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BJP TN Leader SG Suryah’s Arrest Puts Spotlight On Hygiene Worker’s Death That Went Unreported, Widowed Wife Blames Communist Councillor

By
The Commune
-

Tamil Nadu BJP State Secretary SG Suryah was arrested on the intervening night of 16 and 27 June 2023 for his statement against Madurai Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Su Venkatesan over the death of a hygiene worker who was allegedly forced to clean a faeces-filled drain by a Communist councillor.

In a scathing letter addressed to Madurai MP Su Venkatesan, BJP Tamil Nadu State Secretary SG Suryah had alleged that a hygiene worker died due to allergies in the body after a Communist party ward member named Viswanathan forced him to clean the drain.

In what seems to be an overlooked trivial error, Suryah in his statement had misattributed the death that happened in Cuddalore to Madurai while condemning the Madurai CPI-M MP’s stoic silence on the matter.

But the incident did happen in the Pennadam area of Cuddalore district which virtually went unreported by the Dravidian Stockist media

Here’s What Happened

According to a complaint filed by Deepa (30) with the Pennadam police station, her husband Babu, who has been working as a hygiene worker with the Pennadam municipality for the last 18 years had left for work as usual on 19 May 2023 when he was called by the Nathan aka Viswanathan, the 12th ward councillor belonging to Communist party, to clean a drain in his area.

Babu informed his supervisor at the municipality and left for cleaning the drain at Siluppanur Road in Metu Theru area.

He got in the drain at around 10 30 AM after which he started feeling nauseated and fell unconscious, possibly due to asphyxiation from inhaling the poisonous gas in the drain.

Deepa further goes on to state that his co-workers namely – Ganesan, Sundaram, and Sekar – took Babu in an auto to a hospital in Pennadam for first aid. The doctors apparently informed that he had inhaled poisonous gas and needed higher grade treatment. They then rushed Babu to Dhanalakshmi Srinivasan Medical College And Hospital in Perambalur where the doctors informed that he was in a critical condition. Then they took him to Kaveri Hospital in Trichy.

As per the statement given by Deepa, Babu failed to respond to the treatment and died on 24 May 2023 at 12:30 AM.

“My husband died as he was not given protective gears and mask by Pennadam Municipality Executive Officer, the contractor and Ward 12 Councillor. Hence I request that appropriate legal action be taken against the above individuals and handover my husband’s body to me.”, the complaint reads.

FIR copy

Based on the complaint filed by Deepa on 24 May 2023 at around 4 PM, a case (87/2023) was registered under section 174 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) which is applied when a person has committed suicide, or has been killed by another or by an animal or by machinery or by an accident, or has died under circumstances raising a reasonable suspicion that some other person has committed an offence.

Section 174 of CrPC mandates a simple imprisonment for a term which may extend to six months, or with fine which may extend to one thousand rupees, or with both.

Despite prima facie evidence showing that the hygiene worker died as a result of entering the drain, the accused have not been booked under Prohibition of Employment as Manual Scavengers and their Rehabilitation Act or Section 304A (causing death by negligence).

National Commission For Safai Karamcharis Investigate

Chairperson of National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK) Ma. Venkatesan along with a team of officials visited Pennadam on 3 June 2023 to inquire about the incident. He also visited the spot where the deceased Babu was made to enter the drain and clean it.

Speaking to The Commune, Ma. Venkatesan noted that during their field investigation, the co-workers and relatives of the deceased openly said that Babu had gone to clean the drain at the insistence of the Communist ward councillor Nathan alias Viswanathan.

Centre: NCSK Chairperson Ma Venkatesan inquiring about the incident
NCSK Chairperson and other official at the spot where hygiene worker was made to clean the drain

He also said that the they’ve testified the same before the District Collector and the Superintendent of Police as well.

Ma. Venkatesan also questioned why the police have filed a case as suicide / suspicious death instead of slapping section 304A or under the Prohibition of Manual Scavenging Act.

Ma. Venkatesan having had a BJP background questioned stoic silence of CPI-M MP Ma. Venkatesan adding that he hasn’t spoken because the accused is a ward member belonging to his party.

