In a recent development, Bajrang Dal has achieved another significant triumph as it played a pivotal role in reclaiming encroached temple property in Kottarakkara, Kerala. The incident unfolded at the “Thiru Aryankavu Koikal Shasta Temple” in Ezhukon.
The contentious matter began when K. Omanakuttan, the local secretary of CPI-M in Ezhukon, constructed a structure on temple land without obtaining proper permissions. Initially, a shed was erected, leading to an objection and subsequent complaint by Bajrang Dal activists.
The temple's property taken back 🚨Bajrang Dal in Kerala achieved another victory!!🔥🔥
This happened at Ezhukon's "Thiru Aryankavu Koikal Shasta Temple" in Kottarakkara, Kerala.
Ezhukon CPIM local secretary, K. Omanakuttan, built a structure on Temple land without permission.… pic.twitter.com/2xSV8KfwTG
In response to the ombudsman’s order for the shed’s demolition, a rapid retaliatory move was witnessed. The local CPM secretary orchestrated the hasty construction of a building using cement bricks within a mere two days.
Both the temple authorities and Bajrang Dal promptly reported this encroachment issue to the district collectorate. Fueled by mounting protests and concerns, officials from the Panchayat took swift action, deploying heavy machinery including a JCB to dismantle the unlawfully erected structure.
The incident highlights a widespread predicament of temple land encroachment, resonating with various such cases across the region. Bajrang Dal members have indicated their intention to escalate the matter legally and pursue legal recourse through the court system.
This occurrence underscores an important lesson for the local community. The incident reaffirms that Hindus often turn to organizations like Bajrang Dal and RSS when confronted with issues related to their religious and cultural heritage. In this specific case, the encroached property of Thiru Aryankavu Koikal Shasta Temple was successfully reclaimed, largely due to the vigilance, objection, and protests spearheaded by Bajrang Dal activists.
Thanks to the concerted efforts and pressure exerted by Bajrang Dal, the Panchayat officials took definitive action to effectively remove the illegally constructed structure, thereby restoring the sanctity of the temple premises.
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Tamil Nadu’s Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, embarked on an official tour of Madurai and Ramanathapuram districts, where he engaged with local fishermen in the Rameswaram region. Subsequently, he took part in the Fisherman’s Welfare Conference held this morning in Ramanathapuram. During this event, Chief Minister Stalin emphasized the essential contribution of fishermen to the growth of Tamil Nadu, the fifth-largest Indian state in the fishing sector.
Addressing a gathering, CM MK Stalin remarked, “Since the ascent of the BJP to power at the central government, there have been 48 reported instances of assaults on fishermen, resulting in the arrest of 619 fishermen over a span of 9 years. The responsibility for these attacks on Tamil Nadu’s fishermen lies with the BJP administration.”
He went on to express that Narendra Modi has taken no substantial actions for Rameshwaram, highlighting that the 209-crore project aimed at constructing a bridge connecting Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi, for which the foundation was laid in 2019, remains unfinished.
Amidst this scenario, Tamil Nadu’s BJP President, Annamalai, responded strongly to the statement made by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu during the ‘En Mann En Makkal’ yatra.
While delivering a speech at a rally, Annamalai countered, “Just yesterday in Ramanathapuram, MK Stalin claimed that PM Narendra Modi has not upheld his commitment regarding Rameshwaram, particularly concerning the 209-crore project intended to link Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi with a bridge. The foundation stone for this project was laid by Narendra Modi in 2019. I project will be completed anytime soon.”
He elaborated, “However, I would like to bring to CM Stalin’s attention the cyclone that struck Dhanushkodi in 1964, devastating the livelihoods of the locals, their possessions, and the infrastructure in both Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi. Following that calamity, Dhanushkodi was left unattended, despite being a place visited by Lord Shiva and Lord Ram. This might be one of the reasons why Dhanushkodi and Rameshwaram were neglected by the DMK. In the wake of the 1964 cyclone, you have assumed power in Tamil Nadu six times, yet no efforts were directed towards the betterment of Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi. The initiative to lay the foundation stone for a bridge connecting these areas was taken by Narendra Modi.”
Annamalai pointed out, “Even though the road linking Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi was destroyed in 1964, the DMK has not taken any action to reconstruct it. It was Narendra Modi who allocated 70 crores for the construction of this road when BJP leader Pon Radhakrishnan held a ministerial position. Beyond the road, the central government’s solar power scheme facilitated the provision of electricity to the residents of Dhanushkodi.”
Continuing, he remarked, “Despite your lack of action for Rameshwaram and Dhanushkodi during your tenure in power, you are now attempting to find fault with the accomplishments of Narendra Modi. This is why we urge you not to rely on notes scribbled on a piece of paper while speaking. Refrain from reading others’ scripted words. Instead, lend an ear to the people. Failing to do so may lead you to a dead-end.”
