India

Chennai, April 11 (IANS) Nainar Nagendran, the Tamil Nadu BJP Vice President and sitting MLA from the Tirunelveli constituency, has filed his nomination for the party’s state President's post.

His nomination was proposed by prominent party leaders, including current state BJP President K. Annamalai, Union Minister L. Murugan, former Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan, and Mahila Morcha President and MLA Vanathi Srinivasan.

Party sources indicate that Nagendran is likely to be officially announced as the next state President, succeeding Annamalai.

Nagendran currently serves as the legislature party leader of the BJP in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.

He previously held the position of Tamil Nadu Minister from May 19, 2001, to May 12, 2006, during the administrations of former Chief Ministers J. Jayalalithaa and O. Panneerselvam.

A seasoned politician, Nagendran was elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from the Tirunelveli constituency in 2006 and 2011 as an AIADMK candidate, and again in 2021 as a BJP candidate.

He has been serving as the BJP Tamil Nadu Vice President since July 3, 2020.

Meanwhile, the political atmosphere in Chennai has intensified with the arrival of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

HM Shah met RSS ideologue S. Gurumurthy at his Mylapore residence for a closed-door discussion, underlining the strategic significance of his visit.

A crucial meeting is also scheduled between HM Shah and AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), along with senior AIADMK leaders.

The meeting is widely seen as pivotal in exploring the possibility of reviving the BJP-AIADMK alliance ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

HM Shah and EPS had previously met in New Delhi, accompanied by senior AIADMK leaders S.P. Velumani and K.P. Munusamy. That meeting had already sparked speculation about a potential alliance between the two parties.

Reports suggest that several senior RSS leaders have been urging the BJP’s central leadership to rekindle ties with a major Dravidian party — identifying AIADMK as the only viable partner, given the DMK’s opposing stance.

These RSS functionaries are said to be advocating for an early alliance to enable adequate ground-level coordination and campaign planning ahead of 2026.

According to insiders, EPS has conveyed a request to HM Shah, urging him to consider replacing Annamalai as state BJP President to improve prospects for a renewed alliance.

In a surprising development, Annamalai announced on April 4 that he will not be seeking any leadership position going forward. He reiterated his commitment to serve the party as a loyal cadre, seemingly clearing the path for a leadership transition.

--IANS

aal/rad

Chennai, April 11 (IANS) Union Home Minister and senior BJP leader Amit Shah met prominent RSS ideologue and Thuglak magazine Editor S. Gurumurthy at his residence in Mylapore.

Gurumurthy, a veteran RSS leader and influential figure within the Sangh Parivar in Tamil Nadu, is believed to wield considerable sway among BJP and RSS cadres in the state.

Sources indicate that Union Minister Shah sought Gurumurthy's views and advice on the potential appointment of a new president for the BJP's Tamil Nadu unit.

Earlier in the day, he paid a visit to BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan in Saligramam to offer his condolences following the death of her father, veteran Congress leader Kumari Ananthan.

Ananthan, a former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president, passed away on Wednesday at the age of 93 due to age-related ailments.

Union Home Minister Shah paid floral tributes to a portrait of Ananthan and spent time consoling the bereaved family.

Tamilisai, who has been with the BJP since her student days, expressed her gratitude for the support she received from senior BJP leaders.

"I thank Amit Shah ji, Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji, and all the BJP leaders and cadres who reached out to console me, despite knowing that my father was a lifelong Congressman," she said while addressing reporters after the Union Home Minister's visit.

"The Home Minister earlier conveyed his condolences over the phone and has now come in person to offer his sympathies," he said.

Union Cooperation Minister Shah's Chennai visit carries significant political weight, as he is also scheduled to meet AIADMK General Secretary and former Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), along with senior leaders of the Dravidian party. This meeting is expected to be crucial in deciding the future of a possible BJP-AIADMK alliance, especially ahead of the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.

Union Minister Shah and EPS had previously met in New Delhi, accompanied by senior AIADMK leaders and former ministers S. P. Velumani and K. P. Munusamy, sparking widespread speculation about a potential reunion of the two parties.

