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Mayiladuthirai: St. Paul’s Girls’ School Student Allegedly Slapped By Teacher For Refusing To Sweep Classroom

By
The Commune
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It has come to light that the administration of St. Paul’s Girls’ Higher Secondary School in Mayiladuthurai has been compelling their students to clean their classrooms to “instill” discipline. This was exposed by a ninth-grade student who refused to follow this order. When the student resisted this order, she was met with a slap on her face from the teacher.

A 14-year-old girl from Mayiladuthurai, who had completed her eighth grade at a school on Poompuhar Road, was enrolled by her parents into the ninth grade at a government-aided school (St. Paul’s Girls’ Higher Secondary School) in the same town. On her first day at the new school, an incident occurred when the school day ended – the teacher slapped the student on her cheek when she mentioned that she had to board her van that was waiting outside to take her home. Upon returning home, the girl promptly informed her parents about the incident.

The following day, the girl’s parents visited the school to discuss how their daughter was treated the previous day at school. It turned into a heated exchange with the school administration. The parents were upset that they were asked to pick up their daughter who was there to study. They decided to withdraw her from the school and expressed their intention to enroll her in a different institution. They also accused the school administration of intimidating the female students under the guise of discipline.

Speaking to news reporters the student said, “I just joined yesterday. At 4:30, when the bell rang, a teacher came and asked me to sweep, I said the van would come, I’m late, and I have to go. She slapped me on the cheek asking, ‘You have just joined, how arrogant are you?‘”

In response to these allegations, the school administration stated that a teachers’ meeting was held at the school from 3:30 PM the previous day, during which time no teacher had entered the classroom or physically disciplined the student. They also mentioned that it is a regular practice for students to clean their classrooms while seated on a bench.

(with inputs from ETV Bharat)

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NTA Busts NEET Candidate’s Viral NEET OMR Tampering Claim As Priyanka Gandhi Vadra Amps Up The False Allegations

By
The Commune
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Neet torn OMR, Ayushi Patel, Priyanka Gandhi Vadra

The National Testing Agency (NTA) has refuted the accusations made by Ayushi Patel, a NEET 2024 candidate from Lucknow, in a widely circulated video on social media platform X. NTA has clarified that no torn OMR answer sheet was dispatched through an official NTA ID. The integrity of the OMR answer sheet remains intact, and the scores have been accurately recorded according to official documentation.

The NEET 2024 result controversy gained momentum when Ayushi Patel, hailing from Lucknow, claimed in a viral video that her result had not been processed. Upon contacting NTA, she was allegedly informed that her NEET 2024 OMR sheet had been torn, leading to the inability to compute her result. Upon her request to review her NEET OMR sheet, she claimed that NTA provided her with a torn sheet where the answer options for all questions were visible. Ayushi Patel alleged that she had scored 715, matching her calculated score based on the NEET 2024 answer keys.

As the video garnered significant traction across various social media platforms, and seized the moment, the Indian National Congress sympathizers amplified its reach. General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra shared the video, stating, “Lakhs of children prepare hard for exams like NEET and spend the most precious moments of their lives in this preparation. The whole family puts their faith and strength in this effort. But year after year, paper leaks and irregularities related to results have been reported in these exams. Shouldn’t the accountability of the agencies conducting the exams be fixed? Shouldn’t the government give up its careless attitude and seriously consider the exam system? We cannot see the dreams of our young friends being shattered like this. This injustice being done by the system with their hard work must stop. The government will have to take serious steps to correct these irregularities.”

In her video statement, Patel asserted that the National Testing Agency (NTA), the primary body overseeing examinations in India, notified her via email that her OMR sheet had sustained damage. She claimed that the email from NTA stated her result couldn’t be processed due to the discovery of a torn and damaged OMR sheet. Patel alleged that the tearing of her OMR sheet seemed intentional. Nonetheless, she emphasized that despite the damage, her submitted answers were visible on the sheet, amounting to a total score of 715 out of 720 marks when compared with the official answer key.

