Amma Unavagam or Amma Canteen – the flagship project of the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa seems to be dying a slow death ever since the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government came to power. The canteens that once flourished are now faced with declining income projections, budget inconsistencies, and difficulties in managing expenditures, particularly in terms of compensating the staff. Despite the Corporation’s claim of possessing a surplus of ₹315 crore in its capital account, this revelation has sparked discussions among netizens on social media and stirred concerns among the city’s residents.
அம்மா உணவகம் நடத்த காசு இல்ல மடிக்கணினி வழங்க காசு இல்ல
Amma Unavagams constitute a system of subsidized food outlets managed by the Greater Chennai Corporation established in the year 2013. The primary objective is to ensure affordable and easily accessible meals for the urban underprivileged in Chennai. These canteens provide a diverse range of dishes at subsidized rates, with major items priced at ₹5. Other items such as idly are offered at ₹1, curd rice for ₹3.
On 22 February 2024, The Hindu reported that the GCC is still experiencing financial setbacks stemming from Amma Canteens. The number of these canteens, initially launched in Chennai with 407 outlets, has decreased to 399 over the span of ten years.
Budget estimates detail the expenses associated with the canteens, covering payment to casual staff, maintenance, security charges, food safety licenses, and equipment. Notably, a significant portion of the expenditure is allocated to payments for casual staff, with an estimated expenditure of ₹41.7 crore for the fiscal year 2024-25. Income generated from Amma Canteens is projected to be ₹15.35 crore in the current fiscal year. However, historical data shows that the estimated income has consistently fallen below the revised estimates announced each subsequent year. For instance, in FY 2021-22, the estimated income was ₹24.55 crore, but the figure was revised down to ₹12.4 crore the following year, marking an almost 50% decrease.
Similarly, the budget estimate for FY 2022-23 anticipated an income of ₹14.55 crore, with the revised estimate slightly lower at ₹14.45 crore. In the case of FY 2023-24, the budget estimate indicated an income of ₹15.85 crore, but the revised estimate for the current year places the figure at ₹14.55 crore.
An interesting observation is the allocation for equipment in the budgets. While the budget estimate for FY 2022-23 projected an expenditure of ₹22 lakh on equipment for the canteens, the revised estimate reported no expense. Likewise, for FY 2023-24, a potential expenditure of ₹2 lakh on equipment was mentioned in the budget, but the revised estimate showed no actual spending.
Netizen Outrage
Users on the micro-blogging platform X expressed strong disapproval towards the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) and the DMK government, suggesting that there may be a strategy in place to shut down the Amma Canteens.
An irate netizen expressed frustration, noting that “A lot of sign board hung up the outside the Amma canteens were taken off. These fanatics”
நிறைய அம்மா உணவகத்துல வெளியில board a தூக்கிட்டாங்க. வன்மம் பிடிச்சவங்க.
Another netizen expressed criticism, stating, “There is money to go around the towns, there is money to erect a pen (memorial), there is no money to give food, but you know how to plan a robbery.”
ஊர் சுற்ற காசு இருக்கு பேனா( நினைவுச் சின்னம்) வைக்க காசு இருக்கு சோறு போட காசு இல்லை ஆனால் கொள்ளையடிக்கும் திட்டம் மட்டும் போட தெரியும்
Another netizen expressed view that, “Most probably #dmk wants to close it down and later reopen a newer version but in the name of their leader . Old wine in new bottle”
Most probably #dmk wants to close it down and later reopen a newer version but in the name of their leader . Old wine in new bottle
Another concerned netizen lamented the current government’s situation, stating, “There is no fund for Amma canteens, which caters to the hunger of the underprivileged. There is no fund to provide laptops to the students. The elites are not prohibited from holding a car race. Government for common man.”
அடித்தட்டு மக்களின் பசிப்பிணி போக்கும் அம்மா உணவகத்திற்கு நிதியில்லை.படிக்கின்ற மாணவர்களுக்கு மடிக்கணினி வழங்க நிதியில்லை. மேட்டுக்குடியினருக்கு கார்பந்தயம் நடத்த தடையில்லை. சாமானியருக்கான அரசு.
Another online user expressed criticism, highlighting the government’s inability to function as a welfare state rather than a profit-driven enterprise. The comment emphasized that, “First of, Amma unavagam is not for revenue and it is for people who can not afford big money to buy food. This DMK government does not even know that ,then how can they take care of these .wherever they get money to loot, they keep their hands dirty. Waste government it is”
First of Amma unavagam is not for revenue and it is for people who can not afford big money to buy food. This DMK government does not even know that ,then how can they take care of these .wherever they get money to loot, they keep their hands dirty. Waste government it is
Upon assuming power in 2021, the DMK faced speculation regarding the potential discontinuation of the Amma canteen program, particularly hinted with the introduction of 500 new Kalaignar Canteens. Viral videos featuring DMK party cadres vandalizing shops and tearing down banners of Amma Canteens fueled these concerns. The DMK asserted their commitment to preserving the Amma Canteens. They promptly took action against party members involved in vandalizing the canteens, signaling their intention to maintain the existing initiatives.
However, according to a report by Hindustan Times, the situation behind the scenes appears to be different. Women affiliated with self-help groups, responsible for operating the canteens, reportedly faced indirect pressure to resign. A worker from a Chennai canteen, with six years of experience, disclosed to Hindustan Times that out of the 13 individuals working in both the morning and evening shifts, five have been compelled to leave their positions.
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In a recent development in Chennai, a jealousy-fueled dispute transcended political boundaries and entered the cine field. Actor and BJP functionary, along with MNM functionary and lyricist Snehan, filed complaints against each other. Surprisingly, Thirumangalam Police arrested only Jayalakshmi on 20 February 2024.
Sneham Foundation Vs Snehan Foundation
In 2022, Actress Jayalakshmi and film lyricist Snehan filed complaints with the Chennai Police Commissioner’s office regarding the ownership of Sneham Foundation. Snehan accused Jayalakshmi of operating a foundation under the same name, which he claims started in 2021. He alleged that she was soliciting funds through social media, damaging his reputation. In response, Jayalakshmi filed a counter complaint, asserting that Snehan was spreading misinformation and causing unwarranted problems. She argued that her NGO has been operational since 2018, engaged in significant social work, and all her activities are transparently documented on her Facebook page. Jayalakshmi also initiated legal action by filing a case in the Chennai Egmore court regarding the incident.
Subsequently, the investigating judges instructed the police to initiate a defamation lawsuit against the lyricist Snehan. Following the court’s directive, the Thirumangalam police, in 2022, filed charges against Snehan under three sections, encompassing allegations of defamation, using indecent language, and insulting the dignity of a woman.
In the aftermath, lyricist Snehan responded by filing a counter case at the Egmore court, accusing actress Jayalakshmi of misusing her trust’s name and engaging in fraudulent collection of public funds. Following an inquiry by the judges, they directed the registration of a case against Jayalakshmi. Subsequently, the Tirumangalam police registered a case against the actress under two sections. A raid was conducted at her residence, lasting for over two and a half hours and involving more than a dozen policemen.
Upon being apprehended by the police, she vehemently resisted arrest and informed members of the media that she had already submitted documents refuting Snehan’s accusations. She asserted that the ordeal she was experiencing was solely due to her affiliation with the BJP. Subsequently, she was taken to the police station and later presented before the metropolitan magistrate court.
She said, “I have not committed any mistake, then why should I come? I have given you all the documents sir, and after that, why you are asking me to come to the police station? What are you going to do by arresting us innocent people in BJP to satisfy those in DMK? Can you show one piece evidence to these many TV channels here sir? The inspectors have been in my house for so long, please tell them a little bit. This is unfair, there is no proof of even a small document that I have taken money or taken money from Snehan. I have given all the proof after all this time and submitted everything. I don’t understand why they are calling me to the station for investigation, I have not done anything wrong. Already when this case began, I shared all documents in front of media. “
“What justification is in this? What AC sir, what is the justification? You were seated and talked with me for so long, what did you find, was there any tiny proof? If you did, I will come to the police station but I will come to station in my own vehicle. I did not commit mistake so that you can arrest me and go. I will come in my vehicle. I will cooperate with you. I did not run, I’m coming in my vehicle, why you are doing this to bring me, is this the way you should show the DMK you are doing justice? Go and arrest those who committed crime but without any evidence you have come to arrest innocents.” she said.
Subsequently, during her interaction with reporters, she expressed dissatisfaction, claiming that there was no inquiry conducted against Snehan Foundation by the V5 police station, and she alleged bias even after a court directive. She emphasized that there was no evidence against her, and she felt unjustly targeted. Referring to her visit to the commissioner’s office they said there was no prima facie evidence. she also questioned the rationale behind her arrest when AC said there is no evidence . She raised concerns whether this action was driven by an agenda to appease the DMK and Chief Minister Stalin.
“ நான் என் வண்டில தான் வருவேன்.. கைது பண்ற அளவுக்கு நான் தப்பு பண்ணல.. ” ' சினேகம் பவுண்டேஷன் ' யாருக்கு சொந்தம் என்ற வழக்கில் கைது செய்வதற்கு முன்பாக தனது வீட்டின் முன் போலீசாரிடம் வாக்குவாதம் செய்த நடிகை ஜெயலட்சுமி..#BJP | #ActressJayalakshmi | #Snehan | #SnehamFoundation |… pic.twitter.com/sTArhCIGGd
While being apprehended, with tears in her eyes, she conveyed to the reporters that, “A small request if you can. Look at Snehan from Makkal Needhi Maiam alliance which is aligned with DMK and ask him to bring a person in front of you, who has a proof that I bought money, in the complaint filed against me. Please bring a proof and put it in front of you, a proof please. “
“Police is biased. Thank you very much Ms. Tamizhselvi for making paying a fine of fifty thousand on behalf of the DMK and thanks to biased police and thanks to everyone. I sold my property and standing for my party without earning single rupee, without a single rupee, even now the reason I am broke is because I’m going in without making a mistake, if I had earned one rupee I would have gone in saying I made a mistake, I am going in without making any mistake. For the sole reason of being in BJP, had I just been an actress, I wouldn’t have come to this situation today, I wouldn’t have gone in under the name of my trust. The trust I used was registered as Sneham and I continued to work for people. Do you know anything that Snehan did? Has anyone seen it? Have you seen him do anything for the people? Have you seen standing on the street? Have you ever seen someone giving food? Go and look at my social media, I have done, I have done for people, done to so many people, I have given education fund to fatherless children, what has Snehan done? Ask Snehan. I came to politics for people not for money, nor for position. because we are in BJP ,wont you give? Won’t DMK deliver justice? How many people will you arrest? How many people will you remand? How many cases will you register?” She raised her voice while being taken away by the police.
