AIADMK Rajya Sabha Member C.Ve. Shanmugam leading a protest in Villupuram on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

The AIADMK on Saturday accused the ruling DMK regime of being “administratively incompetent” to tackle the rain and said the government should own responsibility for the damages caused due to flooding in Villupuram, Cuddalore and Kallakurichi districts.

Leading a demonstration here demanding relief assistance for all those affected by the floods, AIADMK Rajya Sabha Member C.Ve. Shanmugam said the Tamil Nadu government had issued an advisory only to the Tahsildar of Thandrampet in Tiruvannamalai district before releasing nearly 3 lakh cusecs of water into the Thenpennai river.

Alleging disparity in distribution of relief assistance to the flood-affected people in the three districts, he said the government had distributed ₹2,000 as relief to ration cardholders while ₹6,000 was being given as relief to cardholders in Chennai during last year’s floods.

Mr. Shanmugam claimed that the relief assistance was not distributed to the affected sections in several villages so far. It was only after the AIADMK had announced a protest in Villupuram, the district administration had come out with a statement detailing the damages caused by the cyclone. The government should distribute the promised relief amount to all affected sections, he said.

The Kannur University Senators’ Forum has raised serious allegations against the university’s administration, accusing it of compromising its autonomy and acting under the verbal instructions of the Higher Education Minister.

The forum claimed that the university had handed over student data to the Maharashtra-based MKCL without signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) in violation of norms.

While other universities resisted sharing data, Kannur University (KU) allegedly shared it, which the forum termed a betrayal of students’ academic interests. The forum described the Vice-Chancellor’s alleged involvement in the matter as “unfortunate,” reflecting poorly on the institution’s governance.

The release of the first-semester results of the varsity’s four-year undergraduate programme also came under scrutiny. The forum came down on the varsity for publishing results prematurely on the Principal’s portal, bypassing official protocols. The blame placed on principals and colleges for distributing results was deemed “ridiculous” compared to the alleged lapses by MKCL, the software company managing the results. The forum claimed that the varsity did not give any prior information regarding the trial run.

The forum sought an investigation into whether external agencies linked to foreign universities influenced the situation, possibly aiming to diminish the university’s credibility.

The forum also highlighted alleged irregularities in the first-semester evaluation process. Teachers reportedly conducted assessments using students’ register numbers, rather than anonymised codes, raising concerns about potential bias and mark manipulation. The direct uploading of marks by teachers into the Maharashtra company’s software was termed as a breach of transparency and accountability.

The forum accused the Higher Education Minister of pressuring universities into transactions with MKCL, and KU was the only one to fully implement the directive. This, they argued, violated Section 25(15) of the University Act and demanded a thorough investigation into the matter.

A. Santhi Kumari
| Photo Credit: Subyendu Ganguly 10328@Hyderabad

Central Administrative Tribunal-Hyderabad (Telangana) bench has granted two weeks time to Chief Secretary A. Santhi Kumari ‘as final opportunity’ to comply with its order over giving posting to IFS officer Ratnakar Jauhari.

The CS has to appear before the Tribunal on January 9, 2025 if the order is not complied with, the bench said. The order was passed by the bench comprising Tribunal members Varun Sindhu Kul Kaumudi (Administrative) and Lata Baswaraj Patne (Judicial) in an original application filed by the IFS officer, posting the matter to January 9 for orders for contempt of court.

An IFS officer of 1994 batch, Mr. Jauhari was allotted to the cadre of undivided Andhra Pradesh State. By 2014 when separate Telangana State was carved out, he became Chief Conservator of Forests and opted for Telangana cadre. However, the government allotted him to AP cadre.

Challenging this, he moved CAT in 2016. Six years later, the CAT passed an order setting aside allotment of the officer to AP cadre and re-allocated him to Telangana cadre. With the Telangana government not giving any posting to the officer, the latter had filed another application before the CAT in 2024.

The CAT in its order observed that its order was not complied with by not giving any posting to the officer despite a clear direction from the Central government.

“On the contrary, they passed some instructions on October 25 which are nothing but wilful disobedience of the order of this Tribunal,” the CAT order said. Subsequently, the bench issued contempt notice to the CS. Questioning the order, the CS moved the HC by filing a writ petition which was eventually dismissed.

The IFS officer was not given any posting though he reported to the office of the CS in April 2024. He was not getting salary too till date. “It shows utter disregard to the orders of the Tribunal,” by the CS, the bench said. The CS did not turn up before the bench on December 19 despite specific direction.

The CS filed a miscellaneous application seeking exemption from appearance stating that she was occupied with the Assembly session and the visit of the President. The bench said that it was not happy with the averments made in the application by the CS and dismissed it.

The Calicut University (CU) will receive ₹100 crore under the Union government’s Multi-disciplinary Education and Research University (MERU) scheme.

Of this, the Centre will provide ₹60 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Uchchatar Shiksha Abhiyan and the State will give ₹40 crore. A release said on Saturday (December 21) that ₹2 crore will be for the renovation of the Pareeksha Bhavan, ₹1.7 crore for the online exam centre, ₹1.66 crore for the modernisation of the Department of Hindi, ₹1.5 crore for setting up Kerala Media Archive, and ₹1.79 crore for setting up a plastic waste management incubation centre, among others. A total of 26 projects would be taken up, which include ₹3 crore for setting up classrooms, labs, and libraries for four-year undergraduate programmes and integrated postgraduate degree programmes.

