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Chennai, January 12 (IANS) Actor-turned-politician and Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) founder Seeman on Sunday, intensified his criticism of iconic Dravidian leader, E.V.S. Ramasamy Naicker, popularly known as Periyar.

Speaking to reporters, Seeman questioned Periyar’s contributions to the social revolution, contrasting them with those of Tamil Nadu’s reformers and saints like Vallalar and Vaikundar.

His controversial remarks on Periyar, during an event in Vadalur in the Cuddalore district, triggered widespread protests. In his speech, he had accused Periyar of encouraging incestuous relationships and made other provocative statements. He also criticised Periyar’s alleged remarks against the Tamil language and questioned the legitimacy of calling him a rationalist.

Following these comments, Seeman has been booked under Sections 192 (intent to cause riot) and 353/2 (false information) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Samhita (BNS), based on complaints filed by members of the Dravida Kazhagam (DK), an organisation founded by Periyar.

Seeman further alleged that Periyar had no significant connection to the cause of social justice.

This claim has sparked outrage, with protesters burning images of the NTK chief.

DK President Veeramani criticised Seeman’s remarks, stating: "To question Periyar’s rationalism, one must first ask themselves if they are rationalists."

Thanthai Periyar Dravida Kazhagam (TPDK) General Secretary K. Ramakrishnan attempted to march to Seeman’s residence along with his cadres, demanding evidence of the allegations. However, the police intervened and stopped the march.

Leaders from various political parties, including DMK ministers Duraimurugan and Sekar Babu, VCK President Thol Thirumavalavan, and state Congress President K. Selvaperunthagai, condemned Seeman’s statements.

However, state BJP President K. Annamalai expressed support for Seeman, saying: "I can provide evidence of the books where Periyar made such statements. However, I believe such discussions should not be held publicly as they may offend women and children." He also alleged that many of Periyar’s controversial books had been destroyed over time due to their contents.

On the other hand, BJP ally, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss strongly defended Periyar. Without directly referring to Seeman’s remarks, he said: "Slandering Periyar is unacceptable. If Mahatma Gandhi is the hero of India’s freedom struggle, Periyar is the leader of Tamil Nadu’s social freedom movement."

Ramadoss highlighted Periyar’s role in pressuring the government to increase reservations to 31 per cent, which he described as a pivotal contribution to social justice.

"While everyone has the freedom to critique Periyar’s ideology, baseless slander cannot be tolerated," he added.

As of now, over 60 cases have been registered against Seeman across Tamil Nadu in districts such as Cuddalore, Madurai, Coimbatore, Dindigul, and Tirunelveli for his remarks.

Seeman, however, remains defiant, asserting that LTTE leader V. Prabhakaran was the only leader who truly defended women’s rights. He also challenged parties to gather votes using Periyar’s name, claiming his own success in winning 32 lakh votes in the previous Assembly elections in the state was by evoking the name of Prabhakaran.

The controversy continues to escalate, with protests and legal actions dominating the political landscape in Tamil Nadu.

--IANS

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Itanagar, Jan 12 (IANS) Arunachal Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Chowna Mein on Sunday reviewed the 2,880 MW Dibang Multipurpose Hydropower Project and highlighted its potential to significantly augment the state’s energy resources and infrastructure besides reviving economic growth.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that the project would facilitate the state’s immense hydropower resources.

"This multipurpose hydropower project is a model of what can be achieved through persistence and teamwork," he said during his visit.

Mein said that under the leadership of Chief Minister Pema Khandu, the state government has successfully revived several stalled power projects, handing over them to several Central Public Sector Undertakings (CPSUs) for overall and accelerated development.

The Deputy Chief Minister said that local communities and the youths of the area contributed significantly to taking the project forward.

"Local people’s involvement is very crucial to successfully implement the project," he pointed out.

Mein, who also holds the Power and Non-Conventional Energy Resources portfolio, said that the Dibang Multipurpose Hydropower Project is not just a power plant, it's an opportunity generator and it would spur economic growth, boost tourism and improve connectivity, benefiting the people of the state.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi laid the foundation stone of the project in the Lower Dibang Valley district of Arunachal Pradesh on March 9, 2024. To be built at a cost of more than Rs 31,875 crores, the Dibang project would be the highest dam structure in the country. The project would generate electricity, help in flood moderation and lead to employment opportunities and socioeconomic development in the region.