The BJP-AIADMK alliance, which was intact for several years, broke down in September 2023 following a series of controversial statements made by Tamil Nadu BJP President K. Annamalai against revered Dravidian leaders, including C. N. Annadurai (Anna) and J. Jayalalithaa. These remarks angered the AIADMK leadership and were cited as a key reason for the alliance's collapse.

The fallout had a visible impact during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, where both parties suffered major setbacks. Despite past tensions, several senior RSS functionaries are reportedly urging the BJP central leadership to rebuild an alliance with a major Dravidian party, viewing AIADMK as the only feasible partner.

The DMK remains firmly in the opposing political camp. Insiders reveal that these RSS leaders have stressed the importance of finalising an alliance well ahead of the 2026 polls to allow for effective ground-level coordination and strategic planning.

In this context, AIADMK leaders are said to have conveyed a request from EPS to Union Minister Shah, asking him to consider replacing Annamalai as the state BJP president - a move they believe could help restore cordial relations between the two parties.

Adding a new twist to the developments, Annamalai on April 4 announced that he is not seeking any leadership role and will continue to serve the BJP as a committed party worker.

--IANS

aal/svn

New Delhi, Apr 11 (IANS) The Supreme Court has reiterated the view that a CBI investigation should not be directed by courts in a routine manner or just because some allegations have been made against the local police, but only in exceptional cases.

A bench of Justices Sudhanshu Dhulia and K. Vinod Chandran gave the guideline while hearing a special leave petition filed by an accused against an order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court transferring investigation from the Haryana Police to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) at the instance of the complainant.

The main ground taken by the complainant before the high court was that the police officials were acquainted with the appellant-accused, and those officers may also be involved in the present case.

The complainant, a pharmaceuticals businessman, alleged that the accused-appellant impersonated an Inspector General of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and threatened him to transfer Rs 1.49 crore into his account, apart from coercing him to do business with the accused’s associates and friends.

"What is difficult for us to comprehend is that when the present FIR itself was filed on 22.10.2022 and the investigation itself was in its initial stage, then what was the burning hurry for the complainant to approach the High Court under Section 482 CrPC as early as January 2023 seeking an investigation by CBI instead of local police," the Justice Dhulia-led Bench said.

"The complainant had admitted that he knew the appellant since 2019 as they were doing business together, and even if we assume that the appellant was impersonating himself as an IPS officer, it is difficult to believe that the complainant was not able to find out the truth till October 2022," it added.

The apex court said that the Punjab & Haryana High Court ought to have been slow in interfering with the investigation, as this was not a case which should have been handed over to the CBI at the initial stage itself. "One should also take note that the allegations are not against some high-ranking IPS officer but against a person who was allegedly impersonating himself as an IPS officer! The complainant has raised some allegations that high-ranking police officials of Haryana Police are in connivance with the appellant (accused), but such bald allegations are not sufficient to hand over the case to the CBI, without any kind of substantiation," it added.

The Justice Dhulia-led Bench said that CBI investigation should be directed only in cases where material prima facie discloses something calling for an investigation by the central agency, and it should not be done in a routine manner or on the basis of some vague allegations.

After going through the records of the case, the Supreme Court said that it was of the view that the present case was not the one where the CBI investigation ought to have been directed, as it set aside the impugned order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

--IANS

pds/vd

Srinagar, April 11 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah said on Friday that as the spirit of unity rules Jammu and Kashmir under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, 12 groups have rejected the separatist Hurriyat Conference and pledged loyalty to the Constitution.

Amit Shah said on X, “Under the Modi govt the spirit of unity rules J&K. Another Hurriyat affiliate organization, Jammu and Kashmir Mass Movement, has rejected separatism, declaring complete commitment to the unity of Bharat."

He said the move was a welcome step. “I sincerely welcome their move. Till now as many as , resting trust in the Constitution of India. This is a victory of PM Shri @narendramodi Ji's vision for Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat.”