Expressing her shock, Patel remarked, “Upon hearing this, my family and I were deeply surprised. Their support prevented me from falling into depression. It seems the OMR sheet was deliberately torn. The marked bubbles indicating my answers are clearly discernible, and upon cross-referencing with the official answer key, my NEET score is calculated as 715 out of 720. We have filed a petition in the High Court, scheduled for Tuesday. This was my third attempt; I scored 535 marks in my first attempt and 570 marks in the second.”

With assistance from her uncle, a lawyer, Patel stated they replied to the NTA email and obtained access to her OMR sheet. Speaking to India Today, she further alleged tampering with her OMR sheet, claiming, “Even in this scanned image, the thumbprint appears blue, which is not possible; it should have been black. It’s evident my OMR has been manually altered.” Her assertions have garnered widespread coverage in mainstream media.

Responding to these allegations, NTA in its official X handle stated, “Regarding the viral video featuring Ms. Ayushi Patel, claiming discrepancies in NEET (UG) 2024 scoring and receiving of the torn OMR answer sheet, NTA clarifies that no torn OMR answer sheet was sent via an official NTA ID. OMR answer sheet is intact and scores are accurate as per official records. Candidate should download scorecards only from the website, www.exams.nta.ac.in/NEET.”

 A video of Ayushi Patel from October 2020 resurfaced online following her allegations of OMR sheet tampering. In the October 2020 video, she mentions, “One day my father asked something related to Corona and I couldn’t answer. I was disheartened. So I studied deeply. One day suddenly the formula of vaccine strikes in my mind.”

It’s important to note that vaccines don’t merely have a “chemical formula.” They are the result of a complex biopharmaceutical process involving isolating an inactive immunogenic component from the pathogen and developing it in laboratories in injectable or oral form. Developing a vaccine requires rigorous research and development, stabilization through large-scale production, transport, and administration. It often takes months or even years to develop a vaccine that can be safely administered to a large population.

For those unfamiliar, the NEET UG 2024 results have sparked widespread controversy and debate, with suspicions of inflated marks and other irregularities. Following the announcement of the National Eligibility Cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) results on 4th June, revealing that 67 students achieved a perfect score of 720/720 marks and shared the All-India Rank 1, many medical aspirants and their parents raised concerns about glitches, alleged malpractices, ambiguous implementation of grace marks, and even an alleged paper leak. Notably, this year, 23,33,297 candidates from all over India appeared for the prestigious exam.

Meanwhile, genuine concerns about irregularities in the NEET examination results have reached the Supreme Court. The apex court, hearing the matter, has requested answers from the testing agency, noting that the sanctity of NEET-UG 2024 has been compromised.

(with inputs from OpIndia)

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TNBJP Makes Inroads In DMK Bastion: 2024 Lok Sabha Polls Boost Party’s Prospects In South Chennai Constituency

By
The Commune
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The BJP and the DMK engaged in heated exchanges, showcasing their strength in the recently declared 2024 Lok Sabha election outcomes. Notably, the Chennai South constituency in Tamil Nadu was closely monitored. Speculation hinted at the possibility of Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party State Secretary SG Suryah receiving the ticket, but it was ultimately granted to former Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan. Now that the elections are over, let’s take a look at the performance of the BJP in this VIP constituency.

Registered voters – 20,23,133

No. of votes polled – 10,96,026 (54.17% turnout)

It is pretty clear that the BJP has solidified its presence, at least starting with this constituency, demonstrating a notable increase in ground-level voter support compared to the DMK. It is noteworthy that Chennai is traditionally seen as a stronghold of the DMK. Detailed data from the South Chennai constituency illustrates this trend; out of 1939 booths, the BJP clinched the top position in 395 booths, secured second place in 799 booths, third place in 482 booths, and only fell to fourth place in 263 booths.

Assembly Constituency-wise Booth Ranking For South Chennai

Virugambakkam: Out of 270 booths, the BJP attained the top spot in 66 booths, second place in 118 booths, third place in 77 booths, and fourth place in a mere 9 booths.

Saidapet: Out of 254 booths, the BJP attained the top spot in 20 booths, second place in 129 booths, third place in 77 booths, and fourth place in a mere 28 booths.

T Nagar: Out of 229 booths, the BJP attained the top spot in 96 booths, second place in 75 booths, third place in 50 booths, and fourth place in a mere 8 booths.

