collected on 15 January 2017, in the presence of witness Sirajideen, Forest Officer, and the Village Administrative Officer, as documented in the Mahajar statement, and samples were prepared on the spot.

The ED later decided to stop pursuing the case involving the two Dalit farmers once the news came out.

Is TNM Planting Stories To Peddle Propaganda?

In what appears to be a planted story, the TNM portal had actively pursued the case of Dalit farmers and reporting on letters written by soon-to-retire self-proclaimed activist IRS officer Balamurugan and his wife Dalit Pravina. This story was amplified by other Dravidianist media outlets like Sun News and Kalignar Seithigal.

It is perplexing that how two separate incidents, one involving the death of a bison due to the erection of a fence that was electrified were linked to the ED raids of the farmers. The News Minute also alleged that a BJP leader was involved in land grabbing of the two brothers involved in this matter. Were these stories politically spun for narrative purposes by The News Minute?

It is noteworthy that news media outlets such as The News Minute had been focusing on cases involving Dalit farmers under ED purview that recently made headlines and had not been supporting activists like Arul. 

There have been accusations that the DMK government through its state intelligence is trying to plant stories to embarrass ED.

While TNM previously profiled Arul, they had not taken up his case since it involves questioning the ruling DMK government. 

Following the aftermath of Cyclone Michaung in Chennai, TNM’s Shabbir reported on the shortcomings of the DMK government in managing the floods. In response, a troll army targeted him accusing him of having received money as per an alleged diary of mining baron Sekhar Reddy. Later, TNM’s Editor-in-Chief Dhanya Rajendran ‘thanked’ DMK IT wing chief TRB Rajaa for reigning in his IT wing functionaries. 

The approach seems to be prioritising alignment with their narrative, portraying the central government as a villain and bolstering the image of the BJP as a fascist entity, rather than risking criticism of the DMK.

And that’s why TNM should consider renaming itself from The News Minute to The New Murasoli.

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Tamil Nadu Horror: 19-Yr-Old Burnt To Death After She Marries A Dalit, No Outrage From VCK Head Thiruma And Dravidianist Media

By
The Commune
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Tamil Nadu, a state often hailed as the land of social justice by Dravidian Stocks, recently witnessed a tragic incident where a 19-year-old girl from the Kallar community in Thanjavur, who had married a Dalit, became a victim of a devastating honor killing.

Naveen, a 19-year-old Dalit, tied the knot with his schoolmate Ishwarya on 31 December 2023, with the support of friends in Tirupur. Employed in a garment company in Tirupur and rented a house in Veerapandi in the Tirupur district.

Ishwarya’s father, Perumal, filed a missing person complaint with the Palladam police on 2 January 2024. Allegedly, when Ishwarya was summoned to the police station, she was said to be coerced to leave with her parents. Despite Naveen’s attempts to seek assistance from the police, he purportedly faced rejection, being informed falsely that Ishwarya had returned home.

Naveen later discovered that his wife had been tragically burned to death by her own family on 3 January 2023. Upon reporting the incident to the police, an investigation ensued, resulting in the arrest of the father and four other relatives implicated in this appalling act.

This honor killing underscores the persistent challenges faced by inter-caste marriages in certain communities, emphasizing the ongoing need for efforts to address such social issues in Tamil Nadu and beyond.

https://twitter.com/ItsyourMB/status/1744640244287463892

Despite this horrific incident coming to light, there has been a muted response from the so-called champions of Dalits VCK head Thol. Thirumavalavan, who is an ally of the ruling DMK. His last social media posts have been about the protest he is spearheading against Coromondel fertilizer factory in Ennore, Chennai.

Other Dravidianist media which had debated in length on violence against women in other states have looked the other way.

Recently Reported Honour Killings In Tamilnadu

In a case of honor killing, a man reportedly murdered his mother and son allegedly due to a disagreement over his son marrying a woman from the Scheduled Caste community against his wishes in Krishnagiri district of Tamil Nadu.

A 24-year-old Dalit individual, Prabhakaran, succumbed to fatal stab wounds inflicted by the father of a 17-year-old girl with whom he was romantically involved in Kumbakonam Tamil Nadu.

Referencing past incidents in Tamil Nadu, netizens are advocating for the enactment of a dedicated law to address honor killings.

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Press Freedom Under Threat In Trudeau’s Canada? Rebel News Journo Arrested After He Questioned Canada’s Dy PM On Not Including Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps As Terror Group

By
The Commune
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Rebel News journalist David Menzies was apprehended on Monday (8 January 2024) after he confronted Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland regarding the government’s decision not to include the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) on the list of designated terrorist entities.

The incident, which took place in Richmond Hill, Ontario, was captured on video and shows Menzies colliding briefly with a police officer while trying to approach Freeland during an event commemorating the destruction of Flight PS752, a Ukrainian International Airlines plane that was downed by the Iranian military in January 2020, resulting in the loss of numerous Canadian lives.

The video from Monday’s encounter appears to depict an officer stepping into Menzies’ path while he was carrying a microphone in the parking lot of a suburban strip mall. Subsequently, the officer grabbed Menzies by his lapels, pushed him against a wall, and accused him of assault before arresting him. Menzies disputed the charge, asserting that he hadn’t physically touched anyone and suggested that it was an unjustified accusation. He also made a reference to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in his comments.

The whole incident was captured by David’s cameraman Lincoln Jay.

“This is a trumped-up charge of assault, folks. I didn’t come here to cause any trouble. I came here to do my job and now I’m handcuffed. This is your Canada now, folks. This is the gestapo taking blackface’s orders,“, he vociferously said.