It must be mentioned that after August 5, 2019, when Article 370 was abrogated, the separatist Hurriyat Conference literally became defunct.

In the past, this conglomerate of 26 organisations/groups formed in 1993, gave protest shutdown calls, observance of black days on the country’s Independence Day and the Republic Day, and also complete shutdown on the visit of any minister or the Prime Minister to Kashmir Valley.

The Hurriyat Conference was formed purportedly to give a political platform to armed insurgency.

The Hurriyat split into two groups in 2003, the hardline group headed by Pro-Pakistan, Syed Ali Shah Geelani and the moderate group advocating plebiscite for joining Pakistan or remaining independent, headed by Mirwaiz Umar Farooq. Even the high court bar association and the association of government employees were also members of the Hurriyat Conference at one point of time.

Both groups of Hurriyat were separatist and were declared unlawful by the Government of India.

After Jammu and Kashmir came under the Central rule, the Hurriyat Conference became defunct.

The Hurriyat has neither called for a shutdown nor bandhs against the visit of VVIPs to the Valley after August 5, 2019. The stone pleting sessions have also come to an end.

Over the years, as the Hurriyat Conference faced indifference from the common people, its constituent groups/organisations also realised the situation and one by one are declaring their dissociation. So far, 12 have pledged allegiance to the Consitution.

--IANS

sq/dpb

New Delhi, April 11 (IANS) Delhi is now in “safe hands” with Chief Minister Rekha Gupta at the helm of affairs, Lieutenant Governor V.K. Saxena said on Friday, hailing her commitment and dedication towards serving people and improving the national Capital.

Addressing the 17th Convocation of Guru Gobind Singh Indraprastha University (GGSIPU), LG Saxena, “Now, I can say that Delhi is in safe hands. From whatever I have seen of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta from her working in the past month-and-a-half, I can say she is worried about the city all the time and committed to Delhi 24x7.”

LG Saxena, who is also the Chancellor of the University, called upon the students to become responsible citizens and learn from both their teachers and life experiences.

He asked them to dedicate themselves to achieving Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of 'Viksit Bharat 2047'.

"An education that does not bring happiness to people, particularly the marginalised, to my mind is not successful," he said.

Calling the occasion a red-letter day in the lives of students, the LG said, “This day shall forever remain a red-letter day for all of you, etched in your professional and personal life.”

LG Saxena expressed happiness over the fact that almost 40 per cent of the passing out M.Phil students were women and congratulated the university which conferred 3,112 PG degrees, 21,222 UG degrees, 12 M.Phil degrees and over 100 Ph.D degrees.

“As you leave the portals of your alma mater today, you carry upon your shoulders your own responsibility and that of your family, society and of achieving the Prime Minister’s vision of Viksit Bharat 2047,” he said.

He said as the students go ahead in their lives their degrees should prove to be their guidelines in humility, dedication and selflessness.

“The sheer number of women acquiring higher education and degrees, especially doctorates, is an indication of the changing educational landscape.

"It becomes all the more remarkable in Delhi, which is possibly the only state in the country to have a woman Chief Minister as well as a woman as Leader of the Opposition,” he said.

He said within 25 years GGSIPU has evolved as a multi-faceted university and beacon of knowledge and innovation.

--IANS

rch/rad

Kolkata, April 11 (IANS) Abdur Razaak Molla, the Communist-turned-Trinamool Congress leader who served as minister in both the CPI-M-led Left Front and the Trinamool Congress governments in West Bengal, died here on Friday. He was 80.

Molla was suffering from age-related ailments for quite some time and was virtually bedridden.

In the Buddhadeb Bhattacharya-led Left Front government, Mollah had served as the state Land & Land Revenue Minister, a post which had always been considered the second most important portfolio after the Chief Minister in the entire Left Front regime of 34 years from 1977 to 2011.

Even though the Left Front government was ousted from power in 2011, he managed to get elected from his traditional constituency of Canning (Purba) in the South 24 Parganas district. However, since then, his relationship with the CPI-M leadership started getting strained, and ultimately, he was suspended from the party due to anti-party activities.

