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Archives for September 2023

‘Sanatana Dharma’ remark row: Security heightened at Udhayanidhi’s residence in Chennai

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DMK Youth Wing chief Udhayanidhi Stalin

CHENNAI: A day after receiving a death threat regarding his ‘Sanatana Dharma should be eradicated’ remark, security has been tightened outside the residence of Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin in Chennai.

Stalin had received who announced a reward of Rs 10 crore for beheading the Tamil Nadu Minister over his remarks on ‘Sanatan Dharma’.

“The same situation happened to Karunanidhi too where a saint said before that if someone chops off Karunanidhi’s head he will be rewarded one crore rupees. What Karunanidhi said was, even if you give 100 crores I can’t even comb my hair. I am following in the footsteps of Karunanidhi, and Ambedkar. Periyar, Anbazhagan and our leader (MK Stalin ) struggled to eradicate Sanadhanam (Sanatan Dharma) and that struggle will continue. 

Earlier Udyanidhi Stalin had come under severe criticism since he mentioned on Saturday that Sanatana Dharma should

“Few things cannot be opposed, they should only be abolished. We can’t oppose Dengue, mosquitoes, Malaria, or coronavirus, we have to eradicate them. In the same way, we have to eradicate Sanatana (Sanatan Dharma). Rather than merely opposing Sanatana, it should be eradicated,” he had said on Saturday.

Earlier on Monday, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded an apology from the Congress and the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) regarding the comments on ‘Sanatan Dharma made by DMK leader  Udhayanidhi Stalin.

Flagging off the BJP’s ‘Parivartan Sankalp Yatra’ from Ramdevara in Jaisalmer, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said, “Congress ally DMK is insulting Sanatan Dharma. They say that Sanatan Dharma should be abolished. Allies of the INDIA coalition have kept silent on this. Why is Gehlot ji silent, and Sonia ji silent? Congress and INDIA should apologize.”

Unfazed by attacks from various leaders, Tamil Nadu Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin on Monday said that as he has included all religions and not just Hindus.

Single-use paper cups are threat to aquatic life: Study

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VISAKHAPATNAM: A recent study conducted by researchers at the University of Gothenburg has brought attention to an alarming discovery regarding the toxicity of single-use takeaway cups made of paper. The study, titled ‘Single-use takeaway cups of paper are as toxic to aquatic midge larvae as plastic cups’, was published in the esteemed journal Environmental Pollution, shedding light on the potential harm that substances found in paper cups can inflict on delicate aquatic creatures, particularly midge larvae.

Traditionally, paper cups have been considered a more environmentally friendly alternative to their plastic counterparts. However, this study reveals a hidden danger. The research found that the substances present in paper cups, such as dyes, coatings, and other chemicals, can have detrimental effects on aquatic midge larvae, which play a vital role in aquatic ecosystems. In the study, the researchers’ specimen included Chironomous riparius, a midge larva that is considered to be a crucial part of the aquatic food chain, serving as a food source for various organisms.

“We cannot afford only to replace one material, which is plastic cups, with another, which is paper-based products, but rather must reduce consumption and use of single-use products overall,” the study concluded.

The researchers discovered that paper used in food packaging is coated with bioplastics like polylactide (PLA) to resist water and fats. The PLA doesn’t break down effectively in the environment, especially in water

Father stops youth from eve-teasing daughter, killed in Bengaluru

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BENGALURU:  In a shocking incident, a 41-year-old man, who questioned a youth for eve-teasing his minor daughter, was stabbed to death at Shantinagar in Ashoknagar police limits on Saturday night.

The police have arrested the accused, Zaheed (22), who works at an electrical shop, for murder. 
The deceased, Anwar Hussain, was a goods vehicle driver. Both the victim and the accused were living near Nanjappa Circle in Shantinagar.

The police said Hussain’s 15-year-old daughter was being harassed by Zaheed, who was allegedly following her when she went to school and pestering her to fall in love with him. This was reportedly happening for the last 3-4 months and the girl had informed her father, who had warned Zaheed on a few occasions to stay away from his daughter.

However, Zaheed did not mend his ways and continued to harass the girl. Even on Saturday, he allegedly teased the girl, who went home and complained to her father.

“Around 9 pm, Hussain went to Zaheed’s house and complained against him to his parents and brother. This led to a heated argument between Hussain and Zaheed’s family members. Zaheed brought a knife and stabbed Hussain’s neck before fleeing the scene. Hussain was rushed to a nearby hospital, where he succumbed to injuries after a few hours,” the police said.