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The Karnataka Legislative Assembly, in its sixteenth assembly during the third session, introduced the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Charities (Amendment) Bill, 2024, identified as Assembly Bill No-11 of 2024 on 21 February 2024. This bill sought to amend the Karnataka Hindu Religious Institutions and Charitable Endowments Act, 1997 (Karnataka Act 33 of 2001) and the bill was passed in the Karnataka Assembly as well.
Yesterday karnataka govt made Amendment to Karnataka Temple endowment act.
Now, non hindus can become member of temple trustee
a. Temples with an annual income surpassing ₹one crore must allocate 10% of their earnings to a newly established ‘Common Pool Fund’ (CPF).
b. Similarly, temples generating an annual income ranging from ₹10 lakh to one crore rupees are obliged to contribute 5% of their income to the same fund.
Section 19(a) specifies that the resources amassed within the Common Pool Fund may be utilized for the welfare of “poor and needy organizations,” a term that lacks a clear definition. Detractors contend that this ambiguous language creates a potential loophole, raising concerns about the misuse of temple funds, and diverting them from their intended religious and community-oriented objectives.
Adding to the controversy, Section 25 introduces a provision permitting the inclusion of members from both Hindu and other religious communities in the management committee of composite institutions. Critics argue that this decision infringes upon the autonomy and traditional management frameworks of Hindu temples.
Karnataka Government has introduced Hindu Religious Endowments amendment act in Karnataka Assembly today and passed the bill.
1. Temples which is having income more than 1 cr. should give 10% to common pool fund. 2. Temples which is having income from 10L to 1 cr. should give…
The provision states that the Management Committee shall consist of not more than nine members chosen from among the devotees and followers of Hindu religious institutions and beneficiaries of charitable institutions. This committee will include the head priest or priest related to a temple, one individual from the Scheduled Caste or Scheduled Tribe, two women, and a person residing at the location where the establishment is situated.
Critics of these amendments vehemently oppose them, denouncing the measures as ‘anti-Hindu’ tactics designed to divert funds from temples and redistribute them to other religious institutions. They assert that such measures erode the autonomy and sanctity of Hindu religious institutions, giving rise to apprehensions regarding the fair allocation and administration of temple resources.
The introduced amendments have ignited a fervent debate within the state. Supporters contend that the changes foster inclusivity and fair resource distribution, while dissenting voices stand firm in their objection, perceiving the provisions as a potential encroachment on the sacredness and autonomy of Hindu temples.
The opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swiftly denounced the amendments, labeling them as ‘anti-Hindu.’ Users on social media platform X have expressed strong disapproval towards the Karnataka government, characterising the move as a ‘legal method of looting temples.’
ರಾಜ್ಯದಲ್ಲಿ ಸರಣೀ ರೂಪದಲ್ಲಿ ಹಿಂದೂ ವಿರೋಧಿ ಧೋರಣೆ ಅನುಸರಿಸುತ್ತಿರುವ ಕಾಂಗ್ರೆಸ್ ಸರ್ಕಾರ ಇದೀಗ ತನ್ನ ಬರಿದಾಗಿರುವ ಬೊಕ್ಕಸ ತುಂಬಿಸಿಕೊಳ್ಳಲು ಹಿಂದೂ ದೇವಾಲಯಗಳ ಆದಾಯದ ಮೇಲೂ ವಕ್ರ ದೃಷ್ಟಿ ಬೀರಿ ಹಿಂದೂ ಧಾರ್ಮಿಕ ಸಂಸ್ಥೆಗಳ ಮತ್ತು ಧರ್ಮಾದಾಯ ದತ್ತಿಗಳ ವಿಧೇಯಕವನ್ನು ಮಂಡಿಸಿ ಅಂಗೀಕಾರ ಪಡೆದು ಕೊಂಡಿದೆ.
Full-time actor and part-time politician Kamal Haasan celebrated the 7th anniversary of the launch of his political party Makkal Needhi Maiyyam. He launched the party in 2018 after the demise of Tamil Nadu’s former Chief Ministers Jayalalithaa and Karunanidhi.
Kamal Haasan met the party volunteers, hoisted the party flag, and distributed sweets at the party office in Alwarpet. Speaking to the party cadre, Kamal Haasan said, “I did not come to politics out of anger. I came to politics out of sadness.”
Responding to the most common grouse that people in Tamil Nadu have against Haasan about being a part-time politician, he said, “Everyone around me, even my own party people asked me that since I am acting in cinema, I am not a full-time politician. The truth is that there is no such thing as a full-time politician here. There is no full-time father. No full-time husband. No full-time children. Everyone needs to sleep 8 hours. Everyone needs to work 8 hours and stay at home for 4 hours. So tell me who is a full-time politician? I will tell you why I am acting in films. You have given me this house, another house, a car, and everything, why should I come into politics? If I have come, then it is because I have not given anything in return to you yet. I have acted in movies, paid taxes, and do what I know, I can’t leave as my duty is not done. I haven’t even paid interest for the love you gave me.
“For those asking why I haven’t joined full-time politics yet, today’s meeting, the flag raised in the meeting, the refreshments that will be served here, and the platform I am standing on now are all made from the money I have earned. If you say that I am speaking arrogantly, I got all this arrogance from Periyar. When someone asked account of expenses to Periyar, he said that the one who spends another’s money only must show an account of expenditure. This is my money, he said. This is what my party men also must say. This is my money and I am doing whatever I want with it,” he continued.
Talking about his loss in the 2021 TN Assembly elections when he contested from Coimbatore South constituency which he lost to BJP’s Vanathi Srinivasan, he said, “The Election Commission says that a candidate spends ₹95 lakhs for the election. Tell me what will happen if you spend only ₹95 lakhs in reality. What happened in Coimbatore South – the same will happen. I lost in Coimbatore, not by 1728 votes. 90,000 people did not vote in that constituency. I consider this my failure. 40% of people across India do not vote. If they all vote, everything will be fine. Those who ask me who is a full-time politician can ask who are these 40% who don’t vote. You ask me if I am a full-time politician, I ask you, are you even a full-time citizen? Those 40% who sit at home without voting. If this is the case, an honest person who spends only 95 lakh rupees will never succeed.”
Taking to criticise the central government, he said, “When the citizenship of the nation is at stake, party lines are secondary, the nation is the first. First the nation, then my Tamil Nadu, then the language… If they are talking only about the language, they will give us “halva”. The Union has not done even 10% of what Tamil Nadu has done for farmers today,” thus toeing the DMK stance. He continued to criticise the central government regarding the “farmer” protests. He added, “There is an organisation that doesn’t mind if the South perishes. We are being punished for the charity we have done for the nation. They are increasing the number of seats for them. We practiced family planning for the betterment of the nation. But we are getting punished for that. We don’t have a place, we do not have a voice.”
He went on to peddle the same 29 paise per rupee lie criticising the central government for financial discrimination that the Dravidianists are peddling as he concluded his speech.
It is noteworthy that Kamal Haasan contested the 2019 parliamentary elections a year after he formed the party. He also contested in the 2021 elections.
Crackers Burst & Loud Music In A Hospital Zone
For all the virtue-signalling that Kamal Haasan did with the people who questioned his dual careers, the party workers gathered at a place where there is a hospital (Kauvery Hospital) and burst crackers and indulged in loud music to celebrate the event.
How can a political party/fans club be so heartless to burst crackers outside a hospital, play a loud band, while almost blocking an arterial #chennai city road?
Traffic Police personnel, Law& Order police personnel remain mute spectators, as #KamalHaasan#MakkalNeedhiMaiam supporters burst crackers, organise a live musical band at the road by their party office -(right opposite) Kauvery hospital #chennai
Typically, politicians in Tamil Nadu, particularly those from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), assert that the central government, led by any ruling party, tends to overlook the concerns of southern states, echoing the sentiment encapsulated in the saying, “North Is Flourishing, South Is Perishing” as coined by the former Chief Minister and founder of DMK, Annadurai. Their reasoning behind this claim is that the central government allegedly provides a lesser share of tax distribution to states in the south, despite these states contributing more in taxes compared to their northern counterparts.
Ironically, it appears that the DMK should be reminded of their own statement, as since coming to power in 2021, they seem to be staying true to the statement “North Is Flourishing, South Is Perishing” when it comes to their own budget allocations. This year’s budget allocations seem to consistently remain within the confines of Chennai, occasionally extending to Kanchipuram and Chengalpattu, without crossing the borders to benefit the broader northern regions majorly.
Tamil Nadu comprises 38 districts, each characterized by distinct strengths and weaknesses shaped by their historical, socio-political, and economic landscapes. However, the current DMK government appears to predominantly concentrate on Chennai, neglecting the aspirations of other districts. These regions are often acknowledged only when infrastructural developments, such as the establishment of bus stands, or the naming of new arenas, occur. Notably, instances like the Annai Anjugam Ammal Bus Stand in Senji, Viluppuram, and the Kalaignar Centenary Jallikattu Arena in Keelakarai, Madurai, reflect this pattern.
2024 Tamil Nadu Budget Has A Special Focus On Chennai
Here we list the budget allocations for areas in and around Chennai for the upcoming financial year.
Cutting-edge public infrastructure facilities, such as an urban public square featuring natural landscapes, exhibition halls, and open-air theaters, will be constructed at Island Ground cost of ₹104 crore, and modern amenities will be added to the beaches at Besant Nagar, Ennore, and Kovalam cost of ₹100 crore.
A State of Art advanced Film City will be developed in Poonamallee, Chennai at a cost of ₹500 crores.
The Adyar River, originating from Guduvanchery in the Chengalpet district, is slated for restoration and beautification at a cost of ₹1500 crore.
A ‘Global Start-up Summit, is set to be organized in January 2025 in Chennai providing a platform for prominent startups and successful young entrepreneurs.
A Modern ‘Kalaignar International Convention Centre,’ covering an area of 300,000 square feet, is set to be constructed along the East Coast Road in Muttukadu, Chennai.
A comprehensive facility showcasing handlooms and handicrafts is set to be established in Chennai at a cost of ₹227 crore.
A special package of ₹1000 crore is allocated especially to North Chennai.
The budget expenditure for Chennai alone amounts to ₹3,431 crore from the total mentioned above.
It has been noted that when it comes to other districts in Tamil Nadu, their allocation is inadequate, often overlooked, or scarcely noticeable, except for Madurai and Coimbatore. In particular, coastal districts appear to be the most impoverished and highly neglected among all regions.
