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Jayalalithaa case: HC asks Subramanian Swamy to make written submission

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Subramanian Swamy (Photo credit: Jagran)

Subramanian Swamy (Photo credit: Jagran)

Bengaluru: The Karnataka High Court on Monday directed BJP leader Subramanian Swamy to make written submissions on March 11 in former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s appeal against her conviction in the disproportionate assets case.

As the Court began its proceedings in the case, Swamy’s assistant Pawan Chandrashekhar Shetty sought a week’s time to make written submissions, but Justice C R Kumaraswamy declined the plea and asked him to do it on March 11.

The judge had in his February five order said that the court would decide on Swamy’s prayer to allow him to make written submissions after the completion of arguments.

Swamy had filed an application seeking permission to implead himself in the case.

The Special Bench has been set up after the Supreme Court had on December 18 last directed the Chief Justice of Karnataka High Court to constitute it to decide Jayalalithaa’s appeal within three months.

A Supreme Court bench, headed by Chief Justice H L Dattu, had granted bail to Jayalalithaa on the condition that hearing in the High Court on her appeal against conviction should be completed in three months from December 18.

The special court had held Jayalalithaa and three others guilty of corruption and awarded four years jail term and slapped a fine of Rs 100 crore on her. It had also imposed a fine of Rs 10 crore each on the three other convicts.

Apart from Jayalalithaa, her close confidante Sasikala and her relatives Sudhakaran, erstwhile foster son of the AIADMK leader, and Elavarasi were also convicted.

(Agencies)

Chennai: Lawyers hold 'beef eating' protest

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beef-protest-lawyers

Chennai: A group of lawyers staged a ‘beef eating’ protest in the Madras High Court campus here, dubbing it as a ‘pre-emptive’ measure in the wake of ban on cow slaughter by Maharashtra Government.

Though there was no law in force banning cow slaughter in Tamil Nadu, the protesting lawyers said they were condemning the Maharashtra law banning cow slaughter, transportation and even possession of beef.

Hindu Munnani leader Ramagopalan had demanded that Tamil Nadu should follow Maharashtra and enact a similar law.

Lawyers said they apprehended that the state government might listen to the Hindu Munnani leader. Hence they held the protest as a preemptive measure.

(PTI)

Make Jayalalithaa my CM, says fan as he crucifies himself

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Shihan Hussaini

Chennai: A karate expert and supporter of AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa ‘crucified’ himself on Monday as he demanded the leader’s return as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.

Shihan Hussaini’s aides nailed him on a wooden cross, where he remained hanging for more than six minutes. A video shows Hussaini’s aides digging 6-inch nails into his hand and feet as dozens of AIADMK workers looked on.

Shihan was on cross for 6 minutes and 7seconds to commemorate Jayalalithaa’s upcoming 67th birthday.

“There is no Indian who has crucified himself for some cause. There is no one across the globe who has done this. I love Madam and whenever we went to her, she had always helped us. I just did this for her long life and for her to come back as the chief minister,” Hussaini told PTI.

“I am big admirer of her (Jayalalithaa). I was laughed at for this event. I was told it was an AIADMK stunt. No AIADMK Minister was here when I crucified myself today,” he said.

On why he undertook crucification, Hussain said he is an expert in karate, a martial art form where pain, tolerance and self-control are major components of training.

“I strongly feel prayers are heard and the Cross is a powerful symbol,” he said.

Hussaini who did his schooling in Christian institutions, said his family did not support him when he informed them about the event.

“My wife was apprehensive and my sister said she would even file a police complaint. But I know my body and went ahead with my proposal,” he said.

Doctors from Global Hospitals and Fortis Malar accompanied Hussaini during the event. “I was taken to the hospital and now I am alright. There is no major injury to nerves or bones,” he said.

Jayalalithaa resigned from the chief minister’s post after she was arrested and jailed in a disproportionate assets case.

(Agencies)

Trinamool win Bongaon LS seat, state ruling parties triumph in bypolls

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Trinamool Congress Chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (File/PTI)

Trinamool Congress Chief and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. (File/PTI)

Kolkata/Chennai/Hyderabad/Panaji/Itanagar/Mumbai: West Bengal’s ruling Trinamool Congress retained the Bongaon Lok Sabha seat, while the BJP bagged two assembly constituencies in bypolls covering six states that saw the triumph of the states’ ruling parties and a poor show on the part of the Congress.