The project will have a 278-metre-high dam, which would be the highest concrete-gravity dam in India. It is planned to be constructed with Roller Compacted Concrete (RCC) technique and it will be the highest RCC dam in the world.

--IANS

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Shirdi, Jan 12 (IANS) Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday claimed that Maharashtra's grand victory of BJP-led MahaYuti has brought the country's politics back on track as it buried the politics of betrayal played by Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray.

Maharashtra witnessed instability during 1978 and 2024 but the BJP workers did the work of giving a stable government at this time, the Home Minister added.

“You taught a lesson to those who opposed Hindutva and Prime Minister Narendra Modi's development politics. You made the real Shiv Sena and the real nationalist win the Assembly elections. You rejected those who did dynasty politics,” he said while addressing the state party meeting organised to celebrate the landslide victory of BJP-led MahaYuti in the Assembly election.

At the beginning of his speech, HM Shah targeted Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray. “Sharad Pawar had rebelled in 1978. The people of Maharashtra have taught him a lesson for the politics of betrayal that he had practised at that time. After that Uddhav Thackeray also betrayed us in 2019. He abandoned the thoughts of Balasaheb Thackeray. You did the work of teaching Uddhav Thackeray a lesson. You showed him his place in the Assembly elections,” he said.

The Home Minister heaped a praise over the party karyakartas for their work and contribution in the BJP’s thumping win. “The architects of this great victory are the workers of BJP. I salute all of you. I also thank the people of Maharashtra on behalf of BJP workers. All of you have given a hard slap on the face of those who do dynasty politics and play politics of betrayal and deception and sent them home. The people of Maharashtra have decided that Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena is Balasaheb Thackeray's Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar's NCP is the real NCP,” he remarked.

“We all know that the basis of our party's work is organisation. The foundation of our winning elections is our strong organisation. Our warrior at the booth is our commander. I want to tell my workers that the chain of development is possible only when you unfurl the saffron flag from the Panchayat to the Parliament -- BJP from the Panchayat to the Parliament, BJP in Maharashtra and BJP in the country. It is the tradition of BJP that we do what we say,” Shah thundered.

He praised the state unit chief Chandrashekhar Bawankule for leading the party during election and its stellar performance.

HM Shah exhorted the party workers to work hard and with same dedication to continue the victory march of BJP-led MahaYuti in the upcoming local and civic body elections defeating the Maha Vikas Aghadi. “BJP from Panchayat to Parliament, is our goal and for that the BJP-led MahaYuti should be in each and every seat for the crushing defeat of the Maha Vikas Aghadi,” he said.

“We have fulfilled countless promises, whether it is building the Ram temple in Ayodhya, whether it is removing Article 370 from Jammu and Kashmir, whether it is about providing houses to 4 crore poor people, whether it is about providing electricity, water or health security. The left wing extremism will be eliminated by April 2026,” said Shah.

Shah praised Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis who led the party to the grand victory in Maharashtra, saying that he will strive to fulfil a slew of promises made to the people of state including making Maharashtra drought free in the next five years.

He criticised Sharad Pawar saying that the state continues to reel under drought and witness farmers suicides despite he had been the agriculture minister, chief minister and associated with agriculture and cooperative movement for a long period. “During the third term, Devendra Fadnavis with the support of Prime Minister Narendra Modi will be in a position to provide water in every farm,” he claimed.

HM Shah said that the BJP-led NDA is getting stronger while the disintegration of INDI Alliance has begun. He predicted BJP’s grand victory in Delhi Assembly elections, asking the cadres to be ready on February 8 for mega celebration.

--IANS

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Ranchi, Jan 12 (IANS) The Delhi and Jharkhand Police have uncovered a plan to establish a training camp for the terrorist organisation Al Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent (AQIS) on Nakata Hill, located at the border of Ranchi and Latehar districts in Jharkhand.

This revelation emerged during the interrogation of AQIS operatives arrested in a joint operation conducted by the Delhi Police's Special Cell and the Jharkhand Police's Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) two days ago.

Shahbaz Ansari, a key operative arrested two days ago from the Senha police station area of Lohardaga, provided crucial information about AQIS's activities in Jharkhand during the interrogation.

The mastermind behind the AQIS plans in the region was Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed, a radiologist at a private hospital in Ranchi. Dr Ahmed, who was apprehended by the Delhi Police Special Cell in August, had formed a terror module named the "Ranchi Radical Group" (RRG) to recruit and train individuals for extremist activities.

The raid in August last year had also uncovered AQIS's plans to expand its influence across multiple Indian states, including Jharkhand.