It seems to tell a story that the DMK feels that districts like Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Madurai, Salem, Perambalur, Namakkal, and Dindigul primarily require attention only in terms of irrigation, continuous drinking water supply, and safe drinking water. Other economic activities in these districts seem to be self-sustaining, leading to a limited focus in the TN Budget 2024, where the emphasis is predominantly on addressing water crises in these specific regions.
Initiation of the second phase of the ‘Extension, Renovation, and Modernization of Grand Anicut Canal system’ at an estimated cost of ₹400 crore, benefiting 2.3 lakh acres in Thanjavur and Pudukottai Districts.
Additionally, efforts ensure continuous 24×7 drinking water supply in Madurai and Salem Corporations. A collaborative water supply project, using the Kollidam River as the source, will serve approximately 65,000 individuals in Perambalur Municipality and the SIPCOT Industrial Complex in Erayur and Padalur within the Perambalur District.
To provide safe drinking water to around 200,000 residents in 216 rural settlements across four Panchayat Unions in Namakkal district, a joint water supply scheme utilizing the Cauvery River as the source will be implemented in Senthamangalam, Erumapatti, Kapilarmalai, and Paramathi.
Furthermore, a comprehensive water supply project utilizing the Vaigai River as the source will be undertaken at a specified cost. This initiative aims to benefit approximately 600,000 residents across 425 rural habitations, including Dindigul Corporation, Chinnalapatti, and Sevukambatti Town Panchayats, as well as Panchayat Unions of Attur, Nilakottai, and Vathalakundu.
Infrastructure & Economic Diversification Across Districts
In the Tamil Nadu budget for the year 2024, infrastructure plans were announced, and these included the establishment of textile parks and industrial centers in Karur, Erode, Virudhunagar, Madurai, and Coimbatore, among the 38 districts. However, the question arises about the application of the concept of economic diversification, as these announcements predominantly focus on developed areas, raising concerns about the equitable distribution of development initiatives.
In the domain of infrastructure development projects, the TN budget for 2024 reflects the DMK’s central emphasis only on road construction and extensions across various districts. These projects, with a combined estimated cost of ₹665 crore.
Surprisingly TN 2024 budget unveiled plans for the establishment of 10 mini textile parks by the Government across different districts, such as Karur, Erode, and Virudhunagar, with a budget allocation of ₹20 crore. Meanwhile, progress still continues on the Mega Integrated Textile Region and Apparel Park in Virudhunagar, which was initiated with a signed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the central government in March 2023.
Fortunately for Madurai, there are two upcoming projects. The first is the Industrial Innovation Centre, covering 26,500 sq. ft with an estimated cost of ₹24 crore. The second project involves TANSIDCO’s plan to construct a three-storied industrial complex on a 5-acre plot in Sakkimangalam Industrial Estate with an investment of ₹118 crore and job opportunities for 4,500 individuals.
Coimbatore, on the other hand, is quite fortunate with two industrial projects and additional offers of recreational facilities. TANSIDCO plans to construct a four-storied industrial complex with plug-and-play facilities at Kurichi Industrial Estate in Coimbatore district at a cost of ₹37 crore. ELCOT is set to undertake the development of an IT Park in two phases in Vilankurichi, Coimbatore with an estimated cost of ₹1,100 crore. Moreover, a library and science center dedicated to Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar will be established in Coimbatore, along with a model home named ‘Poonjolai’.
Coastal Districts
Coastal districts of Tamil Nadu consist of Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Nagapattinam, Thiruvarur, Thanjavur, Pudukottai, Ramanathapuram, Thoothukudi, Kanniyakumari. However in the TN budget 2024, only ₹700 crores were seen to be expended on them.
Coastal protection and infrastructure projects, including the construction of bait arches, fish landing centers, dredging, and artificial reefs, will be initiated in districts such as Kanyakumari, Nagapattinam, Ramanathapuram, Thanjavur, Mayiladuthurai, Thiruvarur, Chengalpattu, Villupuram, Thiruvallur, and Thoothukudi with an approximate cost of ₹450 crore.
Furthermore, significant beach development projects encompassing renowned beaches like Marina in Chennai, Ariyaman in Ramanathapuram, Kayalpattinam in Thoothukudi, Kodavilai in Tirunelveli, Kameswaram in Nagapattinam, Kattumavadi in Pudukottai, Silver Beach in Cuddalore, and Marakkanam in Villupuram to secure blue flag certification with an estimated investment of ₹250 crore. While three beaches of Chennai Besant Nagar, Ennore, and Kovalam cost of ₹100 crore.
In addition, the establishment of India’s inaugural Tamil Nadu Olympic Water Sports Academy is slated for Pirappanvalasai in Ramanathapuram district.
Vishnu Venugopal, the Managing Director and CEO of Guidance Tamilnadu addressed a session in December 2023 titled ‘Tamil Nadu’s region-wise growth: A trend-setter’ at the ‘Tamil Nadu Unlimited’ summit organized by The Hindu in Chennai. He highlighted that a significant portion of the Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) in Tamil Nadu is generated by eight districts. Additionally, Venugopal pointed out that the Hosur belt has become a prominent electric vehicle hub, and Thoothukudi is poised to emerge as a hub for green hydrogen. Neither Krishnagiri nor Thoothukudi found a place of economic importance in this year’s budget.
Evaluating DMK Budget Allocation And Resource Redistribution
Referring to the data from the Department of Economics and Statistics in the Statistical Handbook of Tamil Nadu-2020-21, the leading 10 districts with the highest Net District Domestic Product at Constant Prices (Base year 2011-12) in Lakhs of Rupees for the year 2019-20 are as follows: Thiruvallur: 10,664,047; Chennai: 9,242,907; Coimbatore: 9,202,231; Salem: 4,021,715; Tiruchirapalli: 4,703,782; Thiruppur: 4,468,865; Erode: 5,427,567; Namakkal: 4,405,812; Madurai: 4,136,006; Vellore: 5,755,807.
Conversely, the bottom 10 districts with the lowest Net District Domestic Product at Constant Prices (Base year 2011-12) in Lakhs of Rupees for the year 2019-20 are as follows: Perambalur: 366,541; Thiruvarur: 946,177; Nagapatinam: 1,391,778; The Nilgiris: 1,073,492; Sivagangai: 1,207,133; Theni: 1,254,923; Ariyalur: 806,814; Pudukkotai: 1,601,370; Dharmapuri: 1,892,624; Ramanathapuram: 1,338,195.
Do you notice any significant support allocated by the DMK government in its budget to the districts ranking in the bottom 10, or at the very least, a return of resources to the districts that have contributed significantly to the state’s GDP?
(Note: District domestic product (DDP) is the total monetary or market value of all the finished goods and services produced within a district of a state in a specific time period.)
Unaddressed Socio-economic Challenges Under Dravidian Model Budget
With each passing day, the growing disparities in per capita income among districts in Tamil Nadu pose significant challenges for the state. This trend is concerning as it can result in a variety of socio-economic issues, including heightened income inequality, limited access to opportunities, regional imbalances, health disparities, and migration patterns. Ultimately, these challenges were never addressed by the Dravidian model government in the budget.
Disparities In MSME Support Across Tamil Nadu Districts
Insufficient attention has been given to underdeveloped areas when it comes to offering support to Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) that are crucial for the country’s economic development. These enterprises play a pivotal role in various aspects, including employment generation, fostering innovation and entrepreneurship among youths, economic diversification by reducing reliance on specific industries, and contributing to the resilience of the economy against external shocks. They also contribute to local and regional development, raising living standards and addressing socio-economic disparities. Additionally, MSMEs contribute to financial inclusion, particularly in rural and underserved areas.
Analyzing Micro, Small, and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) data for the fiscal year 2020-21 in Tamil Nadu and comparing with TN budget 2024 reveals surprising neglect in most districts, both in terms of attention and understanding of the concept of MSMEs.
Examining districts with the highest number of MSMEs, the top 5 include Chennai with 47,086 MSMEs, Coimbatore with 30,058 MSMEs, Salem with 19,008 MSMEs, Tiruchirappalli with 9,475 MSMEs, Thiruppur with 20,424 MSMEs. Conversely, the bottom 5 districts with the lowest number of MSMEs include Perambalur with 1,124 MSMEs, Thiruvarur with 2,694 MSMEs, Nagapattinam with 3,406 MSMEs, The Nilgiris with 1,220 MSMEs, Sivagangai with 3,324 MSMEs.
In essence, the Tamil Nadu budget for 2024 appears to be a superficial attempt at financial planning, lacking substance and inclusivity for the majority of districts. The discrepancy between promises and allocations raises concerns about the true commitment to holistic development and whether the budget truly serves the interests of the entire state or merely caters to select areas, primarily Chennai.
The Dravidian governance model aligns with its founder’s belief that the North is thriving while the South is struggling. When such disparities exist within their own region, it raises questions about accusing the central government of creating inequality. Maybe it will do some good for the DMK government to look within before placing accusations.
Recently a dispute emerged between two rival parties over the organization of a meeting at Thoothukudi St. Patrick’s Church, leading to a tumultuous situation. The factions engaged in a heated altercation, exchanging offensive language and hurling insults, and the video of the incident went viral on social media. Police and the revenue department intervened, facilitating negotiations that successfully dispersed the conflicting parties through peace talks. As a resolution, it was decided that no committee meetings would be held at St. Patrick’s Church.
Once again, tensions have erupted between two factions in the Thoothukudi-Nazareth Diocese during the church prayers at St. Peter’s CSI Church in Sanmugapuram, a clash erupted between two parties, namely DSF and SDK Rajan, creating sensational scenes as they vie for power in the upcoming church elections. The current members, set to expire in the coming months, were allegedly conspiring against potential contenders for the future election.
NewsTamil24x7 reported that during a CSI Caldwell assembly meeting organized by Pastorate Chairman Immanuel Vanstraw, chaos allegedly ensued after Father David Adhisayam of Chidambaram began to speak. Following his speech, Toovipuram Rakshakan blocked his way down from the stage, questioning his right to speak. The situation escalated, leading to a heated argument, and in the midst of the chaos, Vattakovil diocese member Paul Jebarsingh was allegedly questioned for sitting in the front row without being church member. Another argument ensued between SDK Rajan and Giftson parties as they went to have food, eventually resulting in their expulsion by others in the church.
Following their expulsion, DSF party Diwan was said to be transported to the government hospital in an ambulance, claiming he was beaten with a rod. Similarly, SDK party’s Paul Jebasingh was also admitted to the hospital, stating that he had sustained injuries.