A clipping of a video of Chinese-funded NewsClick’s founder Prabir Purkayastha has made it to social media channels. Prabir and NewsClick were in the news recently after New York Times brought out the link between China, and the Chinese Communist Party and how various organisations across the world were getting paid for pushing Chinese propaganda.
We did some digging into his past videos on COVID-19 and found the below:
This first video which was shared in March 2020, from the early days of the pandemic, discusses China’s approach to handling the COVID-19 outbreak, in order to “dispel misconceptions about its methods”. In this “report”, Prabir quotes the report presented by Bruce Aylward where he claims that China’s aggressive measures had slowed down the spread of the coronavirus there. Aylward was also notably a part of the WHO-China Joint Commission.
Source: Science
Prabir also claims that China underwent various stages to control the epidemic, adapting policies to the evolving situation. He also claimed that China’s response included rapid identification of the virus, genome sequencing, development and distribution of test kits, a lockdown of Wuhan, centralized quarantine, and community support to control the outbreak effectively.
Titled “How did #China Handle the #COVID-19 Outbreak?”, he keeps repeating that by 31 December 2019, China had notified the WHO of the disease, and they identified it as SARS-CO-V2 in January 2020. “If you look at the period in January, you will see how quickly they moved in after that. One is they were able to identify the genome sequence in about two weeks. Now that’s a very very fast genotyping of the sequence and they were able to upload it on the international database around January 12th or 13th so you have this first genomic sequence of the Wuhan virus as Mr. Trump would like to call it, what the world calls the SARS CoV2 virus was identified within two weeks and within another week, they had already developed test kits because, please remember, without test kits, you can’t test you only have clinical symptoms. Clinical symptoms that are not very dissimilar from the standard flu that you see around you. So the first test kits were available only around June January 21st 22nd or so by which they are able to dispatch these kits into Wuhan. Now this again in three weeks, developing both the genome sequence and the test kits is a major achievement which we must credit the Chinese scientific community.”
He also goes on to explain how centralised quarantine done by Chinese authorities helped to reduce the cases in China and how the protective gear provided by China to its medical staff ensured not one of the 42000 staff got infected. He also talks that these measures brought down the effective reproductive rates of the virus below 1 and that was how the pandemic was controlled in Wuhan. He also praised the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) for providing food and other delivery services to the people who were going to be housebound. He also says “It was all in society all in government effort that really stopped the coronavirus epidemic in China”. He also claimed that “instead of a coercive lock down what you need is a lockdown which is cooperative which allows the people to organize and allows the people also access to basic needs food water supplies of different kinds and unless we are organized as society as government to provide that this kind of lockdowns alone is not going to help” He ends the video by saying “China has shown the way but does the rest of the world understand what has happened and does it have the will to follow it”.
The second video we looked at, was titled “COVID-19 in India” was also shared in June 2020 where he discusses the COVID-19 situation in India with a fellow “journalist”.
In this video, he claims that at that point in time, India had the highest number of COVID-19 cases in Asia and that daily new cases were steadily rising. He said that despite the rising cases, lockdown measures were being eased. At that point, India ranked 7th globally in total cases, with a doubling rate of 14 days. He also shared concerns about the healthcare system’s capacity to handle the increasing cases.
He claimed that the lockdown strategy had not effectively curbed the epidemic’s growth and there was a lack of focus on contact tracing, testing, and isolating positive cases. He criticised the government’s ad hoc and ineffective approach.
He goes on to compare India to other countries like Malaysia where cases were supposedly better handled than India although there was an upsurge. He also claimed that several other countries had started to flatten their curves. He then goes on to praise Kerala which we must remember is a communist-ruled state.
Here’s what he said in the video:
“The three countries whose curves are still rising are Brazil, India, and at the moment Mexico too – but Russia has more or less starting to flatten its curves the US has also started to flatten its curves and the countries which have flattened their curves are Italy, France, Germany, Iran. Now one may say, well you know, India is a relatively poor country but if you look at Malaysia, these figures we have been showing from day one is Malaysia started a little ahead of India and had higher figures for some time. But after that, you can see how well it has been able to flatten the curve and that’s something which is really striking. If we come to the states in India, the only state which has done reasonably well in this period and even now it’s facing an upsurge is Kerala. This recent upsurge in Kerala is, of course, because of a large number of migrants who have come from other states already infected and Kerala is dealing with that at the moment. But even otherwise, if you look at the figures, you will see Kerala is the only state which controls its numbers earlier and is still able to provide that degree of isolation support that we need. ICMR and the Government of India were talking about avoided deaths, I think that’s a bogus concept because you don’t avoid deaths in the long term, you only postpone.”
He said India was not able to cut down infections due to low testing and poor isolation. Apart from Kerala, he said that India as a country was not successful in terms of contact tracing. He said “The Government of India looked upon this as if it’s a law and order problem, not a public health emergency. the government of India’s response to this has been what would be called the police response which is what the colonial administration engaged to put people in camps isolate them lock them down and hope that the epidemic will die by itself”.
