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Dravidian Model: DMK Min Ponmudi Normalizes Students Unleashing Violence On Teachers

By
The Commune
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dmk ponmudi party post

In yet another contentious speech, DMK minister Ponmudi has spoken in support of students unleashing violence against teachers.

On Wednesday (May 31), a video of DMK minister Ponmudi went viral on social media, in which the minister is seen justifying and normalizing students’ violence against teachers.

Counseling for admission to Tamil Nadu’s Government Arts Colleges began on May 30th. In this regard, Minister of Higher Education Ponmudi paid a visit to Queen Mary College’s counseling centers in Chennai yesterday. In this regard, a video of a DMK minister speaking in front of teachers has gone viral on social media.

In the video, the DMK minister Ponmudi said, “Teachers are responsible for improving the standard of education. We may talk about education on stage, but it is the teachers who actually meet and teach the students. Once upon a time, teachers used to take a stick (rattan) and beat the students. Now, the time has changed when students take the stick and beat the teachers. It’s a new era. Therefore, teachers have to adjust to this and teach their students.”

This is not the first time that Ponmudi has spoken like this in public. On March 16, DMK minister Ponmudi, in a public meeting, yelled at a woman to ‘shut up’ when she came to him to express her grievances. Earlier, at a function in Villupuram, Ponmudi said to the women who had expressed their grievances, “As if you people of this village voted for me! Coming and questioning me! Sit down!” In another instance, Ponmudi also insulted women who were using the free bus service by referring to them as “OC Bus” users.

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Pa Ranjith: A Sane Voice Of Dalits Or A Slave Of Arivalayam?

By
The Commune
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On 28 May 2023, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new Parliament building and installed the historic Sengol, while Tamil Hindu Aadhenams sang Thevaaram songs inside the parliament.

This is the same Sengol which was presented to India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru by the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam moments before Independence as a mark of transfer of power from British to Indians.

History repeated itself again as special poojas were performed by priests and Aadheenams and an all faith prayer was also held before the Sengol was installed near the Speaker’s chair.

PM Modi, before receiving the Sengol from Aadhenams, prostrated before it as a mark of respect reflecting the Indian culture and tradition.

However, this celebration of India’s civilizational ethos on such a momentous occasion has caused uneasiness amongst the usual suspects comprising of leftist and Dravidian Stockists.

While the DMK voted against Draupadi Murmu in the Presidential elections, the party and its outer onion layers have shed crocodile tears saying that the Modi government has insulted the President by not inviting her for the new parliament inauguration.

Film director Pa Ranjith too strongly condemned the Modi government for not inviting President Draupadi Murmu for inauguration of the new Parliament building.

In his tweet, director Pa Ranjith said, “Mockery of Democracy. New Delhi: In modern, developed and glorious India the BJP promises to establish in the 75th year of Indian Independence – #AzadiKiAmritMahostav, the first Adivasi president of India- Honourable Madam Draupadi Murmu, not invited to grand inauguration of #CentralVista – the #NewParliament, to be held on 28th May.”

Ranjith attempted to draw a parallel between the exclusion of President Draupadi Marmu from the event and an incident in Tamil Nadu in which Dalits were denied entry into a temple by a caste Hindus, claiming that both the first citizen and the common people are oppressed in the country.

Ranjith said, “Villupuram, Tamil Nadu: Caste-Hindu groups protest against the entry of Dalits into Temple of Hindu Deity – Draupadi; alongside rampantly increasing caste atrocities in Tamil Nadu and across India. The plight of the nations first citizen and its common people remains same the caste-ridden Indian society, irrespective of the political parties; for all of them uphold the Hindu social order through rites, rituals and customs.”

He further added, “Several parties and governments have come and gone, irrespective of their ideologies and promises, all of them have strived to protect ritual purity, and continue to give rise to new forms of #untouchability, #castediscrimination and ill-practices in the name of caste, instead of eradicating the existing forms. Strong condemnations against the BJP for its continued unconstitutional and undemocratic actions and governance.”

However, Pa Ranjith’s track record of speaking up for the oppressed in society must be questioned because he refuses to comment on issues where the ruling DMK government is in a disadvantageous position. Several times in the past, after the DMK government took power in the state, he tried to be as soft as possible in his condemnation of the ruling DMK or preferred to remain silent.

His criticism of the BJP government for not inviting President Draupadi Marmu comes at a time when there have been a record number of manhole deaths in the case in a month in Tamil Nadu. However, Pa Ranjith has never spoken out about the manhole death in the state or criticised the DMK government, which is to blame. Tamil Nadu recorded eight manhole deaths in May 2023, with one at Ranipettai, three at Cuddalore, and two each at Puzhal and Meenchur. It should be noted that all of these places have long been considered DMK strongholds.

Though eight people died while entering manholes in the last month, the issue did not make headlines in Tamil Nadu, and the self-proclaimed Ambedkarist Pa Ranjith did not open his mouth because the DMK is in power.

After receiving criticism for his silence, Pa Ranjith spoke out about the manhole death in the state, but he avoided naming DMK in his tweet. Pa Ranjith, who has previously criticised Modi and the BJP by naming them, has chosen not to name the DMK in his tweet.