Mylapore: Out of 262 booths, the BJP attained the top spot in 69 booths, second place in 77 booths, third place in 76 booths, and fourth place in a mere 40 booths.

Velachery: Out of 261 booths, the BJP attained the top spot in 80 booths, second place in 106 booths, third place in 57 booths, and fourth place in a mere 24 booths.

Sholinganallur: Out of 663 booths, the BJP attained the top spot in 64 booths, second place in 294 booths, third place in 151 booths, and fourth place in a mere 154 booths.

Splitting the parliamentary constituency into assembly constituencies gives us a better picture of how the votes were polled. The South Chennai constituency comprises Virugambakkam, Saidapet, T Nagar, Mylapore, Velachery, and Sholinganallur Assembly constituencies. 

 Based on this data following the 2024 election results, the BJP is solidifying its stance and eyeing the 2026 state legislative assembly elections. Critics suggest these booths represent a significant increase in their support to sway the future election and one would need to secure victory in approximately 44-47% of the total booths, equating to 900+ booths. This seems achievable given that the BJP secured the second position in 799 booths.

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Chennai: Court-Ordered Demolition Of Illegal Mosque Sparks Protests In Koyambedu, Thanthi TV Tries To Make It Look Legit

By
The Commune
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The news of a mosque in Koyambedu, Chennai made the news recently. Now, it is back in the news because of the protests and buildup of people in the location.

What Is The Issue?

The mosque named Masjid-e-Hithaya is located in Sector 3 near Seemathamman Nagar, Koyambedu, Chennai, on land owned by the Chennai Metropolitan Development Corporation (CMDA). In 2020, authorities halted the mosque’s construction due to a complaint alleging it was being built without proper approval. However, the construction reportedly continued illegally.

Subsequently, a case was filed in the Madras High Court, claiming that the land on which the mosque was built was encroached upon. The court confirmed the encroachment and ordered the demolition of the mosque in November 2023. The Koyambedu Mosque filed a petition in the Supreme Court against this order, but the apex court upheld the High Court’s decision in February 2024 and set a deadline of 31 May 2024 for demolishing the mosque.

After the deadline expired, the police instructed the mosque management to demolish the structure by 15 June 2024. On Tuesday, 11 June 2024, hundreds of Muslims gathered in front of the Koyambedu bus station to protest against the demolition order, leading to tensions in the area. The police eventually arrested hundreds of protesters.

How Dravidianist Media Shows It

When it comes to Hindu temples, the reportage by any Dravidianist media such as Thanthi TV ensures to paint the Hindus (whether they protest or not) in a poor light. Headlines such as “temple was demolished amidst police presence” are what one can see for Hindu temples. However, the news focuses on the “struggle” of the Muslims for their mosque and highlights it as though the demolition is unjust. As mentioned above, the demolition is ordered by the Court itself. Even before the demolition happens, all this development is taking place for an illegally constructed mosque.

Additionally, one would see police buildup even before anything happens in the case of Hindu temples, however, in this case, it seems that the people were allowed to gather in the location.

An administrator of the Koyambedu mosque claimed that they had formally leased the land, paid ₹43 lakh, and registered the deed. They argued that the mosque should not be demolished as they had followed proper procedures and that the land did not belong to the bus stand. The administrator appealed to Chief Minister Stalin to intervene and provide documentation to save the mosque from demolition.

In the protest video, it is pretty clear that the protestors are raising slogans like “Nara-e-takbeer, Allahu Akbar” and “LaIlaha Illala”. Many protestors were trying to use banners during the protest which was not allowed by the police.

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“There Is A Lot Of Cruelty In North-Indian States, They Come To TN Because Their State Is Not In A Good Shape”, Actor Sathyaraj Advocates For Imparting Dravidian Ideology To Migrant Workers

By
The Commune
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Actor Sathyaraj has once again stirred up controversy by mocking the migrant workers from Northern India and their influx into Tamil Nadu, stressing the importance of instilling Dravidian principles and ideologies in them.

Sathyaraj, speaking at an event in Trichy, expressed the view that it’s imperative to impart the “principles of the Dravidian model” and ideology to the migrant workers from Northern states. He remarked on the reasons for their migration, attributing it to unfavorable conditions in their places of origin. Drawing parallels with migrants settling in countries like the US and the UK, he likened Tamil Nadu to a similar destination for those seeking refuge from hardships in Northern India.