Apart from Bongaon, six assembly constituencies had gone to the hustings Feb 13. In the vote count, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won two, and the Trinamool, AIADMK, Telugu Desam and Congress triumphed in one assembly seat each.

Days after failing to open its account in the Delhi assembly polls, the Congress saw its candidates forfeit their deposit in both the Bongaon parliamentary and Krishnaganj assembly seats in West Bengal, was unable to open its account in Andhra Pradesh legislature, and bit the dust in Maharashtra and Goa.

All the seats including the Bongaon Lok Sabha constituency went to the parties which were in power in the respective states.

In West Bengal, the embattled Trinamool got relief by emphatically retaining both the parliamentary and the assembly seats.

In Bongaon, Trinamool candidate Mamatabala trounced her nearest rival Communist Party of India-Marxist nominee and former state minister Debesh Das by over 2.11 lakh votes.

The Bongaon bypolls, necessitated by the death of Trinamool MP Kapil Krishna Thakur, assumed extra significance for the ruling party after state minister and Kapil Krishna’s brother Manjul Krishna quit his post and joined BJP in the lead up to the election.

The BJP, which has been gaining ground in the state, finished second at Krishnaganj, pushing the CPI-M to the third spot. In Bongaon, the CPI-M narrowly succeeded in retaining the second position after a close battle with the BJP.

The Congress candidates lost their deposits and came fourth in both the seats.

In Nadia district’s Krishnaganj, Trinamool candidate Satyajit Biswas won by over 37,000 votes against his nearest rival Manabendra Roy of the BJP.

The Trinamool vote share dropped two percent compared to last year’s Lok Sabha polls, while the BJP’s vote almost doubled.

The twin electoral success boosted the Trinamool, which is also battling internal strife with one-time second-in-command and general secretary Mukul Roy distancing himself from the party.

Trinamool supremo and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee described the twin victories as a “miracle”.

In the Maharashtra, BJP candidate Tushar Rathod, son of Govind Rathod, whose death last October necessitated the bye-election, won the Mukhed Assembly seat by defeating his nearest Congress rival Hanumantrao Patil Betmogrekar by 47,248 votes.

The BJP also tasted success in Goa, where Sidharth Kunkolienkar won the Panaji bypoll, defeating his nearest rival Surendra Furtado from the Congress by 5,368 votes.

The bypoll was held after the elevation of sitting legislator and former chief minister Manohar Parrikar to the union cabinet last November.

In Andhra Pradesh, the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) retained the Tirupati seat.

Riding on the sympathy wave, M. Suguna of the ruling party won the by-poll caused by the death of her husband M. Venkatramna, defeating Congress nominee R. Sreedevi by over 1.16 lakh votes.

All other candidates including Sreedevi of Congress lost their deposit.

The Congress had no representation in the assembly. It drew a blank in general elections held in May last year as people vent their ire on the party for bifurcating the state.

The Congress’ consolation win came from the north eastern state of Arunachal, where its nominee Nyamar Karbak defeated his nearest BJP rival Bai Gadi by a margin of 119 votes in a five-cornered contest from Liromoba constituency.

Tamil Nadu’s ruling AIADMK retained the Srirangam assembly constituency with a huge 96,000 plus margin margin over archrival DMK.

AIADMK candidate S.Valarmathi polled 151,561 votes while DMK’s N.Anand secured 55,045.

The assembly seat was earlier held by former chief minister J.Jayalalithaa and the bye-election was necessitated following her disqualification after her conviction in a corruption case and sentence of four years in jail.

In a statement issued in Chennai, Jayalalithaa thanked the voters of Srirangam for electing her party’s candidate.

(IANS)

Tamil daily Dinamalar threatened of 'Charlie Hebdo style' attack by a fictitious outfit

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Tamil newspaper Dinamalar received a threat letter by unidentified elements claiming to belong to an outfit called "The Base Moment".

Tamil newspaper Dinamalar received a threat letter by unidentified elements claiming to belong to an outfit called “The Base Moment”.

Chennai: Dinamalar, a Tamil newspaper, has received a letter threatening an attack similar to the one on the office of French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, police said.

“We have received the letter from the newspaper and a probe is on,” a senior police official said.

The letter, typed in English, says “Yesterday-Paris Charlie Hebdo, Tomorrow – Dinamalar.” The words appear against the background of India’s map.

