Tamil Nadu’s technicolour politics

A new entrant to American High School, Madurai, the bastion of Tamil culture in the early 1950s, I was not prepared for the passionate outpouring of filmi dialogue of my classmates, most of whom were extremely poor. They quoted alluring, alliterative dialogues from the film Velaikari: “Sattam oru iruttarai, aathil vakeelin vadham oru vilaku. Aanal adhu ezhaikku ettada vilakku” (Law is a dark room where the lawyer’s argument is a lamp. But it is not accessible to the poor). My classmates had seen the film more than once and when not quoting lines from it, were busy writing its reviews and reading them out to others (more...)

Breach of privilege against Karunanidhi rejected

Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker R Avudaiappan today rejected a breach of privilege raised against Chief Minister M Karunanidhi by an AIADMK legislator "for violating the oath of secrecy."

Badar Sayeed, in her notice, contended that Karunanidhi had "divulged vital Government secrets relating to state administration, by exhibiting them to the audience at a public meeting held at Chepauk on August 6 last."(more...)

AIADMK members protest `objectionable' words

On a day of high drama, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) MLAs, who were evicted from the Assembly on Saturday, resorted to a 40-minute road roko in front of Fort St. George.

Led by deputy leader of the AIADMK legislature party O. Paneerselvam, they alleged that Minister for Higher Education K. Ponmudi used some "objectionable words."(more...)

CM submits 'proof' against ex-Speaker

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today submitted in the Assembly documents which reportedly substantiate the corruption charges he made against former Speaker Kalimuthu in allowing private parties to run hotels in the MLA hostel here. Karunanidhi formally submitted the papers to Speaker Avudaiyappan in the Assembly today.

The Chief Minister also said that the Legislative party leaders of all parties could have a look at the documents and know that whether the allegations made on Kalimuthu were true or not. Replying to PMK leader G K Mani who had raised the issue in the Assembly, Karunanidhi said Kalimuthu had allowed a hotel to run its business in the MLA hostel for an annual rent of Rs 33,000 though the owner of the hotel had bid for the deal by being ready to pay Rs 2,60,000(more...)

Tamil Nadu to implement quota for Christians, Muslims

The Tamil Nadu state government in southern India says it plans to enact a new law to reserve seats for minority Christians and Muslims for their social welfare in the state’s educational institutions.

During a debate, state’s Minister for Backward Classes M.R.K.Panneerselvam told the legislative assembly that the government plans to have a law for such a quota(more...)

Lalu breaks ranks with PMK on reservation

In what appears to be a crack in the OBC camp, railway minister and RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav has come to the aid of beleaguered Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the OBC reservation issue, ditching UPA’s southern allies —-– the DMK and the PMK.

In June, DMK chief M Karunanidhi had threatened to pull out of the UPA if the government did not backtrack on its decision to disinvest Neyveli Lignite Corporation.(more...)

Veeranam: CAG indicts AIADMK govt

The erstwhile Jayalalithaa government in Tamil Nadu was severely indicted by the Comptroller and Auditor General for the delay in finalising the tender for the Veeranam drinking water project to provide succour to water starved Chennai, claimed as a major achievement by her, resulting in a loss of Rs 246.25 crore to the state exchequer.

The report, tabled in the Tamil Nadu assembly today, came down heavily on the Jayalalithaa government for incurring a total extra expenditure of Rs 295.21 crore for the project.(more...)

CBI court summons Jayalalithaa

Taking cognisance of the chargesheet filed against former Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa in connection with the Rs 2 crore 'birthday gift' case, a designated Central Bureau of Investigation court on Wednesday issued summons to her to appear before it on September 14.

Special Judge V Meenakshisundaram also issued summons to former ministers KA Sengottaiyan and Azhagu Thirunavukkarasu, who have been named as co-accused in the case.(more...)

DMK cancels land given to IT firms by AIADMK

The Tamil Nadu government Wednesday cancelled land allocated to 70 IT companies by the erstwhile J. Jayalalitha government and said responsibility for the irregularities in the deal will be fixed.

‘Disciplinary action will be taken for irregularities committed in land allotment to various software companies, through a March 1, 2006 government order passed by the AIADMK government,’ an official statement said(more...)

