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“Such Incidents Have Also Happened In Temple Festivals,” Says DMK Leader TKS Elangovan On Marina Air Show Tragedy

By
The Commune
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DMK Leader TKS Elangovan blames IAF for Chennai Air Show Tragedy

DMK leader TKS Elangovan blamed the Indian Air Force for the poor management at Chennai Air Show that saw at least five deaths and numerous hospitalizations. Elangovan downplayed the state’s responsibility, saying the crowd was unexpectedly large and comparing it to incidents at temple festivals. He joins other DMK members, including Ma Subramaniam and Syed Hafeez, who defended the state government’s efforts while subtly pointing fingers at the IAF for mismanagement, further fueling tensions in the aftermath of the tragedy.

Mismanaged Chennai Air Show

6 October 2024 turned out to be a tragic nightmare for many in what could have been one of the most memorable days of their life. Indian Air Force celebrated Air Force Day at Chennai’s Marina Beach with a fantastic display. However, DMK members and minister along with Dravidianist journalists downplayed the tragedy which saw atleast 5 people dead and several hospitalised, and tried to pin the blame on the IAF.

The most brazen one among them was DMK leader TKS Elangovan. Speaking to ANI, he said, “People were gathered in large numbers at the Marina Beach…The event is conducted by the Indian Air Force… The crowd was unexpectedly huge which Marina could not hold… Such kinds of incidents have also happened in many temple festivals...Opposition leaders will always accuse us of anything. They will not manage anything. More than 100 people were taken to the hospital. The state government has made all the arrangements...”

Here are some statements made by other DMK members and leaders.

Ma Subramaniam

Health Minister Ma Subramaniam released a press note stating, “Full administrative cooperation of the Government of Tamil Nadu was extended to successfully conduct the Indian Air Force Air Adventure Program at Chennai. In order to properly plan and conduct the event, a coordination meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary with Indian Air Force officers and Tamil Nadu government department officials once and then several times at the departmental level. In these consultative meetings, arrangements were made with all the demands of the Air Force officers kept in mind. Two health teams, with an adequate number of doctors and nurses, have been deployed on behalf of the state government at the venue. Apart from this, medical teams were formed on behalf of the Indian Army. Also, 40 ambulances were also stationed there for emergency medical assistance. Adequate paramedical teams were also constituted. 100 beds and 65 doctors were kept ready in Government Medical College Hospitals including Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. Necessary arrangements have been made for an adequate number of temporary latrines and drinking water supply at Marina Beach by the Chennai Metropolitan Corporation and the Chennai Water and Sewerage Board. 7500 security guards have been deployed for security given the possibility of a large number of people coming. For the Indian Air Force program held today in Chennai,

Tamil Nadu provided all the facilities and arrangements beyond what they requested. I would like to inform you that it has been done by the government.”

He also blamed the IAF for the reason why the event was conducted during the peak afternoon.

Syed Hafeez

Another DMK spokesperson Syed Hafeez kept justifying the deaths were not due to a stampede. Speaking to Times Now, he said, “The event was well organized. The government and the Corporation of Chennai with coordination from 4 other departments had done their best to avoid such a situation. See you have to understand, tehre was no stampede. If the state government had not organised this well, in such a manner. To completely blame the state government of mismanagement is not acceptable. See other news channels, people are praising the state government.”

Saravanan Annadurai

DMK member and advocate Saravanan Annadurai went on to blame the public for not taking adequate water bottles, caps, etc. He even questioned the health issues those who died may have had. It seemed to indicate that he was saying blaming the State government for poor arrangements is being done for political reasons. 

He wrote, “Aviation adventure and politics of jealousy! Yesterday the Indian Air Force, the adventure shows at the Marina were not properly coordinated, the trains were not running, 5 people died, and the state government should be held responsible. I also went to see the adventure, we walked 3 km, saw, walked again and reached home.

Important questions.

1. When 10 lakh people will gather, can all the vehicles be allowed to the place of adventure?

2. Can get down early and walk the last 2 or 3 km on your own.

3. Yesterday the sun was 36 degrees, walking in that sun and standing in the top sun can see this adventure. It has to go by itself with minimum progress. Hat, water, umbrella.

4. Adequate number of ambulances were available and first aid treatments were available for those who fainted in the sun.

5. Everyone has a desire to see it in person. They must have come to the event feeling that this hot environment would allow their bodies to cooperate. At least for about 3 hours, you have to walk to stand in the sun.

6. The death of 5 people is very regrettable, taking into consideration their health condition.

7. Southern Railway should explain why they are not running enough trains.

8. Is there a structure that can accommodate more than 10 lakh people in a short period of time?

9. Our guards did an excellent job, from first aid treatment to traffic regulation.

10. Majority of the people of Chennai who came to the program, enjoyed the program and left with satisfaction. They had come to the program knowing what kind of facilities would be available in such programs and how much would the facility be. It was conducted by the Union Government itself, what is their role? Those who try to portray this as some kind of administrative failure have no intention other than political jealousy.”