The letter was sent by post by unidentified elements claiming to belong to an outfit called “The Base Moment,” and said to be based at “3/10, Ukkadam, Kovai, Tamil Nadu, India.”

Below the map is a picture of Osama Bin Laden and the words “By Al Qaeda,” and some Arabic words appearing like a signature, the police official said.

“It can be a fictitious outfit or someone may be trying to play mischief or it may have some other motive…we do not know…only after the probe’s completion we will be able to comment,” the official said, declining to elaborate.

The sender’s address was listed as Coimbatore in Tamil Nadu. Investigations in the case are underway. They are also investigating if the postal address given in the letter is authentic.

It is also being investigated whether the letter is authentic or is a hoax.

The police is considering if the newspaper published any cartoons that could have led to this threat. Earlier in 2008, the newspaper published Prophet Mohammad’s cartoon which led to minor protests against the publishers. However, post the incident, they have not published any controversial cartoons.

Security personnel have been deployed at the office of the newspaper.

(Agencies)

Protect novelist Murugan's freedom of expression: Sahmat

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Perumal Murugan

New Delhi: The Safdar Hashmi Memorial Trust (Sahmat) Saturday called upon the Tamil Nadu government to protect novelist Perumal Murugan’s constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression from extra-constitutional cultural censors.

Tamil novelist Murugan Jan 13 announced his decision to give up writing, saying there will be continuing controversy over his novels and short stories fanned by various outfits and individuals.

Thanking those who stood in his support in connection with the controversy surrounding his novel “Madhorubhagan”, he said the issue was not going to end with this.

“We call upon the state government of Tamil Nadu to protect the writer, his constitutionally guaranteed freedom of expression and his creative integrity from such extra-constitutional cultural censors,” Sahmat said in a statement.

“We call upon artists, writers, intellectuals, readers and the concerned public at large to rise to the defence of democracy imperiled by this unwarranted and vile abrogation of an author’s right to write,” it said, adding that it was a “shocking and serious blow to the freedom of expression”.

According to Delhi-based Sahmat, Murugan was bullied, blackmailed and harassed by “anonymous vested religious elements led by the Hindutva right, in collusion with the police and the state administration of Tamil Nadu, into helpless submission – so much so that he has, in pain and frustration, announced that he is giving up writing altogether”.

It said “Madhorubagan” was published in 2010 in Tamil and an English translation was published in 2013 under the title “One Part Woman”.

“As if on cue to an orchestrated campaign initiated by the RSS and the BJP in the state, the work has, over the last few weeks, suddenly come under attack for allegedly being offensive to the local dominant caste of Tiruchengode (near Erode in Tamil Nadu), where the story is set,” it said.

Various organisations, caste outfits in Murugan’s home town Thiruchengodu, 410 km from Chennai, protested against the novel, whose story revolves around the problems faced by a childless peasant couple and the woman’s attempt to get pregnant following a tradition of consensual sex with a stranger.

(IANS)

Tamil writer Perumal Murugan announces himself 'dead' after being forced to withdraw novel

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One Part Woman, the English translation of Perumal Murugan's Madorubhagan, translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan, Penguin Books. Photo Credit: Kalachavadu

One Part Woman, the English translation of Perumal Murugan’s Madorubhagan, translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan, Penguin Books. Photo Credit: Kalachavadu

New Delhi: Tamil writer Perumal Murugan recently took to social media to announce his ‘death’. He said that the writer part of him has died and only the teacher in him will live on.

On his Facebook page the much loved author wrote:

Perumal Murugan, the writer is dead. He is not God, so he is not going to resurrect. He does not believe in reincarnation either.

Various organisations, caste outfits in his home town Thiruchengodu, around 410 km from here, protested against his novel ‘Madorubhagan’, whose story revolves around the problems faced by a childless peasant couple and the woman’s attempt to get pregnant following a tradition of consensual sex with a stranger. He was forced to withdraw the book and unconditionally apologise for it.

The author posted about his right to freedom of expression and said in the Facebook post that he now wants to withdraw all his previous books and compensate the publishers for their loss.

In his post he thanked his friends, students and publishers for standing by him so far. But, he has urged that he should not be invited to any literary event from now on.

Many imminent personalities have criticised the Tamil Nadu government for failing to protect the ‘Freedom of Expression’ of the author.