Zamorin’s Guruvayoorappan’s College, Kozhikode, MES Kalladi College, Mannnarkkad, Palakkad, and WMO College, Muttil, Wayanad, would get ₹5 crore each. The authorities said that the projects would have to be completed by March 31, 2026, the release added.

Hours after a discussion in the Telangana Legislative Assembly about the behaviour of actor Allu Arjun in the aftermath of a woman’s death at Sandhya 70 MM cinema hall, the actor dismissed it as “character assassination” without naming anyone or the forum.

Speaking in a press conference, Mr. Arjun, flanked by his father and a lawyer, gave his side of the story, and termed the death of the woman and the injury to the child an accident. The stampede at the cinema resulted in the death of a 35-year-old woman; her eight-year-old son is battling for life in a hospital.

“This is an unfortunate accident, and it is nobody’s fault. Everyone, including the police and myself, acted with positive intentions,” Mr. Arjun said, condoling with the family and wishing the injured child a speedy recovery. The actor informed the media that he was receiving hourly updates on the child’s condition.

The actor described the situation as being marred by misinformation and miscommunication, claiming that much of the narrative being shared was inaccurate. “There has been an attempt at character assassination. Despite the success of the film, we have cancelled all celebratory events to focus on the issue,” he added.

“It was not a roadshow; I was asked to wave to the fans so that they disperse, which I did out of respect for those waiting to see me. Had I known there was no permission, I would have turned back,” he said. He added that no police officer approached him while he watching the film. It was only after his team alerted him about the overcrowding that he decided to leave the venue.

“It was only the next day that I learned of the incident involving the death of a woman and an eight-year-old being hospitalised. My team advised me against visiting the hospital, and later, I was informed that a case had been filed against me. It was not appropriate for me to meet the family under these circumstances,” he said.

The CPI(M) district secretariat removed Kerala Tourism Development Corporation (KTDC) chairman and former MLA P.K. Sasi from two more positions on Saturday.

Mr. Sasi, who faced disciplinary action after being involved in financial fraud, was removed from the posts of CITU district president and Chumattu Thozhilali Union president. Earlier, Mr. Sasi was demoted from the district committee to area committee.

CPI(M) district committee member P.N. Mohanan will become the new district president of the CITU. T.M. Sasi will be the new Chumattu Thozhilali Union president.

The party has left it to the State government to decide whether to retain Mr. Sasi as KTDC chairman.

Mr. Sasi faced disciplinary actions following the finding of an inquiry commission that he was directly involved in financial misappropriation. Although the party district committee had asked him to quit KTDC chairmanship and CITU presidentship, he refused to oblige.

In 2018, Mr. Sasi was suspended from the party for six months on charges of sexually harassing a woman. Although he returned to the party after two years, he faced disciplinary action yet again for causing divisionism within the party.

The CPI(M) district secretariat meet found fault with State committee member and former MP N.N. Krishnadas for making unsavoury comments in public. Mr. Krishnadas was criticised for his remarks against mediapersons equating them with “the dogs in front of a butcher shop”. He also faced criticism for his statement rejecting the “blue trolley” dispute as unhealthy for an election.

The meeting criticised him for not correcting his stand in spite of the party leadership standing against it. The meeting observed that Mr. Krishnadas’s stand had adversely affected the party’s prospects in the recently held Assembly byelection in Palakkad.

Party leaders were of the opinion that Mr. Krishnadas’s stand had validated the United Democratic Front (UDF) allegations that there was a split within the CPI(M) over how to fight the election.

The party observed that fielding Congress defector P. Sarin against UDF candidate Rahul Mamkootathil in Palakkad was a fair move.

The CPI(M) evaluated that the party did not lose its votes, and it was the BJP that helped the Congress in some areas.

A panel discussion on ‘India-Latin America Business Prospects’ was held at the University of Kerala on Friday as part of the Centre for Latin American Studies (CLAS) international conference on the topic ‘Partners in Progress: Enhancing Synergies and Complementarities between India and Latin America’.

The session saw a convergence of scholars, diplomats, and experts in the field of India-Latin America relations, who shared their insights on the growing trade and business prospects between the regions.

Pablo Kunik, an economist from Argentina, opened the discussion by providing an overview of the expanding multilateral trade relations between India and Latin America. He highlighted the success of Indian companies such as Tata Motors and Mahindra in Latin American markets, especially Brazil and Mexico.

Dr. Kunik focused on the bilateral trade between India and Argentina, observing that trade had surged to approximately $3.2 billion in 2023. India exports pharmaceuticals, automobiles, textiles, machinery and IT services to Argentina, while Argentina sends agricultural products, including soybeans and meat to India.

G. Levin, chief executive officer of K-Space, spoke about the potential for India’s collaboration with Latin American countries, especially in space research. Highlighting the advantages of Latin America’s proximity to the equator, Mr. Levin emphasised how the Indian Space Research Organisation could extend its services to Latin America, further strengthening the region’s space capabilities.