Addressing reporters, Lay member Johnson stated, “A total of 32 people have been removed from the church. Due to their removal from the church, there was a problem in Vattakovil, and there was a problem in Patrick’s Church for two days. This kind of problem is going on continuously. If you look the reason, the only answer is that they have been dismissed from the church. They are dismissing us for asking a question.”
“Paul Jebasingh was beaten up by outsiders who were not CC members of the congregation, and they made it look like a caste riot. By bringing in other caste people, they beat this caste people like goons, they have beat them up. Without being a CC member, they have brought and sat in the front row in the church and had done this scandal. Unless priests follow justice and honesty, this diocese will continue to perish, and these kinds of fights will keep coming,” he further said.
Everyone in India and outside who follows Indian politics and watches Indian news at least once in a while would be aware of this gentleman who claims to be a neutral political commentator. But did you know that there are various shades to that neutrality? He is a compulsive commentator who wants to comment about everything under the sun. But he gets super excited and sometimes even jumps the gun when he targets the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His tirade against the Modi government is primarily attributed to his unceremonious removal as the host of BSNL Sports Quiz (a flop show that ran on taxpayer’s money) on Doordarshan in 2019 after he kept targeting the PM Modi and the BJP government. Did he expect that the government would cajole him if he keeps simping for Congress?
Read on to understand the multiple faces of a ‘doctor’ turned quiz master turned political commentator turned Congress simp – Sumanth Raman.
We give you examples of various aspects of Sumanth Raman as below:
‘Gandhi Family Simp’ Face
Yes, you read that right. Here, we present various instances of how Mr All-in-All did all he could to show his loyalty and support for the Gandhi family. Here are subdivisions of this main face:
‘Rahul Gandhi Simp’ Face
Have you noticed any comments from Sumanth Raman, especially after Rahul Gandhi started making comments on OBCs? After he asked for the caste census? No, nada, zilch! Nor does Sumanth Raman think it is necessary when Rahul Gandhi commits a faux pas. Why showcase his leader in a negative light?
On 21 February 2024, a few videos of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra surfaced on social media. In these videos, Rahul Gandhi is seen terrorising a volunteer with questions, inciting the crowd to target and assault a journalist, and nearly choking a volunteer by placing his arms around his neck. But Sumanth has nothing to say. He would rather comment on Modi and BJP.
This is pure harassment. I hope appropriate agencies file a case against him. The man does not want to be on stage & he is holding him against his wishes. Deranged. pic.twitter.com/8XkVVrIOb9
There are absolutely no comments on this harassment by Rahul Gandhi from Sumanth Raman.
Nor did Sumanth Raman open his mouth to condemn Rahul Gandhi’s statement where he said, “India is not a nation but a union of states”. In fact, he supported his dear Rahul Gandhi by stating that it was already mentioned in the Constitution.
The same Sumanth Raman shifted goalposts when facts were presented in the electoral bonds issue. When a netizen asked him to comment on Congress receiving ₹952 crores as donations through electoral bonds, he shifted focus to DMK for receiving nearly half the amount (₹431 crores). He said a state party (in just a single state) received a large amount and implied that it could not be compared to a national party like the Congress.
A national party got 952 crore. A party confined to just one State got 431 crore.
Yet another time when he simped for Rahul Gandhi was last year when he wrote a lengthy note about the Wayanad MP. Some of the points in that post were typical of the fanboy type. Examples include, “Rahul appears sincere and does not spread divisiveness.” “…he does come across as a decent person. He meets the press fearlessly and regularly and does not shy away from the most uncomfortable of questions. Handles hecklers well, too, like he showed in the US.” He also batted for the “idea” that Rahul’s popularity was rising and that people were tired of Modi.
Expect BJP to go even harder at @RahulGandhi with the "pappu" line in the next few months to make 2024 a Modi vs Rahul contest. With 2024 far from the certainty for the BJP that it appeared even 3 months ago and with Oppn. starting to get its act together to make the elections a…
When the Congress peddled propaganda that Prime Minister Modi was notified as an “OBC” only in 1999. Sumanth Raman jumped onto the bandwagon to say that Modi was not an OBC until that year. How clever!
Official confirmation from BJP that the PM was not an OBC for the first 49 years of his life. 😀😀 https://t.co/XHKLdyg9pP
He also supported Rahul by stating that his MP disqualification in the Modi surname case was a blessing in disguise and that he could play the victim and show he was persecuted.
"His disqualification is not a setback for the Congress but for the BJP themselves," says Analyst @PokharnaPrince
"This is kind of a blessing in disguise for Rahul Gandhi," says Analyst @sumanthraman
He supported Rahul Gandhi when everyone else called him Pappu. This also shows his “loyal” face.
But @arunjaitley sir isn't @RahulGandhi pappu? Clown as you called him less than a week ago? He's now orchestrating a conspiracy with the help of a former President of France? 😂😂😂 https://t.co/h2synCKFLI
A Times Now report that traced Sonia Gandhi’s vote share/victory margin from 2009 to 2019 in Raebareli showed a steady downward trend. In every election, the vote share and victory margin reduced considerably. Yes, Sonia won the seat, but her margins were coming down every election from 55.8% in 2009 to 17.4% in 2019. Look at how our Sonia Gandhi simp Sumanth Raman buttressed her. He said, “Victory margins fluctuate from elections to elections.” When the anchor pointed out that it was a steady downward trend, he said, “Why don’t you go back and look for 2004? You only want to look at the last three elections. What if Priyanka Gandhi Vadra contests the seat now in place of her mother? Will you still say that Mrs Gandhi has left the battlefield?”
The same Sumanth Raman had a problem with BJP’s L Murugan contesting from the Rajya Sabha. He had no problem when Sonia Gandhi announced her candidature from Rajasthan, that too for the Rajya Sabha. Here’s what he had to say for L Murugan. “So Murugan_MoS is not contesting from Nilgiris? Going back to the Rajya Sabha is much safer.”
In 2019, Sumanth couldn’t contain his excitement when Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was appointed the AICC General Secretary in Eastern UP. He could already see images of her grandmother in his mind.
Appointment of Priyanka Gandhi Vadra as AICC Gen Secy in charge of Eastern UP is a huge surprise. It marks her formal entry into politics & she could contest too. How big the impact she will have we will know in next few weeks. Will surely rekindle memories of her grand mother
When Priyanka stated that the abrogation of Article 370 move was illegal, Sumanth supported her by saying, “What Priyanka Gandhi said today was nothing new” and that she only repeated the CWC resolution that had already been released to the media.
When Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification news broke, Priyanka said, “We have Martyrs’ blood in our Vein, will keep fighting“. Sumanth once again showed his support for her, saying, “#PriyankaGandhi takes up the fight.” as if this was a war.
When Priyanka Gandhi addressed a public rally in Karnataka in April 2023, she said she had seen several PMs and listed her grandmother who took a bullet, father who gave his life for the country, Narasimha Rao, Manmohan Singh who worked day and night for the country. But she said it was the first time she saw a Prime Minister (indicating to PM Modi) who whined about getting abuses. She went on to add, “The abuses he has received would only fit a page, if I begin to count the number of times he has hurled abuses on my family, I might have to get several books published”.
Sumanth did not leave this chance and very promptly showed his support as below:
Sumanth Raman also shows his support for other Congress leaders in this post. Here, he asks for recognition for DK Shivakumar of the Karnataka Congress.
Sumanth Raman, while putting on a “neutral” hat, has also been seen talking in support of leftist anti-nationals. Here are a few posts where you can see this characteristic – singing paeans for Jesuit Father Stan Swamy, who was involved in the Elgar Parishad-Maoists links case.
Father #StanSwamy spent decades working for the welfare of the tribals and the poor. He was denied even a straw sipper when in jail under the draconian UAPA. Today is his second death anniversary. Cruelty must never be the hallmark of a criminal justice system,especially for… pic.twitter.com/vm8OsNpoWi
As you go to bed tonight remember that an 83 year old man with Parkinson's disease, yet to be convicted of any crime, has till date been denied a straw and a sipper in jail despite moving Court weeks ago. How did we come to this?? #StanSwamy
In another instance, he is worried about news channels comparing Nupur Sharma and alleged fact-checker Mohammed Zubair’s remarks. From the post, one can see how worried he was about Zubair spending time in prison.
Can't even believe that the cases of Nupur Sharma and Zubair are being compared here. If they have to be compared then a good place to start would be how many days each has spent in jail. https://t.co/T6QkaFk2If
Looks like they have decided that @zoo_bear needs to be kept in jail as long as possible. Evidence, facts,reasons don't really matter. This is a witch hunt.Fact checking and calling out fake news is now a crime? https://t.co/osbdsNVUlQ
He even questioned why Nupur Sharma was not jailed for her “remarks”.
A lot of what the SC said may be factually right but if that is the case should SC also not ask why #Nupursharma is still not in custody? Also does she not have right to have FIR's clubbed to avoid being dragged from State to State for same offence? Can't understand at all
‘Sengol Is A Stick; It Is Not A Transfer Of Power’ Face
Repeatedly calls the Sengol a stick. He also repeatedly called the Sengol a Hindu symbol. Notably, Hindu symbolism already existed in the parliament and Supreme Court. He continued to justify the Congress’s argument, saying the Sengol was not historical in nature but was made by Vummudi Bangaru & Sons.
How does a sacred symbol of #Sengol, end up as a "walking stick"? This is a disgrace: @ARanganathan72
He continued to mock the Sengol ceremony and the idea behind the Sengol, stating how India survived without the Sengol all these years
How did this country survive for over 75 years without the #Sengol in Parliament? Thankfully it will take care of all Governance issues from tomorrow. Haters will never understand. https://t.co/qopsZd70FB
In a debate/discussion with CNN-News18, he toed the Congress line, stating, “There is no evidence to say that this represented a transfer of power from the British to the Indian government of the day.” He called the “transfer of power” narrative around the Sengol a WhatsApp University extrapolation, the official line toed by the Congress. He also said calling the Sengol a secular initiative was problematic in a secular country because the Sengol was a Hindu symbol.
In reality, the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam, which had handed over the Sengol to India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, confirmed in May 2023 that the Sengol was presented to the last Viceroy Mountbatten before it was handed over to Nehru as a symbolic transfer of power. BJP leader SG Suryah also spoke to Vummidi Ethirajulu, who was the man behind crafting the Sengol at the time of independence. Ethirajulu himself confirmed the fact that the Sengol was indeed given to India’s first PM, Nehru, as a symbolic transfer of power from the British to the Indians.