Murugan is a Tamil professor at the Government Arts College in Namakkal and written four novels, three collections of short stories and three anthologies of poetry.

(Agencies)

NHRC notice to Andhra Pradesh over assault on labourers

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labourers-Human-Rights

New Delhi: The NHRC has issued notice to the Andhra Pradesh government after some forest officers of the state brutally assaulted labourers from the neighbouring state of Tamil Nadu, an official statement said Tuesday.

According to the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), the victims were extremely poor and were felling trees in a forest situated on the border between the two states in order to earn a livelihood.

“The labourers were unaware that they had been hired by unscrupulous elements to acquire the high-value timber from the forest. The poor villagers were not aware of the legal consequences of their actions,” the NHRC said.

However, the Andhra Pradesh Police brutally assaulted the workers belonging to the border districts of Vellore, Krishnagiri and Dharmapuri in northern Tamil Nadu, the commission said, adding that there was a video clip of the entire incident.

“The law enforcement agencies can exercise their powers only in accordance with the provisions of the law. The video clips display a dismal picture of unarmed workers who were made to strip and were brutally attacked by certain persons claiming to be forest officials of Andhra Pradesh,” said the NHRC.

A notice has been issued to the chief secretary and Director General of Police of Andhra Pradesh, calling for a report within four weeks.

(IANS)

SC grants interim bail to Jayalalithaa, suspends sentence

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Jayalalithaa

Bangalore: AIADMK supporters celebrated by bursting crackers and dancing on the roads here after the Supreme Court granted bail to party chief Jayalalithaa in the illegal assets case, paving way for her homecoming for Diwali. The former chief minister of Indian state of Tamil Nadu has been granted bail by India’s Supreme Court after she was sent to a Bangalore jail almost three weeks earlier. She was convicted in a corruption case and sentenced to four years in jail.

The top court suspended Jayalalithaa’s sentence for two months and granted her an interim bail, provided she ‘makes available all documents and translated copies available to Karnataka High Court for speedy adjudication of her appeal against conviction’.

If Jayalalithaa fails to follow the apex court’s order and does not deliver the documents to the high court by December 18, the AIADMK supremo will have go back to jail.

Earlier, the Karnataka High Court rejected her bail plea. Following this, her legal team knocked on the doors of India’s highest court.

The 66-year-old politician had applied for bail on the basis of her advanced age and frail health. She had stated that she suffered from diabetes, hypertension, cellulitis and other ailments.

The former actress turned politican pledged to the court that she will remain in confinement of her house for 2-3 months while pressing for bail. The Supreme Court made that pledge a requirement, noting that since she had pleaded ill health, she must not move out of the premises of her home, and also not receive any visitors.

The court had also asked her to direct her party workers not to create a law and order problem in the state in a reference to the violent protests and shut downs that were by incensed AIADMK workers soon after she was sentenced. There were also threats made against people from Karnataka at the time.

The apex court also granted bail to Jayalalithaa’s close aide Sasikala and her relatives V N Sudhakaran, disowned foster-son of the former Chief Minister, and Ilavarasi.

Jayalalithaa's bail plea rejected

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jayalalithaa

Bangalore: In a huge blow to the AIADMK, the Karnataka High Court on Tuesday denied bail to former Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa in the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets case.

Denying bail to the convicted leader, the court said there wasn’t sufficient ground for awarding bail to her.

“The High Court has correctly rejected the bail for Jayalalithaa,” Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Subramanian Swamy, who has been leading the campaign against her, said.

Supporters of the AIADMK had earlier begun celebrations in Tamil Nadu after the prosecution in the case told the court that it had no objections to conditional bail to the AIADMK chief. Swamy said he was “surprised when I heard that the prosecution had agreed for a conditional bail for Jayalalithaa”. “The Karnataka government has something to explain on this,” he said.

Jayalalithaa has already spent ten days in the Bangalore jail where she was lodged immediately after her conviction on 27 September.

Ahead of the hearing, posters were spotted in Chennai with purported threats to kidnap natives of Karnataka staying in Chennai. The posters, reportedly from local AIADMK leader KC Vijay, carried the threat to hold the Kannadigas captive until Jayalalithaa is granted bail, Hindustan Times reported.

Jayalalithaa has been in jail ever since a special court in Bangalore sentenced her to four years imprisonment in September under the Prevention of Corruption Act (PoCA). She was also slapped a fine of Rs 100 crore in connection with the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets case.

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