AIADMK MLAs stage walkout

AIADMK MLAs today staged a walkout from the State Assembly today, protesting against the Speaker's denial to grant permission to their whip K A Sengottayan to reply to the charges against the previous AIADMK Government, levelled by Congress MLA Peter Alphonse.

Alphonse charged the Jayalalithaa Government with ill treating minorities under the pretext of banning religious conversions, resulting in an uproar in the Opposition benches.(more...)

Ramadoss elected PMK youth wing president

Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss was on Saturday elected the president of the PMK's youth wing.

He was elected at a meeting of the party's executive here, a PMK press release said.(more...)

LTTE ban must be obeyed: Karunanidhi

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M Karunanidhi, told the Assembly today that though the Centre's ban on LTTE was debatable, everyone should abide by the order and warned of stern action against those who worked against India's unity and sovereignty.

Replying to a special mention raised by C Gnansekaran (Congress) on the recent rally and demonstration staged by the Revolutionary Youth Front (RYF) in support of the LTTE at Tirupattur, he said if anyone defied the ban, they should be prepared to face the consquences.(more...)

Muthuswamy made AIADMK's Organising Secretary

After being in political wilderness for several years, loyalist of late Chief Minister M G Ramachandran, S Muthuswamy was today rehabilitated in the party by AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa and appointed as the party's Organising Secretary.

He is the 12th Organising Secretary of the party. Muthuswamy was instrumental in building the party's base in Erode district, which was considered its stronghold till the recent Assembly polls.(more...)

My govt not a minority one: MK

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today said defeat of the no-confidence motion moved by the AIADMK against Assembly Speaker R Avudaiyappan disproved the party's contention that his government was a minority one.

"Since the AIADMK cannot prove that the DMK government is a minority one, they went out of the House accepting their defeat," he said in the Assembly after AIADMK members walked out without voting on the no-confidence motion.(more...)

Ponmudi's charge against Jaya

Accusing the AIADMK of "playing dirty politics", Tamil Nadu minister K Ponmudi today alleged that the party's charge that women members had no protection in the Assembly, was intended to find an excuse for its leader Jayalalithaa to abstain from the House proceedings.

Opposing the no confidence motion against Speaker R Avudaiyaappan, he also alleged that AIADMK under the leadership of Jayalalithaa had a history of "playing dirty politics".(more...)

Stop enacting dramas: Jaya to CM

AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa today denied the 'charges' made in the State Assembly about the death of 22 farmers due to starvation in her regime and said that Chief Minister M Karunanidhi should stop 'enacting dramas'.

In a statement here, Jayalalithaa said the Chief Minister had provoked CPI MLA Sivapunniyam to accuse the previous AIADMK government as the reason for the death of 22 farmers and announce a solatium for their families.(more...)

CPI-M welcomes CM's decision

The State unit of the Communist Party of India-Marxists (CPI-M) has urged the State government to take steps to recover the wasteland from those who had encroached upon it and distribute it to landless farmers and Dalits.

Briefing presspersons in Chennai yesterday, CPI State secretary N Varadharajan hailed DMK's election manifesto and welcomed the decision on distribution of two- acre land to the poor farmers and Dalits.(more...)

DMK claims credit for Theni GMC recognition

The Theni Government Medical College in Andipatti remained a non-starter for over a year despite the construction of its buildings as the then AIADMK Government failed to coordinate with the Congress-led UPA Government, said State Health Minister KKSSR Ramachandran.

Addressing the students on the opening day of the college on Friday, he said the Central Government had granted approval for the college with an annual intake of 100 students as the DMK Government was functioning in coordination with the Centre.(more...)

CM's charge against AIADMK govt

Chief Minister M Karunanidhi has accused the previous AIADMK government of not properly representing in the Supreme Court the case on implementing the 69 per cent reservation in institutions of higher learning.

"This had the present situation, where the 69 per cent quota was being 'adjusted' every year," he told the Assembly on Friday.(more...)

TN funds film on Periyar, sending protester to court

A public interest litigation was filed in Chennai High Court, opposing the grant of Rs9.5mn from public funds to make a film on the life of the Dravidian ideologue E V Ramasamy Naicker, also known as Periyar.