Sathyaraj said, “Why do northern state workers come here? They come here because it is not good there right. All the immigrants have no chance to really know our Dravidian model, Dravidian philosophy. They are going to stay here for generations anyway, and how the people who went to America from here to survive don’t leave America and settle there like the same for people from Northeast India states like Bihar who are suffering from hardships will see Tamil Nadu like America.”

He advocated for conducting educational sessions to enlighten them about the Dravidian model, citing its potential impact, even in regions like Uttar Pradesh, where he suggested it could lead to significant political changes. Sathyaraj said, “They will definitely not leave this place, they should be taught what is self-respect? What is rational thinking? What is Dravidian Model? Even if they don’t know Tamil, they will learn it in a generation, just teach them some things in their language, what is self-respect, what is rational thinking, what is women’s liberation, no one is superior or inferior by birth… Because there is a lot of cruelty in it, there is no limit to the cruelty that takes place on the basis of birth in northern states. All that should be explained.”

Satyaraj is a DMK sympathizer and a proponent of the Dravidian ideology – be it in his speeches or through his films. He commonly features in films that denounce Brahmins and show the Dravidian ideology in a good light. It is noteworthy that he played the role of Dravidian icon EV Ramasamy, known as Periyar, in his biopic.

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Selvaperunthagai Vs EVKS Elangovan – A War Of Words Between The Two Congress Leaders

By
The Commune
-

President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee, Selvaperunthagai has raised a pertinent query to the party cadres during the state general committee meeting on 11 June 2024, “How much longer do we continue depending on others?” His address delved into the historical backdrop of the party in Tamil Nadu, prompting reflection among the party cadres. In response, former leader EVKS Elangovan emphasized the importance of aspirations without veering into unchecked ambition, sparking significant dialogue within the Congress ranks.

This stir comes against the backdrop of the recent announcement of results of the 2024 Lok Sabha election results electoral coalition led by AIADMK suffered a resounding defeat in the recent Lok Sabha elections in Tamil Nadu, failing to secure a single seat and even losing deposits in some areas, relegating the party to third place. Conversely, based on vote percentage the BJP has overtaken the Congress despite Congress candidates triumphing in all contested constituencies, a stark contrast to their performance in 2014 when they failed to secure any seats and often placed fourth or fifth, losing deposits in many instances.

Despite this success, many attributed this victory to the support of the DMK. This sentiment was challenged by Selvaperunthagai during the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee’s State General Committee meeting, where he questioned the party’s perpetual dependence on others in the state and advocated for independent growth. His remarks stirred controversy within the DMK-Congress alliance.

Selvaperunthagai said, “‘Are we going to depend on others’ or ‘Are we going to be on our own?’ How long can you depend on others? The Congress organisation has a history. Congress organisation has crossed 139 years, and we have an ideology that embraces, supports, and gives voice to all people, which no other party has. Why BJP could not make a Christian or a Muslim minister, our parliamentarians have won 99 out of which two have volunteered and joined the Congress saying we are on the side of I.N.D.I, today the tally is 101, and the tally is going to go up.“

Former Congress Committee President and current Erode MLA, EVKS Elangovan, responded to Selvaperunthagai’s remarks during the meeting, emphasizing the pivotal role played by the DMK in the alliance’s success. He cautioned against letting ambition turn into greed and stressed the importance of focusing on defeating adversaries rather than solely pursuing victory. His impassioned speech, rooted in the shared legacy of the Congress, did not resonate with many attendees, as some cadres made sounds only later Selvaperunthagai highlighting the need for unity and cooperation within the party, even as different factions vie for influence.

EVKS Elangovan said, “If you say that we have got 40 (seats) in Tamil Nadu today, you should not forget that it is because of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and its Chief Minister Stalin. On that day we stood alone in Sivagangai and Kanniyakumari, lost by getting 1 lakh votes each, and lost our deposit in all the others. Who has no desire here, Don’t we have a desire to come? Now, even if we have a desire to come on the one side, the important thing is to defeat our enemy, we choose the path to do so, unless … (instead) I will win, I will stand alone, I will lose alone, that’s your wish.”