The Ashoknagar police, who registered a murder case, gathered information about Zaheed’s whereabouts and managed to arrest him on Sunday afternoon. The police are questioning Zaheed and he will be produced before the court on Monday.

Woman scientist who lent her voice to ISRO countdowns no more

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BENGALURU: ISRO scientist N Valarmathi who did the countdown for a number of missions including the Chandrayaan-3 died in Chennai on September 2 following cardiac arrest, an official said here on Monday.

Valarmathi died at a Chennai hospital, the ISRO official added. Chandrayaan 3 is said to be her last countdown assignment.

Many fondly recalled her resonating countdown from the Mission Control Centre at ISRO’s Sriharikota spaceport during many launches.

Dr P V Venkitakrishnan, former ISRO Director said, ” The voice of Valarmathi Madam will not be there for the countdowns of future missions of ISRO from Sriharikotta.

“Chandrayaan 3 was her final countdown announcement. An unexpected demise. Feel so sad. Pranams,” he said in a post on X.

In his social media post, Chandrasekhar expressed grief over Valarmathi’s demise.

“Saddened to hear about the passing of N Valarmathi ji, the voice behind many @isro launch countdowns, including Chandrayaan 3,” the Minister of State for Entrepreneurship, Skill Development, Electronics & Technology, said. “My condolences to her family and friends. Om Shanti,” he added.

Looking forward to India trip, disappointed Xi not attending G20 summit: US President Biden

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WASHINGTON: US President Joe Biden has said that he is looking forward to his trip to India this week but is disappointed that his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping will not attend the G20 summit in New Delhi.

Biden will travel to India on September 7 to participate in the G20 Summit and will have a bilateral meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on September 8 on the sidelines of the historic meeting, the White House announced on Friday.

Ahead of his trip, reporters asked Biden on Sunday whether he was looking forward to his visits to India and Vietnam.

“”Yes, I am,” Biden replied.

He expressed his disappointment over President Xi of China not attending the summit in New Delhi.

“I am disappointed, but I am going to get to see him,” Biden said in response to a question.

Biden, along with more than two dozen world leaders, is scheduled to attend the G20 Summit in New Delhi that is being hosted by Prime Minister Modi.

According to recent media reports, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi are not likely to attend the summit.

India is awaiting a written confirmation from China on President Xi’s participation in the G20 Leaders Summit, Muktesh Pardeshi, Special Secretary for G20, said on Friday.

“We have seen some reports in the newspapers. But, we go by written confirmation. And we have not seen (a written confirmation). Unless we see that I am not in a position to say either way,” Pardeshi told PTI when asked about reports of Xi skipping the G20 meeting and deputing Prime Minister Li Qiang for the event.

Premier Li is likely to travel to India after attending the East Asia summit in Jakarta.

In 2021, Chinese President Xi did not travel to Italy to participate in the G20 summit due to China’s COVID-19 restrictions.

Pardeshi said the participation of world leaders in summits such as the G20 is usually conveyed through a diplomatic note.

“I think that is awaited. We have received most of the other confirmations,” he said on Xi’s participation.

US President Biden, French President Emmanuel Macron, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, UK Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida and Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva are among the G20 leaders who have already confirmed their participation in the summit.

Modi will hand over the baton of the G20 Presidency to Brazilian President Lula on September 10.

Brazil will formally assume the G20 Presidency on December 1 The G20 member countries represent around 85 per cent of the global GDP, over 75 per cent of the global trade, and about two-thirds of the world population.

The grouping comprises Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Turkey, the UK, the US and the European Union (EU).

BJP targets INDIA over Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Sanatana remarks

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JAIPUR/NEW DELHI/CHENNAI : BJP leaders on Sunday took aim at Tamil Nadu sports minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, accusing him of “insulting Sanatana Dharma,” and used the opportunity to target the INDIA alliance, of which DMK is a part. While the BJP’s TN unit wrote to the governor seeking action against the DMK youth wing chief, an activist filed a police complaint against him in Delhi. 

Union home minister Amit Shah, speaking at a Rajasthan rally, lashed out at the INDIA alliance and accused the DMK and its ally, the Congress, of insulting Sanatana Dharma for vote bank politics. At an event on Saturday, Udhayanidhi said Sanatana Dharma is against social justice. Comparing it to dengue, mosquitoes and Corona, he said a few things cannot be merely opposed but must be eradicated. On Sunday, he said he stood by his remarks, clarifying on X (formerly Twitter) that he had not called for genocide against anyone as alleged by BJP’s Amit Malviya.