DMK, Congress and Communists Attempt To Deflect Issue 

BJP leader SG Suryah seems to have been arrested on frivolous charges as he had mentioned Madurai instead of Cuddalore district while lambasting Communist MP Su Venkatesan. The issue has snowballed into a national controversy with senior Union Ministers including Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman condemning SG Suryah’s arrest by the DMK government.

SG Suryah has now been placed under judicial custody till 1 July 2023.

Meanwhile, Communist MP Su Venkatesan who had not uttered a word about the unfortunate death of the hygiene worker has now plunged to deflect the issue as a case of false news peddled by SG Suryah. In an apathetical manner, Su Venkatesan said that there is no Pennadam municipality in Madurai district without even mentioning about the hygiene worker’s death.

Congress MP from Virudhunagar Manickam B. Tagore too has tried to portray the incident as a case of fake news.”1) Is there a municipality called Pennadam in Madurai? 2) Is there any councillor called Viswanathan from CPI-M? 3) How can a councillor who doesn’t exist force a man into a faeces-filled drain?” Manickam B Tagore said negating the facts of the matter.

Other Communists and Dravidian Stockists too have jumped the bandwagon to portray the incident as fake news while brushing aside other facts.

To put it in a nutshell – A hygiene worker has died in Cuddalore. A CPI-M councillor and other officials have been named as accused by the deceased’s wife in the police complaint. A name-sake FIR has been registered that warrants a simple punishment of maximum 6 months and/or ₹1000 fine. There is no news of the any concrete action being taken on the accused yet. The NCSK had conducted an inquiry into the incident. BJP leader SG Suryah had condemned CPI-M MP Su Venkatesan for his stoic silence but had wrongly mentioned Madurai instead of Cuddalore in his statement. SG Suryah has been charged under stringent non-bailable provision.

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Fascism In TN?: DMK Govt Goes On Arrest Spree; BJP’s SG Suryah Arrested For A Statement, ADMK Cadre Arrested For A Meme

By
The Commune
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The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government in Tamil Nadu has come under fire for what critics are calling an “arresting spree” targeting individuals who have criticized the government on social media platforms. Many see these arrests as an act of revenge following the recent arrest of DMK Minister Senthil Balaji by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on charges of money laundering.

The arrest of V Senthilbalaji, the former DMK Liquor Minister, sent shockwaves through the state. The ED conducted searches at his premises, including his official residence and office, in connection with a job recruitment scam that allegedly occurred during his tenure as the transport minister in the previous Jayalalithaa government. Senthilbalaji’s arrest was accompanied by dramatic scenes, as he complained of chest pain and was taken to a hospital for medical examination. Disturbing footage emerged of him crying and kicking those who tried to assist him.

In response to the arrest, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin issued a video statement, condemning the action as a political vendetta and warning the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) not to provoke the DMK. Stalin’s statement seemed to incite some fervor among DMK supporters, who took to social media to demand the arrest of BJP members in retaliation for Senthil Balaji’s arrest. This led to a wave of calls for uncivilized politics by the DMK supporters.

In this situation, Tamil Nadu BJP State Secretary SG Suryah was arrested on the intervening night of 16 and 17 June 2023. He has reportedly been arrested under non-bailable sections.

In a scathing letter addressed to Madurai MP Su Venkatesan, BJP Tamil Nadu State Secretary SG Suryah had alleged that a hygiene worker died due to allergies in the body after a Communist party ward member named Viswanathan forced him to clean the manhole.

SG Suryah was reportedly arrested for misattributing a manhole death in Cuddalore to Madurai in a tweet. While DMK and its supporters did not deny the incident, they justified the arrest by labeling the misattribution as fake news.

In another such arrest, AIADMK IT wing functionary Gowtham was arrested for sharing a video meme that humorously referenced MK Stalin’s video statement. Despite the lack of any derogatory content directed at the CM, DMK IT wing members claimed that the tweet was demeaning to him. The video meme circulated by an ADMK functionary playfully responded to Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin’s recent video statement cautioning the BJP government. Importantly, the video meme contained no derogatory content directed towards the CM. Instead, it cleverly incorporated snippets from various Tamil movie scenes, offering a humorous retort to each of MK Stalin’s statements.