Former diplomat R. Viswanathan, a Latin America expert and CLAS executive council member, also shared success stories of Indian companies in Latin America, such as Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) in Uruguay, and stressed the growing economic collaboration. He noted that such partnerships represent a new paradigm of business between India and Latin America, benefiting both regions in numerous sectors, including IT, energy and manufacturing.

Godavarthi Venkata Srinivas, Additional Secretary of the Latin America and Caribbean Division in the Ministry of External Affairs chaired the session.

नई दिल्ली: ‘बिरंगे’ दर्शकों को काफी पसंद आया है, जिसकी शानदार धुनें थिरकने पर लोगों को मजबूर कर रही हैं. यह गाना तेजी से पॉपुलर हो रहा है. फिल्म ‘आजाद’ की टीम अब इसके गाने ‘आजाद’ है तू का टीजर पेश करके रोमांचित है, जो सभी पशु प्रेमियों को पसंद आएगी. निर्माताओं ने आज टीजर जारी करते हुए ‘आजाद’ के साथ अजय देवगन और अमन देवगन के खूबसूरत रिश्ते की झलक दिखाई. उनकी मनमोहक दोस्ती निश्चित रूप से दिलों को पिघला देगी. अरिजीत सिंह के गाए खूबसूरत ट्रैक को अमित त्रिवेदी ने कंपोज किया है, जिसके बोल अमिताभ भट्टाचार्य ने लिखा है.

टाइटल ट्रैक ‘आजाद है तू’ डीएवी यूनाइटेड फेस्ट के दौरान भुवनेश्वर में एक भव्य इवेंट में अजय देवगन, अमन देवगन, राशा थडानी, निर्देशक अभिषेक कपूर और निर्माता प्रज्ञा कपूर की मौजूदी में लॉन्च किया जाएगा, जहां 20 हजार के करीब लोग मौजूद रहेंगे. अभिषेक कपूर द्वारा निर्देशित ‘आजाद’ में डायना पेंटी के साथ अजय देवगन भी एक दमदार भूमिका में हैं.

State convener of Dalit Sangharsh Samiti D.G. Sagar addressing a press conference in Kalaburagi city on Saturday.
| Photo Credit: ARUN KULKARNI

Strongly condemning the remarks made by Union Home Minister Amit Shah against B.R. Ambedkar, the Dalit Sangharsh Samiti will launch a State-wide agitation on January 6 demanding the expulsion of Mr. Shah from the Union Cabinet.

Samiti State convener D.G. Sagar addressing a press conference here on Saturday accused the BJP of consistently disrespecting and undermining the Constitution and Dr. Ambedkar. Dr. Sagar alleged that Mr. Shah was following the footsteps of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, they [BJP leaders]always attempted to weaken the Constitution and democracy. Mr. Shah should admit his mistake and apologise to the whole nation, he said.

Terming the BJP leaders as “anti-constitution”, Dr. Sagar accused them of dividing society in the name of caste. He reiterated that the BJP and the RSS always opposed the Mandal Commission report and social justice.

Dr. Sagar expressed his support to the “Kalaburagi bandh” called on December 24 by the Samvidhana Rakshana Horata Samiti, a consortium of various progressive organisations.

Members of Citizen Forum for Peace and Justice – Kalaburagi M.B. Sajjan and Shankarayya Ghanti – expressed their support for the bandh call on December 24.

I

The Madras High Court on Saturday recorded its appreciation for Special Sub-Inspector (SSI) of Police Uyikathan, a group of lawyers and others for having chased and caught one of the four armed assailants who had hacked a person to death within 50 feet from the main gate of Tirunelvei District Court premises on Friday.

Justices S.M. Subramaniam and C. Kumarappan directed the Tirunelveli Commissioner of Police to enter the court’s appreciation in the service records of the SSI and also award him necessary merit points as per the service rules. They also appreciated the lawyers and others who helped the SSI nab the accused.

Taking note of a complaint from a section of lawyers that 11 other police personnel deputed at the court gate had remained mute spectators to the crime and failed to prevent the murder, the judges directed the Commissioner to initiate departmental action against those who had failed to perform their duty.

The Division Bench expressed serious concern over complaints of policemen not being vigilant and remaining glued to their mobile phones even during duty hours. The judges said there was a strict ‘no mobile phone use policy’ in other uniformed services like Central Industrial Security Force (CISF).

Further, expressing concern over the murder having taken place close to the main gate of the district court complex when the victim had stepped out after meeting a lawyer, the judges said such incidents would send wrong signals to the witnesses in criminal cases and prove detrimental to the prosecution.

They directed the Home Secretary and the Director General of Police to provide adequate security to all court complexes across the State as an interim measure until the State government conducts a full-fledged security audit and arrives at the exact number of police personnel required for the job.

The Bench also called for a status report on the issue by January 7, 2025. The orders were passed after State Public Prosecutor Hasan Mohamed Jinnah apprised the court that the other assailants in the Tirunelveli murder were also apprehended on the same day following swift investigation.