He continued as an independent member of the Assembly for quite some time after that. Before the 2016 West Bengal Assembly elections, Molla joined the Trinamool and it nominated him from the Bhangar Assembly constituency, also in the South 24 Parganas district.

He got elected, and Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee made him Food Processing Minister. However, he did not contest the 2021 Assembly elections because of his failing health.

Even as the second most powerful minister in the previous Left Front government, Molla had been an ardent critic of the industrialisation polices of Chief Minister Bhattacharjee.

His logic was that because of Bhattacharjee’s industrial policies, the CPI-M was losing popularity among their traditional and dedicated rural vote bank, especially among the farming community, and had raised his voice against the acquisition of farmland for setting up industrial units.

When the Left Front lost power in 2011 to the Trinamool, riding on its movement against land acquisition for industry, Molla did not spare his barbs at his former party.

Attacking Bhattacharjee and erstwhile Industries & Commerce Minister Nirupam Sen, Molla quipped: "Hele dhorte pare na, keute dhorte geche (one who cannot catch a non-poisonous snake, went to catch a cobra)".

--IANS

src/vd

Pathanamthitta, April 11 (IANS) A Kerala court on Friday sentenced an ambulance driver to life imprisonment for raping a 19-year-old woman while she was being transported to a Covid care centre in September 2020.

V. Noufal, the ambulance driver, was transporting the patient from a medical centre to a Covid care centre opened by the state government. Instead of taking her to the Centre, he took her to another place and sexually assaulted her.

After the incident, Noufal apologised to her, which she had recorded on her mobile phone.

R. Binu, the Kerala Police official who headed the probe, said it was a difficult case as the state was under lockdown.

“We found it hard to get evidence, and it was after a team work we were able to get all the evidence and filed the charge sheet,” said Binu.

The police managed to get evidence from 55 people.

It was the Pathanamthitta District and Sessions Judge N. Harikumar who pronounced the sentence against Noufal.

The victim had reported the incident to the healthcare workers in the centre, where she was put up as she was Covid-positive.

Soon, the police took her statement, and Noufal was arrested.

Noufal has been found guilty of multiple charges, including rape and others.

The Court also found him guilty under Sections of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, which deals with sexual offences against SC/ST women and prescribed enhanced punishment when such offences are committed by a person not belonging to a Scheduled Caste or Tribe.

The Court also directed him to pay a total fine of Rs 1,08,000, which is to be given as compensation to the survivor.

The Court had found him guilty of the crime on Thursday, and the verdict was announced on Friday.

The Kerala Police official who probed the case further added that getting the crucial evidence took a long time from the concerned medical professionals as they were posted at different places.

--IANS

sg/dpb

Kochi, April 11 (IANS) The Kerala High Court on Friday quashed a charge sheet against Asianet News and six journalists in a petition seeking a case to be registered under the POCSO Act for airing a programme against the growth of the drug mafia, which showed an incident involving a girl.

No sooner did this verdict come out, the Congress leadership asked Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to apologise for the way a media organisation was treated by the police, acting on his advice.

In 2023, Asianet News and its employees approached the High Court to quash the complaint against them that was registered.

In a stinging remark against the manner in which the Kerala Police went about this case, the Court on Friday pointed out that there was nothing in the charge sheet which pointed to any wrong that had taken place due to the aired news.

The court went a step ahead and complimented Asianet News for airing a news on a socially relevant topic of drug abuse.

This issue was raised by the Opposition in the Kerala Assembly in 2023, and in reply, CM Vijayan then said, "None has forgotten how the Congress national government haunted the media during the Emergency days, when editors, journalists were arrested. By now, a huge section of the journalists have not expressed that any wrong was done by the police against Asianet News."

On Friday, the Leader of Opposition V.D. Satheesan slammed the way the CPI(M) used its student and youth organisation in holding protests at the offices of Asianet then.

“The least Vijayan should do is to tender an apology as he thought he could use his power and authority to rein in a credible media organisation. The truth has triumphed today,” said Satheesan.