The use of non-bailable sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in these arrests has raised eyebrows among political observers. Critics question whether such severe measures are necessary for social media posts and memes. IPC sections 420 (cheating and dishonesty), 469 (forgery), and 505(2) (statements conducing to public mischief) were registered against ADMK functionary Gowtham, causing concerns about the misuse of legal provisions.

BJP’s SG Suryah has been slapped with sections 153A (promoting enmity between different groups), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 505(1)(b), 505(1)(c) (statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 66(D) (punishment for cheating by personation by using computer resource) of the Information Technology (IT) Act.

The ongoing spate of arrests has fueled concerns about the state of democracy in Tamil Nadu. Opposition parties, particularly the BJP and ADMK, have criticized the DMK government for suppressing freedom of speech and resorting to heavy-handed tactics to silence dissent. They argue that the arrests are politically motivated and reflect a growing intolerance towards criticism.

Critics argue that the recent arrests of BJP State Secretary SG Suryah and ADMK IT wing functionary Gowtham were orchestrated to boost the morale of DMK supporters and show that Stalin is listening to their demands.

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DMK MP TR Baalu Confirms Senthilbalaji Peed In His Pants On Getting Arrested

By
The Commune
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DMK Liquor Minister V Senthilbalaji, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) on 14 June 2023, after conducting searches at his premises including his official residence on Greenways Road in Chennai and his office at the State Secretariat in connection with a money laundering case.

He was arrested for his involvement in a job recruitment scam during his tenure as the transport minister in the erstwhile Jayalalithaa government between 2011 and 2015.

After complaining of “experiencing chest pain”, he was taken to the Omandurar government hospital in Chennai for a medical examination early on Wednesday early morning.

He was seen crying while lying inside a car and kicking those who were trying to get him out of the car.

Many netizens pointed out wetness in his pants speculating that the DMK Minister urinated on getting arrested.

The speculations were confirmed by DMK MP TR Baalu who said that Senthilbalaji urinated in his pants when he got arrested.

“Senior Lawyer Elango after going inside and seeing him (Senthilbalaji) said that he is injured. We didn’t take it seriously then. After that Kannadasan goes, a member of State Human Rights Commission. He also says that he is injured. If you consider both of their statements, if you had seen on TV what had happened, he (Senthilbalaji) has passed urine in his pants. The urine stain is visible. If you watch it keenly, you can see the urine stain. There is urine stain in the pant, so we come to know that he has passed urine. When would he have urinated? It would’ve only happened when he was unconscious. So, that has happened.” DMK MP TR Baalu said at a protest meeting held in Coimbatore by “Secular Progressive Alliance” parties against Senthibalaji’s arrest.

He also went on to alleged that Senthilbalaji was subjected to extreme physical and mental harassment during the interrogation by ED officials.

TR Baalu stated that during the investigation, Senthilbalaji collapsed and fell to the ground. Upon lifting him, an ED officer negligently handled him, causing Balaji to fall once more and sustain an injury as his head made contact with the floor.

“When the authorities lifted him, an ED officer did so in a lethargic manner. Subsequently, Balaji fell once more, causing his head to make contact with the floor and resulting in an injury to himself.”, TR Baalu said.

He also questioned the need for conducting a raid at the prohibition and excise department’s office while the scam had happened when Senthilbalaji was Transport Minister in Jayalalithaa’s government.

 

“Stalin Turning TN Into A Lawless Jungle”: BJP TN Head Annamalai Condemns State Sec Suryah’s Arrest

By
The Commune
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Tamil Nadu BJP State Secretary SG Suryah was arrested on the intervening night of 16 and 17 June 2023 allegedly for a statement that he released against Communist MP Su Venkatesan.

In a scathing letter addressed to Madurai MP Su Venkatesan, BJP Tamil Nadu State Secretary SG Suryah had alleged that a hygiene worker died due to allergies in the body after a Communist party ward member named Viswanathan forced him to clean the manhole.

“The deceased is a scheduled caste brother! Where’s your red flag! Where is your fighting spirit? Where are your passionate words? If you are against the ruling BJP government, you will come forward immediately. Where have you gone now? Did you sneak out? Why doesn’t your red flag fly against your fellow comrades? Or won’t your red flag take to the streets and fight in support of the Scheduled Caste brothers? Your fake politics draped in red flag stinks worse than the manhole. Find a way to live as a human being, my friend.”, Suryah had written in the statement.