In his tweet, Pa Ranjith said, “Continuing Manhole deaths! We have sacrificed nine lives in Tamil Nadu in the last three weeks alone! We strongly condemn the Tamil Nadu people and government for continuing to perpetrate this terrible social calamity!!! Let us not consider manhole death to be a problem of a specific community, but rather a problem of the entire human society. We should make laws more stringent, increase public awareness, and attempt to prevent it immediately! Tamil Nadu’s government must immediately put an end to manhole deaths.”

It should be noted that no state in India has recorded 8 manhole deaths in a month. According to data from the National Commission for Safai Karamcharis (NCSK), Tamil Nadu has had 218 deaths in the last 29 years, far more than second Gujarat, which has had 153 deaths in the same time period.

Here is the number of sewer deaths in each state as per National Commission for Safai Karamcharis data (from 1993 to 28.02.2022):

Tamil Nadu – 218

Delhi – 97
Maharashtra – 39
Rajasthan – 38
Haryana – 84
Andhra Pradesh – 22
Punjab – 43
West Bengal – 23
Goa – 6
Uttarakhand – 8
Madhya Pradesh – 16
Telangana – 17
Gujarat 153
Uttar Pradesh – 107
Bihar – 2
Odisha – 2
Puducherry – 9
Karnataka – 86
Kerala – 13
Chandigarh – 3
Tripura – 2
Chhattisgarh – 1
Total – 989

According to a guidelines issued by the Union Government, state governments should form a committee of 14 official members and 11 non-official members to meet at least four times a year to discuss issues affecting sanitary workers. The committee will present its findings to the respective state Chief Ministers. However, the Tamil Nadu government’s committee has not convened this meeting even once in the last two years.

A few days ago, the DMK government appointed new member to this committee. However, there have been allegations that the members appointed by the DMK government are party members and that the union government’s recommendation to appoint those with experience in this field was ignored.

The committee has recently recommended that the state’s sanitation work be outsourced. The DMK government’s decision will have an impact on the poor, particularly those from the scheduled castes who rely on this job.

Though the Manual Scavenging Act 2013 requires vigilance agencies to be present at meetings convened by the state to discuss manual scavenging-related issues, it was alleged that the meeting convened by the DMK government a few days ago did not have a vigilance agency.

It is worth noting that almost all major Indian states have a commission for manual scavengers at the state level, whereas Tamil Nadu has only a toothless welfare board for manual scavengers.

The lack of these facilities in the state for the welfare of manual scavengers has resulted in an increase in manhole deaths. Self-proclaimed activists like Pa Ranjith, who should have been speaking out about the problems faced by manual scavengers, chose to remain silent but were very vocal during the inauguration of the new parliament building, which occurred at the same time.

Another recent incident exposes the hypocrite that Pa Ranjith is.

India’s Olympic medallist wrestlers Sakshi Malik, Bajrang Punia along with Vinesh Phogat and Sangeeta Phogat have been protesting against the Wrestler Federation of India chief Brij Bhushan Singh, who is also a BJP MP, demanding his arrest since April 23 over charges of sexual harassment.

Following a month long protest, they tried to march towards the new Parliament building from their protest site on the day of the inauguration when they were stopped and detained by Delhi Police personnel.

Pa Ranjith who is often hailed for bringing out feminist views in the films had voiced against the detaining of the protestors.

However, he has not called for action against lyricist Vairamuthu, who is close to the DMK and has been accused of sexual harassment by 19 women.

The director has remained zipped about the hooch tragedy in Tamil Nadu that caused 23 deaths, in which the perpetrators have direct links to the DMK.

While the media has hyped him up as an ‘intellectual’ and a voice of the oppressed, the man seems to be nothing more than a stooge of the DMK who barks after getting his crumbs from Arivalayam.

(Kaathavaraayan is a political writer and columnist.)

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Hindu Munnani Condemns TN Speaker For Demeaning President And Hindu Religion

By
The Commune
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The Hindu Munnani Chief, Kadeswara Subramaniam, stated that Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker M. Appavu should be removed from his position. In his statement, he said, “Speaker Appavu continues to speak, demeaning Hindu religious beliefs. The Hindu Munnani strongly condemns his statement that President Droupadi Murmu was not invited because the Parliament building would be sanctified with ganga water if she attended. The Speaker’s statement is an insult to the oath of office he took.”

“Does the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister accept the Speaker’s statement in an uncivilized manner that incites religious hatred? He should clarify this.”

Subramaniam also educated Appavu about the Nayanmars, the Tamil Shaivite saints, stating, “Appavu, who criticizes Hinduism, not only shows ignorance but also exhibits malicious intent. All 63 Nayanmars (saints) associated with temples and the entire community are aware that Guru Puja (worship) is performed every year.”

He also questioned Appavu for not addressing the issues within his own religion, saying, “At the same time, caste hatred and apartheid still prevail in the Christian religion to which Appavu belongs. If he has the courage to talk about this in public, let him do so. Did he know that even in graves, there is caste discrimination, and priests speak in an inhumane manner? Families of the deceased are refused burial because they did not contribute to the church tithe. The saying ‘people in glass houses shouldn’t throw stones’ applies to Appavu.”