He went on to state that there was no stampede, so everything was fine. He wrote, “Only an autopsy will tell us how 5 people were dead? Did they have any pre existing illness, which got exacerbated while standing in the hot sun for 3 to 4 hrs. There was no stampede.”

Saravanan next went on to blame the Defence ministry because it was them who organised it in the first place! He wrote, “Show organised by Defence Ministry”

Kanimozhi

As if paying lip service, DMK MP Kanimozhi indirectly blamed the IAF for wanting to gather a large number of people. She wrote, “The news of the death of 5 people is very sad and painful when the public who witnessed the military flight adventure program held at the Marina beach in Chennai suffered from the crowd and the temperature was high. Unmanageable gatherings should also be avoided.”

Salem Dharanidharan

DMK spokie Salem Dharanidharan also blamed the IAF stating it was them who wanted to create a record and that the event was not organised by the TN government. He said, “It is unfortunate that lives were lost and it should not happen. There have been many events, full-fledged events conducted in the state where more number of people have participated. There have been fantastic arrangements. Even our party conducted the Youth Wing conference which broke the record was fantastically arranged. This is organized by the Air Force and it is not the Tamil Nadu government that wanted to create a record. People, out of their own willingness wanted to come and we made proper arrangements but I am not certain how these mishaps happened.”

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Complaint Filed Against “We Dravidians” Admin For Abusing AP Dy CM Pawan Kalyan

By
The Commune
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A complaint has been filed against the handle “We Dravidians” for posting a barrage of hate and abuse directed at Andhra Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan. This campaign erupted after Kalyan remarked that those seeking to eradicate Sanatana Dharma will perish themselves, in a veiled reference to DMK scion’s Hindumisic comments last year. Supporters of Udhayanidhi Stalin joined in the online attack, with We Dravidians leading the charge.

As the clash escalated, Kalyan’s fans and Hindu community members retaliated with their own memes and comments. In response to the escalating online tensions, advocate Arun Kumar Raju formally lodged a complaint, which the Andhra Pradesh Police have acknowledged.

Pawan Kalyan’s Remarks

Just as Kalyan made thunderous remarks seemingly targeted at “those who wanted to destroy Sanatana Dharma”, the Dravidianists and supporters of Udhayanidhi Stalin started a hate and abuse campaign against him.
Among those who went on a rampage with the posts and comments included a handle named We Dravidians. Here are some posts made by the handle:

While the Pawan Kalyan fans and people from the Hindu fold shot back at the memes, comments, and remarks made, the tiff went on for a few days.

Finally, an advocate from Andhra Pradesh, Arun Kumar Raju, filed a complaint against the handle “We Dravidians” specifically. It was noted that the Andhra Pradesh Police acknowledged the complaint.

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Dravidianist Separatist Thirumurugan Gandhi Calls For Separate Foreign Policy For TN, Claims ‘Brahmin-Baniya Gang Controls India’s Foreign Policy’

By
The Commune
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Thirumurugan Gandhi Calls For Separate Foreign Policy For TN

Dravidianist separatist ‘Thirumurugan’ Gandhi, the head of the separatist May 17 movement, has once again stirred controversy by speaking in seccesionist language. He also has spoken against Brahmins. It is noteworthy that Gandhi is known for his hate speeches against Hindus particularly the Brahmin community.

Speaking at an event on the Israel-Iran war, ‘Thirumurugan’ Gandhi drew parallels between the 2009 war in Sri Lanka against LTTE and the Palestinians. Focusing on foreign policy, Gandhi said, “I request the TN government, the DMK government must put together a foreign policy, May 17 Movement has been requesting for this for a long time. Velumurugan who is the Assembly member (MLA) and belongs to the May 17 Movement will surely move this in the Assembly. That is because we need a separate foreign policy for Tamil Nadu.”

Out of nowhere, he brings in Brahmins into the picture. He said, “India’s foreign policy is only for the benefit of Gujarati (baniya) businessmen designed by Brahmins. There is no place for Tamils in that foreign policy nor is there place for the betterment of Tamil Nadu. We must bring out a foreign policy keeping Tamil Nadu’s interests at the forefront. Based on that foreign policy only Delhi must function. If it doesn’t, things like Defence Corridor, and military bases must be stopped, and chased out. Without our knowledge, without our say, without us knowing, the bombs that fall on our children and we will not be saved by Modi. Sanghis will not prevent that. We have to fight it. What we left in 2009, what we failed to achieve in 2009, we must take up that politics and we must determine the politics of this region. Tamils are capable of deciding the politics of this region. Tamils are the strongest race in the South Asian region. Tamils are in Eelam, Malaysia, Tamil Nadu, Maldives, Mauritius, and South Africa in big numbers. With a uniform appeal from the Tamil race, the foreign policy, how this region’s Tamil race must be protected, we must rise up to that. Brahmins are unworthy of putting together a foreign policy nor do they have any experience. Gujaratis do not have any concerns towards that. For selfish politics, if this Brahmin-Baniya gang takes over the foreign policy, to break that we must raise our voice from Tamil Nadu, and I believe firmly that will be the Dravida Model’s voice.”