K R Ramaswamy, popularly known as ‘Traffic Ramaswamy’ for his activism on traffic-related issues, filed a suit in the Chennai High Court challenging the government’s decision to grant such a huge amount to one individual.(more...)

DMK, Cong cadres join DMDK party

Around 500 members belonging to different political parties from Tiruvellore district today joined Desiya Murpokku Dravidar Kazhagam (DMDK) party in the presence of its leader Vijayakant.

The members who had joined the DMDK party included Tiruvellore district Makkal Tamil Desam propaganda secretary D Nagaraj, district secretary R Raju, presidium chairman P K S Subramani, District DMK Union secretary Ranganathan, and District Youth Congress secretary Sathish Kumar.(more...)

Tamil Nadu parties step up quota pressure

Political parties in Tamil Nadu stepped up their demand for the Other Backward Classes (OBC) quota, and also urged the centre to drop the talks on excluding the creamy layer from reservation in education and jobs.

"We are still continuing an irrational debate over implementing reservations for the OBCs," Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and Dravida Munetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi said in a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.(more...)

Vaiko opposes direct election to civic chiefs

MDMK leader Vaiko on Sunday said that the Tamil Nadu Government’s recent decision to abolish direct election of civic body chiefs would result in horse-trading within the local bodies.

“Instead of letting people to elect municipal chairmen and corporation mayors, the new changes would only result in horse-trading and end people’s rule,“ he told reporters here on Sunday.(more...)

DMK govt ordered six cases dropped against Muslim hardliners in TN

Barely two weeks after it was sworn in, Tamil Nadu’s DMK government ordered that cases be dropped against 12 Muslim fundamentalists, all followers of Kichaan Buhari, an Al Umma sympathizer and key accused in the Coimbatore serial blasts.
Cases were registered against the 12 in 2000 and 2001 under IPC Sections 153 A (promoting enmity or hatred between different religious communities) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy).(more...)

On OBC quota, DMK sends PM a clear message: do it now, and no dilution

s Prime Minister Manmohan Singh tries to evolve a consensus on reservation for OBCs, partner DMK has made clear to him that quota should not be “diluted in any manner”.

“I strongly insist that the UPA government should respect and respond to the people’s mandate by immediately extending reservation to the OBCs at all levels in all institutions under the Government of India without any dilution,” DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi said in a letter to the Prime Minister.(more...)

PT for reservation in trading

The Puthiya Tamizhagam has demanded reservation for Dalits in "trade activities" of the private sector.

"Merely employing Dalit people as labourers in private firms will not bring about any major social change," its founder president K. Krishnasamy told reporters here on Sunday. Stating that they should be made business associates through a proper reservation policy, he said the private sector should reserve a proportionate number of dealerships and agencies for Dalits on the lines of public sector petroleum corporations.When asked whether the Dalits had the wherewithal to get dealership of big corporates, he said the Government, which was providing loans to them for starting their own industrial units, should provide financial assistance to obtain dealership.(more...)

DPI flays Left parties' `double speak'

General secretary of the Dalit Panthers of India Thol Thirumavalavan has flayed the Left parties for their "double speak" on the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) divestment issue.

Addressing NLC employees at Neyveli on Sunday, Mr. Thirumavalavan pointed out that the common minimum programme of the United Progressive Alliance had stated that profit-making public sector undertakings would not be considered for divestment or privatisation.(more...)

State Government committed to artists' welfare, says Stalin

The State Government is committed to improving the quality of life of indigent and upcoming artists and has initiated welfare measures, Minister for Local Administration M.K. Stalin said here on Sunday.

It was the DMK Government during 1973 that changed the name of the then Sangeetha Sangam to Iyal Isai Nadaga Mandram, which had since then rigorously been promoting the cause of art and culture, he said while inaugurating the Silapadhikaram dance festival organised by the Mandram.(more...)

Jayalalithaa condemns Centre's disinvestment plans in NLC

The AIADMK general secretary and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa today condemned the Centre's decision to disinvest ten per cent of equity in the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) and pledged her support to striking employees.(more...)

Removal of Jaya's photo irks councillors

Councillors belonging to various parties including Congress today expressed displeasure over a DMK councillor removing former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's picture from the council meeting hall at the town municipality office here.(more...)