It was reported later that Kerala had underreported deaths.
He continues to find fault with the relaxing of the lockdown and allowing people to visit places of worship, saying,
“If you remove the lockdown relaxing lockdowns as we are doing which we are bound to, but we are also allowing, for instance, places of worship and other places malls to open. So those are the kind of further risk issues that are coming up”.
The video that was shared on Twitter is from a longer video where Prabir is seen discussing the COVID-19 pandemic with a NewsClick “journalist”.
In this video clip, we can see Prabir defending China over the pandemic. Here is a transcript of the entire clipping.
“Right now both Pompeo and the state department and various intelligence agencies in the US are basically saying China did not cooperate, china did not give us ABC, did not give us information, and that is why all of this happened. Now China, if you see had diagnosed that it was a novel coronavirus by around the end of Dec 2019. they informed the who, I think on 31 Dec. On the 1st to the 3rd of Jan, the Chinese equivalent of CDC, the head talked to the director of CDC, Redford, and told him what was happening. In fact, the record says that at that point in time, he was in tears, he knew what was happening. So that was one. The second part of it which they now say is that, well they didn’t really cooperate. Now ok information you claimed you had was insufficient, China locked down Wuhan, it was a complete lockdown of an 11-million city. They locked down 15 suburban areas, other cities near Wuhan, and locked down the entire province of Hubei, they locked down entire industries in China, colleges, malls, cinema halls, and all visible gatherings, all of it was locked down in all of China. So the argument that they did not tell us, doesn’t hold good because actions speak louder than words. here they were taking action, showing how dangerous it was, in their view. So if the rest of the world did not listen, it wasn’t something you can fault them on.
Watch Prabir Purkayastha, Editor in Chief of Newsclick in 2020
He says China did not hide anything about pandemic
China reported everything timely and faithfully
It is not China's fault that others did not listen
This video is part of a longer video from May 2020 which is titled “COVID-19: US Blames China to Cover Up Its Own Failures”.
He claims that China with a much larger population than the US controlled the infections much better than the Americans. China has a similar climatic zone as the US and they did much better than the US. The US was trying to make China look guilty and had also said that they should pay for reparations.
He continued to say that the experience from the SARS epidemic, avian flu, and swine flu gave China the upper hand and introduced mask culture over the last 15-20 years. He claimed that they were better prepared in terms of social practice and medical systems geared to face the pandemic.
He also claims that even though Pompeo claimed that China didn’t give them the virus, the CDC nowhere claimed that they couldn’t develop test kits because there was no sample. He goes on to speak about the genomic sequence publication dates. He says, “When the genomic sequence was published, it was sent to Nature on the 5th or 7th, NCBI says this was submitted to Nature on the 5th Jan. The entire genome sequence was uploaded to GenBank (a public repository of genome sequences) on 11th or 12th Jan, to Virology, another such public database, and also the Influenza database maintained globally. all of these had the genome sequence. if you take the genome sequence why would you need something else? Because with the genome sequence both the Germans, charite, a very able team, developed a test kit as early as 16 Jan and WHO adopted it. A South Korean company also created a test kit in 3 weeks. CDC never complained about the lack of virus samples.”
These videos serve as evidence of the channel’s establishment with the intent to disseminate Chinese propaganda, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. Prabir’s actions closely aligned with the directives of his Chinese handlers, demonstrating his unwavering allegiance and compliance.
At the time of the New York Times expose, some emails exchanged between Neville Roy Singham and Prabir and the Indian counterparts were also made public. Those emails were more concerning the Galwan clash as reported here.
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Tamil Nadu’s BJP MLA and National President of BJP Mahila Morcha, Vanathi Srinivasan, has posed serious charges concerning Ponmudi’s acquittal in the disproportionate asset case. She has raised doubts regarding the decision to shift the case from Villupuram to Vellore, as well as the swiftness with which the case was deliberated upon in the Vellore Principal Judge’s court.
In a remarkable and unparalleled development, the Madras High Court issued an order on 10 August 2023 that raised concerns about the manner in which District Judge Vellore had rendered a verdict acquitting DMK Minister Ponmudi and his spouse in a disproportionate assets case. Justice Anand Venkatesh utilized his suo motu revision powers to question the validity of transferring the case against the Higher Education Minister.
The 17-page order delivered by Madras High Court Justice N. Anand Venkatesh on August 10 marked an extraordinary occurrence, causing reverberations within the judicial sphere and eliciting unease in the political arena, particularly among those belonging to the ruling party. This instance may perhaps be the first of its kind, where a judge independently undertook a case to scrutinize the legality of a lower court’s decision to close the case.