 

In January 2024, a Muslim woman’s video was shared by DMK functionary Padma Priya, in which she is seen making casteist remarks about Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s Brahmin identity. Commentator Dr. Sumanth Raman responded, prompting Gandhi to criticize the Brahmin dialect as a form of caste-based superiority. He argued that only Brahmins use their dialect to assert dominance.

In May 2023, he incited violence by calling for a “people’s army” to confront the RSS and BJP. He claimed that the RSS orchestrated violence in Tripura to suppress ideological opponents and warned that similar unrest could occur if the BJP faces defeat in the 2024 elections. Gandhi encouraged organizations in Tamil Nadu to unite and fight the RSS on the streets, urging action against their rallies. He further incited violence by calling for a march to the RSS headquarters in Nagpur, advocating the demolition of the building and the severing of RSS leaders’ heads.

In October 2020, ‘Thirumurugan’ Gandhi was involved in the release of a new “Tamil Nadu flag” alongside other Tamil nationalist and Periyarist groups. The flag, featuring a white background with a red map of Tamil Nadu, was intended to symbolize Tamil identity. At the flag launch, Gandhi announced plans to hoist it across the state on 1 November that year and urged people from all backgrounds to support it.

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What Went Wrong With BJP’s ‘Naya Kashmir’ Vision: 3 Critical Mistakes That Cost Them The Valley

By
Major Manik M Jolly
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What Went Wrong With BJP's 'Naya Kashmir' Vision

The BJP’s hopes for a ‘Naya Kashmir‘ seem to have faltered as exit polls predict a hung assembly in Jammu and Kashmir. The Voter poll projects 40-48 seats for the National Conference-Congress alliance in the 95-member house, while the BJP’s performance in the Valley remains weak. Despite efforts to promote peace, prosperity, and development in the region over the past five years, these initiatives failed to convert into electoral success. While the BJP may secure 27-31 seats in Jammu, it struggled in the Valley, where it had no representation in 2014, signaling disappointment for its ‘Naya Kashmir’ vision. So, what went wrong? Let’s analyze.

BJP’s utter failure to score in Kashmir has three main reasons.

1. Inability to understand the local politics.

They tried to use the mainland politics template on Kashmir, which would never work. The decades and centuries of indoctrination will not go away just because you built some roads and organized a few events. They’ll happily use it and still throw you out. The army has done thousands of projects under Sadbhavna. Still, they are attacked with active support from locals. Since it should have been clear that over-the-top pampering and welfare measures were not going to help secure the popular vote, the same effort and money should have been invested in bringing ousted Kashmiri Hindus back, even if it meant making new societies and townships. You have thousands upon thousands living in Jammu and around in shanties and tiny houses. Those who migrated back in the early 90s. Make them good houses, give them amenities, and settle them down in Kashmir.

You’ll never be able to win the local Kashmiri’s affection because you are a Hindu party. How is this not clear to the high and mighty of political decision-making? The fact remains that you cannot win on development, and you cannot win on your identity. So do what your opponents have been doing for decades. That is to use the demography to your advantage. Let Kashmir have its Hindus back and create at least a somewhat level playing field. You’re fighting with your hands tied behind your back and still throwing resource after resource at them hoping they’ll consider your requests. They won’t! Period.

2. Poor Communication

BJP created and promoted the worst communication and social media influencers when it comes to Kashmir. Almost all of them are turncoats who just want to ride the wave and enjoy prominence, benefits, and popularity. The Kashmiris knew it, they knew it, everyone in India knew it, and even their original masters knew it. That’s why no one took them on seriously or even bothered to counter them aggressively. Because everyone knew they would come back into the fold the moment winds changed. Only the BJP didn’t seem to realize it, or maybe they just ignored it.

And it’s such a critical point because it shows aspects of the BJP to local Kashmiri voters.

BJP cannot identify true leaders. If they are promoting these opportunists, then they are ideologically not on strong ground and will go ahead and support anyone ready to sing their song for a few months and dollars. That leads to insecurity as a supporter. Taking a call to support the BJP in Kashmir is a huge ideological and risky decision. To doubt a party’s selection of representatives does not bode well with voters.

It’s time BJP looked into this and understood that communication is a serious game today and has a massive impact. What is being said, when it is being said, and most importantly who’s saying it matters a lot. Do you think these turncoats and opportunists will ensure your goodwill? Absolutely not. It’s the opposite! They’ll ruin whatever little you’re trying to do.