“He takes pleasure in mocking the Hindu faith and presenting his distorted understanding of religious understanding. However, even without the presence of Christians, Tamil people would have maintained their cultural identity. By demeaning the Supreme leader of this great nation, who holds a high position in the Indian government, and insulting Sanatana Hindu Dharma and our country’s leader, he commits a constitutional offense. The Hindu Munnani strongly condemns Speaker Appavu’s indecent speech,” said Kadeswara Subramaniam.

“The Hindu Munnani urges the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and the Governor of Tamil Nadu to take necessary action and remove him from his position, considering the sentiments of the Hindu community,” stated the Hindu Munnani.

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Ulagam Suttrum Valiban: The Non-Political Film Of MGR That Propelled His Political Career

By
K Balakumar
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This article was originally published in Swarajya and has been republished here with permission.

Trivia question: Which is the only Indian movie that has, before the title credits, a few-seconds long clip of British mathematician, philosopher, and intellectual Betrand Russell while a voice over talks of his views on modern science?

The unlikely answer is M G Ramachandran’s (MGR) Tamil film Ulagam Sutrum Valiban (USV), which released 50 years ago in May 1973.

The film starts off with the fear over the wrong usage of science triggering the Third World War, about which Russell had opined a lot.

Also, according to MGR’s assistant Ravindar the former had developed a liking for Russell, so much so that when he became the chief minister in 1977, he wanted the intellectual’s 1938 book Power: A New Social Analysis to be translated into Tamil.

But USV, one of the three films directed by MGR — Nadodi Mannan and his last movie Madhuraiyai Meetta Sundharapandiyan being the other two — will be remembered mostly for being politically very important in the career of MGR, even though the film as such had no local political content in it.

To understand Ulagam Sutrum Valiban (world trotting young man) is to verily comprehend the politics of that time in Tamil Nadu, which was no less nasty and acrimonious than it is now. USV was made and released when MGR’s political life was at a crossroads of sorts.

The film had plenty of riding on it, as MGR had a point to prove to —

1) M Karunanidhi and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) that wanted to stall the film at all cost.

2) Jayalalithaa, who had prior to the film had mentioned, with typical cheek and braggadocio, that he owed his popularity to her.

It was in October 1972 that MGR, who had been chucked out of the DMK in 1970 after he had fallen out with Karunanidhi, launched the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) amidst questions whether he can translate his film popularity into winning political career all on his own.

Though Idhaya Veenai released exactly three days after the birth of the AIADMK, it was USV that is seen as his first film after he decided to go alone in politics.

Cinema-wise too, a lot was riding on USV as it was filmed extensively in locations like Hong Kong, Singapore, Japan and Thailand. MGR was making a comeback as a director a good 15 years after Nadodi Mannan.

DMK’s Dirty Tricks

USV was announced in 1970 but as MGR was getting busy as a political leader the film was delayed. As he was trying to sail in two boats simultaneously, there were many doubts whether he can be successful in both. The DMK and Karunanidhi tried to attack him on both the planks.

On the political platforms, the DMK men called, in pejorative tone, the AIDADMK as nadigarin katchi (actor’s party).

The large irony that the same actor and the film power was the one piloting the DMK till then was as usual lost on the stage-speakers of the Dravidian party.

It was said that Karunanidhi himself wanted to get USV stalled on its tracks — and it was not just for political reasons.

It was in that period that the DMK leader was firmly pushing for his son Mu Ka Muthu as hero in films. And he was marketed as ‘poor man’s MGR’. It was an open news that Karunanidhi’s plans for Muthu was among the reasons for MGR being ousted from the DMK.

As USV was taking time to get completed, rumours were spread that the film would never make it to the theatres. The misgivings also spread to the followers of the fledgling AIADMK and whenever MGR attended a political rally, the party workers would shout: “when will USV release?”

But MGR was never unsure. Even if it took time, he wanted to ensure that the film was good on its own. He was generous in spending on the film as a producer.

The movie, which was lavishly mounted and shot abroad (including at the Osaka Expo ’70), also had three Indian heroines. There was no Jayalalithaa in it. Instead, there was Manjula, and Latha, making her debut — both younger to Jayalalithaa by five years.

Talking of age, the fact MGR was around 55 years when the film was being made came in handy for the DMK to attack him. They said that the film was not Ulagam Sutrum Valiban but Ulagam Sutrum Kizhavan (world trotting oldie).

They also taunted by saying that the 50+ old man was playing hero to women who were not even out of their teens (both Latha and Manjula were 19).

Evidently, MGR did not heed the criticism. If anything, USV had two other ladies in important roles —the dancer Chandrakala and the Thailand actress Metta Roongrat.  In all, USV had five duet songs for MGR and plenty of fights that were a de rigueur in his movies.

Meanwhile, not just content with spreading canards, the DMK’s dirty tricks department actually got down to halt its release. It arm-twisted many of the theatre owners from accepting the film for release.

It was said that even the printing of the film at the local labs was prevented and MGR had it secretly processed at a Mumbai lab. The film’s release date was also kept hidden for long, and only in the week prior, it was let known.