Suryah was arrested from his home at T. Nagar, Chennai in the presence of his ailing grandfather Ranganathan who is more than 98 years old.

Condemning the arrest SG Suryah, BJP Tamil Nadu President K. Annamalai lashed out at the MK Stalin-led DMK government saying that it was turning Tamil Nadu into a lawless state.

“His only mistake was to expose the nasty double standards of the communists, allies of DMK.”, Annamalai wrote in a tweet condemning Suryah’s arrest.

He further added “Using state machinery to curtail free speech & getting jittery for the slightest criticism is unbecoming of a democratically elected leader and, indeed, are signs of an autocratic leader in the making. Drawing inspiration from autocrats, TN CM Thiru MK Stalin is turning the state into a lawless jungle. These arrests will not deter“.

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TN BJP State Secretary SG Suryah Arrested

By
The Commune
-

In yet another crackdown of political opponents by the DMK government, Tamil Nadu BJP State Secretary SG Suryah was arrested on the intervening night of 16 and 17 June 2023. He has reportedly been arrested under non-bailable sections.

The reasons for the arrest are not yet clear.

However, sources close to SG Suryah say that he was arrested for giving a statement against Madurai Communist Party of India (Marxist) MP Su Venkatesan over the death of a hygiene worker who was allegedly forced to clean a faeces-filled drain by a Communist councillor.

In a scathing letter addressed to Madurai MP Su Venkatesan, BJP Tamil Nadu State Secretary SG Suryah had alleged that a hygiene worker died due to allergies in the body after a Communist party ward member named Viswanathan forced him to clean the manhole.

Suryah pointed out that Viswanathan’s alleged actions, accusing him of instructing a sanitation worker to enter a drain filled with feces, thereby endangering his health and well-being.

He further called out the hypocrisy of the MP saying, “The deceased is a scheduled caste brother! Where’s your red flag! Where is your fighting spirit? Where are your passionate words? If you are against the ruling BJP government, you will come forward immediately. Where have you gone now? Did you sneak out? Why doesn’t your red flag fly against your fellow comrades? Or won’t your red flag take to the streets and fight in support of the Scheduled Caste brothers? Your fake politics draped in red flag stinks worse than the manhole. Find a way to live as a human being, my friend.”

This is not the first time that the MK Stalin-led DMK government has cracked down on critics and political opponents.

Since assuming power, the DMK has been going after its critics and other individuals who criticize the party and its leaders on social media.

Other Instances Of DMK Arresting Critics

Very recently, a Twitter user named Saravanaprasad Balasubramanian was arrested for allegedly misattributing DMK to an illegal liquor-producing gang in Tiruppur.

The Tamil Nadu police arrested BJP supporter John Ravindranath alias John Ravi, after he tweeted taking jibes at DMK leaders MK Stalin and Karunanidhi.

BJP IT wing office-bearer Saravana Kumar from Dindigul was arrested for allegedly criticizing the DMK government

Popular Youtuber Maridhas was arrested on December 9, 2021 for a tweet that came in the light of the death of late Chief of Defence Staff Bipin Rawat.

An FIR was filed against Tamil magazine Vikatan, YouTuber Maridhas and political commentator ‘Savukku’ Shankar for speaking against G Square Realtors, a real estate company reportedly close to the DMK family.

Political commentator Kishore K Swamy was arrested on June 14, 2021, for allegedly ‘defaming’ DMK leaders MK Stalin, Karunanidhi and Annadurai. The arrest was made based on a complaint by a Kanchipuram DMK functionary.

Kishore K Swamy in his tweet had just quoted parts of a writing by Tamil poet Bharathidasan who had written about Annadurai saying that Annadurai took his niece to a wealthy man’s house to earn money.

Dakshinamurthy alias Seethaiyin Mainthan, a YouTuber and a Tamil nationalist ideologue was arrested on October 15, 2021 for releasing a documentary that exposed the lesser known and hidden facts about E.V. Ramasamy Naicker also known as ‘Periyar’ by his followers.