3. Lack Of Focus On Jammu

Most of the billions the BJP spent on Kashmir to woo the voters should have been spent on Jammu. Develop Jammu as a dream destination. I’m not saying back off from Kashmir. Yes, development is required. But rather than serving caviar and French wine daily, maybe simple food should have been enough. On the other hand, if you invest heavily in Jammu, the organic voter base will become solidified and confident, and the general sense of gracefulness will also prevail.

Let Kashmiris see what they can get if they don’t side with secessionist and anti-India parties. Rather than giving them the confidence to do whatever, they’ll always be pampered at the cost of Indian taxpayers.

Conclusion

In the end, I’ll say that a basic difference between politicians and military minds is their pragmatism and acceptance of reality and facts.

No amount of sloganeering or long-line Indian Army chants by locals will ever make a military commander be lax on his operations or take a threat lightly. They know how to accept the facts and deal with it.

Meanwhile, politicians get swayed by the noise and melodrama and assume that the smoke screen is the real front. Maybe it’s part of being in politics that you cannot say harsh truths. But it would be good to at least accept them and move accordingly.

It’s not just a lesson for the BJP but for the entire country on how voter preferences turned out. Giving is not always the best policy when the demands are not what you’re offering. In ideological arenas, you think you can bring in a couple of schemes and woo them with goodies, but that is not happening.

Will Modiji vote for AIMIM if they build roads in his city? That should clarify everything!

Major Manik M Jolly, SM, is a decorated Indian Army veteran who served both in the Infantry and with the Military Intelligence. Apart from being a social entrepreneur, he is a strategic analyst and columnist. 

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Meet Kathir RS, The Admin Of Anti-Hindu, Anti-North Indian & Secessionist Social Media Page ‘We Dravidians’ Who Thinks Pakistan Is A Functioning Democracy, Wants MK Stalin As PM And Sees Christ As The First Rationalist Reformer

By
The Commune
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We Dravidians, a Dravidianist propaganda account, is facing backlash. Admin Kathir RS is a pro-DMK figure

For quite a while, the Dravidianist propaganda account We Dravidians ably supported by the ruling establishment has been peddling venom and lies that Dravidianists usually do against Hindus, Hinduism and especially Brahmins and the Indians from the North of India.

For the past few days, ever since AP Dy CM Pawan Kalyan went on the offensive targeting DMK scion Udhayanidhi Stalin, the Dravidoids went into a tizzy and the war of memes and words was boiling over on social media. Here are some examples of the tiff.

Over the weekend, the admin who was handling this propaganda handle was exposed by netizens.

Who Is Kathir R Sukumar Or Kathir RS?

In a short reel published by the PEN (a political consultancy firm founded and run by Stalin’s son-in-law Sabareesan) he is identified as a Chemical Engineer who became and entrepreneur and toured many countries. The video also states that he is from Velankanni in Nagapattinam and is said to be the first engineer from his village with a degree in Chemical Engineer. He apparently started off as a reporter in 2001. 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by PEN India (@pen.offl)

The now exposed admin of We Dravidians, is apparently also a published author! What did he write you wonder? Well, he wrote the biography of TN Chief Minister MK Stalin! Titled, “Why Do We Need MKS As PM Of India”, this book doles out great “knowledgeable” content. Here are 5 gems from the book.

“India is a corrupt nation. But Indians are equally or more corrupt than the politicians themselves”

The author, speaking as an ordinary citizen, argues that the common man is even more corrupt than politicians, unintentionally proving his own point in doing so.

“DMK is the only party in India without any proven or convicted corruption charges”

The author lists countries like Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Thailand, and Cuba as examples of “functioning democracies”. Either we, as normal humans, have misunderstood the meaning of “functioning democracy,” or this statement is proof of a parallel universe where these countries truly fit that description.

“We have had socialist, liberal, Hindutva PMs. We are yet to see a left/Dravidian Prime Minister” The book mentions HD Deve Gowda as a South Indian PM – as per the logic of Dravidianists, is he not Dravidian? What makes somebody a Dravidian? Are they excluding Karnataka from the “Dravidian nation”?

“Declaring the PM candidate and then facing the election is a very unfair practice.” ironically, the DMK themselves have been declaring their CM candidates always. They had a campaign entirely centred on the theme “Stalin Dhaan Varaaru, Vidiyal Thara Poraaru” (Stalin is going to come (as CM) to give us dawn). Is this a fair practice?