In a forceful and strongly-worded verdict, Venkatesh vehemently criticized the manner in which the disproportionate assets case involving Higher Education Minister K. Ponmudy and his spouse P. Visalakshi was transferred from Villupuram District Court to Vellore District Court. The case had been registered against Ponmudy in 2002, following allegations of owning assets exceeding his income during his ministerial tenure from 1996 to 2001. The Judge ordered notifications to be issued to Minister Ponmudy, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC), the agency that had investigated the case in 2002. The court has scheduled the hearing of the case for September 7.
Justice Venkatesh stated in his order said, “It is evident that when a glaring illegality by a criminal court leads to a significant miscarriage of justice, it becomes the constitutional duty of the High Court to rectify the illegality and uphold the public’s trust in the criminal justice system.” He further emphasized that the narrative presented reveals an “alarming and deliberate effort to manipulate and undermine the criminal justice system. The perplexing and questionable transfer of the case followed by the trial and judgment by the Principal District Judge in Vellore are entirely unlawful and devoid of legal validity.”
In this situation, BJP Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan, in a press release, came down heavily on the way the case was conducted in the Vellore court and raised serious questions on how DMK minister Ponmudi attempted to manipulate the criminal justice system.
In a detailed press release, MLA Vanathi Srinivasan said, “Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister Mr. K. Ponmudi was the Transport Minister during the last DMK regime of 1996-2001. In 2002, the Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption (DVAC) registered a case against him, his wife, mother-in-law, and friends for adding assets beyond their income. The Villupuram District Court, which investigated this, acquitted Ponmudi and others in 2004. Though the appeal against Ponmudi was struck down by Madras High Court, Supreme Court gave permission for conducting the trial against DMK Minister Ponmudi.”
The press release added, “In May 2022, the Principal Judge of Villupuram District sent a letter to the Madras High Court seeking permission to conduct the trial on four vacation days to speed up the case. This request was rejected by the Madras High Court on June 7, 2022. Apart from that, it also stayed the investigation in the case until further orders. Subsequently, two High Court judges for the administration of Villupuram District Courts transferred the case to the Vellore District Principal Court. The order was sent to the Chief Justice on July 8, 2022, for approval. On approval, the high court transferred the disproportionate asset case against Ponmudi to the Vellore district court and issued an order on July 12, 2022.”
The press release reads, “Accordingly, the case was transferred to Vellore on July 16, 2022, and was investigated by District Principal Judge Vasantha Leela. The case, which was dragging on for years, picked up speed on June 6, 2023. Until then, those who were seeking adjournment of the case without coming to trial stood in a queue at the Vellore court. Written arguments were filed by the accused on June 23. In four days, after examining 172 witnesses and 381 documents, the Vellore District Magistrate issued a 226-page verdict acquitting everyone including Ponmudi. Following that, she retired on July 30.”
The press release said, “Judge Anand Venkatesh of the Madras High Court, who has taken up suo-motto cognizance of the order of the Vellore court himself, has expressed shock by pointing out the speed of the trial and the judgment in the Vellore court. Justice Anand Venkatesh has express shock over the judgement and called it a “Stage-Managed Judgement”.
MLA Vanathi said, “All of this is truly astonishing. The occurrences surrounding Minister Ponmudi’s case serve as a stark illustration of the lengths to which certain individuals within the DMK can go, not solely confined to matters of systematic corruption, but also extending to evading allegations of corruption. If these circumstances are allowed to persist, the very fabric of justice within the country will be compromised. The current state of affairs will persist until individuals wielding power and financial influence can manipulate justice according to their will. It’s becoming increasingly apparent that the notion of evading accountability by corrupting the public is taking hold. This poses a substantial peril to both the nation and the democratic system. The cornerstone of our democracy lies in the public’s faith in the judiciary, and preserving that trust is imperative. Thus, a thorough examination is warranted, spanning from the suspension of proceedings in the Ponmudi asset accumulation case in the Villupuram District High Court to the subsequent verdict in the Vellore District High Court. Are these actions in accordance with the law? An inquiry, initiated by the Honorable Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, is necessary. Legal consequences should ensue for those found to have acted wrongly or transgressed the law. Otherwise, the alarming prospect arises that corruption could become de facto legal.”
The statement ended by saying, “I make this request not only as BJP National Mahila Morcha president and member of the Coimbatore South Assembly Constituency but also as a lawyer, a law student, and a citizen of this country who has great respect for Indian democracy.”
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Tamil actor Satyaraj recently spoke at a Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi event commemorating the 61st birthday of party chief, Thol. Thirumavalavan. Speaking at the event, Satyaraj spoke about Okinawa, a Japanese village where people often live past the age of 100, to wish a long life for Thirumavalavan.