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Senthil Balaji Arrest: DMK Spokies Shout And Panic In TV Debates, D Stock Anchors Try To Buttress Stalin Govt

By
The Commune
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In an unfortunate turn of events, several DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) spokespersons participating in Tamil TV news debates have resorted to verbally abusing fellow panelists who expressed criticism against recently arrested DMK minister Senthil Balaji. Instead of providing arguments to support Senthil Balaji and the DMK, these spokespersons have engaged in personal attacks and disruptive behavior. Adding to the concern, some news anchors, who are expected to maintain decorum, have sided with the DMK spokespersons and prevented non-DMK panelists from expressing their viewpoints.

During a recent debate on News18 Tamil, moderated by Karthigaichelvan, advocate Tamil Mani was asked by Karthigaichelvan to explain why he believed Senthil Balaji was corrupt. Advocate Tamil Mani pointed out that it was Senthil Balaji himself who had admitted to receiving money for job placements in the Madras High Court. Instead of addressing the argument, Karthigaichelvan defended Senthil Balaji, stating that the case was still ongoing and it was premature to label him as corrupt.

In the midst of the debate, DMK spokesperson “Melting Point” Saravanan resorted to name-calling, referring to Tamil Mani as an “idiot.” In response, Advocate Tamil Mani remarked that it was only Stalin, the DMK leader, who was behaving like an idiot. An enraged Saravanan retorted, “Shut your mouth. Don’t speak too much. You do not have any standards?” Surprisingly, Karthigaichelvan, instead of controlling the DMK spokesperson who initiated the argument with the insult, attempted to silence Tamil Mani, stating that he would not allow unparliamentary language on air. However, it was Saravanan who had used such language by calling Tamil Mani an idiot. In an attempt portray himself as a neutral, Karthigaichelvan towards the end softly condemned the DMK man Saravanan as well.

A similar incident occurred during a debate on Sun News Tamil, a news channel owned by a DMK leader. DMK spokesperson Shahul Hameed, also known as ‘Manushiyaputran’, launched into a tirade against the AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) party, blaming former Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami for the deaths of security personnel at Kodanadu estate. It is important to note that the Kodanadu case had no relevance to the topic of discussion, which was Senthil Balaji’s arrest. Lacking arguments to defend their minister, the DMK spokesperson resorted to unrelated accusations. In this debate as well, the anchor Raja Tiruvenkadam, who had a clear affiliation with the DMK, failed to condemn the behavior of the DMK spokesperson.

In yet another incident, during a live debate on Puthiyathalaimurai, a DMK spokesperson and MLA named Ezhilarasan verbally abused ADMK leaders using derogatory terms such as “Yogiyavaan” (a derogatory term) and “person who is talking from one end of the mouth to another.” When the ADMK spokesperson Sasirekha interrupted DMK Ezhilarasan for using unparliamentary words, DMK MLA Ezhilarasan continued to hurl insults, resorting to foul language. He rudely exclaimed, “Shut your mouth. What ‘Vengayam’ (onion) are you speaking of? You cannot interrupt me during my time.” The anchor Tamilinian, who was responsible for maintaining order, chose to control the ADMK spokesperson instead of DMK Ezhilarasan, claiming that she was speaking during Ezhilarasan’s allocated time.

These incidents demonstrate the collusion between DMK supporters disguised as news anchors and DMK spokespersons, working together to silence critics during live debates on air.

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Fresh Complaint Filed By ADMK With ED And IT Dept Seeking Action On PTR’s Alleged Audio Implicating Stalin Family

By
The Commune
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The political landscape in Tamil Nadu witnessed another twist today as a fresh complaint was lodged by the AIADMK (All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) with the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Department. The complaint seeks action against former finance minister of Tamil Nadu, PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, based on an alleged audio clip released by the state president of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), K. Annamalai. In the audio, PTR Palanivel Thiyagaran purportedly claims that Udhayanithi Stalin, son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, and Sabareesan, his son-in-law, have accumulated an illegal fortune of over 30,000 crores since the DMK came to power.