Again, the DMK cadre threatened to attack the cinema halls. The then DMK Mayor of Madurai, Muthu (he was known as Madurai Muthu) openly claimed that if USV was indeed released he will start wearing saris.

On the release day, in Muthu’s Madurai, there was plenty of tumult. The screen at the Madurai Chinthamani theatre, where USV was to release, was set on fire.

But AIADMK men and MGR fans quickly managed to find another cinema hall — Madurai Meenakshi, to be precise — and USV arrived much to the delight of huge crowds. The queues in the front of the theatre, old-timers recall, ran till the next two streets.

The film quickly became a raging hit but there was also some disappointment that the film, which was about a scientist and his brother (MGR in dual roles) had nothing political in it.

The film does start with showing the AIADMK flag fluttering — first ever movie to show the flag of MGR’s party.

But beyond the title song Vetriyai Naalai Sarithiram Sollum — intriguingly written by one Pulavar Vedha about whom little was known before and little else known after — the political messaging was largely absent.

USV’s Success And Its Aftermath

But outside the theatres, politics quickly picked up from the film.  An unheralded AIADMK functionary S Periyasamy set the ball rolling by dispatching a sari to Madurai Muthu. Following this, the AIADMK cadre besieged his house with packets of saris.

A beleaguered Muthu, who couldn’t keep up his word, went into hiding. (That such a vehement and vitriolic critic later came back to MGR and also became the AIADMK’s Madurai Mayor later is a different story altogether).

Periyasamy, for his faithful efforts, was given the party ticket to contest the general elections in 1977, and he duly won from Periyakulam against the DMK candidate Palanivel Rajan (the father of Palanivel Thiaga Rajan who has been shunted to the IT Ministry from the Finance Ministry recently).

The success of USV also gave confidence to MGR to continue as an actor even while being a full-fledged politician. USV also established Latha as the leading screen lady of MGR. She would end up as MGR’s heroines in a total of 11 movies — one more than Jayalalithaa’s 10.

Talking of Jayalalithaa, she did try to patch up with MGR. It is said that she visited the shooting of USV in Japan (September 1970) for reasons that can only be guessed. But that visit might have helped her to stay in MGR’s reckoning at least politically later.

As is well known, there was to be a sequel to USV — they even mention it in the end-cards. It was to be christened Kizhakku Africavil Raju, but it never got made.

After USV, MGR acted in 15 more films. Though many of them were successful, none reached the heights of USV, which remains a milestone in his career — for sustaining his film legacy as well as providing his solo political career a much-needed boost in its infancy.

K Balakumar is the former editor of News Today and is currently a freelance writer writing on Tamil Nadu, sports, and films. He tweets at @kbalakumar.

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Annamalai Schools Karthigaichelvan For Politicising CSK IPL Win

By
The Commune
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Tamil Nadu BJP President Annamalai schooled News18 Tamil Nadu editor Karthigaichelvan for attempting to politicise the Chennai Super Kings’ win over Gujarat Titans as a victory of Tamils led by DMK over Gujaratis led by Modi, a narrative used by DMK and its allies following CSK’s win.

CSK led by captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the match against Gujarat Titans by five wickets after Ravindra Jadeja hit a last-ball four to successfully chase down the revised target of 171 in a rain affected match.

While the CSK’s victory was celebrated even by the opponents due to their admiration for Dhoni, the DMK and its IT wing members used the occasion to politicize the sport and call it a victory of the Dravida Model (CSK) over the Gujarat Model (Gujarat Titans). They attempted to portray CSK’s victory as a victory of South over North and DMK over Modi. Some insane DMK supporters attributed the CSK’s victory to Udhayanithi Stalin, the newly appointed Tamil Nadu Sports Minister.

However, CSK fans, celebrities such as Kasthuri Shankar, and the general public trolled the DMK for politicising a sport and urged them to keep their petty politics out of cricket. Cricket fans were united despite the DMK’s vicious campaigning. They claimed that a Tamilian Sudharshan contributed for Gujarat Titans and a Gujarati Ravindra Jadeja contributed for the CSK, and that the DMK should keep politics out of the CSK’s victory.

Attempting to play the North vs South and Tamil vs Gujarati narrative, News18 Tamil editor Karthigan Selvan, on the lines of the DMK, asked Tamil Nadu BJP president for his opinion on the statements of DMK leaders like TRB Raja viewing CSK’s victory through a political lens as a Tamils victory over Gujaratis.

In his respone, Tamil Nadu BJP president Annamalai said, “I wanted to respond to everyone (who politicized CSK’s victory) through your channel. The player who hit the winning runs for CSK is a BJP Karyakartha. Jadeja is a BJP Karyakartha, and his wife is a BJP MLA. Jadeja is from Gujarat. As a Tamilian, I am very proud of this. There were more Tamil people in GT than in CSK and I will celebrate that as well. The player who scored 96 runs for Gujarat is a Tamilian. We have to celebrate that too. Not one Tamilian played for CSK, still we support CSK for MS Dhoni. I am proud that the BJP’s Karyakartha scored the winning runs. The same will be repeated in 2024. TRB Raja and his followers in social media should understand this.”