He said, “Okinawa in Japan has the world’s oldest population, everyone lives at least to the age of 100 over there, mostly they are 110 and above. they understand what they like and thus do what they like and what they like they do as a charity, social work, etc, and something that celebrates equality. When compared to our country, if it means to uproot sanatana dharma, that joyous journey allows one to reach the age of 100 very easily. If you read the book Ikigai you will understand. Thiruma has made it a life mission and passion to serve the people and I wish that he outlives the people of the village in Okinawa and lives for more than 100 years. “
He continued, “They are constantly repeating “Digital India” nowadays. More than a Digital India, we need a Reformed India. An India that is equal to all. We need an India that admires the principles of Periyar, Ambedkar, Marx, and an India that admires and follows the bravery of Prabhakaran. It should not be Digital India, but Thiruma India. I am not saying this to flatter Thirumavalavan. I have never asked him for any favours nor will I ask in the future. I don’t even have to ask him to work for the people because he is already doing that. Such a wonderful leader he is. The freedom of the oppressed is the most important, it is not possible to speak of Tamil nationalism if there is no abolition of caste. People are killing each other over caste but the one who kills and the one that dies are both Tamilians. How can we bring about Tamil nationalism in such a scenario? Only if caste is abolished can we progress with Tamil nationalism and only if women are truly empowered can this happen. Only when we eradicate all the superstitions in the name of Shastra, sadangu (rituals), and sampradaya (tradition), can we truly grow into a better Tamil nationalist society.”
Critics raised questions following a viral video that emerged subsequent to Sahtyaraj’s speech. In an interview to a YouTube channel, social activist ‘Airport’ Moorthy reveals how Sathyaraj got his son married as per his caste’s traditional rituals contrary to his “Periyarist” principles.
In response, Satyaraj apparently revealed that while he personally adheres to certain principles, his family members were insistent on following rituals for the wedding. Critics noted the discrepancy between Satyaraj’s public statements and his actions in a private context, asserting that his inconsistency was evident and could be perceived as hypocritical.
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A 2018 video interview clipping of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) member and former minister for electricity and health, Arcot Veerasamy, was released during the En Mann En Makkal Padayatra.
The video, which blatantly reveals the level of corruption when it came to allocating medical seats to students in Tamil Nadu, was telecast on a large screen to the public during Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party President, K Annamalai’s yatra near Kanyakumari.
In the interview with Thanthi TV, Arcot Veerasamy who is said to be very close to former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, says, “The financial challenges faced by the DMK compelled us to seek funds from others, especially during election times when our commitment to the people is paramount. Since I was the party treasurer, former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, used to ask me to make the arrangements and this is how I did it. I used to visit MAM (Ramasamy) at his house. He was a generous individual whom I greatly respected. He has also visited me several times when I was a minister. MAM used to run a medical college and since I was the Health Minister then, we used to release a list first for the admissions. He used to ask me for a copy of that list. When asked why, he would say, if we select the candidates from this list, they will anyway take up the government college seats, those empty seats would be filled by us and thus we need a copy of that list. So I used to send him that list. And since I had grown close to him, I would ask him for funds. While an amount like 1 or 2 crores was insignificant to him, his willingness often extended to 5 crores if I persistently requested him.”
From the above interview, it becomes evident that prior to the introduction of NEET, private medical colleges in Tamil Nadu (mostly owned directly or indirectly by politicians) collected huge money as donation or for securing the seat which was donated to the DMK.
In the video interview, it is revealed that Arcot Veerasamy became the treasurer of the DMK following the death of Sadiq Batcha.
Annamalai after telecasting this clipping alleged that this was the drama that was being showcased before NEET came into place, a time when medical college seats were sold for a hefty price.
On the occasion of our 77th Independence Day, Isha Foundation launched the “Yoga for Stress Management and Holistic Wellness” program in collaboration with Southern Command of Indian Army. Through this collaboration, free week-long Classical Hatha Yoga programs will be conducted by Isha Hatha Yoga teachers for more than 10,000 serving soldiers in 23 locations in 9 states falling under the jurisdiction of the command. The collaboration aims to bring holistic wellness to our soldiers who otherwise undergo a lot of stress under testing conditions.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Sadhguru, in a video message said, “As soldiers you have done enough for your physical fitness and wellbeing, but to bring a different level of mental and energetic capability within you, yoga and the technologies for inner wellbeing can make a phenomenal difference. We’ve already taught this yogic processes for thousands of soldiers and other forces and also we have trained over 300 trainers within the forces, and now we want to offer this to Southern Command, which is an important part.”
Isha Foundation, in partnership with the Indian Army, is providing classical Hatha Yoga practices to over 10,000 soldiers across 23 locations in 9 states in 6-8 months. The initiative was launched on India's 77th Independence Day in the presence of Lt Gen Ajai Kumar Singh,… pic.twitter.com/ti1SyM0oiG
Later, tweeting about the initiative, Sadhguru, Founder- Isha Foundation, said, “In willingly committing their lives to protect & defend the Nation, our men & women in uniform are offering the highest commitment & the greatest service to the Nation. Most important to enable them to access the magnificent tools that this Culture offers to cultivate balance, stability & inner wellbeing. A Privilege to offer Isha Classical Hatha Yoga to the Southern Command, Indian Army- this will bring a different level of mental and energetic capability within you & will make a phenomenal difference both in terms of how you perform & how you experience your life. Best Wishes & Blessings.”