Leaders of DMK and Congress are talking about ending Sanatana Dharma just for vote bank politics. This is not the first time they have insulted our Sanatana Dharma. Before this, Manmohan Singh also said the first right on the budget is for the minorities, but we say that the first right is for the poor, tribals, Dalits and backwards. Today, the Congress says that if Modi ji will win, Sanatana will rule.” 

BJP president J P Nadda in Bhopal too urged the people to reject the opposition grouping, which is spreading “hatred, poison and attacking the country’s culture and tradition”. For his part, Udhayanidhi said on X that he is willing to confront any challenges or consequences that might come his way. 

Four months after ethnic violence, Manipur lies ‘forgotten’ by Centre, alleges Congress

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NEW DELHI: The Congress on Monday attacked the Centre over its handling of the situation in Manipur, alleging that four months after ethnic violence broke out, the state lies ‘forgotten’ by the Modi government.

Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said that in the last four months, the world has witnessed “how the prime minister (Narendra Modi) has failed Manipur during its worst crisis”.

In a post on X, Ramesh alleged that “while the prime minister and his drum-beaters are obsessed with G20, four months after ethnic violence broke out on May 3rd, Manipur lies forgotten by the Modi government”.

The chief minister (N Biren Singh) has ensured that the Manipuri society is more divided today than ever before, he said.h

“The Union home minister (Amit Shah) has failed to put an end to the violence and ensure the recovery of arms and ammunition. Instead, many more armed groups have entered the conflict,” Ramesh said.

The prime minister ‘refuses’ to visit Manipur, lead an all-party delegation, or initiate any credible peace process, he said.

“Has he even met his own colleague from Manipur in the cabinet,” the Congress general secretary asked.

“In the midst of a humanitarian tragedy, there is a complete and total breakdown of the Constitutional machinery and trust between communities in Manipur,” he alleged.

His remarks come after the Manipur government shifted the last of 10 Kuki families comprising 24 members from Imphal’s New Lambulane area where they had been living for decades and did not move elsewhere even after the ethnic violence broke out in the northeastern state four months ago.

These families were taken to the Kuki-dominated Kangpokpi district on the northern side of the Imphal Valley early on Saturday, as they had become “vulnerable targets”, an official said.

The Kuki families alleged that they were forcibly evicted from their residences in the New Lambulane area to Motbung.

More than 160 people lost their lives and several hundreds were injured in early May after a Tribal Solidarity March was organised in the hill districts to protest against the Meitei community’s demand for Scheduled Tribe (ST) status.

Meiteis account for about 53 per cent of Manipur’s population and live mostly in the Imphal Valley.

Nagas and Kukis constitute little over 40 per cent and reside in the hill districts.

Afghanistan’s female cricketers plead with sport’s world governing body: Help us play again

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BRISBANE: Just over two years ago, Firooza Amiri was an 18-year-old batter for the Afghanistan women’s cricket team, ready to take on the world if given the chance.

But just like that, her world and that of millions of others in her country changed forever.

Now, looking for their place in international competition, they are pleading with the International Cricket Council and the Afghanistan cricket authorities to give them a place to play, despite the Taliban’s ban on women in sports and education.

“Yeah, unfortunately, two weeks ago was the two-year anniversary of the Taliban and our BLACK DAY,” Amiri said in a message to The Associated Press, accentuating two words in capital letters.

Amiri and her family were from the oasis city of Herat, then the third-largest city in Afghanistan with an estimated population of about 500,000.

“It was a black day for me and all the girls of Afghanistan, the day our dreams were destroyed and all the efforts of many years of each of us were destroyed,” Amiri told the AP. “When Herat fell, we decided to go to Kabul and reach one of the foreign embassies. When we arrived in Kabul, we saw that Afghanistan had fallen completely to the Taliban and all the people were going to the airport to be able to leave the country, we did the same.”

From that point, the situation deteriorated.

“It was very painful for me when I saw that all the girls, journalists, and politicians of Afghanistan were going to the airport and were leaving their country,” Amiri said. “For me, the most terrifying moment of my life was when I saw that there was shooting everywhere, people were screaming and crying, and even a young man had been shot five times . . . that was the moment when we stopped going to the airport and I and my teammates went to a safe house.”