The controversy surrounding this issue began on April 25 when Annamalai made public an audio recording, causing tremors within the ruling DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) party. The audio clip allegedly features PTR Palanivel Thiyagaran making startling revelations about the vast wealth amassed by Udhayanithi Stalin and Sabareesan, surpassing the lifetime earnings of their predecessors. PTR Palanivel Thiyagaran further accuses them of siphoning off significant portions of corrupt funds.

PTR Palanivel Thiyagaran is heard saying in the alleged audio, “The party which is the CM’s son and son-in-law, ask them to make the financing.. right? So I decided after watching this for 8 months.. This is not a sustainable model. The great luxury for me if I put my papers in.. In the short term, I get out before the shit starts blowing up in their face. I have the like.. kind of.. what do you say.. cleanliness of my conscience that I did not have to like it wasn’t I gave up the fight too early.. I don’t have to say it.. I’m no longer in the post.. it’s not my job.. somebody did it.”

Before this audio clip was released by BJP state president Annamalai, another audio clip surfaced on social media on April 19, 2023, allegedly featuring PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan. In that audio, he is believed to have accused members of MK Stalin’s family of amassing more wealth in a year than they had accumulated throughout their lifetimes. “Both Udhay and Sabari have realized they have made more money in one year than they [unclear] entire lives, and now it’s getting to be a problem, how to handle it, how to not get caught, how to get payments here.. [unclear] It’s all being made gradually? 10 to 20 crores.. assuming we will say 5000/30000 crores.. [unclear]. How can you [unclear] 5000/30000 crores without paying any [unclear],” the audio clip supposedly of PTR Palanivel Thiyagaran suggests. (There are conflicting reports on whether the amount mentioned is 5000 crores or 30000 crores.)

Both audio clips quickly went viral, resulting in the portfolio change of PTR Palanivel Thiyagaran. However, the DMK has refuted the reported reason and claimed that it was a routine portfolio reshuffle.

In light of the seriousness of the allegations, Advocate Babu Murugavel, representing the AIADMK, has filed a complaint with the Central government agencies seeking action in this matter. Dissatisfied with the lack of progress on his initial complaint, Murugavel has now lodged another complaint with the Income Tax Department and Enforcement Directorate to process his complaint.

In light of the arrest of DMK liquor minister Senthil Balaji by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in connection with a job racket case, the opposition party AIADMK seeks to increase its pressure on the ruling DMK by raising the PTR audio issue with both the ED and the income tax department.

(with inputs from Samayam Tamil)

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Jambutheevu Proclamation: When Marudhu Pandiar Brothers Declared Independence From British 56 Years Before The 1857 War Of Independence

By
The Commune
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Feature Image Credits: Tamil Nadu Now

16 June 1801. Two brothers who were ruling the region of Sivagangai, declared from the ramparts of the Trichy Srirangam Temple the Jambutheevu Declaration – that they would not bend their knee to the British. Periya Marudhu and Chinna Marudhu popularly called together as Marudhu Pandiyargal/Marudhu Brothers were one of the earliest to rebel against the British even before the 1857 War of Independence happened in the north. Their stories of valiance are however not known much beyond the borders of Tamil Nadu.

Early Life

Periya Marudhu and Chinna Marudhu were born to Mookiah Palaniappan Thevar and Ponnathal. Periya Marudhu was born in a small hamlet called Narikkudi near Aruppukkottai near Virudhunagar district. Chinna Marudhu, five years younger, was born in Ramnad in 1753.

Mookiah Palaniappan moved his family to Virudhunagar from Narikkudi. He served as a general in the army of Raja Muthuvaduganatha Thevar, the king of Sivaganga. The Marudhu brothers from a young age got trained in native martial arts at Surankottai, which traditionally served as a training centre for the Ramnad army.

During their time at the king’s palace, the teenage brothers got acquainted with warfare and artillery. There exists a legend that states that they earned the title of Pandiyar from the king after they had saved him from a tiger.

The Marudhu brothers were also very skilled in aerodynamics, and invented many variants of spears and Valari, a type of boomerang.

The Kattabomman Connect

The Marudhu Brothers were also in close association with Veerapandiya Kattabomman of Panchalankurichi. The palace of Sivagangai used to be the spot where Kattabomman and Marudhu Brothers frequently met to discuss about overthrowing the British.