Karthigai Selvan, who brought politics into cricket by quoting DMK’s TRB Raja’s comment on CSK’s victory, questioned Annamalai about his politicising of cricket and cricketers. He asked, “They said that the entire IPL is politicised. Are we now in a position to politicise players? That is a separate debate. However, I say this because you politicised Ravindra Jadeja.”

In response to Karthigai Selvan’s allegation, BJP President Annamalai stated, “I gave a political reply because you asked a political question. Only you pushed me to say that Jadeja is a BJP Karyakartha as you politicized cricket with your question.”

After being caught on air, Karthigai Selvan attempted to divert by claiming that he was talking about politics in cricket in general. This video is now widely shared in the internet.

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Loyola College Cash-For-Admission Scandal: Former Staff Turns Whistleblower With Shocking Evidence

By
The Commune
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In 2003, the Supreme Court of India took a decisive step by banning a widespread practice that had become deeply ingrained in private colleges across the country. This practice involved the collection of exorbitant capitation fees from students, creating a well-oiled system that capitalized on their aspirations for education.

However, despite the landmark ruling by the Supreme Court, it appears that little has changed in the two decades that followed. Recently, an explosive interview on the Pesu Thamizha Pesu YouTube channel shed light on a shocking admission scandal. Mr. Lawrence D Cruz, a former staff of Loyola College in Chennai, came forward as a whistleblower, revealing an alleged nexus between certain members of the Loyola Alumni Association and the college management.

On April 20th, 2023 the management of Loyola College posted on their Facebook page a legal note.

The legal note clearly says “Your application will be summarily rejected, if we find any involvement of 3rd Party for admission with Money and donation.”

Contrary to the public perception, the management of Loyola College has allegedly been involved in the collection of lakhs of rupees from students, with Mr. Balamurugan, the Secretary of the Loyola Alumni Association, reportedly operating as a full time admission broker.

In a no-holds barred explosive interview Mr. Lawrence details the entire admission process and even shares a conversation audio clip allegedly between him and another alumnus Mr. Maijo Joseph.

He also raised concerns about the apparent silence of the Alumni Association leadership, including Mr. Dr. G. Vishwanathan, Mr. M.A. Jacob, Mr. George Cherian, and Mr. Xavier Britto, regarding the various scams and scandals that have been reported within the association throughout the years. He questioned their lack of response and expressed utter disgust with their apparent inaction.

Allegations of irregularities in the admission process at Loyola College and the involvement of Mr. Balamurugan as an admission broker have been raised by multiple alumni and members of the teaching and non-teaching staff over the years, with no reported action taken against him or his associates by the management. The Commune has obtained a copy of an email dated March 3rd, 2022, sent by Mr. Lawrence to several individuals associated with the institution, in which he extensively exposes the alleged criminal activities of Mr. Balamurugan.

In the email he appeals to the management of Loyola College, Chennai to stop harassing him mentally, as he is suffering from suicidal tendencies. He also reiterated that he would not hesitate to hand over this note to the media as he strongly felt his life is in danger.

It is also pertinant to note that Rev. Fr. Albert Muthumalai, S.J., who served as Principal of Loyola College, Chennai, for two consecutive terms from 2004 to 2010, claimed in his book “IRAI SIRAGUGALIL KANINTHA SILUVAIGAL,” which he wrote and published, that many individuals profited from admission to such an extent that they were able to construct their own houses.

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US Caste Gate: How The California Govt Is Institutionalizing Hindumisia In USA

By
Anand Krishna
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A law aimed at expressly prohibiting caste discrimination in California was overwhelmingly approved by the state’s Senate Judiciary Committee, despite heavy opposition from Indian-American individuals, business, and religious organisations.

The measure, presented by State Senator Aisha Wahab, proposes to alter the Unruh Civil Rights Act’s anti-discrimination policy by including caste as a protected group.

It is not the first-time anti-caste legislation is being passed in the US. On February, 2023 Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant, a member of the Trotskyist Socialist Alternative political party, succeeded in passing a bill adding the category of ‘caste’ to the city’s non-discrimination statute.

Now, the California Civil Rights Department (CRD) has started racial/ethnic profiling Indians by giving legal sanction to xenophobia against Hindus.

This is an especially disturbing trend aimed at dividing Hindu community in the west. While Hindus are uniting in India, in abroad anti-Hindu forces are sowing discord among NRI community by raising false narrative about divisionary practices. 

Let us look at the absurdity of these events, and why the seemingly legal racial profiling in the name of ‘anti-caste’ will not stand the test of natural rights.

Hindumisia In California

In the last 2 years, there were over 53000 mentions of caste in American media which are being quoted to lobby for anti-caste discrimination policy.

These are based on the Cisco Caste Case, which incorporates a 2016 survey claiming rampant caste discrimination in the United States by Equality Labs (an openly Hinduphobic activist organization).

In June 2020, the CRD filed a lawsuit under existing race, ancestral anti-discrimination laws on behalf of “John Doe”(CISCO case) who called himself a Dalit, and alleged caste discrimination under his “Brahmin” bosses.