When the news was aired on Asianet in 2023, it had gathered traction, following which the police showed undue haste in carrying out the raids at the office of the media organisation. It was then treasury bench legislator P.V. Anvar who levelled the allegation of POCSO Act violation against the channel.

Today, the political scenario has changed as Anvar has not only resigned as MLA but has become a bitter critic of CM Vijayan. Anvar is now inclined towards the Congress-led UDF opposition.

--IANS

sg/dpb

Bhopal, April 11 (IANS) Madhya Pradesh Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Prahlad Patel has once again landed in controversy, this time for using an abusive word during an interaction caught on camera. The incident follows closely on the heels of his earlier controversial remark likening the public to "beggars".

In a video that has surfaced on social media, Patel is seen sitting inside a vehicle, preparing to leave. As he instructs his driver to move, a journalist -- whose face is not visible but whose voice is clearly heard -- politely requests a response: "Sir... Sir, ek ek sawal please" (Sir, just one question, please).

In response, Patel, apparently irritated, says, "Isse pata chalta hai ki… tum pure samay nautanki karne wale log ho" (This shows that you people are always indulging in drama), before asking his driver to proceed.

The minister was reportedly in Khurai, where he was presented with a proposal by CEO Girraj Sharma to initiate a tree plantation drive under a government scheme.

Patel, angered by the suggestion -- apparently due to the high summer temperatures -- dismissed the proposal and reprimanded Sharma. Sources say this outburst was directed at him. Later, he canceled his scheduled public address and left the venue.

The video has triggered sharp criticism, especially from the opposition. Senior Congress leader and former Minister P. C. Sharma shared the clip on X, slamming Patel’s language.

“He is a minister in the Madhya Pradesh government. First, he insulted the public by calling them 'beggars', and now he’s using abusive words. This is highly condemnable. Such a person has no right to remain in office,” Sharma wrote.

This is not the first time Patel’s words have sparked outrage. Just last month, he stirred a row by saying people had become accustomed to “begging” from the government.

“People have fallen into the habit of taking from society. Now, they have even started begging from the government,” he had said at a public event.

After facing backlash, Patel defended himself, blaming the media for twisting his remarks.

--IANS

sd/skp

Bhopal, April 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Madhya Pradesh on Friday and will participate in various cultural programmes in Anandpur Dham of Ashoknagar district.

During his visit, he will explore key sites associated with the Paramhans Advaita sect, participate in a "satsang programme", and meet prominent leaders, including the state Governor, Mangu Bhai Patel, and the Chief Minister.

He will also offer prayers at Anand Sarovar and partake prasad at the langar.

Shri Anandpur Dham is a prominent religious centre in the region, featuring satsang halls, a 125-bed charitable hospital, and a modern gaushala (cowshed) housing over 500 cows. The centre also operates primary and secondary schools, serving thousands of students.

The Prime Minister's itinerary includes travel by helicopter and plane, with a stopover at Gwalior before returning to Delhi in the evening.

As per the schedule, Prime Minister Modi will first visit three major temples of the Paramhans Advaita sect. Following this, he will offer flowers at Anand Sarovar, visit Moti Hall to meet the current guru of the sect, and deliver a speech at the satsang programme.

The administration has completed all necessary preparations for the visit.

Shri Anandpur Dham, located in Isagarh, Ashoknagar, spans 315 hectares and was established for spiritual and philanthropic purposes. It includes a modern gaushala with over 500 cows, engages in agricultural activities within the Anandpur Trust campus, and operates a charitable hospital in Sukhpur village.

The trust also runs schools in Sukhpur and Anandpur, along with numerous satsang centers across the country.

Earlier in the day, PM Modi participated in various programmes in Varanasi. He laid the foundation stone for a road bridge connecting the Varanasi Ring Road to Sarnath, flyovers at Bhikharipur and Manduadih crossings, and a highway underpass road tunnel on NH-31 near Varanasi International Airport, collectively valued at over Rs 980 crore, said an official statement.

--IANS

sktr/svn