Here is another book he wrote. Amazon has the book titled “Honey Don’t Say You Love Me: A Non Novel” on its repository. The book is marked suitable for 13-18 year olds! The description of the book reads, “Honor killing was perpetrated by Akbar, when Laila was buried alive and Kulothungan beheaded Ambikapathy. Only in India even romance is a political epithet. As some idiot said, in India marriage is not a bond between two individuals but between two families. Before falling in love, you match your Religion, Caste, Society, Status, Job, Money equations and horoscope too. In the west, boys and girls have free sex before marriage and become loyal to their partners after matrimony. But in India, boys and girls remain celibate before marriage and cheat on the partners after wedding. The primary reason for adultery is the pseudo system called Arranged Marriage. Its actually a shamefully ironical thing in India, that the very parents, who prohibit their children having sex before marriage, drag them to the “First Night Suite” and let them have passionate sex with a stranger… You all may be wondering why I talk about all these heavy issues in the preface..Simply because, Im not going to talk about any of these issues in the book. Seriously, its a tale of two little hearts.”

He is also a singer and lyricist!

Notably, Kathir also wrote on his blog centered around Jesus/Christianity. Some of his videos also went viral, exposing Kathir’s very Christian-leaning side. His Velankanni connection seems to be the reason. The entire blog praises Jesus, calls him a reformer, and portrays Jesus as a hero because he “spoke out against the tyranny of the Judaism he was born into.” These words show how much he “loves” Jesus. “But it was Christ who, through his reasoning, was the first in the world to produce the reverse idea that a man should turn his gaze within himself. That is why he is called a reformer.”

In a video, he introduces himself to the interviewer about his ideological leanings. He says, “Myself Kathir RS. I am a writer and engineer as well. I am an entrepreneur. I work on the WeDravidians movement. We mostly work on social media. We also conduct conclaves and meetings, and we join people like Abhi Gowda in protests like anti-Hindi and anti-Sanskrit protests in various places. We are also part of the Dravidian City movement. So, as a whole, we are voicing for South India, which is Dravidians. So that is our main focus. Our work is towards that. Other than that I am an engineer as I told you. I have a small company running on my own.”

When asked if he belonged to any particular political party, he said, “Yeah, we support any party that supports the Dravidian ideology. Currently, we are supporting the DMK party in Tamil Nadu, and we also support the INDIA bloc in the whole nation.”

He has also written why “Dassera – An insult for Tamils” on his blog. He writes, “Today in all central and north states of India ‘DASSERA’ festival is being celebrated. This Festival is being celebrated every year by burning Ravanan’s statue or cut out. All Know Ravanan was one of the Tamil kings.He used to be one of the great shiv devotees.. Amazing musician.. Intellect.. Scholar and Highly discilplined husband to his wife, a great king of his country and his people. The Indians who celebrate this day must understand that knowingly or unknowingly they are making a big mistake and insult to tamil people. Also the government must think about the sensitivity of this matter and must ban this festival.”

When he stood exposed, he started deleting tweets from his Kathir R Sukumar handle, locked it and even deactivated it in the end.

Ties With Ruling DMK

From his social media posts, it seems that he has been functioning at the behest of DMK. His book on MK Stalin was launched by Jeyaranjan, the Vice Chairman of the State Planning Commission (SPC), DMK MP MM Abdullah, Dravidianist and self-styled Bharatanatyam dancer Zakir Hussain.

He has also been pictured with DMK Industries Minister TRB Rajaa.

His handle is closely followed by many of the top DMK leaders and Dravidianist handles.

Complaints were filed against the handle for posting derogatory content about Pawan Kalyan

(With inputs from Hindutva Knight – @HPhobiaWatch and Tamil Labs 2.0 – @labstamil)

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Chennai Air Show Fiasco: Dravidian Stock Media & Dravidianist Journos Try To Shift Blame On Indian Air Force For Crowd Management, Trivialize Tragedy

By
The Commune
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Dravidianist media blames Indian Air Force for Chennai Air Show Fiasco

Dravidianist media swiftly shifted blame to the Indian Air Force following the chaos that erupted at Chennai’s Marina Beach during the much-anticipated air show, which turned tragic due to the Tamil Nadu DMK government’s mismanagement. While the IAF showcased a flawless display, the lack of adequate crowd control and infrastructure by state authorities led to five deaths and over 200 hospitalizations. DMK ministers echoed these sentiments, asserting that the event’s organization was primarily the responsibility of the Air Force.

Critics, however, highlight the state’s failure to ensure proper arrangements for such a massive turnout, raising questions about accountability.

Chennai Air Show Turns Tragic

The much-anticipated Air Show at Chennai’s Marina Beach, intended to be a memorable event for millions, turned into a nightmare due to the negligence of the DMK government in Tamil Nadu. While the Indian Air Force delivered a flawless performance, the mismanagement before and after the show caused widespread disorder. As of 7 October 2024, five lives were lost, and over 200 people were hospitalized.

DMK ministers, party members, supporters and the Dravidianist media blamed the Indian Air Force for organizing the event. Here is a compilation of statements made by Dravidianist journalists, supporters, and DMK members blaming the IAF for the mess.