While this case is sub-judice, it is serving as a great narrative builder in media, in introducing caste-based policy in academic institutions like Harvard, Cal State, University of Minnesota, etc.

Activists present allegations as facts to malign an entire community of Hindu Americans as casteist, discriminatory, and a vile and violent ethnic group that threatens “Dalits.” (Details of the case and discrimatory practices of CRD against Hindu Americans can be accessed here: https://castegate.org/).

In CISCO case, the CRD identifies caste as a vital aspect of Hinduism and alleges caste discrimination on behalf of John Doe (a pseudonym), whom they identify as a Dalit Indian.

The CRD claims that revealing Doe’s true name would cause him bodily harm, and that his two managers, Mr. Iyer, and Mr. Kompella, whom the CRD forced-identified as high caste Savarnas or Brahmins, were wilfully discriminatory, retaliated against Doe, harassed Doe, gave Doe low pay, and hampered Doe’s advancement in the organisation.

In January 2021, the Hindu American Foundation sought injunctive relief under the 1st and 14th Amendments, as well as California’s Unruh Civil Rights Act, to prevent the state’s overreach and infringement of Hindu American rights (since the CRD classified caste as an integral feature of Hinduism).

The HAF reaffirmed that caste is already protected under existing categories such as race, ancestry, and others. HAF remained neutral, taking no legal position on the facts of the case. Cisco’s preliminary legal defence includes a Motion to Strike the CRD’s use of unscientific surveys from Equality Labs, as well as the removal of various xenophobic and racially offensive comments directed against Hindu and Indian Americans. Judge Drew Takaichi refused the CRD’s request to introduce 23+ irrelevant and xenophobic documents as evidence.

The venom spewing Thenmozhi Soundararajan and Equity labs also has huge part in these events. Harking back to the horror of days of EVR, when venom was spewed on Hindus in Nazi style, Mrs. Soundararajan now imports this toxic EVR politics into dividing the Hindu community abroad.

The anti-Hindu hate in the west fuelled by despicable activists is a threat that needs to be checked for the harmony of Hindu community. Read about SB 403 legislation here. 

As the case is under sub judice, the article will stay clear of the judging issues but will focus on the atrocious propaganda and human rights violations committed by CRD against Hindu brethren. 

CRD’s Attack On Hindu Community

CRD seemingly colluding with Equity Labs and other hatred spewing lobbies have imported flawed concepts in to the ongoing CISCO case.

The CRD violates the establishment clause (which prevents the government from interpreting religion) of the first amendment in multiple unique ways and in several instances by interpreting the Hindu religion in State Court.

The CRD interprets Hinduism by defining caste as “a strict Hindu social and religious hierarchy.”

The CRD further ascribes a caste hierarchy and denigrates Hinduism by defining Dalit as the “most disadvantaged people under India’s centuries-old caste system”.

The CRD’s Freedom of Religion and Belief violations as shown below were deliberate and intentional.

The CRD assumes a Hindu religious identity for an openly irreligious Mr. Iyer.

The CRD perpetuates the caste-by-birth social hierarchy.

The CRD presumes a Brahmin caste by virtue of birth on Mr. Iyer, an irreligious American citizen who has actively opposed and never undergone any rite of passage caste marker (‘symbolic sacred thread’).

This hypocrisy is the very antithesis of what a Civil Rights Department should stand for.

The CRD assumes a Hindu religious identity for Mr. Kompella, by assigning him a Hindu religious caste.

This despite their own admission that they did not even bother to verify his religion or caste as this assignment was made ‘upon information and belief‘.

The CRD conspicuously colludes with an openly Hinduphobic activist organization called Equality Labs whose venom spewing founder repeatedly states “Nazis aren’t Germans in F*king Europe, they’re actually upper-caste Indians”, inciting hate against her ideological opponents.

The CRD uses their data from their unscientific surveys, and in court documents, court declarations, and press releases.

The CRD racially insults all Dalit Americans by indirectly assuming that tens of thousands of them are incapable of filing a single credible police report alleging rape or physical assault.

As per studies by Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, discrimination on the basis of caste is extremely rare in the US but still the CRD is hellbent on wreaking havoc on Hindus in the US.

Half of Indian Americans surveyed in a study reported alleged discrimination, the basis of discrimination reported was mainly colour (30%), gender (18%), religion (18%) and national origin (1%).

Only 5% of those surveyed reported encountering alleged discrimination based on caste, with almost half of those respondents reporting the perpetrator of the alleged discrimination being of non-Indian origin, indicating that caste may have been conflated with some other factor or basis.

Most Hindu respondents (53%) do not identify with any caste group at all. Within the group that does identify with a caste, there is a significantly lower number of U.S.-born Hindu Indian Americans who identify with a caste group (34%) versus those that are foreign-born (53%), which may indicate that caste identification becomes increasingly less relevant with every generation.

The study and the findings make us question the intention behind the springing up of anti-caste legislation.

Is it an attempt by vested activists, radical leftists cancel culture cannibals to demonize Hinduism?

Or is it a master plan to divide and sow discord within NRI community in the US?

Whatever the truth is, Hindu community in the US is putting up brave resistance against this vicious  propaganda.