In willingly committing their lives to protect & defend the Nation, our men & women in uniform are offering the highest commitment & the greatest service to the Nation. Most important to enable them to access the magnificent tools that this Culture offers to cultivate balance,… https://t.co/BaBbEzlxn8
Lt Gen Ajai Kumar Singh, AVSM, YSM, SM, VSM, GOC-in-C, Southern Command inaugurated the ceremony and highlighted the importance of mental wellness in the Indian Army and how yoga can be used to ameliorate mental health issues prevalent in the society in general and Indian Army in particulars.
“With rising stress, suicides and marital discords, it’s very important that we connect back with our cultural and spiritual heritage. I am grateful to Sadhguru for helping us connect with our culture,” said Lt Gen Ajai Kumar Singh.
GOC-in-C spoke to the audience about the fire sheaths of existence as per the Panchkosha theory. The efforts of the Isha Foundation towards joining the cause of mental wellness of Indian Army pers were noted with gratefulness. The Army Commander enumerated the programs which have been and are in the pipeline with Isha Foundation as the yoga partner to Southern Command.
Isha Hatha Yoga teachers, who have undergone an intensive 21-week teacher training program at the Isha Yoga Center in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, will teach classical Hatha Yoga practices such as Surya Kriya and Angamardana, to the soldiers. The soldiers will also learn Nadi Shuddhi, a practice that cleanses the nadis – the pathways through which pranic energy flows – bringing balance and psychological well-being; and Isha Kriya, a 12 minute meditation designed to cope with hectic pace of modern life.
The first set of batches with thousands of army participants began on Independence Day in cities including – Mumbai, Pune, Ahmedabad, Gwalior, Jhansi, Secunderabad, Chennai and Bengaluru, among others.
The continuity in learning and practice of Holistic Wellness will be ensured further and to this end, an intensive ‘Train the Trainers’ residential program is also being conducted at Isha Yoga Center, Coimbatore from 01 to 14 Sep 2023, where instructors selected from units in Southern Command will be trained as certified Trainers to conduct Yoga Programs in their unit for times to come.
Mr. Raja Upadhya, Senior Vice President of HDFC Bank represented HDFC Bank Parivartan, which has partnered with Isha in enabling the well-being of the soldiers.
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A Gram Sabha meeting held on Aug 16th in the village of Mukkananguruchy panchayat, as part of the 77th Independence Day celebrations, turned into a challenging encounter for Karur Congress MP Jothimani. Residents of the village confronted the MP with pointed questions about her absence in the constituency since the elections.
The incident took place during the Gram Sabha meeting where Jothimani was present as a guest. The villagers surrounded her and voiced their frustrations, questioning her apparent lack of presence in the constituency outside of election periods. They alleged that Jothimani prioritize the electorate solely during campaign seasons and then fade away afterward.
The people who surrounded Jothimani asked, “Why did you come to our village now? You will remember us only during elections? You have not visited us since the last elections.”
People further added, ” You have not responded to our phone calls; not even once. How can we let you know about our grievances? It is your duty to listen to our grievances.”
Enraged Jothimani said, “There are 6600 hamlets under Karur Parliamentary Constituency. In that, I have been going to every town and meeting the people and thanking them, receiving petitions, and listening to their grievances. You are accusing me only to provoke me and disrupt this meeting.”
Despite her efforts to clarify, the villagers continued to express their discontent, reflecting growing frustration with the perceived lack of responsiveness from their elected representatives.
This video showing the confrontation between Congress MP Jothimani and the villagers has been going viral on social media.
In this situation, Karur MP Jothimani said that those who questioned her during the Gram Sabha meeting were not villagers but the BJP supporters who were paid in lakhs to disrupt the meeting. She also accused that the news channels like Thanthi TV, Polimer TV, and Dinamalar were acting like the IT wing of the Tamil Nadu BJP which started a vile political attack against her.
In this situation, Karur MP Jothimani alleged that the individuals who confronted her during the Gram Sabha meeting were not local residents, but rather BJP supporters who were paid in lakhs to create disruption. She further asserted that news outlets such as Thanthi TV, Polimer TV, and Dinamalar were resembling an extension of the Tamil Nadu BJP’s IT wing, initiating a malicious political assault against her.
பாஜக சில ஊடகங்களின் உதவியோடு எனக்கு எதிராக நடத்திக் கொண்டிருக்கும் இழிவான அரசியல் தாக்குதலுக்கு எனது பதிலடி!