Ansari revealed that the module primarily targeted less-educated and working-class persons, who were indoctrinated to join the AQIS. He has also disclosed the names of several other suspects, prompting ATS efforts to gather further intelligence on these individuals.

To indoctrinate recruits, AQIS provided various propaganda materials and speeches. Four individuals from Jharkhand were sent to Rajasthan for training in handling weapons and planning attacks. Upon their return, a plan was in place to establish a training camp under their supervision in Ranchi.

In connection with this case, several arrests have been made so far, including Dr Ahmed (Ranchi), Faizan Ahmed (Hazaribagh), Mohd Modavir, Mohd Rizwan, Mufti Rahmatullah Majhiri, Matiur Rahman, Iltaf Ansari, and Enamul Ansari.

These arrests were made from the Chanho police station area in Ranchi.

Investigations are still going on to dismantle the terror network and prevent further activities in the region.

The AQIS is a regional branch of Al Qaeda, active in Afghanistan, Pakistan, India, Myanmar, and Bangladesh. The group has been involved in various terrorist activities and plots, posing a major threat to regional stability and security.

Authorities are intensifying their efforts to dismantle AQIS networks and prevent further attempts to radicalise vulnerable individuals.

--IANS

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Hyderabad, Jan 12 (IANS) Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Sunday blamed lack of ideology and student politics for increasing defections. Stating that leaders are changing parties for posts, he underlined the need for ideological student politics.

Students who follow party ideology will always be loyal to the political organisation, he said.

The Chief Minister was addressing at an event to release former Maharashtra Governor Vidyasagar Rao’s autobiography ‘UNIKA’ Revanth Reddy was all praise for Vidyasagar Rao strictly following the ideology while in student politics at Osmania University.

He lauded the contributions of Vidyasagar Rao as governor of two states and said he upheld the honour of Telangana.

It is commendable that Vidyasagar Rao spent five decades in active politics without facing a single allegation and he stands as an ideal for the Telangana society, he said.

The Chief Minister lamented the falling standards of universities and said they were on the verge of losing their sheen and existence. It is imperative that students should be active in politics in the universities, he said.

He claimed that soon after assuming office, he took the decision to bring back the glory of universities. University students played an important role during the Telangana movement.

The active role played by students in politics resulted in the formation of Telangana state, he said. The Chief Minister urged Union Minister of State for Home Bandi Sanjay Kumar and other BJP and BRS leaders to help in getting the Centre’s approval for the expansion of Hyderabad Metro.

He pointed out that when the first phase of Hyderabad Metro was completed, it had the second-longest Metro network in the country, but now it has fallen to ninth place.

Stating that Hyderabad is not competing with Amaravati but with the world, he stressed the need for Metro expansion.

He mentioned that 60 per cent of Telangana's income comes from Hyderabad and reiterated his ambition to make Telangana a trillion dollar economy.

The Chief Minister said he had urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sanction regional ring road and regional ring rail to develop Hyderabad as a global city.

He also urged the Centre allot a dry port to Telangana as it is a landlocked state. He said the Centre should also complete the Kazipet Railway Coach Factory at the earliest.

Stating that he has no differences with anyone, Revanth Reddy said he would meet everyone and seek everybody's cooperation for the development of Telangana.

Haryana Governor Bandaru Dattatreya said he worked with Vidyasagar Rao for 40 years. He stated that Vidyasagar Rao worked hard to strengthen ABVP and BJP in the state.

He recalled Vidyasagar Rao’s efforts to underscore the importance of Godavari waters for Telangana.

Vidyasagar Rao stated that leaders irrespective of the parties they belong to have nationalist sentiments.

He said harnessing the potential of youth was the challenge before today’s leaders.

He praised Revanth Reddy for coming out with the idea of ‘HYDRA’ to save lakes and natural bodies.

He called for a similar body to solve the problem faced by tribals with regard to their lands.

--IANS

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Ranchi, Jan 12 (IANS) Paddy procurement at government centres in many districts of Jharkhand has come to a standstill, leaving thousands of farmers returning empty-handed daily.

This crisis has arisen due to storage issues at PACS (Primary Agricultural Credit Societies) and LAMPS (Large Area Multi-Purpose Societies). Overloaded warehouses are unable to accommodate more paddy, as rice millers have not been lifting stock from these centres.

Additionally, server downtime and technical glitches have further slowed the procurement process in some areas.