Later reiterating the congress victory in Tamil Nadu to Stalin, Elangovan said, “I’m not saying that desire should exist, it should not turn into greed and end up with nothingness.”

Previously in May 2024, speaking at a Congress executive meeting in Arani, Tiruvannamalai district, Selvaperunthagai expressed, “How long will we wait for another party to give us seats? In Tamil Nadu, the Congress party should grow from the position of asking for seats to the position of giving seats.” Selvaperunthagai, openly expressed his grievances, highlighting the 2026 state assembly elections. He emphasized the party’s past role as a decisive force in the 1950s and urged party members to aim for that level of authority once again. His candid remarks have reportedly caused a commotion within the I.N.D.I Alliance in Tamil Nadu.

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VCK Chief Thirumavalavan Claims CMDA Unjustly Ordering Mosque Demolition, SC Had Already Called For Demolition Of “Illegally Built Structure”

By
The Commune
-

In what can be seen as an effort to appease the Muslim community, Thirumavalavan, the chief of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), has made a post on his official X account that the CDMA has issued an order for a mosque’s demolition, and the Jamaat executives have called for its preservation. However, the reality is that the Supreme Court has already ruled on the case, granting the petitioner until 31 May 2024 to demolish the mosque. This ruling was made despite the CMDA Authorities having issued notices as early as 9 December 2020. The assertion by the VCK chief raises concerns about whether officials from the CMDA are disregarding the apex court’s order and failing to uphold the verdict in Tamil Nadu.

In this regard, VCK chief Thirumavalavan stated, “The CMDA has issued an order to demolish the mosque in Seemathamman Nagar behind Omni Bus Stand – #Chennai Koyambedu. The Jamaat executives met in person today (10-06-2024) morning at the head office of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi at Ashoknagar Ambedkar Thidal and demanded to ‘protect the mosque‘. I personally visited the place where the mosque is located this evening!”

In February 2024, the Supreme Court upheld a ruling from the Madras High Court ordering the demolition of a mosque and madrassa in Koyambedu, Chennai, as it deemed the structure to be “completely illegally built.” The appeal, heard by Justices Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan, contested the High Court’s decision from 22 November 2023, which found the mosque was constructed without proper building permits.

Justice J Nisha Banu of the Madras High Court expressed dissatisfaction with the negligence shown by officials regarding unauthorized constructions, reiterating previous warnings. The court ordered the demolition of the mosque and relocation to a new area, prompting the appeal to the Supreme Court.

The apex court, headed by Surya Kant and KV Viswanathan, observed that the petitioner, the Hydha Muslim Welfare Trust, was not the rightful owner of the property. It also highlighted several points that the petitioner did not own the property, the land belonged to the Chennai Metropolitan Development Authority (CMDA) without any legal claims, the petitioner occupied the land without authorization, No building plans were sanctioned for the construction and despite notices from CMDA authorities in December 2020, the illegal construction persisted. Based on these findings, the Supreme Court found no grounds to overturn the High Court’s decision to demolish the mosque. However, it granted authorities until 31 May 2024 to carry out the removal of the structures.

It is important to mention that in the case of ‘State of Gujarat Vs Union of India’ (2006), the Supreme Court, on 31 January 2018, directed all High Courts to ensure the enforcement of its earlier rulings regarding the removal of illegal religious structures from public spaces.

(with inputs from Bar & Bench)

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BJP’s Remarkable Rise In Coimbatore: From Modest Beginnings To Securing Over 30% Vote Share Without Dravidian Allies

By
Vallavaraayan
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After the year 2009 and 2 parliament elections, the BJP in Tamil Nadu contested this election without an alliance and without any Dravidian majors in the fold. DMDK lost its steam after the crushing defeat in 2016, but qualifying DMDK as a Dravidian major in 2014 would not have been an understatement. In 2011, DMDK won 29 assembly seats in Tamil Nadu and became the opposition party in the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly. With a 10% vote share in 2009 and 8% in 2011, DMDK aligned with BJP in 2014 and contested 19 of the 39 seats in the 2014 Parliament elections. Alongside DMDK, MDMK and KMDK also contested in that election alongside BJP.