‘Anti-Gujarat’ Face
During the COVID pandemic, Sumanth despite being a doctor himself, found much pleasure when the cases in Gujarat were increasing.
Daily cases reported in Gujarat from 20th May till 24th: 398,371,363,396 and 394. Gujarat model rocks. #covid 😄
Around the time when the indigenous vaccines against COVID-19 were rolled out, Sumanth was among those people who enabled vaccine hesitancy. Hetried to stoke fear over corona vaccination after Actor Vivekh suffering a heart attack made the news.
If I remember correctly @Actor_Vivek had his #covid vaccine yesterday. Too early to say if there was any link with his illness today. Wishing him a speedy recovery. #vivek
He also questioned the efficacy of the 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) drug developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) by calling it “unproven stuff”.
‘I Will Buttress The DMK’ Face
Apart from his love and loyalty to the Congress, Sumanth Raman has also been seen buttressing the DMK several times. When the recent issue of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi refusing to read the speech given to him by the DMK govt, he showed the same support that he would show Congress by saying it was not the Governor’s speech per se and that the Governor did not have to worry about its inaccuracies.
The Governor's Address is NOT the address of the Governor. It is the address of the Govt of the State. It is not the Governor who would be held accountable for any factual errors. It will be the State Govt. If Governor Ravi did not want to read out the address,a simple solution…
In March 2023, Sumanth Raman posted fake news about the NPCI charging a fee for UPI transactions. He even conducted a poll on the topic on his Twitter handle without even confirming the veracity of the news. He later deleted the post.
OK. Deleting this poll. Apparently it is only for transactions through wallets and credit cards and not for bank debits. https://t.co/sVUmD7J3rr
A few weeks ago, Sumanth Raman jumped onto the bandwagon to peddle fake news. In a post on Uttarakhand being the first state in the country to implement UCC, he wrote, “Goa has had a UCC for decades but never mind facts.” forgetting the most crucial fact that Goa got the UCC under Portuguese rule.
In July 2023, Sumanth Raman made the following post without understanding the context of Governor Ravi’s speech, which was misconstrued as always by the local media, political commentators, and members of the DMK party and government, saying that the Governor is accusing the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister of going on foreign trips just for leisure. Sumanth’s post seemed to follow the narrative set by the DMK members.
Governor commenting derisively on a CM's foreign visit is just not done. This Govt will do well to ignore the man but they keep playing blow hot-blow cold with him.
In 2020, an X handle named Rofl Republic posted a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that a conference hall was converted into a ward with Army men “to facilitate PM’s photoshoot”. It even said that the Army men “posed like injured patients”. This post was also quote-posted by Sumanth Raman, along with several DMK mouthpieces.
‘Petrol Bomb Is A Small Thing’ Face
Sumanth Raman trivialised the petrol bomb attack incident that occurred in Raj Bhavan, Chennai, in October 2023. He wrote,
“Law and order in the State does not break down when one possibly deranged person hurls two petrol bombs on the road in front of the Raj Bhavan Gate. #PetrolBomb”. When a social media user replied saying, “It’s not hurling of the bomb, but the ease of availability of such a bomb that’s the concern.”, Sumanth Raman replied, “A petrol bomb is nothing but petrol set alight with some cloth in a bottle and thrown.”
‘I Have A Problem With Truth’ Face
On 12 January 2024, India Today anchor and journalist Shiv Aroor shared a news report on how Israel had used an India Today report at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Hague, during the Gaza deaths hearing. Sumanth Raman, who seemed to have come across the report weeks later, shared it on his X handle with the caption, “Isn’t this something that @IndiaToday should be ashamed of??? Unbelievable that it is being put out as a badge of honour!!!”
Isn't this something that @IndiaToday should be ashamed of??? Unbelievable that it is being put out as a badge of honour!!! 🤦🤦 https://t.co/9o5LuHI7kA
It seems like Sumanth has a problem with the truth being told in the open!
‘Secular/Anyone Can Enter Temple’ Face
Sumanth Raman posted on X about a judgement of the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court that prevents non-Hindus from entering temple premises. He disagreed with the ruling and was of the opinion that everyone must be allowed entry and to worship if they follow the temple rules. He said, “A large part of religious tourism is just tourism. This applies to all faiths not just Hindus. I know so many who visit our ancient temples to learn about our culture, marvel at the architecture, etc. Why is that bad?”
How secular!
Disagree with this. As long as the rules of the temple are followed, anyone must be allowed to visit and worship. Hindus worship at Velankanni and Nagoor in TN. Why shouldn't other faiths visit Palani? Argument that temples are not picnic spots is valid. Except that the… https://t.co/kwIx320fLc
As the country rejoiced and celebrated the Pran Prathishta ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Sumanth Raman, joining the liberal bandwagon to guilt trip the Hindus, made a post implying that if it had not been for the demolition of Babri Masjid, there wouldn’t have been so much fanfare associated with the consecration today. He added that the celebrations are nothing but ‘stoking a community into feeling they have got retribution.’
As the nation gears up for the #RamMandirPranPrathistha , just a thought. Would this frenzied level of celebration have occurred but for the events of 1992? Hypothetically, had the temple been built at a nearby site without a demolition having occurred,I wonder if there would…
When the Indian Navy veterans were sentenced to death in Qatar over a spying case, Sumanth Raman ensured he would frequently taunt the government with the Vishwaguru jibe. When the death sentence was announced, he again taunted the government over it.
However, when the news of their release came about, he praised EAM S Jaishankar for it and ignored the fact that Prime Minister Modi intervened to get this done.
In a shadowy approach, he tried to call out that PM Modi was not a graduate, especially when Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai put out a list of DMK ministers who were not even graduates or matriculates.
Many of them may not be graduates. But at least none of them has a degree in Entire Political Science and none of them went backwards from being a graduate in one year to being a 12th pass a few years later. #JustSayinghttps://t.co/7NJxxzomGT
He went sour when the Modi government decided to give the Bharat Ratna to former PM Charan Singh. But he didn’t utter a word about why the Congress or the Gandhi family ignored the contributions of Charan Singh and failed to honour him. Except for a newsy tweet, he also did not comment on the Modi government conferring Bharat Ratna on former PM Narasimha Rao, who had saved India from bankruptcy and ushered in the economic reforms through liberalization and privatization. Asking him to tweet about how Sonia Gandhi humiliated Narasimha Rao even in his death would be a little far-fetched given Sumanth’s subservience to the Gandhi family
Bharat Ratna for Charan Singh is not linked in any manner to the alliance with his grandson in UP. Mind it.#BharatRatna
He also showed his “displeasure” at being unable to question PM Modi by comparing the situation with Joe Biden and his memory issues.
Look at the media going after him about his memory issues. Do you think such media questioning of the Chief Executive of the country is possible in India? https://t.co/R19ci9gB6s
Around the time of the Sengol installation in the new Parliament building in May 2023, a salty Sumanth Raman went on questioning the need for a new building, stating several other countries continued to function in ancient buildings, and there was no need for a change.
For those saying our #Parliament building had become old (1921) here is some interesting info.
UK Parliament Building,the Palace of Westminster was constructed first in 11th Century(From 1016). Reichstag in Germany was first built in the 1880's. US Congress-Capitol Building…
What he didn’t realise was that Prime Minister Modi has been trying to decolonise the country in every possible way.
‘I Will Attack Annamalai For Everything He Says’ Face
Sumanth Raman’s dislike for the BJP is so evident that he seems to go after anyone and everyone in the party. After Modi, he began training his guns on Tamil Nadu BJP head Annamalai. Recently, at a press meeting, Annamalai stated that he would not be contesting in the MP elections, and this became a matter to mock for Sumanth. His post seemed to communicate that ‘sacrificial lambs’ would be made to contest to make excuses for failure.
Leading from the front is not going to happen it seems…… Some sacrificial lambs have to be found… Maybe find a few moneybags and "give" tickets to them? https://t.co/UceKYficR1
In another instance, Annamalai addressed a student gathering, presenting facts and figures on the predicted revenue for Uttar Pradesh because of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir. Instead of reading the entire context and going through reports published in leading newspapers, Sumanth Raman, being a compulsive commentator, just had to comment. He demanded an explanation for the 4 lakh crore figure that Annamalai had mentioned.
Where are these numbers coming from? How does this even make sense? ₹4 lakh crore over what period of time?? https://t.co/n1uLcjXVeI
After more than six months on his foot march (padayatra) all across Tamil Nadu, a visibly tired Annamalai had a slip-of-the-tongue moment when he interchanged the words Speaker and Governor earlier this month when Governor RN Ravi refused to address the Assembly owing to his disagreement with the speech given by the DMK government. Sumanth Raman had to jump in and make a comment – typical of a compulsive commentator. His issue was that Annamalai made the same mistake eight times, so it must have been intentional.
One might think Sumanth Raman is probably getting all the praise and adoration for being such a loyal Congress and DMK supporter and repeatedly questioning Modi and the BJP. However, it is a fact that Sumanth Raman faces abuse from Dravidianists and leftists, most often due to his Brahmin identity.
Abuse From Dravidianists For Being A Brahmin
Alleged writer Meena Kandasamy, in December 2020, called Sumanth Raman a ‘sombu‘ (a derogatory term denoting a supporter) of the BJP and a ‘mama’ to poke fun at his Brahmin origins. She also addressed him in singular in a post on X.
Not going to waste my precious time answering a BJP sombu. But the point that @WriterRavikumar makes in that piece about reservations is true. Only under Modi 10k medical seats for OBCs was denied by non implementation. EWS is upper caste quota. One can go on giving such examples https://t.co/rVXkwFumeY
— Dr Meena Kandasamy மீனா கந்தசாமி (@meenakandasamy) December 25, 2020
In January 2024, Sumanth Raman commented on the incident wherein a Muslim lady wearing a hijab made casteist jibes at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman by invoking her Brahmin identity. Responding to Sumanth Raman, Thirumurugan Gandhi attacked Sumanth’s Brahmin identity once again. He wrote, “Which community/caste has its own dialect other than the Brahmins? Kongu, Madurai, and Nellai Tamil dialects are spoken by all communities. Brahminical dialect is not spoken by any other caste except Brahmins. The Brahminical dialect is racist in its own right. If Brahminical dialect is used to maintain friendships among themselves, to find their caste identity and to assert their caste superiority in public, how can we call it apart from racism?” Gandhi expressed concern that the Brahmin dialect may be employed to “assert dominance” in public settings.