Another of Amiri’s teammates in Australia, Friba Hotack, was afraid her family would be targeted.

“Because my life was in danger, I separated from my family. I was in Pakistan for a month. I was afraid. I was very scared,” she told Australian Broadcasting Corp. radio earlier this year.

“Our dreams were shattered from the day the Taliban came. Everything — bat, cricket equipment, we burned everything because of the fear. The day we came to Australia, those dreams came alive again. We started to want to play again. We wanted to have a team here, to play cricket here.”

Amiri and some of her former teammates are doing just that, playing in a suburban league in Melbourne. But that’s a long way from the level they’re determined to be competing on. The Afghan men’s team travels the world and plays at the elite level. The women’s team wants a chance to do the same.

So Amiri and her teammates sent an email to the sport’s world governing body in December.

“Could you please advise what the official stance is on our national playing contracts and future playing opportunities, noting that we are no longer living in Afghanistan?” they wrote.

“The funding provided by the ICC to the ACB for the women’s program — where has this money gone? And can it be redirected to an organization in Australia to invest in our development … so we can still represent our country on the international stage?”

Amiri added, “We mentioned that we had been safely moved to Australia and that we know the situation in Afghanistan but with your help and support . . . our hopes of representing our country remains alive. We are waiting for your leadership and your right decision.”

Amiri says no one from the Afghanistan Cricket Board or ICC has contacted them.

“We did not receive any help or even any hope from them, even though since 2017 they used the budget of men and women only for men and never supported the women’s team,” Amiri said.

The ICC, in an emailed statement to the AP, said the Afghanistan Cricket Board operates autonomously and cannot interfere.

“The ICC board remains committed to supporting the Afghanistan Cricket Board and are not penalizing the ACB, or their players for abiding by the laws set by the government of their country,” the ICC said.

“The relationship with players in any of the ICC’s member countries is managed by the board in that country, the ICC does not get involved. Similarly, the authority to field men’s and women’s national teams lies solely with the member board in any country, not with the ICC.”

Amiri said the Afghan women’s team took heart from Australia’s decision in January to cancel a limited-overs series against Afghanistan scheduled to be played in the United Arab Emirates, where the men’s team is based. Cricket Australia cited recent heavier restrictions on women’s rights by the Taliban government for not playing the three games in March.

The cancellation was evidence, Amiri said, that some countries were serious about the rights of women to represent Afghanistan in the international sports arena.

But she and some of her teammates don’t want the Afghan men’s team, which will play in the Cricket World Cup in India next month, to be banned from international cricket.

“In my opinion, banning the men’s team is not a good way to create a team for us,” Amiri said. “Because the people of Afghanistan are fans of cricket, and by banning the men’s team, in addition to the fact that the people of Afghanistan will be saddened by the women’s team, our effort is to be able to get the support of the Afghan people.”

Unfortunately, she said, players on the national men’s team have “refused to stand with us.”

“Their only answer to us was that we are endangering our families by doing this,” Amiri said. “The Afghanistan Cricket Board has not done anything for the development of women’s cricket for years.”

With the second anniversary of the Taliban takeover just passed, Amiri can’t forget the turmoil.

“For me, every year this day is a reminder of all the moments that I experienced when I was 18, the age when we all (should) study and pursue our dreams,” she said. The entire world can see, she added, “That the girls in Afghanistan don’t have the basic right of society, which is education.

“It’s painful for me to imagine that if I was in Afghanistan, would I be alive or not?”

Afghanistan’s female athletes are receiving support from one of the country’s first female Olympians — Friba Rezayee, a judo competitor at the 2004 Athens Games. Rezayee has started a petition asking the International Olympic Committee to “recognize the Afghan female athletes independently, not the Taliban NOC (National Olympic Committee).”

The Afghan women’s team hasn’t had a chance to play international cricket, yet. Amiri remains optimistic.

“I would like to say thanks to Australia and all the people who have helped us to live safely,” she says. “We believe that magic will happen one day and we will represent our country on an international ground in the world.”

To further illustrate her point, the slogan on one of Amiri’s messaging apps says: “Gonna take more than a human to stop me from where I am meant to be,” and includes a muscle-flexing arm, a cricket bat and ball, and a flag of Afghanistan.