Retired Indian Police Service (IPS) officer Pon Manickavel, who was also the former Inspector General of the Idol Wing, came forward with explosive details regarding the theft of an ancient idol from the revered Kundavai Jainalayam temple in Tamil Nadu. Kundavai, sister of the renowned Chola king Raja Raja Chola, commissioned the temple’s construction in 1070 CE during the Chola dynasty’s reign, as attested by inscriptions from that period. The Kundavai Jainalayam Temple is situated at Polur, near Thirumalai in Tiruvannamalai, Tamil Nadu. The Jain temple, constructed in 1070 CE during the Chola dynasty, holds immense historical and religious significance for Jains.
The Jain Temple
The caves are carved intricately into a hill, alongside to two 16th-century temples dedicated to Neminatha and Vardhamana Mahavira. The rock-cut shrines within the caves are adorned with paintings that draw inspiration from Jaina teachings, likely originating from the 16th century. These paintings portray a cosmological view of the mortal realm, with a central focus on Jambudvipa, the continent containing India and represented by a circular shape, while Mount Meru is symbolized as a circle within it.
A significant theme depicted in the artwork is the “samavasarana,” a divine pavilion created by celestial beings after a Jain Tirthankara achieves omniscience. This pavilion serves as a space where various entities, including ascetics, heavenly beings, nuns, men, women, and animals, can attain wisdom. The central figure in the samavasarana is the Tirthankara, accompanied by disciples.
Unfortunately, only a portion of the depictions have endured time. The depictions of Jaina yakshas and yakshis have suffered damage as well, with the portrayal of Jivamalini being the sole surviving representation. The ceilings of the sanctuaries and antechambers boast an array of meticulously rendered textile patterns, geometric designs, arrays of geese, pearl festoons, and lotus petals, adding intricate decoration to the caves’ interiors.
The Idol
Manickavel disclosed that the idol, a 29-inch masterpiece, was stolen from the temple’s sanctum, and evidence suggests the theft occurred around 2003. The idol’s significance spans over 2,300 years, with inscriptions from various historical eras adorning the temple’s walls. According to inscriptions found within the temple, it was originally built by the Chera king Ezhini who is said to have ruled the region of Vanji 2000 years ago (what is present-day Karur) in what is believed to be the oldest temple site in the region. There is said to be a Bogar temple below it. The Archaeological Survey of India has taken over the caves below the Jain temple and Manickavel questioned why the state authorities did not register this one as the oldest in the records or the fact that there existed such an antique idol in the midst.
Raja Raja Chola is said to have built this temple in the 21st year of his regime, so approximately in 1106CE. There are inscriptions of the following at the temple:
Paranthaka
Krishnadeva III of the Rashtrakuta Empire
Raja Raja Chola
Rajendra Chola
Siddhabai – who donated to the temple
The temple’s antiquity is further underscored by its presence in the Sangam era. Notably, this cultural gem features a distinctive Vijayachakra, which is an unmistakable part of Jain temples.
The Accusations
Former officer Pon Manickavel, known for his dedication to bringing back stolen idols, spoke passionately about the significance of the temple and the alleged theft. He lamented that the authorities were aware of the theft for nearly two decades, despite clear evidence pointing towards it. He accused the temple management which comes under the purview of the Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments Department in Tamil Nadu, of failing to file a First Information Report (FIR) promptly, even though it is a crucial step in such cases. Manickavel expressed his concern that political affiliations and bureaucratic red tape might hinder the pursuit of justice and the recovery of the stolen idol.
The stolen idol is reported to have been sold for a staggering sum of 2.5 crores, according to information received by Manickavel. He revealed that the idol’s whereabouts are believed to be in Manhattan, specifically in the possession of an individual named Rajiv Chaudhary, a resident of New York, at his residence named Central Park West as of 2020.
Manickavel shared his frustration that, despite the considerable evidence he had gathered, the appropriate authorities had not shown the necessary urgency to address the issue.
Several well-known smugglers have been involved in illicit activities, with some of them engaged in smuggling valuable artifacts out of India, primarily based in Bombay. These individuals are operating under the guise of the “Indo Nepal Art Centre” and have been engaging in illegal activities, including smuggling artifacts out of India.
One of the prominent smugglers, Subash Kapoor, is currently incarcerated but is expected to be released from central jail soon.
Among these smugglers, Vallabha Prakash and Aditya Prakash have previously been arrested and imprisoned by Manickavel, but upon their release, they continued their covert operations. Surya Prakash is said to be the proprietor of the Indo Nepal Art Centre.
He highlighted the need for a proactive approach involving lower-level police officers who possess valuable insights into the local landscape and nuances of such cases.
Pon Manickavel also pointed out the need for immediate action under the directive of a landmark Supreme Court decision led by Justice Sadasivam, which should allow for the swift filing of an FIR in cases of this nature. He urged the Home Secretary of Tamil Nadu to take a firm stance on protecting the country’s cultural heritage. Manickavel added, “For 60 years, the HR&CE (Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments) department managed to deceive the public concerning the Raja Raja Chola idol theft, as they failed to file an FIR. I took the initiative to file the FIR and successfully retrieved the idol. Astonishingly, even the then Chief Minister, despite being in power, did not take steps to recover the idol. The credit for its recovery goes to us, ordinary police officers. Notably, the central government’s attempts to intervene were futile, as there were no legal provisions to impede our justified actions.”