After Kattabomman’s execution, the Marudhu Brothers gave asylum to Kattabomman’s brother Oomadurai. This became a thorn in the British’s heel and marched towards Sivaganga in 1801. However, Maruthu Pandiyars and their allies sent them running helter-skelter and captured three districts from the British. Thus, the British started viewing Maruthu Pandiyars as a serious threat to their future in the south. 

The Velu Nachiyar Connect

Shortly afterward, the British had claimed lordship over the Nawab of Arcot’s kingdom and had sent their officers to collect taxes. The refusal to yield kicked of another battle between the British and native rulers.  The British forces under Colonel Joseph Smitt and Captain Bonjour marched towards Kalayar Kovil, the seat of throne of Raja Muthuvaduganatha Thevar. Although the Kalayar Kovil temple was saved by the brothers, Raja Muthuvaduganatha Thevar died in the battle. Queen Velu Nachiyar along with her daughter Vellachi Nachiyar and her commandent Kuyili escaped and camped at Virupaatchi near Dindigul.

Gopala Nayak, the king of Virupakshipuram, took them in and they stayed under his protection for 7 years. It was here that the brothers trained Velu Nachiyar’s commandent Kuyili and the Udayal Padai (women’s army). Along with the queen and her allies, they took over Sivangangai again, with Periya Marudhu as the General in Command.

The Attack

Velunachiyar had formed an allegiance with Hyder Ali and Tipu Sultan and had been leading a strong fight against the British in the South. The British, meanwhile, had been infiltrating through the kingdoms in the South and had massacred and pillaged many kingdoms. One of them who had stood up to them was Veerapandiya Kattabomman, who had been hanged at Kayatharu.

It was then that Velu Nachiyar spotted a storehouse of British ammunition, and along with her firs-in-command, she planned a suicide attack to destroy it. She handed over the kingdom to her daughter Princess Vellachi to take over, and made the Marudhu brothers her primary advisors.

Jailbreak And Subsequent Captures

In 1799, a jailbreak in Coimbatore orchestrated by the brothers and their Southern allies failed, with many of their people being captured and executed.  Their spirit was still strong, and after taking in Kattabomman’s brother Oomadurai, they led the fight of the rebels by employing guerrilla tactics in the deep jungles of Thiruverkadu.

After a bloody battle that lasted for several weeks, they were wounded and captured by the British army, without food or water at Cholapuram, on October 19, 1801.

They were hanged after four days, at the Thiruputhur fort in Sivagangai. Chinna Marudhu was hanged in a cage made specifically for the purpose by Major Agnew. All of their clan was annihilated, except for Periya Marudhu’s son Doraisamy who was banished to Malaysia. A total of 500 people, including close associates of Maruthupandiyar, were hanged. The bodies of the dead were dismembered and were strewn on the streets of Thiruputhur by the British. The heads of Marudhu Brothers were pierced on spears and put in public display to instill fear. 

Later, the bodies of Marudhu Brothers were buried opposite the Kalayar Kovil as per their wishes.

Where Are Marudhu Brothers Now?

A temple cum memorial has been built at the place of their burial. Their memories and folklores have been carried forward by the Thevar community. A guru pooja is held every year in October to commemorate the supreme sacrifice they made to the motherland.

A commemorative postage stamp was released in October 2004.

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Allegations Of Organ Trafficking Implicate Doctors At Lakeshore Hospital Run By Lulu Group’s Son-In-Law Shamsheer Vayalil

By
The Commune
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Allegations have emerged regarding Lakeshore Hospital and Research Centre Pvt Ltd in Kerala, implicating eight doctors associated with the institution. The case has garnered attention due to the fact that the hospital is run by Shamsheer Vayalil, son-in-law of M.A Yusuff Ali, the chairman and managing director of Lulu Group International, that opened a Lulu Hypermarket outlet in Coimbatore on 14 June 2023.

https://twitter.com/MahaRathii/status/1669207386093920257

The court found merit in the complaint filed against the doctors under the Transplantation of Human Organs Act. The case revolves around a victim who was admitted to Mar Baselios Hospital following a motorcycle accident. The victim was subsequently transferred to Lakeshore Hospital, where he was declared brain dead, leading to the removal of vital organs for transplantation.