In districts such as Dhanbad, Hazaribagh, Garhwa, Chaibasa, Chatra, Ramgarh, Ranchi, Jamtara, Giridih, Latehar, Godda, Pakur, Deoghar, Sahibganj, Gumla, and Khunti, only 8 to 40 per cent of the targeted paddy has been purchased so far.

The Joint Secretary of the Food Supply, Public Distribution, and Consumer Affairs Department recently expressed concern in a letter to the Deputy Commissioners of 12 districts, urging immediate action to address the slow pace of procurement in the state.

In Hazaribagh, most PACS and LAMPS have stopped purchasing due to full warehouses.

BJP MLA Manoj Kumar Yadav, representing Barhi Assembly constituency, raised the issue in a letter to Chief Minister Hemant Soren. He highlighted that paddy procurement in the district has been halted for nearly a month, allowing middlemen to exploit the situation by purchasing paddy from farmers at prices far below the government rate.

Government centres offer a fixed rate of Rs 2,400 per quintal (including bonuses) for paddy. However, middlemen are reportedly paying Rs 1,800 to Rs 1,900 per quintal, further distressing farmers.

The Jharkhand government had set up 699 paddy procurement centres across the state, starting operations on December 15. The target for this year is to procure 60 lakh quintals of paddy. Despite over 2.4 lakh farmers registering to sell their produce, procurement has been halted at many centres.

This year, the government estimated a total paddy production of 41.38 lakh tonnes, cultivated over 15.48 lakh hectares. In comparison, the state produced 32.10 lakh tonnes in 2023.

Immediate intervention is required to resolve storage and logistical challenges, ensuring fair procurement for farmers and preventing further exploitation by middlemen.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS) Union Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, Rajiv Ranjan Singh, is set to inaugurate 40 livestock projects worth more than Rs 545 crore on Monday.

The Department of Animal Husbandry and Dairying is organising an ‘Entrepreneurship Development Conclave’ in Pune where the Union Minister will be the Chief Guest, it was announced on Sunday.

The objective of the event is to unite policymakers, federations, cooperatives, industry associations, entrepreneurs and financial institutions to unlock the potential of the livestock sector.

“It provides a platform to the stakeholders to discuss challenges, share solutions, promote entrepreneurship, provide value addition and sustainable practices to catalyse growth for the sector,” said the ministry.

The government is implementing flagship schemes such as the Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund (AHIDF) with an outlay of Rs 29,110.25 crore and National Livestock Mission (NLM) with an outlay of Rs 2,300 crore.

“By showcasing opportunities under NLM and AHIDF, the conclave seeks to drive inclusive growth and empower rural farmers and small enterprises,” the ministry informed.

The conclave will also entail the inauguration of the National Livestock Mission - Entrepreneurship Development Programme (NLM - EDP) Dashboard that provides an organised summary of key information of the entire project to the public.

The event will also see the release of National Livestock Mission Operational Guidelines 2.0 and success story booklets.

The conclave will also have panel discussions that will witness participation from government, industry leaders along with financial institutions, banks, cooperatives, and representatives from federations and industry associations.

The Cabinet-approved National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) scheme also marks a transformative shift in Indian agriculture.

The scheme has a total outlay of Rs 2,481 crore of which the government of India's share is Rs 1,584 crore while the state share is Rs 897 crore, till the 15th Finance Commission (2025-26).

The government has launched the NMNF to promote natural farming in a mission mode across the country under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare.

—IANS

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Srinagar, Jan 12 (IANS) The Jammu and Kashmir Police said on Sunday that over 100 bank accounts linked to drug peddlers have been frozen in the Srinagar district.

A police statement said, "Srinagar Police have intensified financial investigations into multiple narcotic smuggling cases leading to the freezing of more than 100 bank accounts linked to drug traffickers."

The seized accounts collectively contain deposits amounting to several lakhs of rupees, the police said, adding that all transactions associated with the accounts are under detailed scrutiny to trace the flow of illicit funds.

The police said that the freezing of these accounts has effectively blocked access to financial resources used by drug trafficking networks.

The accused have been arrested in connection with cases registered under the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act in Srinagar District.

Those apprehended have been involved in the trafficking of narcotics and psychotropic substances, posing a significant threat to the community, particularly the youth.

"Comprehensive investigations, conducted under the relevant provisions of the NDPS Act, have led to the freezing of these bank accounts containing substantial sums, prima-facie identified as proceeds of illegal narcotics trade. Furthermore, moveable and immovable properties valued at crores of rupees, found to be acquired through these illicit activities, have been attached under the applicable legal framework," it said.