Hindumisia In The West

Hindumisia  or anti-Hindu hatred have a tragically long history which continues to this day across the globe.

They are fuelled by a range of factors, including religious intolerance, religious exclusivism, a lack of religious literacy, misrepresentation in the media, academic bias still rooted in oftentimes racist, colonial-era mis portrayals and, in the diaspora, generalised anti-immigrant xenophobia and hatred.

This has been professed by colonisers of the Indian subcontinent in form of control over temple wealth and enactment of acts such as Lex Loci Act, 1850 which was one of the root causes for 1857 first war of Indian Independence.

In fact, there is a rising trend in the west to only acknowledge concerns of Abrahamic religions (evident from UN Day on Islamaphobia).

The political ambivalence to concerns of Hindu community is also an issue in the West.

Recent attacks and the lack of credible condemnation against vandalization of Hindu temples in Australia, vandalization of temples in Canada, anti-Hindu violence in the UK and general violence against Hindu’s in the Subcontinent speaks volumes on this issue.

The US, which claims itself to be the leader of human rights albeit enforcing its rule via military measures across the world had never recognized slaughter of Hindu Bangladeshis during 1971 war.

But the US administration was happy to recognize Armenian genocide by Turkey which fits their propaganda of being human rights champions perfectly. 

The violence against Hindus and scathing attacks in the form of discriminatory legislation in western nations are resulting in a wave of anti-Hindu climate fuelled by ‘paid’ activists spreading misinformation about Hindu culture and traditions. 

If we look in to the rising Hindumisia in the West and the pattern of so called ‘activists’ trying to divide Hindu community, one thing is clear, there are vested ‘activists’ with vested ‘funded’ interests sitting behind the wheel.

It is high time that these so called ‘progressive regions’ of the world acknowledge rampant anti-Hindu hate crimes and take measures against it instead discriminating against the victim, which are the Hindus themselves.

(Anand Krishna is lawyer from Kerala and a columnist)

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BJP TN Worker Arrested For Questioning Hijab-Clad Doctor Who Allegedly Refused To Treat A Patient Brought By Him

By
The Commune
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A member of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu was pursued and apprehended like a criminal after questioning a Muslim doctor on government duty for wearing a burqa instead of a white coat and ID card, which is the uniform of doctors in Tamil Nadu’s government hospitals.

The woman doctor, employed at a government hospital, responded impolitely by asserting her right to wear the hijab and claiming that her uniform is a burqa rather than a white coat. According to reports, she failed to provide initial medical assistance to a patient brought by a BJP functionary.

On May 24, Bhuvanesh Ram, a member of the BJP’s Nagapattinam unit, visited the Thirupoondi government hospital with his relative, Subramaniam, who was experiencing chest pain. Janneth Firdhouse, the doctor on duty, allegedly advised him to take the patient to Nagapattinam General Hospital.

Media reports state that Bhuvanesh promptly began questioning the doctor about her attire, specifically why she was not wearing a uniform or displaying the ID card and instead wearing a burqa. He repeatedly inquired about the presence of Dr. Aravind, a senior doctor. As no one provided a response, he proceeded to record a video of the nurse and the attending doctor. Importantly, the video filmed by Bhuvanesh does not show him making any request for the doctor to remove her hijab.

He simply questioned how he could trust that she was a doctor when she was not dressed in a uniform or wearing an identification card. In response, the doctor also recorded a video claiming that he used inappropriate language and filmed her without consent. However, even in the doctor’s video, there is no evidence of abusive language being used. It remains uncertain whether any events occurred before or after the videos were recorded. Based on the information available on social media and other platforms, it appears that Bhuvanesh merely raised concerns about her conduct as a government doctor.

However, the media portrayed the incident as a BJP functionary harassing a Muslim woman to remove her hijab, despite conflicting accounts. On the other hand, some reports claim that the doctor in the burqa did not treat the patient and simply advised the BJP functionary to take the patient to Nagapattinam General Hospital without conducting an examination. According to Facebook posts detailing the sequence of events, only a nurse and an assistant were present at the hospital when the patient arrived. Allegedly, the patient received first aid after a delay of approximately 20 minutes.

Upon Bhuvanesh’s inquiry about the whereabouts of the senior doctor, the nurse informed him that the doctor had instructed them to provide first aid and would arrive shortly. Reports indicate that Dr. Jenneth Firdouse arrived 40 minutes late, dressed in a burqa and hijab and lacking a doctor’s coat and identification card. She allegedly did not approach the patient closely, instead observing him from a distance of about 4 feet. She then recommended that the patient be transferred to another hospital for further treatment.

Bhuvanesh inquired about the woman’s name because he was curious about her identity based on her appearance and clothing. In response, the woman acted arrogantly and made a phone call, prompting members of a Muslim organization to gather at the hospital. BJP members allege that she made a statement along the lines of, “Hijab is my lifeline. A government job is M*yir (a cuss word in Tamil). I can quit this job right away. My religion holds the utmost importance for me.”