Dravidianist Media Tows The Party Line

A journalist named Damodharan Prakash from yellow journal Nakheeran tried to justify the absence of patients in nearby hospitals by stating, “No inpatient in Royapettah and Omandurar- all are discharged. Two in-patients in Rajiv Gandhi Hospital admitted due to some health issues, are stable. No one was dead in the crowd. No death is related to crowd or mismanagement. This is medical records; others are politics“

The News Minute journo Shabbir Ahmed claimed all arrangements were made beforehand at the request of the IAF and that the TN government went above and beyond to cater to their requests. He wrote, “TN Health Min says all arrangements were based on the requirement of Air Force for the #AirShow. TN govt provided more than what was required for the event, it seems. So, who is responsible for creating a stampede-like situation? How did 5 people die?”

NDTV journalist Sam Daniel commented that it was not a “good idea” for the IAF to mobilize lakhs of people to set a record. He wrote, “It’s a miracle, no loss of life at the IAF Chennai airshow. IAF mobilising lakhs of people to set a record is not a good idea. Traffic and crowd management are the worst. The state government that opposes even smaller gatherings should have warned people about this uncontrollable situation.”

While the display was fantastic and due credit to the IAF, News Tamil 24×7 went one step ahead to praise the city as the “best capital“. It is noteworthy that Madras Presidency which subsequently became Chennai, after years of Dravidianist rule has become pathetic in infrastructure and mediocre public transport system, to say the least.

Sun News went full throttle to claim all sorts of records and bests. Here are a few examples of how they brought out the beauty of the well-managed show.

They posted that Chennai Metro saw 4 lakh passengers in a single day—that was because there were no buses or MRTS trains to allow people to travel freely, and the roads were chock-a-block with traffic.

They also posted the “record” numbers of passengers who travelled by the MRTS.

They also posted bytes from the public who praised the “arrangements” made.

 

The traffic later reduced with time and Sun News also highlighted that!

 

They also portrayed the crowds gathered in a very neutral fashion as if there was no problem and it was a joyous thing.

 

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DMK Minister & Members Try To Pin Blame On Indian Air Force For Marina Air Show Fiasco By State Govt

By
The Commune
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DMK pins the blame on Indian Air Force For Marina Air Show Fiasco

The much-anticipated Chennai Air Show at Marina Beach, which was a spectacular event because of the Indian Air Force, turned tragic due to severe mismanagement by the DMK government. Despite knowing over 1.5 million people would attend, crowd control and transport arrangements were grossly inadequate, leading to widespread chaos, heat exhaustion, and dehydration. Five lives were lost, and over 90 people were hospitalized.

As public criticism mounted, DMK leaders, including Health Minister Ma Subramaniam and spokesperson Syed Hafeez, shifted blame to the Indian Air Force, downplaying the government’s responsibility.

Chennai Air Show Crashes & Burns

What could have been a fantastic experience for Chennai residents became a nightmare due to the DMK government’s failure to make basic arrangements. This poor planning tarnished the event and left the city’s citizens frustrated.

As the people who were in the melee started complaining about the poor arrangements, the DMK and its supporters began playing a blame-shift game.

Ma Subramaniam

Health Minister Ma Subramaniam released a press note stating, “Full administrative cooperation of the Government of Tamil Nadu was extended to successfully conduct the Indian Air Force Air Adventure Program at Chennai. In order to properly plan and conduct the event, a coordination meeting was held under the chairmanship of the Chief Secretary with Indian Air Force officers and Tamil Nadu government department officials once and then several times at the departmental level. In these consultative meetings, arrangements were made with all the demands of the Air Force officers kept in mind. Two health teams, with an adequate number of doctors and nurses, have been deployed on behalf of the state government at the venue. Apart from this, medical teams were formed on behalf of the Indian Army. Also, 40 ambulances were also stationed there for emergency medical assistance. Adequate paramedical teams were also constituted. 100 beds and 65 doctors were kept ready in Government Medical College Hospitals including Rajiv Gandhi Government General Hospital. Necessary arrangements have been made for an adequate number of temporary latrines and drinking water supply at Marina Beach by the Chennai Metropolitan Corporation and the Chennai Water and Sewerage Board. 7500 security guards have been deployed for security given the possibility of a large number of people coming. For the Indian Air Force program held today in Chennai,

Tamil Nadu provided all the facilities and arrangements beyond what they requested. I would like to inform you that the government has done this.”

He also blamed the IAF for the reason why the event was conducted during the peak afternoon.

Syed Hafeez

Another DMK spokesperson Syed Hafeez kept justifying the deaths were not due to a stampede. Speaking to Times Now, he said, “The event was well organized. The government and the Corporation of Chennai with coordination from 4 other departments had done their best to avoid such a situation. See you have to understand, tehre was no stampede. If the state government had not organised this well, in such a manner. To completely blame the state government of mismanagement is not acceptable. See other news channels, people are praising the state government.”

Saravanan Annadurai

DMK member and advocate Saravanan Annadurai blamed the public for not taking adequate water bottles, caps, etc. He even questioned the health issues those who died may have had. It seemed to indicate that he was saying that blaming the state government for poor arrangements is being done for political reasons. 