KMDK is a minimalistic party in the Kongu region. It contested independently in the 2009 parliament elections in the Coimbatore parliament seat and received 1,28,070 votes, while DMDK received 73,188 votes.

In 2009, the BJP received 37,909 votes. The combined votes received by DMDK, KMDK, and BJP in 2009 was 2,39,167. BJP, DMDK, and KMDK received 29% of the overall votes, which improved by 5%, with MDMK, PMK, and the Modi wave in 2014, taking the overall vote share of BJP in the 2014 elections to 33.6%.

It may be noted that the BJP received:

  • 4,49,269 votes in 1998
  • 4,30,068 votes in 1999 and
  • 3,40,476 votes in 2004

The BJP fought all these 3 elections alongside either the DMK or the AIADMK. However, when it contested alone in 2009, it received only 37,909 votes, indicating that the BJP struggled to gain a foothold in Coimbatore.

In the 2011 assembly elections, the BJP received a modest number of votes in the assembly constituencies under the Coimbatore Parliament Constituency. However, in the 2014 Parliament elections, the party’s vote count skyrocketed to 3,89,701. This was mainly due to an effective vote transfer from the KMDK and DMDK to the BJP, indicating a shift in the political landscape.

In 2016, the BJP had the leading votes in only 39 booths; it led in only 374 booths despite being in an alliance with the AIADMK. Contesting alone without the Dravidian majors, the BJP received the highest votes in 623 booths. On the other hand, AIADMK, which considers Coimbatore to be its stronghold, had received the leading votes in just 37 booths.

It is evident that the booths that historically voted for AIADMK have considered voting for DMK for reasons best known to the leaders of AIADMK.

Despite various alliance arrangements, the BJP has never received the highest votes in 257 assembly constituencies in the last four elections (2021, 2019, 2016, 2014). Of these 257 booths, BJP has received the highest votes in 53 booths.

Before the commencement of the elections and the candidate’s announcement, BJP had about 15% vote bank in Coimbatore Parliament Constituency and has increased today to 32.5%. AIADMK received a 17% vote share. Going by the argument that BJP always had a 33% vote share in Coimbatore means BJP should have received above 50% votes in the 2014 and 2019 elections.

 The 4,50,132 votes received by the BJP in 2024 is historically the highest number of votes received by the party in the Coimbatore Parliament Constituency without aligning with AIADMK, DMK, or DMDK/KMDK.

Vallavaraayan is a political writer.

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Manjolai Estate Workers Face Eviction Threat, Seek Government Intervention To Safeguard Livelihoods

By
The Commune
-

Manjolai is located within the Western Ghats region adjacent to the Ambasamudram in the Tirunelveli district. The region hosts a tea plantation managed by a private company known as Bombay Burmah Trading Corporation Ltd (BBTCL), where over 500 workers and their families reside. Despite being designated as a protected forest area, a court order mandates the evacuation of the private tea company by 2028 as the 99-year lease period ends.

Given this circumstance, the tea estate management has issued a notice for all workers to vacate the premises by the end of June, with voluntary retirement options being offered. In response, representatives from the Manjolai People’s Welfare Association are engaging with various leaders to safeguard the livelihoods of the plantation workers. Recently, a consultation meeting involving multiple political parties such as AIADMK, DMK, BJP, and Congress convened to address this issue.

During the meeting, attendees discussed strategies to preserve the local community’s means of living. A collective plea was made to meet with the District Collector to advocate for the residents’ rights to remain in the area. Former Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, Avudayappan, highlighted to the District Collector the discrepancy in the tea estate management’s demand for immediate evacuation against the court-ordered deadline of 2028.

Furthermore, it was stressed that the Tamil Nadu government should intervene promptly to protect the livelihoods of the Manjolai residents. Suggestions were made for the Tamil Nadu Government Tea Estate Corporation to assume control of the Manjolai Tea Estate. A petition signed by leaders of various political parties urged the District Collector to postpone the evacuation deadline and ensure access to education for local students. Additionally, the petition proposed the construction of apartments to support the retired tea plantation workers. The District Collector assured the meeting attendees that the petition would be forwarded to the government for review and consideration.