Menzies requested the officer’s name and badge number, but it’s unclear whether those details were provided in the video. The officer in question was later identified as a member of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) protective detail by a spokesperson from the York Regional Police, who clarified that there was no credible security threat, and Menzies was released without conditions.

The RCMP also issued a statement acknowledging their involvement in the incident and mentioned that they were looking into the actions of all parties involved, without providing further details at that time.

Rebel News widely shared the video of the incident and presented their perspective on their website, claiming that Menzies was assaulted and arrested by Freeland’s bodyguards.

The Rebel News said that Menzies was outside a vigil for the victims of terrorism, when he spotted Liberal Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland walking in.

“David tried to ask Freeland a question. But as soon as he did, an RCMP bodyguard ran into David, grabbed him, arrested him and falsely accused him of assault! Soon, David was swarmed by police, handcuffed and frog-marched into a police car.“, it read.

Rebel News further said in its report “David did nothing wrong — except ask a question. The police lied about the assault. They’re the ones who assaulted him. They obviously knew what they were doing was wrong because the cop who attacked David refused to identify himself — David asked multiple times for a name and badge number, which they are obligated to provide. It’s deeply disappointing to see how easily the police lied about what happened, all to please their Liberal masters. But the video doesn’t lie.” adding that David’s rights as a reporter and his rights as a citizen were violated.

“This is Canada, not Iran. Anyone is allowed to ask a politician a question. Even if — especially if —the politician doesn’t like the question. No one is allowed to abuse our people physically, and we will pursue justice whenever they do.“, the report said.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre and Conservative MP Marilyn Gladu condemned the arrest, with Gladu calling for the House of Commons heritage committee to be recalled to investigate the matter and demand transparency and accountability regarding Menzies’ apprehension.

(With inputs from CBC News)

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Dravidian Model Of Hypocrisy: Adani Invests In DMK-Ruled Tamil Nadu, Here’s How DMK Leaders & Its Allies Spread Canards About Him

By
The Commune
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The TNGIM 2024 meet, which took place on 7th and 8th January 2024, brought in a slew of new investments to the state. The meet also brought with it many controversies. The opposition parties in Tamil Nadu, mainly the Tamil Nadu BJP, were critical of the background of the investing companies and the reported inconsistencies in the investments. While the DMK, who have spoken so much against corporatisation in the past, have welcomed global investors with open arms now but also have changed their stand against Adani Group as well.

To Oppose Or Not To Oppose?

Ironically, the news of Adani group’s  ₹42, 768 crore investment plans in Tamil Nadu gave a boost to the company’s stocks. However, this is not the first time that the DMK government has been friendly towards the Adani group despite alleging them of scams and crony capitalism in the public. Earlier in 2021, a MoU was signed with Adani Enterprises for establishing a data centre in Chennai. The CM MK Stalin, who was vocal in opposing the Kattupalli port expansion project near Chennai, has not committed to cancelling the expansion and the stand of the government remains ambiguous until now.

The DMK and the ADMK had both promised to scrap the expansion project if elected to power in the 2021 assembly elections. However, DMK is yet to take action on the project after winning the election with a good majority. In the past three years, there were two public hearings planned and both were cancelled after public outcry.

The Tamil Nadu CM even called the PM’s speech in the parliament as ‘rhetoric’ when the opposition parties demanded an explanation about the Hindenburg report of Adani Group. CM Stalin’s son and TN Sports Minister Udhayanidhi has a long history of attacking Adani.

Here are a few other times when MK Stalin and his DMK peddled canards against Adani.

In 2018, MK Stalin had said “Wind power scam, coal procurement scam. What is the reason why the ADMK government has turned the Tamil Nadu Electricity Board into a “hell land” of mega scams and is now offering to import coal to a company like Adani at a price of more than 150% without issuing a tender?”

In 2020, Palanivel Thiagarajan (Finance Minister turned IT Minister now) who was back then the DMK IT Wing chief said “BJP Govt in partnership with corporate friends like Adani, Ambani, promotes monolithic capitalism hostile to public and other businessmen”

 

The Path Of The Allies

One of the main allies of the DMK, Chidambaram MP and the Chief of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) party, Thol. Thirumavalavan has also spoken about Adani in length. In a viral video, he says, ‘Modi party/BJP spreads hatred politics and invests everything to Adani (sic). Modi is not a leader who works hard for Hindus, but he works hard for his benami Adani. Adani is a newly created billionaire by Modi. He cannot directly do business, he cannot be a capitalist, he cannot own a business, so he created Adani as a benami. He created him when he was the CM, he gave him free electricity, thousands of acres of land and created him as a businessman. Whatever assets he earned during his tenure as CM is under Adani’s name, and all the assets he is earning during his tenure now as PM are also under Adani’s name. Modi might not have a family, he may act as a sage who does not seek wealth, but all his assets are under Adani’s name. Adani is Modi’s benami, we should understand that.’

The CPIM, an alliance partner of the DMK, has also had many run-ins with the Adani group in the past and has maintained double standards regarding the Adani group. While the Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan vehemently opposed the Adani takeover of the Thiruvananthapuram airport, the party fought with Congress to take credit for the mega port constructed in Vizhinjam. The party even went to the extent of calling the Supreme Court’s verdict in Hindenburg-Adani case as ‘disappointing‘, just a few days ago. The TN CPIM conducted a massive rally against the proposed Adani port at Kanyakumari as a part of Sagarmala Project. However, despite expressing such strong views against corporatisation and Adani in particular, the TN CPIM has maintained silence regarding such investments meet, Kattupalli expansion project and Adani investments in the state.

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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.
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