He wrote, “Aviation adventure and politics of jealousy! Yesterday, the Indian Air Force and the adventure shows at the Marina were not properly coordinated, the trains were not running, five people died, and the state government is held responsible. I also went to see the adventure. We walked 3 km, saw, walked again, and reached home.

Important questions.

1. When 10 lakh people will gather, can all the vehicles be allowed to the place of adventure?

2. Can get down early and walk the last 2 or 3 km on your own.

3. Yesterday, the sun was 36 degrees. Walking in that sun and standing in the top sun can see this adventure. It has to go by itself with minimum progress. Hat, water, umbrella.

4. An adequate number of ambulances were available, and first aid treatments were available for those who fainted in the sun.

5. Everyone wants to see it in person. They must have come to the event feeling that this hot environment would allow their bodies to cooperate. At least for about three hours, you have to walk to stand in the sun.

6. The death of 5 people is very regrettable, taking into consideration their health condition.

7. Southern Railway should explain why they are not running enough trains.

8. Can a structure accommodate more than 10 lakh people in a short period?

9. Our guards did an excellent job, from first aid treatment to traffic regulation.

10. Most of the people of Chennai who came to the program enjoyed it and left satisfied. They had come to the program knowing what kind of facilities would be available in such programs and how much the facility would be. The Union Government itself conducted it, what is their role? Those who try to portray this as an administrative failure have no intention other than political jealousy.”

He stated that there was no stampede, so everything was fine. He wrote, “Only an autopsy will tell us how five people were dead? Did they have any pre-existing illness, which got exacerbated while standing in the hot sun for 3 to 4 hrs. There was no stampede.”

Saravanan next went on to blame the Defence ministry because it was them who organised it in the first place! He wrote, “Show organised by Defence Ministry”

As if paying lip service, DMK MP Kanimozhi indirectly blamed the IAF for wanting to gather a large number of people. She wrote, “The news of the death of 5 people is very sad and painful when the public who witnessed the military flight adventure program held at the Marina beach in Chennai suffered from the crowd and the temperature was high. Unmanageable gatherings should also be avoided.”

Salem Dharanidharan

DMK spokie Salem Dharanidharan also blamed the IAF, stating they wanted to create a record and that the TN government did not organise the event. He said, “It is unfortunate that lives were lost and it should not happen. There have been many events, full-fledged events conducted in the state where more number of people have participated. There have been fantastic arrangements. Even our party conducted the Youth Wing conference which broke the record was fantastically arranged. The Air Force organizes this and it is not the Tamil Nadu government that wanted to create a record. People, out of their own willingness wanted to come and we made proper arrangements but I am not certain how these mishaps happened.”

It is noteworthy that the IAF had intimated to the public a week ago as well that they were planning to create a world record and were expecting atleast 15 lakh people. It is estimated that about 11 lakh people attended the event.

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Nagaland IPS Officer Pritpal Kaur Wins International Award For Exemplary Leadership

By
The Commune
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IPS Officer Pritpal Kaur

Achieving laurels for the country, Pritpal Kaur, Superintendent of Police of Phek district in Nagaland, has been selected as the ‘2024 IACP 40 Under 40’ awardee by the prestigious US-based International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP).

The dentist (Goldmetalist) turned IPS officer Kaur is among 40 police officers selected from around the world for the award and the lone winner of the’ 2024 IACP 40 Under 40’ award from India this year.

IACP President (Chief Wade Carpenter) in a letter to 29-year-old Kaur, a native of Haryana, said: “You are part of an incredibly talented, accomplished, and dedicated group of individuals who demonstrate leadership and exemplify a deep commitment to the profession.”

The IACP, a not-for-profit organisation headquartered in Alexandria, Virginia, has invited Kaur, a 2016 batch IPS officer, to the 2024 IACP Annual Conference and Exposition in Boston, Massachusetts, to receive the prestigious award on October 22.

The IACP awardees represent the top rising leaders, exemplifying leadership, commitment, and service to their communities and the law enforcement profession.

Sharing Kaur’s profile, the IACP wrote: “Since childhood, she has carried a passion for spreading education, and throughout her career, she has helped resolve conflicts and strengthen communities across India.”

“Kaur’s passion for policing began in her childhood when she served as her school sports team captain. As a doctor, she participated in many police-community projects, which took her to remote areas needing help from the police and gave Kaur great satisfaction and encouragement from helping people.”

The IACP said Pritpal Kaur was the first SP for a newly created border district. She brought progress and peace to international borders, using her negotiation skills to avert border clashes and land disputes, and assisted in anti-drug efforts, providing treatment, counselling, rehabilitation, and livelihood to hundreds of people struggling with drug addiction.