"This action has been set into motion under Section 68F(2) of the NDPS Act. Jammu and Kashmir Police remain steadfast in its commitment to combating the menace of drug abuse and trafficking," the statement said.

The police asked the public to join hands in fighting the drug menace by providing any information related to drug peddling or drug abuse.

The police requested the public to contact their nearest police station or dial 112 to report drug-related suspicious activities.

--IANS

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Chennai, Jan 12 (IANS) Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi on Sunday criticised Chief Minister M.K. Stalin over his ‘chlidish’ jibe, saying the latter’s arrogance was not appropriate.

The Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan, in a post on the social media platform X, said: “Stalin asserts that insisting on due respect for the National Anthem and performing the fundamental duties enshrined in the Constitution is ‘absurd’ and ‘childish.’ Thanks for betraying the true intentions of the coalition of interests and ideologies to which he is a leader that does not accept or respect Bharat as a nation and Her Constitution.”

“Such arrogance is not good. Please do not forget that Bharat is the supreme Mother, and the Constitution is the supreme faith for her children. They will not like or tolerate such brazen insults,” Governor R.N. Ravi added.

The Governor’s response came a day after Chief Minister Stalin criticised him, calling his decision to skip the customary Assembly address “childish.” The controversy began on January 6 when Governor R.N. Ravi walked out of the Tamil Nadu Assembly without delivering the customary inaugural address.

According to the Raj Bhavan, the Governor left “in deep anguish” because the National Anthem was not played.

In his rebuttal during the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, Stalin alleged that Ravi’s actions stemmed from his inability to “digest” Tamil Nadu’s progress.

He remarked: “The Tamil Nadu Assembly has been witnessing strange scenes ever since Ravi assumed office as Governor. In 2022, he delivered his address without altering the speech, but in the following years, he avoided the customary address, citing absurd reasons.”

Stalin further stated, “I may be an ordinary person, but this Legislative Assembly came into existence because of the aspirations of crores of people. I believe the Governor cannot tolerate the state’s development.”

--IANS

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Chennai, Jan 12 (IANS) The Tamil Nadu BJP has demanded an unconditional apology from Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin for allegedly reneging on his promise to abolish the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).

BJP state secretary S.G. Suryah accused Udhayanidhi Stalin of “shamelessly lying” to the people of Tamil Nadu during the 2021 Assembly election campaign. He stated that Udhayanidhi had assured voters that abolishing NEET would be the DMK government’s priority.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Suryah said, “Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin made a promise to the people of Tamil Nadu that his first signature as a minister would abolish NEET. However, he has failed to deliver on that promise.”

The BJP leader called for an unconditional apology from Udhayanidhi for what he termed a blatant “U-turn” on the issue. He also clarified that the central government has no role in implementing NEET, as it is a directive of the Supreme Court.

Suryah welcomed a recent statement by Vijay, actor-turned-politician and president of the Tamilaga Vettai Kazhagam (TVK), who criticised the DMK government for failing to abolish NEET.

In a social media post on Saturday, Vijay accused the DMK of deceiving the people with false promises. He pointed out that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has now admitted that only the Union government has the authority to scrap NEET. Vijay said, “This is a significant social and political issue for Tamil Nadu. During the 2021 Assembly elections, the DMK promised to abolish NEET if returned to power. However, they knew fully well that this decision could only be taken by the central government.”

Vijay further alleged that the DMK made these assurances purely to garner votes and criticized the ruling party for not fulfilling its promises after coming to power. He said, “How long will they deceive us in our own country?”

The TVK leader also highlighted that NEET was a major campaign issue in 2021. “The DMK promised to cancel the exam, claiming they had a plan to do so. Now they admit only the central government can abolish NEET. Isn’t this a betrayal of the people who voted for them?” Vijay remarked.

In a statement on Friday, Chief Minister M.K. Stalin told the Tamil Nadu Assembly that NEET would have been abolished if the INDIA alliance had captured power at the Centre. However, he acknowledged that only the Central government has the authority to scrap the exam.

CM Stalin also reminded Opposition leader Edappadi K. Palaniswami that during the regimes of Karunanidhi and J. Jayalalithaa, NEET was not there. He argued that the exam was introduced only during the tenure of Palaniswami’s government.

S.G. Suryah further stated, “If anyone wants to get away from NEET, they should approach the Supreme Court, not the Central government.”

--IANS

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