Which community/caste has its own dialect other than the brahmins? Kongu, Madurai, Nellai Tamil dialects are spoken by all communities. Brahminical dialect is not spoken by anyother caste except brahmins. The braminical dialect is racist in its own right. If braminical dialect… https://t.co/PGxD8XTemV
In January 2023, Sumanth Raman pointed out that the Tamil Nadu government’s total borrowings in FY 2022-23 were expected to be ₹1 lakh crore. He added that it was ₹13000 crore higher than the ₹87000 crore borrowed in the previous fiscal year. He said that the state government debt may cross ₹6.5 lakh crore.
how on each Tamil Nadu family there was a debt of 2.63 lakh. Now all have gone into deep coma. When State Govt debt was around ₹5 lakh crore,State was accused of borrowing irresponsibly. Now when debt is over ₹6 lakh crore State Govt is managing economy well? Propagandists?🤦
Reacting to this, the then-Finance Minister of the DMK government, PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, resorted to throwing barbs at Sumanth Raman, calling him an ‘epitome of minuscule knowledge’. PTR, known for attacking Brahmins, often made it a point to ridicule Sumanth Raman. And yet, Sumanth continues to buttress the DMK.
This person is the epitome of “minuscule knowledge is a dangerous thing”🤦🏼♂️
Let’s give him a day to find the basics he should’ve known PRIOR to blabbering:
Deficit & Debt Calendar & Actual
If he doesn’t correct himself, I’ll issue a press statement to expose his utter ignorance https://t.co/lpQcBdUOMq
When Sumanth Raman stated in his X post that he supported EWS, a TNM journalist, Balakrishna Ganeshan, spewed casteist venom against Tamil Brahmins. Sumanth Raman had said that while millions of genuinely disadvantaged need the benefits of reservation, the current reservation system was exploited by those who are socio-economically well off! He made a series of posts to one Soumitra Pathare supporting the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota. Reacting to one tweet of Sumanth Raman, The News Minute journalist Balakrishna Ganeshan put out a pun-intended tweet saying, “This thread (andha thread ah thaan sonna)”, referring to the poonool/janeu (sacred thread) worn by Brahmins.
Despite all the flak and abuse he has received, all-in-all Sumanth Raman continues to support the Congress, the DMK, anti-nationals, leftists, and Islamists. He does not have a word to say about the Modi government or speak for Hindus. As someone who finds it compulsive to comment on anything and everything, here’s a piece of advice for you, Dr Sumanth – tomorrow, the party that you are so loyal to will throw you under the bus just for being a Brahmin. Your ‘neutrality’ will not help you.
To conclude, if there’s one assertion from DMK leader PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan that holds true, it’s regarding Sumanth Raman. Whenever someone sees, Sumanth’s face anywhere, PTR’s golden words will come to the mind.
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Once again, the crackdown on the opposition party persists in Tamil Nadu, aiming to stifle their voices. In the latest incident, Selva Kumar, the Vice President of the Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party Industrial Cell, was called in by the cyber-crime police in Coimbatore for posting on social media on 14 February 2024. The post criticized the ruling DMK government for releasing individuals connected to the 1998 Coimbatore bomb blast case. This contentious action has sparked extensive criticism on social media and has caused significant concern among the residents of Coimbatore.
On 14 February 2024, Selva Kumar shared the following two posts on the micro blogging platform X during the time of the 1998 Coimbatore blast anniversary. In one post, he shared a video of convict and Al-Umma founder Syed Batcha (who received interim bail owing to an impending surgery) welcoming another convict who was released recently. The other video was a clipping of a video from former police officer Varadharajan’s video on the bomb blasts where he narrates how former CM Karunanidhi handled the intelligence information with regard to the blasts.
Ironically, the Coimbatore cyber-crime police registered charges under Section 153 A (1)(b), Section 504 of IPC for Criminal Intimidation, and Section 43(i) r/w of 66 of the Information Technology Act, 2008 against Selva Kumar. These charges carry potential imprisonment for a term extending to 3 years or a fine of five lakh rupees, or both.
மகிழ்ச்சியாக கோவை அரசியல் களத்தில் குண்டுவெடிப்பு குற்றவாளி பாட்ஷா#கோவை_மன்னிக்காது
குண்டு வெடிப்பதற்கு முன்பே தீவிரவாதிகளை முழு மூச்சுடன் எதிர்த்தார் அம்மையார் ஜெயலலிதா, ஆனால் இன்றோ அதே கட்சி தண்டிக்கபட்ட தீவிரவாதிகளை விடுதலை செய்ய சட்டசபையில் தீர்மானம் கொண்டு வருகிறது#கோவை_மன்னிக்காதுpic.twitter.com/JstWU3A300
Selva Kumar took to his official X handle to inform people about these charges filed against him. He also expressed his willingness to cooperate and appear at the police station in response to the summons. A statement released by Selva Kumar read, “Posting not to release Coimbatore terrorists, immediate Prosecution, is arrest next? The hashtag #கோவை_மன்னிக்காது was trending nationally on the 14th. More than twenty thousand citizens from Coimbatore participated in this and solemnly registered their opinion that the terrorists should not be released. The Coimbatore Police took immediate action and registered a non-bailable case based on the complaint filed by the DMK + sectarian alliance parties who were offended by this. They have sent a summons to appear at the Coimbatore Cybercrime Police Station at 11 am today for a personal inquiry regarding this case. I am present at the police station on time.”
கோவை குண்டுவெடிப்பு தீவிரவாதிகளை விடுதலை செய்ய கூடாது என பதிவு செய்தல் உடனடியாக வழக்கு, அடுத்தது கைதா ?
கடந்த 14ம் தேதி தேசிய அளவில் #கோவை_மன்னிக்காது என்ற ஹேஸ்டேக் தேசிய அளவில் ட்ரென்டிங் ஆனது.
இதில் கோவையை சேர்ந்த இருபது ஆயிரத்திற்கும் மேற்பட்ட பொதுமக்கள் கலந்து கொண்டு… pic.twitter.com/RrDkfaHAxN
This the second time Selva Kumar’s posts on X have attracted the attention of the police department. Here are some of the instances from 2023 and early 2024, several netizens and BJP members were arrested for exercising their freedom of speech.
BJP IT Wing and Social Media State Secretary Trichy Pugal Machendran was arrested for an alleged provocative Facebook post celebrating the death of the terrorist Palani Baba on his death anniversary. The post referred to Palani Baba as a “poisonous influence.”
TN BJP Functionary Pravin Raj was arrested in the wee hours of 1 October 2023 for his posts targeting the ruling party and the Congress.
The Tamil Nadu police even went up to Noida to try to arrest journalist Abhijit Majumder for his article on Udhayanidhi Stalin’s eradicate Sanathana Dharma remarks.
Critic of the DMK, Badri Seshadri, was arrested for his comments in an interview on a YouTube channel regarding the Manipur issue, during which he made remarks about the Chief Justice of India.
The Commune and its directors faced legal action for reporting on the confrontation between Podu Deekshitars of the Chidambaram Nataraja Temple and HR&CE officials.
Tamil Nadu BJP State Secretary SG Suryah was taken into custody under non-bailable sections for his comments regarding Madurai CPI-M MP Su Venkatesan concerning a sanitation worker’s tragic death during drain cleaning in Pennadam town, Cuddalore district.
An AIADMK IT wing member was apprehended under non-bailable sections for sharing a video meme that humorously referenced MK Stalin’s video statement on Senthilbalaji’s arrest. The meme did not contain derogatory content.
A Pro-BJP Twitter user was arrested for sharing an old article and allegedly misattributing DMK to an illegal liquor-producing gang in Tiruppur, following the recent hooch tragedy in Marakkanam.
A Pro-BJP Twitter user was arrested for sharing an old article and allegedly misattributing DMK to an illegal liquor-producing gang in Tiruppur, following the recent hooch tragedy in Marakkanam.
Vice President of Tamil Nadu BJP’s Industrial Cell, Selva Kumar, was arrested for criticizing DMK Minister Senthilbalaji.
The admin of Voice of Savukku Shankar X handle was arrested for a video meme targeting CM MK Stalin and DMK Minister PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan regarding the “eligible household” clause in the monthly assistance scheme for women.
The DMK government traveled to Gujarat to arrest BJP cadre John Ravi, who had made satirical social media posts about CM MK Stalin and his late father, Karunanidhi.
N Muthuramalingam, the State Propaganda Secretary of South India Forward Bloc, was arrested for expressing his views on Facebook regarding the release of terrorists convicted in the 1998 Coimbatore serial blasts case. Muthuramalingam had criticized Dravidian parties for considering the release of 36 prisoners, including those convicted for life in the Coimbatore terror attack, leading to his arrest.
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Rahul Gandhi’s ongoing Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra in Uttar Pradesh has seen him yapping about his claims of the Narendra Modi-led Central government being unfriendly towards OBCs and Dalits. During a public address on 21February 2024, he asserted that the Ram Mandir is frequented only by prominent figures like PM Modi, Ambani, and Adani, with no representation from backward classes or the Dalit community.
Gandhi’s speech took an aggressive turn when he angrily questioned a journalist about his name (caste) and the ownership of the media organization he represented.
Shiv Prasad Yadav, a journalist with India News, asked a direct question about the absence of Priyanka Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav. Instead of responding to the inquiry, Rahul Gandhi’s reaction took an alarming turn as he visibly showed agitation and with his signaling leading to the journalist to face physical assault. He started yelling at him “Naam Batao, Naam Batao” (Tell me your name) with the crowd starting to beat him up.
“You are from the media? What is your name? You are Shiv Prasad. What is the name of your owner? What’s the name of your owner? What’s the name? Tell me the name. Tell me the name.” Rahul Gandhi asked the journalist in an attempt to identify his caste.
With crowd getting agitated and turning hostile, they clashed with the journalist and apparently started to beat him.
Upon seeing the crowd getting into a fight with the journalist, a visibly agitated Rahul Gandhi can be hear yelling “Oye! Don’t beat him up!) Don’t beat him. Don’t beat him. Don’t beat him.” and further went on to ask “Is he an OBC? No! Is he a Dalit? No!”
It has now come to light that the Indian News journalist Shiv Prasad indeed belongs to the Yadav community which is part of Other Backward Class (OBC).
Journalist Shiv Prasad Yadav, an OBC, was beaten by Congress workers in front of Rahul Gandhi because Rahul got aggressive.
Rahul talks about OBC Nyay, calls them 50% wale Babbar Sher and then Congress beat them.