More than 2,000 residents currently inhabit the mountainous villages of Manjolai, Kakkachi, Naalumukku, and Oothu in the Manjolai hills. Their entire means of sustenance is at risk following the proposed relocation. According to female workers at the estate, this upcoming election in the Manjolai hills could potentially be their final one, as settlement discussions have already commenced with BBTCL.

BBTCL has indicated willingness to provide a settlement ranging from ₹2.5 lakh to ₹5.5 lakh to those who opt for the voluntary retirement scheme. However, residents express concern that this amount would not suffice for purchasing land and building houses in the plains with estate workers suggesting that the state government should intervene to negotiate a larger settlement with the company on behalf of the affected residents.

Regarding this matter, a female resident working at the tea estate conveyed to the reporters, “We are in Manjolai Estate, we have been living and working here for 5 generations. I was there till I turned 55. Now going from Naalumukku is a pain, we came here to give the petition to the collector and hope that he will give us a favorable verdict. He did not take any action, instead sent us out stating the company has given you a good compensation offer. He sent us out stating that if we violated this, we would be terminated without VRS, and expelled us. He asked to cancel our petition and sent us out. We think that the collector has taken money through the company because the collector is there to resolve the grievances of the people, now I think the collector is there to take bribes and not to resolve the grievances of the people. He should be helping the poor, but he is only helping for the company’s money. A proper reply to the petition given to the collector should be known. They had asked us to come to give a petition today, they did this to those who came, they didn’t even see us.”

(with inputs from ABPNadu)

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Vengeful Drug-Addicted Youths Throw Petrol Bombs At Woman’s Residence in Chennai, Police On The Lookout For Them

By
The Commune
-

Law enforcement authorities are on the lookout for two youths who threw a petrol bomb outside the residence of a woman in T P Chathram on 9th June 2024.

Amutha, a resident of Jyothiyammal Nagar, situated next to Kilpakkam, was conversing with her sister and cousin outside her residence when three individuals arrived and hurled a petrol bomb at her before fleeing the scene. Fortunately, the bomb missed its target and instead ignited the perimeter wall of the house, causing no injuries.

Upon receiving the report, the T P Chathram police launched an investigation, uncovering the identities of the perpetrators as Santhosh Kumar and Manoj Kumar, both hailing from the T P Chathram vicinity. Further inquiry revealed Santhosh’s prior involvement in drug use near Amutha’s residence in 2023, despite Amutha’s disapproval, resulting in Santhosh’s arrest following a complaint lodged at the T P Chathram Police Station.

Santhosh’s vendetta against Amutha escalated when, upon his release from prison, he orchestrated an attack on Amutha’s brother-in-law, Senthilkumar, last April. Subsequently, Santhosh, Manoj Kumar, and their associates were apprehended and incarcerated. However, they were released on bail recently. In this regard again Santhosh, Manoj, and their associate, Kamal, verbally harassed Amudha at her residence. Upon police intervention, Kamal was detained, but Santhosh and Manoj managed to escape. Later that night, the duo reportedly returned, lured Amudha outside her house, and subsequently launched a petrol bomb attack on the premises.

The police investigation into the recent petrol bomb incident has revealed that the assailants were driven by unresolved animosity. A case has been registered, and law enforcement is currently pursuing the fugitives, including Santhosh and Manoj Kumar.

Speaking to reporters, Amudha expressed her concerns, stating, “It must have been 10 months ago, that I reported to the police because people like these youth joined gangs and became addicted to drugs. I have seen them smoking ganja. When they came here to smoke ganja, I asked them why they were coming here, there are children, and this is the route to go to the shop. Someone told them that I told the police, that I was an informant. What happened last month was that they kept a knife at my uncle and he got beaten up, I’ve let it go, even then, (Threatened him saying) they won’t let go of your sister-in-law (me) stating ‘she is reporting it to the police right!’ It was only when I told the police that action was taken, otherwise the little kids here are taking drugs, we don’t even have a security camera here.”

Regarding the events of the night, Amudha recounted, “Around 11:30 pm, three individuals targeted me, attacking my sister first and then hurling a petrol bomb. The following day, one of them posted a WhatsApp status saying, ‘Do whatever you can,’ indicating their brazen attitude towards their actions.”

Incidents like this question the status of law and order and the prevalence of drugs and ganja in the city of Chennai and their penetration across the state.

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