Mallikarjun Kharge set to be INDIA convenor, key role for regional leaders

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MUMBAI:  In the Mumbai conclave of Opposition alliance, Congress strongly pitched for party president Mallikarjun Kharge as INDIA convenor to which other parties agreed in principle. They also pitched for constituting a 11-member panel comprising regional party leaders.

“Besides, there will be other region-wise and state-wise committees that will coordinate with each other. The strategy will be decided in such a fashion that there is no clash of party interest. We have to work very smoothly,” said senior leader requesting anonymity.

Bihar CM Nitish Kumar, RJD leader Lalu Prasad Yadav, West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee, Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin, and  Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal also attended the dinner. Highly placed sources said in the meeting it was decided that INDIA has to take forward the agenda discussed in the Bengaluru meet with a clear vision. 

“Congress pushed for Kharge as the convenor while other parties agreed in principle. They said regional parties are a major force in Opposition alliance, so equal importance should be given to them as well. The regional parties should have more representations and therefore a 11-member committee should be constituted where all prominent regional party leaders will be members.

“While the sub-committee such as draft committee for common minimum agenda should be constituted with people who understand policies, those from other minor parties should be given representation too. There will be other committees for elections strategy, resources funding, media, etc,” said the senior leader. He said in the Bengaluru meeting, the Opposition came out with INDIA as the name for the bloc that surprised the BJP and was a great success by itself. “We want to work out such things that will continue to surprise the BJP,” he added.

INDIA bloc had planned to unveil the logo on Thursday, but was pushed to Friday as some partners had suggestions. A senior Congress leader said the party has asked to incorporate the welfare schemes that clicked in Karnataka and Delhi elections. Tackling inflation, generating employment, farm loan waivers, financial aid to pooor women and special welfare for SC/STs are some promises that are part of the common minimum agenda. 

Another leader said it was decided that contentious issues such as seat-sharing, fund-raising will be kept for last. “The Opposition leaders who always crossed swords have come at one dinner table thrice. A bonhomie has been created. We have to keep aside our ego, else 2024 Lok Sabha election will be the last election,” he said.

Key points

On Agenda

  • Mallikarjun Kharge as convenor 
  • Constitution of an 11-member committee with all prominent regional party leaders as members
  • Sub-committees such as draft committee for common minimum agenda to be constituted with people who understand policies
  • To give representation to minor parties, there will be other committees such as those for election strategy, resource funding, media management, etc

Promises

  • Incorporate welfare scheme that clicked in Karnataka and Delhi elections
  • Tackling inflation and generating employment
  •  Farm loan waivers, since there is a drought-like situation in many states
  •  Financial aid to poor women 
  •  Special welfare for scheduled caste and scheduled trib

State to present case before Supreme Court invite panel members to dams

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DK Shivakumar

BENGALURU: With Tamil Nadu’s plea for the release of 24,000 cusecs of water coming up for hearing before a three-judge bench in the Supreme Court on Friday, Karnataka Deputy Chief Minister 
DK Shivakumar, who also holds the water resources portfolio, on Thursday said the state has complied with the directive to release water to the neighbouring state, and will explain the ground reality in the Cauvery basin to the Supreme Court. 

“Safeguarding the interest of Karnataka farmers is our first commitment. The Supreme Court hearing is tomorrow and there is a possibility the trial may be postponed. We will discuss with our legal team about filing an appeal in the Supreme Court,” said Shivakumar.

“It may appear as if there is water (in reservoirs) but let them come and see the situation, we cannot conceal it,” he suggested. “If there was adequate rainfall, there would be no objection to releasing water. We have respected such decisions in the past. We have invited CWMA officials to visit our dams and see the severity of the water problem and hope the authorities safeguard the interest of the state’s farmers.” “All calculations on water released to Tamil Nadu will be recorded at Biligundlu, and the water takes 4-5 days to reach there. Our counsels will present all this in their argument,” he informed.

Shivakumar said the state would also appeal before the SC, as it can raise its voice for its concerns, but has no power to question the utilisation of Tamil Nadu’s share of water and its crop pattern. Karnataka’s lawyers have been arguing the case competently, and are prepared for Friday’s hearing, but it could be deferred by 2-3 days, he added. 

Advocate-General Shashi Kiran Shetty, counsel in the SC Mohan Katarki, Additional Chief Secretary Rakesh Singh and Shivakumar’s technical adviser Jayaprakash were present. The minister said he would consult senior SC lawyer Shyam Divan who is representing the state.

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