The victim, Abin V J, involved in a motorcycle accident on November 29, 2009, sustained head injuries and was pronounced brain dead on December 1. His organs, including his liver, were later extracted and transplanted into a foreign national (Malaysian). The case highlights the potential existence of organ trafficking, as preparations to harvest Abin’s organs began from the moment he was transferred from Mar Baselios Hospital to Lakeshore Hospital. The Malaysian Embassy Certificate indicated the recipient’s wife as the donor, raising suspicions about the actual source of the liver.

During organ harvesting, the thoracic chamber was opened, and the heart was found mutilated. Medical experts have highlighted additional lapses in Abin’s treatment, with no significant brain injuries exhibited. Experts argue that his death could have been prevented through hematoma evacuation, emphasizing that his demise resulted from the failure to remove the blood clot.

The complainant, a doctor from Kollam, raised concerns about the violation of existing laws and the alleged misrepresentation of parental consent in obtaining the organs. Additionally, the complainant highlighted procedural irregularities during the declaration of brain death, such as the omission of an essential apnea test and the failure to evacuate blood from the cranial cavity.
Based on these concerns, the court deemed the allegations substantial and summoned all the accused individuals, who are expected to respond to the charges.

The court’s decision to issue summons indicates the seriousness of the allegations and the necessity of a thorough investigation to ensure justice prevails. As the legal proceedings unfold, it is crucial to maintain the integrity of the facts and seek truth and accountability in this distressing case.

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Annamalai Exposes How P Chidambaram Imposed Hindi During Congress-DMK UPA Era

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The Commune
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In a fiery speech at a rally in Sivaganga, Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai, exposed damning evidence of Hindi imposition by the DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and Congress alliance in 2011.

Recalling the tumultuous period from 2004 to 2014 when the DMK and Congress ruled the state and the center respectively, Annamalai pointed out the questionable tactics employed by the alliance. One of the key figures he exposed was P. Chidambaram, the influential politician from Sivaganga district and the then Finance Minister of the country. Known for his frequent encounters with the law, Chidambaram’s involvement in the controversial Hindi imposition policy will definitely raise eyebrows.

Annamalai referred to a significant moment in 2011 during the DMK’s tenure in Tamil Nadu  when Chidambaram presented a comprehensive report in Parliament. It was a pivotal occasion, witnessed by DMK MPs who held influential positions in the state. This report, comprising 117 suggestions, contained a series of directives aimed at promoting the Hindi language forcefully.

The most striking proposal was the imposition of mandatory Hindi education until the 10th standard. This move, if implemented, would have compelled students across the state to learn Hindi, regardless of their linguistic background. Another alarming recommendation was the introduction of a Hindi medium examination system for students from non-Hindi speaking states who wished to pursue higher education. This policy can be seen as a blatant attempt to undermine linguistic diversity and impose Hindi dominance.

Furthermore, the report recommended that a minimum knowledge of the Hindi language should be made compulsory in all government departments. This move was perceived as an unwarranted intrusion into the functioning of regional administrative bodies, eroding the autonomy of non-Hindi speaking states.

To exacerbate matters, Chidambaram proposed measures that emphasised the prominence of Hindi in various aspects of public life. He suggested that Hindi should be predominantly used in Air India flight tickets, diluting the cultural diversity that the airline aimed to represent. Additionally, the report called for a significant portion, 50% to be precise, of central government advertisements to be reserved exclusively for Hindi advertisements. This would have marginalized other regional languages and stifled the linguistic and cultural richness of the country.

Perhaps the most controversial suggestion in the report was the insistence that products made in India bear Hindi names.

Annamalai’s revelations have are set to reignite the debate on Hindi imposition and raise questions about the intentions and actions of the DMK and Congress alliance. While the report submitted by Chidambaram indicated a concerted effort to impose Hindi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s subsequent government has to be credited with reversing this imposition, offering a ray of hope to those who strive to preserve India’s linguistic diversity.

Annamalai said, “PM Modi is the one who removed Hindi imposition”.

It is essential to remember the hypocrisy of DMK on their stance on Hindi which went from ‘Hindi Theriyathu Poda’ To ‘Hindi Padam Paaru Da’

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