“Kaur has dedicated her career to strengthening communities through innovative projects such as Fighting Drugs with Education and Livelihood and Not Guns but Machines, which teaches people how to apply their skills to making machines such as electric bicycles, dryers, and other low-cost machines,” the international body said.

According to IACP, Kaur attributes her enthusiasm for education and service to her mother, who believed that education is not just for making money but for teaching and helping others. “She carries this philosophy with her today as she teaches communities how to enhance their livelihood.”

The young IPS officer has received several awards, including the International Inspiration Women Award 2023, Skoch Gold Award 2023, DGP Disc Award, Women Power India Award 2023, and Global Women Leader Award 2024 by the World Women Leadership Congress 2024. “One of her greatest honours was granting a tribal name during her work with tribal groups in Nagaland.

Currently, Pritpal Kaur serves as an SP in the Indo-Myanmar border district of Phek. “The virtue of keeping society always in order, more peaceful, and progressive made me choose the law enforcement career,” Kaur said.

She described the people of Nagaland as loving and loved to work with them. “Nagas are self-sufficient tribes and very talented in all fields, I am just helping them to polish their own talent.

They are so rich in culture and traditions. We just admire them,” she told the media, adding that the only thing the people lacked behind was a lack of opportunities in a few domains.

A senior Nagaland Police officer said that apart from performing her duty as a police officer, Kaur has taken up many social and welfare activities for the local populace in those districts whenever she was posted.

Earlier, the IPS officer was posted as Superintendent of Police of the Longleng district in Nagaland.

According to the police officer, the activities she undertook include free coaching classes, livelihood training for drug addicts and counselling, career guidance to students, training in farming, biodiversity and environment protection, the war against drugs, formation of Self-Help Groups (SHGs), education at all levels, and promotion of sports, among others.

–IANS

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Hezbollah Rockets Hit Israel’s Haifa, Cause Casualties

By
The Commune
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Hezbollah Rockets Hit Israel's Haifa, Cause Casualties

Hezbollah attacked an Israeli military base near the northern city of Haifa Sunday night, causing casualties, the group said in a statement.

“In response to the targeting of civilians and the massacres committed by the Zionist enemy, the Islamic Resistance launched on Sunday evening a salvo of ‘Fadi 1’ missiles at the Carmel base south of Haifa,” said the statement.

“The Islamic Resistance will remain ready to defend Lebanon and its proud, oppressed people and will not hesitate to do its duty to deter the enemy from its arrogance and aggression,” it added.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said that following the sirens that sounded late Sunday in the upper Galilee area, approximately 15 projectiles were identified crossing from Lebanon.

Xinhua news agency reported that some of the projectiles were intercepted, and others were identified as falling in the area.

Several casualties were reported due to rocket strikes in the city of Haifa and Tiberias, Israeli media reported.

According to Magen David Adom, Israel’s national emergency pre-hospital medical and blood services organization, one person was injured as a result of a rocket impact in Tiberias following a barrage launched from Lebanon.

Meanwhile, at least eight people were reportedly evacuated to Rambam Health Care Campus in Haifa for medical treatment following the rocket attack.

Since September 23, the Israeli army has been conducting an intensive attack on Lebanon in a dangerous escalation with Hezbollah.

–IANS

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Two Chinese Nationals Among Several Killed In Karachi Blast

By
The Commune
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Two Chinese Nationals Among Several Killed In Karachi Blast

Two Chinese nationals were killed, one Chinese national injured, and several Pakistani nationals were killed and injured in a terrorist attack in Pakistan’s southern port city of Karachi on Sunday night, the Chinese embassy in Pakistan confirmed on Monday.

The attack happened at about 11:00 p.m. local time on Sunday when a convoy from the Port Qasim Electric Power Company was attacked by terrorists near Jinnah International Airport in Karachi, the capital city of the country’s south Sindh province, the embassy said in a statement.

“The Chinese Embassy and Consulate in Pakistan strongly condemn this terrorist act, express deep condolences to the victims of the two countries, and extend sincere condolences to the injured and their relatives,” the statement said, adding that the Chinese side has been working with the Pakistani side to do their best to deal with the aftermath of the incident.

A big fire following a huge blast on Sunday night engulfed several vehicles near the airport in Karachi, Xinhua news agency quoted police as saying. The Chinese missions in Pakistan have initiated emergency response work as soon as possible, requiring Pakistan to do its best to treat the injured, conduct a thorough investigation of the attack, and severely punish the perpetrators, the statement said.

The embassy stressed that practical and effective measures to ensure the safety of Chinese citizens, institutions, and projects in Pakistan should be taken by the Pakistani side at the same time. “The Chinese embassy and consulates in Pakistan remind Chinese citizens and companies in Pakistan to be vigilant, pay close attention to the local security situation, strengthen security measures, and make every effort to take safety precautions,” said the statement.

The banned outfit Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA) has claimed responsibility for the attack through a statement on a social media platform, while the Pakistani authorities have not confirmed it.

–IANS

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