Reportedly, Bhuvanesh immediately informed the chief doctor about the incident, lodged a complaint at the local police station, and proceeded to take the patient to the general hospital. Unfortunately, the patient passed away the following morning, allegedly due to negligence and delayed first aid. Additionally, the doctor filed a complaint against Bhuvanesh, leading to his being booked under various sections, including 294 B (using obscene words in a public space), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from the discharge of their duty), 298 (uttering words with the deliberate intent to wound religious feelings), and the IT Act. As a result, a special team was formed to apprehend Bhuvanesh, and he was recently arrested.

Tamil Nadu Health Minister Ma Subramanian provided assurance that appropriate action would be taken if the doctor is found to have breached the rules of conduct. However, social media platforms are inundated with abusive messages targeting Bhuvanesh, the BJP, and Hindus in general. Accusations suggesting that Bhuvanesh asked the doctor to remove her hijab are widespread, despite the absence of any evidence supporting such claims. On the contrary, the doctor’s behavior appears discourteous instead of addressing the concerns of an ordinary individual.

(With inputs from Hindu Post)

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16-Year-Old Girl Brutally Murdered, Mohhamad Sahil Arrested By Police

By
The Commune
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In a shocking incident of murder that took place in Delhi’s Shahbad Dairy area, a 16-year-old girl named Sakshi was ruthlessly murdered by Sahil, someone she considered a friend. The CCTV footage of the crime reveals the gruesome details of the incident, showing Sahil repeatedly stabbing Sakshi more than 20 times before using a large rock to crush her head.

The tragic incident occurred on a busy street filled with people, but despite the presence of a large crowd, nobody intervened to help the girl, as clearly depicted in the CCTV recording. He was apprehended by the police in Bulandshahr city, located in the state of Uttar Pradesh.

The perpetrator has been transported to Delhi by the authorities. A case has been filed at Shahbad Dairy police station based on the victim’s father’s complaint, invoking Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with charges of murder.

The horrifying CCTV footage captured the chilling sequence of events as Sakshi was walking along the street when she was confronted by Sahil. In a brutal act, he repeatedly stabbed her and viciously kicked her before mercilessly smashing her head with a concrete slab after she lost consciousness. Shockingly, Sahil remained unaffected by the presence of bystanders and callously walked away, only to return and hurl the slab at the victim once more.

There are accusations suggesting that Sahil, the son of Sarfaraz, intentionally wore a kalva, a sacred Hindu thread, on his wrist in order to deceive the police.

As per Deputy Commissioner of Police Suman Nalwa’s earlier statement, the murder case was reported yesterday, prompting the formation of a dedicated team to conduct an investigation.

This incident marks the second occurrence of a teenager being fatally stabbed in Delhi in recent days, following the tragic death of an 18-year-old boy who was stabbed to death by a group of boys earlier this month.

 

 

Dravidoids Abuse Seenu Ramasamy For Praising PM Modi Installing Sengol In Parliament, Ponniyin Selvan Cast & Crew Keep Mouth Shut 

By
The Commune
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Trolls from the DMK’s IT wing launched a vicious campaign against Director Seenu Ramasamy for praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi for installing the Sengol in Parliament and giving Tamil the respect it deserves.

On May 28th, Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the new parliament building and installed the Chozha’s Sengol, while Tamil Aadhenams sang Thevaaram songs inside the parliament.

Special poojas were performed by priests and Aadheenams before the Sengol was installed in the parliament. PM Modi, before receiving the Sengol from Aadhenams, prostrated before it as a mark of respect and to reflect Indian culture and tradition.

Director Seenu Ramasamy, known for critically acclaimed films such as Dharma Dhurai, Neerparavai, and others, took to Twitter to thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi for installing Chozha’s Sengol in the new parliament. In his tweet, Director Seenu Ramasamy said, ” You allowed the classical language Tamil in parliament. Today in the new Parliament of India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi revered the Sengol, which stands as a symbol of justice. You (PM Modi) have given pride to the Tamils who show to the world the pride of mother tongue through the Sengol.”

Soon after the tweet, DMK IT wing trolls flooded his timeline with abuse, branding him a ‘Sanghi’ for praising Narendra Modi and Sengol. Responding to a person who stated that he had a lot of respect for him before the tweet, Director Seenu Ramasamy stated, ” As a Tamil, I congratulated Modi on prostrating before Sengol, which is revered as a symbol of justice in Tamil culture.”

Responding to another troll who tried to brand him as Sanghi, Seenu Ramasamy said, “There is nothing wrong in praising a good deed.”

In response to another troll, Director stated that he wished Karunanidhi when he installed the Thiruvalluvar statue in Kanya Kumari and that he wished Modi when he installed Sengol in Parliament, and that both will go down in history as a source of pride for Tamils.

It is surprising to see a Tamil cinema celebrity standing firm even after trolls from the ruling DMK, as many celebrities have previously been afraid to speak out against the DMK, which controls the entire film industry.

It is worth noting that Director Maniratnam and the lead actors of Ponniyin Selvan, actor Vikram who played the role of Aditya Karikala Chozhan, and actor Jayam Ravi, who made a fortune by exploiting Chozha’s pride, have yet to open their mouths in support of the Chozha’s Sengol installed in the new parliament.

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