Furthering his narrative, Gandhi revived the false claim that President Draupadi Murmu was deliberately excluded from the Ram Mandir inauguration due to her Adivasi background. Contrary to his assertion, President Murmu was formally invited by a delegation from the Ram Temple Trust on January 12. She expressed her intent to visit Ayodhya at a later date and even conveyed her congratulations to the Prime Minister for the temple’s inauguration on January 21.
Gandhi criticized the concentration of power and wealth in the hands of a few, alleging that the majority, including Dalits, backward classes, Adivasis, and the poor, lacked representation in various sectors. He also took a swipe at the opening of the Ram Temple, claiming it was attended only by the rich and famous.
The BJP reacted strongly to Gandhi’s comments about young men in Varanasi being drunk and lying on roads, connecting it to the government’s focus on influential individuals at the Ram Mandir. Union Minister Smriti Irani condemned Gandhi, stating that he had no right to insult the people of Kashi and the youth of Uttar Pradesh, emphasizing the state’s global recognition for its skilled and talented youth. Irani expressed skepticism about expecting an apology from Rahul Gandhi, describing him as a shameless individual.
Bharatiya Janata Party’s Mahila Morcha President and South Coimbatore MLA Vanathi Srinivasan has announced a significant milestone for her constituency office. In a groundbreaking achievement, her MLA office in Coimbatore South has become the first in Tamil Nadu to receive ISO 9001:2015 certification. Taking to social media platform X to share her excitement, Vanathi Srinivasan expressed her joy and emphasized the importance of this recognition in ensuring a high level of work commitment from herself and her team.
Drawing attention to the BJP’s dedication to efficient governance, Vanathi Srinivasan highlighted a similar certification received by Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s office during his tenure as Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2011. This historic achievement underscores the BJP’s unwavering commitment to providing efficient, effective, and transparent services to the people they serve.
She wrote, “Delighted to share that my MLA office, Coimbatore South has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Member of the Legislative Assembly in Tamil Nadu to receive ISO 9001: 2015 certification. This accomplishment underscores our unwavering dedication to public service. The certification recognizes our distinguished quality management system in various aspects of legislative duties, constituency representation, policy influence, community engagement, development initiatives, oversight, and fund allocation. The attainment of ISO certification reflects not only our tireless commitment to excellence but also the dedication of my entire team.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi consistently emphasizes enhancing work culture and achieving maximum governance with minimum government intervention. Similarly, Union Home Minister Shri Amit Shah and BJP National President Shri JP Nadda have prioritized enhancing the party’s work ethos and prioritizing dedicated service to the people & that’s why under their leadership, BJP have office in almost all districts of the country. In 2011, when PM Modi was the CM of Gujarat, his office got the ISO 2001:2015 certification. This speaks about our commitment to continuously provide the efficient, effective and transparent services and support to our people.
This certification serves as a testament to our adherence to international standards in the operations and services provided by my MLA office. I am committed to ensuring enhanced efficiency, transparency, and accountability in all interactions with the office for the constituents of Coimbatore South. Today, I conveyed this achievement to our Honorable Speaker and Deputy Speaker of the Tamil Nadu State Legislative Assembly. This achievement reaffirms both mine and BJP’s commitment to upholding the highest standards of governance and service delivery.”
Delighted to share that my MLA office, Coimbatore South has achieved a significant milestone by becoming the first Member of the Legislative Assembly in Tamil Nadu to receive ISO 9001: 2015 certification.
Meet ‘All-In-All’ Sumanth Raman, The Multi-Faceted ‘Doctor’ And ‘Neutral’ Commentator Who Simps For Rahul Gandhi & Congress
Everyone in India and outside who follows Indian politics and watches Indian news at least once in a while would be aware of this gentleman who claims to be a neutral political commentator. But did you know that there are various shades to that neutrality? He is a compulsive commentator who wants to comment about everything under the sun. But he gets super excited and sometimes even jumps the gun when he targets the BJP and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. His tirade against the Modi government is primarily attributed to his unceremonious removal as the host of BSNL Sports Quiz (a flop show that ran on taxpayer’s money) on Doordarshan in 2019 after he kept targeting the PM Modi and the BJP government. Did he expect that the government would cajole him if he keeps simping for Congress?
Read on to understand the multiple faces of a ‘doctor’ turned quiz master turned political commentator turned Congress simp – Sumanth Raman.
We give you examples of various aspects of Sumanth Raman as below:
‘Gandhi Family Simp’ Face
Yes, you read that right. Here, we present various instances of how Mr All-in-All did all he could to show his loyalty and support for the Gandhi family. Here are subdivisions of this main face:
‘Rahul Gandhi Simp’ Face
Have you noticed any comments from Sumanth Raman, especially after Rahul Gandhi started making comments on OBCs? After he asked for the caste census? No, nada, zilch! Nor does Sumanth Raman think it is necessary when Rahul Gandhi commits a faux pas. Why showcase his leader in a negative light?
On 21 February 2024, a few videos of Rahul Gandhi’s Bharat Jodo Nyay Yatra surfaced on social media. In these videos, Rahul Gandhi is seen terrorising a volunteer with questions, inciting the crowd to target and assault a journalist, and nearly choking a volunteer by placing his arms around his neck. But Sumanth has nothing to say. He would rather comment on Modi and BJP.
There are absolutely no comments on this harassment by Rahul Gandhi from Sumanth Raman.
Nor did Sumanth Raman open his mouth to condemn Rahul Gandhi’s statement where he said, “India is not a nation but a union of states”. In fact, he supported his dear Rahul Gandhi by stating that it was already mentioned in the Constitution.
Sumanth Raman was among the first ones to laud Congress scion Rahul Gandhi when the verdict on the electoral bonds came in.
The same Sumanth Raman shifted goalposts when facts were presented in the electoral bonds issue. When a netizen asked him to comment on Congress receiving ₹952 crores as donations through electoral bonds, he shifted focus to DMK for receiving nearly half the amount (₹431 crores). He said a state party (in just a single state) received a large amount and implied that it could not be compared to a national party like the Congress.
Yet another time when he simped for Rahul Gandhi was last year when he wrote a lengthy note about the Wayanad MP. Some of the points in that post were typical of the fanboy type. Examples include, “Rahul appears sincere and does not spread divisiveness.” “…he does come across as a decent person. He meets the press fearlessly and regularly and does not shy away from the most uncomfortable of questions. Handles hecklers well, too, like he showed in the US.” He also batted for the “idea” that Rahul’s popularity was rising and that people were tired of Modi.
When the Congress peddled propaganda that Prime Minister Modi was notified as an “OBC” only in 1999. Sumanth Raman jumped onto the bandwagon to say that Modi was not an OBC until that year. How clever!
He also supported Rahul by stating that his MP disqualification in the Modi surname case was a blessing in disguise and that he could play the victim and show he was persecuted.
He supported Rahul Gandhi when everyone else called him Pappu. This also shows his “loyal” face.
‘Sonia Gandhi Simp’ Face
A Times Now report that traced Sonia Gandhi’s vote share/victory margin from 2009 to 2019 in Raebareli showed a steady downward trend. In every election, the vote share and victory margin reduced considerably. Yes, Sonia won the seat, but her margins were coming down every election from 55.8% in 2009 to 17.4% in 2019. Look at how our Sonia Gandhi simp Sumanth Raman buttressed her. He said, “Victory margins fluctuate from elections to elections.” When the anchor pointed out that it was a steady downward trend, he said, “Why don’t you go back and look for 2004? You only want to look at the last three elections. What if Priyanka Gandhi Vadra contests the seat now in place of her mother? Will you still say that Mrs Gandhi has left the battlefield?”
The same Sumanth Raman had a problem with BJP’s L Murugan contesting from the Rajya Sabha. He had no problem when Sonia Gandhi announced her candidature from Rajasthan, that too for the Rajya Sabha. Here’s what he had to say for L Murugan. “So Murugan_MoS is not contesting from Nilgiris? Going back to the Rajya Sabha is much safer.”
‘Priyanka Gandhi Simp’ Face
In 2019, Sumanth couldn’t contain his excitement when Priyanka Gandhi Vadra was appointed the AICC General Secretary in Eastern UP. He could already see images of her grandmother in his mind.
When Priyanka stated that the abrogation of Article 370 move was illegal, Sumanth supported her by saying, “What Priyanka Gandhi said today was nothing new” and that she only repeated the CWC resolution that had already been released to the media.
When Rahul Gandhi’s disqualification news broke, Priyanka said, “We have Martyrs’ blood in our Vein, will keep fighting“. Sumanth once again showed his support for her, saying, “#PriyankaGandhi takes up the fight.” as if this was a war.
When Priyanka Gandhi addressed a public rally in Karnataka in April 2023, she said she had seen several PMs and listed her grandmother who took a bullet, father who gave his life for the country, Narasimha Rao, Manmohan Singh who worked day and night for the country. But she said it was the first time she saw a Prime Minister (indicating to PM Modi) who whined about getting abuses. She went on to add, “The abuses he has received would only fit a page, if I begin to count the number of times he has hurled abuses on my family, I might have to get several books published”.
Sumanth did not leave this chance and very promptly showed his support as below:
Sub-Face: Congress Simp
Sumanth Raman also shows his support for other Congress leaders in this post. Here, he asks for recognition for DK Shivakumar of the Karnataka Congress.
‘Leftist Simp’ Face
Sumanth Raman, while putting on a “neutral” hat, has also been seen talking in support of leftist anti-nationals. Here are a few posts where you can see this characteristic – singing paeans for Jesuit Father Stan Swamy, who was involved in the Elgar Parishad-Maoists links case.
‘Islamist Simp’ Face
In another instance, he is worried about news channels comparing Nupur Sharma and alleged fact-checker Mohammed Zubair’s remarks. From the post, one can see how worried he was about Zubair spending time in prison.
He even called it a witch hunt!
He even questioned why Nupur Sharma was not jailed for her “remarks”.
‘Sengol Is A Stick; It Is Not A Transfer Of Power’ Face
Repeatedly calls the Sengol a stick. He also repeatedly called the Sengol a Hindu symbol. Notably, Hindu symbolism already existed in the parliament and Supreme Court. He continued to justify the Congress’s argument, saying the Sengol was not historical in nature but was made by Vummudi Bangaru & Sons.
He continued to mock the Sengol ceremony and the idea behind the Sengol, stating how India survived without the Sengol all these years
In a debate/discussion with CNN-News18, he toed the Congress line, stating, “There is no evidence to say that this represented a transfer of power from the British to the Indian government of the day.” He called the “transfer of power” narrative around the Sengol a WhatsApp University extrapolation, the official line toed by the Congress. He also said calling the Sengol a secular initiative was problematic in a secular country because the Sengol was a Hindu symbol.