DMK insensitive: Thirumavalavan

The Dalit Panthers of India (DPI) General Secretary Thol Thirumavalavan accused the ruling DMK of being insensitive to the political empowerment of Dalits.

Speaking at a function at the martyr’s memorial to mark the ninth death anniversary of seven Dalits at Melavalavu village in the district, he said the massacre, which shocked the entire nation, was a blot on the then Karunanidhi government(more...)

MK has a script

In a renewed bid to revoke the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) disinvestment decision of the Union government, Chief Minister Karunanidhi, in a fax message today to Prime Minister Dr Manmohan, has sought reconsideration of divesting 10 per cent stake especially in view of the NLC workers' resolve to go on an indefinite strike from 4 July(more...)

Cong-DMK repeats success in civic polls

Close on the heels of winning the recently concluded Assembly polls, the Congress - DMK combine in Pondicherry continued its impressive show in the civic polls too. The counting began today.
When reports last came in, DMK's Dr Sridevi was leading by 15,000 in Pondicherry Municipality while Congress candidates N S Jeyapaul, Ramesh and Rao were ahead in Uzhavankarai, Mahe and Yanam Municipalities respectively. DMDK candidate Prabhavathy had established a lead over his nearest rival in Karaikal Municipality.(more...)

Goondas Act on quarrymen

In an announcement that has the potential to assuage the fears of State revenue authorities and various enforcement agencies, Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today warned that those indulging in illegal sand quarrying would be booked under the provisions of the Goondas Act.

Speaking to newsmen after today's Cabinet meeting, which is the third one after the DMK's assumption of office, he announced early implementation of Seawater Desalination Project and Metro Rail project. The Bill passed by the previous AIADMK government to take over the Cable TV trade would be repealed, Karunanidhi said.

On the sea water desalination plant, Karunanidhi said that the previous AIADMK regime had decided on a bidder who imposed several conditions unfavourable to the government. 'If such conditions are taken back, the scheme could be given to the same bidder for implementation,' Karunanidhi said and added that with the Central assistance of thousand crores of rupees for the seawater desalination project, it could be implemented soon(more...)

Is the Corporation being used to settle political scores?

The Chennai Corporation's decision to issue a demolition notice for AIADMK MLA Saidai Doraisami's marriage hall in Velachery recently has raised concerns about whether the civic agency is being used to settle political scores.

Questions have been raised over the manner in which the episode was played out: Why should the Deputy Mayor call for a press conference a day ahead of the inauguration of the marriage hall to announce the deviations in the construction? Why should the Chennai Corporation issue a press release regarding the demolition order when they don't normally do so for other such notices issued by them? Will the civic agency release a list of all building deviations in the city?(more...)

Karunanidhi brushes aside Balasingham's remarks

In his first public comment on the LTTE's forgive and forget proposition articulated by its ideologue Anton Balasingham, Tamilnadu Chief Minister Muthavel Karunanidhi sounded unenthusiastic. Muthuvel Karunanidhi : "What Balasingham is saying is not clear. Whatever he had said, he changed it."
He finds what Balasingham had said is "were unclear".

"What Balasingham is saying is not clear. Whatever he had said, he changed it", the DMK supremo, who was once seen as too close to the LTTE, said in reply to a newsman's question.(more...)

Desalination: Cabinet for amending contract clauses

The State Government will consider allowing the firm, which was awarded the contract for the desalination project, if it agreed to amend clauses in the agreement that were against the interests of the Government.

The third meeting of the Cabinet took this decision on Friday.

Simultaneously, work would be taken up on a desalination project to be sponsored by the Centre. Addressing presspersons here, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said that the projects were independent of each other. Chennai's water demand was growing and if the firm was willing to accept the Government's revised agreement, the city would have two desalination plants.(more...)

Flyover projects face difficult hurdle

The DMK Government's plans to commence work on four flyover projects in some of the most congested junctions in the city were yet to clear its first hurdle: clearance from the Chennai Corporation's Works Committee, which is dominated by AIADMK councillors.(more...)

Dowry case against SS Chandran

South Veli Street All Women Police Station registered a case against AIADMK Rajya Sabha MP and cine star S S Chandran and six others on dowry harrassment charges based on a complaint lodged by his nephew’s wife.

Police said, Chandran’s nephew Dhanasekharan married had the complainant Latha in 2002.(more...)