Without mentioning names, he continued, “In this state, there is a family aiming to construct a memorial for their father, funded either by their political party or the public, I don’t know, be it whatever. However, it’s perplexing to neglect something as historically significant as this (temple/idol).”
He also mentioned that he, a retired officer had information about who stole what, where the idol is now/recently, who smuggled it, who facilitated it, and who sold it, and also the fact that after Subash Kapoor acquired the idol, he conducted a metallurgical analysis to determine its composition. He said, “I even know that one John Tweeley conducted this examination”. He lamented that when he had about 90% of the information about the case, what stopped the local authorities from following up with it? He said, “Even delivery personnel like Swiggy or my driver dedicate long hours, it’s disheartening that individuals in the department often don’t exhibit the same level of commitment.”
Replying to a question by one of the press persons he was speaking to about whether he would offer his services if required, he said, “Yes definitely, but no one has approached me. Also, a magistrate possesses the authority to appoint someone who isn’t a police officer, as stipulated by the law.”
He remarked that if this video is posted on YouTube, there’s a chance that some channels might twist the fact about the temple that Kundavai Piratiyar had converted to Jainism! However, he added that historical evidence shows that the siblings were unwavering Hindus and, more specifically, ardent followers of Saivism as mentioned in inscriptions, since the term “Hindu” wasn’t in use during that era, and Raja Raja Chola did not have any religious rivalry with the Jains. This explains the construction of the Jain temple without any contradiction.
The theft of the Kundavai Jainalayam Temple’s idol is a grim reminder of the challenges faced in safeguarding India’s rich historical and cultural legacy. Manickavel promised that even though he is no longer in service, he will continue to work for the public cause for the rest of his life. Manickavel said he was reaching out to the press before he went to the police in the hope that some action would be taken. He also added that he was holding this press meeting only with a noble intention of recovering the stolen idol and not to blame any party or person.
In a recent development, a formal complaint has been registered against Christian preachers in the states of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana by Legal Rights activist, Legal Rights Protection Forum, accusing them of engaging in anti-national activities and enabling religious conversions. The complaint, which was addressed to the Union Home Ministry authorities, raises concerns about various incidents, including activities on national holidays and alleged involvement in the Manipur crisis.
Alleged National Holiday Disruption
The complaint draws attention to the deliberate organization of special Christian worship programs in numerous churches across Andhra Pradesh and Telangana on significant national holidays such as August 15th and January 26th. It contends that certain churches are purportedly conducting full-day prayers, camps, and youth retreats on these days with what the complainants term a “malicious intention” of diverting citizens’ focus away from the celebration of Independence Day.
The complainants claim that some posters advertising these August 15th programs allegedly display disrespect to the national flag through alterations and religious inscriptions upon it. Furthermore, the complainants argue that hate-filled speeches have been delivered during these events, targeting freedom fighters and portraying them as “hell-bound disbelievers” due to their supposed lack of faith in Jesus Christ. The complainants assert that these activities are aimed at erasing the memory of India’s freedom struggle and its history from the minds of attendees, especially impressionable young children.
The complaint included screenshots of event flyers and posters, links of various Facebook groups
Allegations Of Inflammatory Statements
The complaint cites instances of inflammatory statements attributed to some Christian preachers in the past. These statements purportedly include claims that the national flag is merely a “piece of cloth,” suggestions to divide the country into religiously segregated regions, and allegations of plagiarism in the drafting of the Indian Constitution. Such statements have been criticised for their divisive nature and potential to fuel communal tensions.
Involvement In Manipur Crisis
The complaint also raises concerns about the alleged involvement of Christian preachers from Andhra Pradesh and Telangana in the ongoing crisis in Manipur. According to the complaint, these preachers have been accused of exploiting the crisis to fan communal hatred. Demonstrations, videos, and social media posts have allegedly depicted the Manipur situation as Christian persecution by Hindus in the region. Highly divisive speeches have reportedly been delivered during rallies, further exacerbating tensions.
OBCC’s Honey Johnson was arrested in 2021 for abusing Hindu gods.
The complainants assert that some preachers who visited Manipur subsequently shared unverified stories of violence against Christians, calling for donations to support the affected community. A few of them were reported to have aligned with Daniel Stephen Courney, a foreign citizen who was deported from India in 2017. The Commune recently shared a report on this rabid missionary – you can read more here.
It is claimed that these actions have contributed to the deterioration of communal harmony in both Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
Call For Investigation And Action
The complainants have urged the authorities to initiate a thorough investigation into these allegations against Christian preachers in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. They emphasize the need to address the alleged anti-national activities and divisive rhetoric and suggest a temporary restriction on their visits to Manipur to prevent further exacerbation of the situation.
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