In reality, the Thiruvavaduthurai Adheenam, which had handed over the Sengol to India’s first Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, confirmed in May 2023 that the Sengol was presented to the last Viceroy Mountbatten before it was handed over to Nehru as a symbolic transfer of power. BJP leader SG Suryah also spoke to Vummidi Ethirajulu, who was the man behind crafting the Sengol at the time of independence. Ethirajulu himself confirmed the fact that the Sengol was indeed given to India’s first PM, Nehru, as a symbolic transfer of power from the British to the Indians.
‘Anti-Gujarat’ Face
During the COVID pandemic, Sumanth despite being a doctor himself, found much pleasure when the cases in Gujarat were increasing.
‘Vaccine Hesitancy Enabler’ Face
Around the time when the indigenous vaccines against COVID-19 were rolled out, Sumanth was among those people who enabled vaccine hesitancy. He tried to stoke fear over corona vaccination after Actor Vivekh suffering a heart attack made the news.
He also questioned the efficacy of the 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) drug developed by the Defence Research and Development Organization (DRDO) by calling it “unproven stuff”.
‘I Will Buttress The DMK’ Face
Apart from his love and loyalty to the Congress, Sumanth Raman has also been seen buttressing the DMK several times. When the recent issue of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi refusing to read the speech given to him by the DMK govt, he showed the same support that he would show Congress by saying it was not the Governor’s speech per se and that the Governor did not have to worry about its inaccuracies.
He also advised the Governor to resign, fight elections, and become the state’s Chief Minister. How cute.
‘Fake News Peddler’ Face
In March 2023, Sumanth Raman posted fake news about the NPCI charging a fee for UPI transactions. He even conducted a poll on the topic on his Twitter handle without even confirming the veracity of the news. He later deleted the post.
A few weeks ago, Sumanth Raman jumped onto the bandwagon to peddle fake news. In a post on Uttarakhand being the first state in the country to implement UCC, he wrote, “Goa has had a UCC for decades but never mind facts.” forgetting the most crucial fact that Goa got the UCC under Portuguese rule.
In July 2023, Sumanth Raman made the following post without understanding the context of Governor Ravi’s speech, which was misconstrued as always by the local media, political commentators, and members of the DMK party and government, saying that the Governor is accusing the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister of going on foreign trips just for leisure. Sumanth’s post seemed to follow the narrative set by the DMK members.
In 2020, an X handle named Rofl Republic posted a picture of Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that a conference hall was converted into a ward with Army men “to facilitate PM’s photoshoot”. It even said that the Army men “posed like injured patients”. This post was also quote-posted by Sumanth Raman, along with several DMK mouthpieces.
‘Petrol Bomb Is A Small Thing’ Face
Sumanth Raman trivialised the petrol bomb attack incident that occurred in Raj Bhavan, Chennai, in October 2023. He wrote,
“Law and order in the State does not break down when one possibly deranged person hurls two petrol bombs on the road in front of the Raj Bhavan Gate. #PetrolBomb”. When a social media user replied saying, “It’s not hurling of the bomb, but the ease of availability of such a bomb that’s the concern.”, Sumanth Raman replied, “A petrol bomb is nothing but petrol set alight with some cloth in a bottle and thrown.”
‘I Have A Problem With Truth’ Face
On 12 January 2024, India Today anchor and journalist Shiv Aroor shared a news report on how Israel had used an India Today report at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), Hague, during the Gaza deaths hearing. Sumanth Raman, who seemed to have come across the report weeks later, shared it on his X handle with the caption, “Isn’t this something that @IndiaToday should be ashamed of??? Unbelievable that it is being put out as a badge of honour!!!”
It seems like Sumanth has a problem with the truth being told in the open!
‘Secular/Anyone Can Enter Temple’ Face
Sumanth Raman posted on X about a judgement of the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court that prevents non-Hindus from entering temple premises. He disagreed with the ruling and was of the opinion that everyone must be allowed entry and to worship if they follow the temple rules. He said, “A large part of religious tourism is just tourism. This applies to all faiths not just Hindus. I know so many who visit our ancient temples to learn about our culture, marvel at the architecture, etc. Why is that bad?”
How secular!
His Favourite – ‘I Will Question BJP/Modi’ Face
As the country rejoiced and celebrated the Pran Prathishta ceremony of Ram Mandir in Ayodhya, Sumanth Raman, joining the liberal bandwagon to guilt trip the Hindus, made a post implying that if it had not been for the demolition of Babri Masjid, there wouldn’t have been so much fanfare associated with the consecration today. He added that the celebrations are nothing but ‘stoking a community into feeling they have got retribution.’
When the Indian Navy veterans were sentenced to death in Qatar over a spying case, Sumanth Raman ensured he would frequently taunt the government with the Vishwaguru jibe. When the death sentence was announced, he again taunted the government over it.
However, when the news of their release came about, he praised EAM S Jaishankar for it and ignored the fact that Prime Minister Modi intervened to get this done.
In a shadowy approach, he tried to call out that PM Modi was not a graduate, especially when Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai put out a list of DMK ministers who were not even graduates or matriculates.
He went sour when the Modi government decided to give the Bharat Ratna to former PM Charan Singh. But he didn’t utter a word about why the Congress or the Gandhi family ignored the contributions of Charan Singh and failed to honour him. Except for a newsy tweet, he also did not comment on the Modi government conferring Bharat Ratna on former PM Narasimha Rao, who had saved India from bankruptcy and ushered in the economic reforms through liberalization and privatization. Asking him to tweet about how Sonia Gandhi humiliated Narasimha Rao even in his death would be a little far-fetched given Sumanth’s subservience to the Gandhi family
He also showed his “displeasure” at being unable to question PM Modi by comparing the situation with Joe Biden and his memory issues.
Around the time of the Sengol installation in the new Parliament building in May 2023, a salty Sumanth Raman went on questioning the need for a new building, stating several other countries continued to function in ancient buildings, and there was no need for a change.
What he didn’t realise was that Prime Minister Modi has been trying to decolonise the country in every possible way.
‘I Will Attack Annamalai For Everything He Says’ Face
Sumanth Raman’s dislike for the BJP is so evident that he seems to go after anyone and everyone in the party. After Modi, he began training his guns on Tamil Nadu BJP head Annamalai. Recently, at a press meeting, Annamalai stated that he would not be contesting in the MP elections, and this became a matter to mock for Sumanth. His post seemed to communicate that ‘sacrificial lambs’ would be made to contest to make excuses for failure.
In another instance, Annamalai addressed a student gathering, presenting facts and figures on the predicted revenue for Uttar Pradesh because of the Ayodhya Ram Mandir. Instead of reading the entire context and going through reports published in leading newspapers, Sumanth Raman, being a compulsive commentator, just had to comment. He demanded an explanation for the 4 lakh crore figure that Annamalai had mentioned.
After more than six months on his foot march (padayatra) all across Tamil Nadu, a visibly tired Annamalai had a slip-of-the-tongue moment when he interchanged the words Speaker and Governor earlier this month when Governor RN Ravi refused to address the Assembly owing to his disagreement with the speech given by the DMK government. Sumanth Raman had to jump in and make a comment – typical of a compulsive commentator. His issue was that Annamalai made the same mistake eight times, so it must have been intentional.
One might think Sumanth Raman is probably getting all the praise and adoration for being such a loyal Congress and DMK supporter and repeatedly questioning Modi and the BJP. However, it is a fact that Sumanth Raman faces abuse from Dravidianists and leftists, most often due to his Brahmin identity.
Abuse From Dravidianists For Being A Brahmin
Alleged writer Meena Kandasamy, in December 2020, called Sumanth Raman a ‘sombu‘ (a derogatory term denoting a supporter) of the BJP and a ‘mama’ to poke fun at his Brahmin origins. She also addressed him in singular in a post on X.
In January 2024, Sumanth Raman commented on the incident wherein a Muslim lady wearing a hijab made casteist jibes at Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman by invoking her Brahmin identity. Responding to Sumanth Raman, Thirumurugan Gandhi attacked Sumanth’s Brahmin identity once again. He wrote, “Which community/caste has its own dialect other than the Brahmins? Kongu, Madurai, and Nellai Tamil dialects are spoken by all communities. Brahminical dialect is not spoken by any other caste except Brahmins. The Brahminical dialect is racist in its own right. If Brahminical dialect is used to maintain friendships among themselves, to find their caste identity and to assert their caste superiority in public, how can we call it apart from racism?” Gandhi expressed concern that the Brahmin dialect may be employed to “assert dominance” in public settings.
In January 2023, Sumanth Raman pointed out that the Tamil Nadu government’s total borrowings in FY 2022-23 were expected to be ₹1 lakh crore. He added that it was ₹13000 crore higher than the ₹87000 crore borrowed in the previous fiscal year. He said that the state government debt may cross ₹6.5 lakh crore.
Reacting to this, the then-Finance Minister of the DMK government, PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, resorted to throwing barbs at Sumanth Raman, calling him an ‘epitome of minuscule knowledge’. PTR, known for attacking Brahmins, often made it a point to ridicule Sumanth Raman. And yet, Sumanth continues to buttress the DMK.
When Sumanth Raman stated in his X post that he supported EWS, a TNM journalist, Balakrishna Ganeshan, spewed casteist venom against Tamil Brahmins. Sumanth Raman had said that while millions of genuinely disadvantaged need the benefits of reservation, the current reservation system was exploited by those who are socio-economically well off! He made a series of posts to one Soumitra Pathare supporting the Economically Weaker Sections (EWS) quota. Reacting to one tweet of Sumanth Raman, The News Minute journalist Balakrishna Ganeshan put out a pun-intended tweet saying, “This thread (andha thread ah thaan sonna)”, referring to the poonool/janeu (sacred thread) worn by Brahmins.
Despite all the flak and abuse he has received, all-in-all Sumanth Raman continues to support the Congress, the DMK, anti-nationals, leftists, and Islamists. He does not have a word to say about the Modi government or speak for Hindus. As someone who finds it compulsive to comment on anything and everything, here’s a piece of advice for you, Dr Sumanth – tomorrow, the party that you are so loyal to will throw you under the bus just for being a Brahmin. Your ‘neutrality’ will not help you.
To conclude, if there’s one assertion from DMK leader PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan that holds true, it’s regarding Sumanth Raman. Whenever someone sees, Sumanth’s face anywhere, PTR’s golden words will come to the mind.
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