Tamil Nadu

Industry

Meanwhile, Haldia Petrochemicals along with Naphtha Cracker Unit expressed desire to make investments in the state.

The Tamil Nadu Government has signed Memorandum of Understandings (MoUs) worth 2, 780 crores at an Investors meet in New York, attended by Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami. Sectors which will receive investment, according to government officials, include petrochemical , pharmaceutical and Information Technology industries. Over 200 industrialists took part at the meet held in New York on September 3. According to reports, Memorandums of Understanding for 11 projects and four investment promotion cooperation were signed at the venue. 16 companies including - Jean Martin, Aquil Systems, Scitus Pharma, Nurray Chemical, Novitum Labs, Jogo Health, ST LNG, Saram 4, Emerson, Aspire Consulting, Revature - LLC and Zillion Technologies signed MOUls worth Rs.2,780. Meanwhile Haldia Petrochemicals along with Naphtha Cracher Unit expressed desire to make investments worth Rs.50,000 crore in the state. Arun Roy, the Addition secretary to Government, Industries department says that Tamil Nadu offers several benefits to investors."The State's Unique selling point is its infrastructure, law and order and a tradition of never dishonoring a promise to investors," he tells TNM. When asked when the MoUs will take shape on ground, he says, "These investment are long term plans, i.e, 3-5 years." The IAS officer however does add that in his opinion, these investments will not affect the current slowdown in the state economy. "The present slowdown is not due to shortage of investment but negative consumer sentiment and credit crunch," he explains. Praise pours in for TN At the Investors' meet, representatives of two US multinationals, Ford and Caterpillar, offered testimonials on Tamil Nadu's efficacy in working with investors. Katie Hays, the head of government and corporate affairs for Caterpillar, said that the manufacturer of heavy construction machinery and trucks found increased ease of doing business under the chief minister. She said that the company received strong support from the government and received uninterrupted supply of power and water. Ford Motor Co. International Government Relations Manager James Rowland said that the state is "one of the best global partners." He said that the state offered the company a vast pool of skilled manpower. State Chief Secretary K. Shanmugam, who was present there, said that the state's investment in social welfare resulted in it becoming a hub of economic activity and of consumption, which backed economic activity. The state was able to reap a social peace dividend by having the nation's best law and order situation, he said. He said that the state planned to develop a Fintech city to draw companies integrating technology and financial services and it would be a draw for companies in the sector in the US. (with inputs from IANS)

Body 2:

Documentary

Shot by a three-member team, this documentary series covers different areas in Chennai which have the Anglo-Indian population, like Santhome, George Town, Pallavaram and so on.

Anjana Shekar

YouTube Screengrab/Pepper Watcher

The red-bricked Indo-Saracenic buildings of Chennai are a reminder of the city’s colonial past. The Portuguese, the Dutch and finally the English arrived in Chennai, then Madras, and left behind a distinct trail. The community of Anglo-Indians in the city still upholds the dwindling group’s fascinating history and culture. A documentary screening titled The Anglo-Indians of Madras – Case Study Pallavaram held as part of Madras Day celebrations on August 22 highlighted the community’s presence in the city. This episode is the sixth instalment to the on-going documentary series directed by Richard O’Connor, Superintendent, Customs and Harry MacLure, editor, Anglos In The Wind (AITW). Nicholas Moses is the third member to this team who handles camera and editing. To beginnings In the year 1947, Anglo-Indians in Madras accounted for over 1 lakh while today, the number stands at less than 40,000. The seed for this documentary was sown by well-known late historian Muthiah, who is one among the pioneers of the Madras Day Celebrations. Speaking to TNM, director Richard says, “We started doing this in 2016, mainly for Madras Week as suggested by Muthiah. It was not as if we were not a part of the Madras Day celebrations before. We had conducted heritage walks for about 8 - 10. But in 2016, we made a 50 minute documentary to be screened at an event. In it we had covered all the areas populated by Anglo-Indians.” This 50-minute documentary, however, sparked off a deeper passion in both Richard and Harry to document more. “Soon after the first screening, it became a thing for the community. Now children and grandchildren will know what our culture was in the past. We began doing in depth documentation, region-wise, mainly to document for posterity. It is now being regularly shared on the YouTube channel Pepper Watcher,” adds Richard. The channel now has six episodes, covering areas like Santhome, George Town, Royapettah, St Thomas Mount and Pallavaram, with Vepery taking up three parts. “It was more of a centre for education and so we had plenty of schools to cover,” he explains. The Anglo-Indians of Pallavaram In the 6th episode that was screened for Madras Day this year, marking three years since they began their journey, Richard and Harry explore the veteran lines and other areas in Pallavaram where a small group of Anglo-Indian families live. They reminisce about their ballroom dancing days, houses with their “quaint, colonial hangover” and about women who played hockey, matches between married men and the bachelors and other regular weekly events. In the documentary, musician Paul Jacob, born in Pallavaram, talks about how his father, Lancy Jacob, started the entire tradition of walking from Madras to Velankanni in the ‘70s. “A spontaneous decision made by anxiety instilled by doctors that he could lose his wife or child at the time of child birth,” explains the narrator (Richard) in the video. “Dad was joined by his manager Padmanabhan, a Brahmin guy, his Protestant neighbour and drinking partner Peter Letoille. They met an old Muslim gentleman at Tambaram who was on his way to Nagore. The very first walk was unbelievable. Had a Catholic, Hindu, Protestant and a Muslim,” smiles Paul in the documentary. We also see actors Andrea, Sriranjani (born Genevieve) discussing their roots a little in this episode. Discussions are also made on the kind of stereotypes the community encounters, their early entry into films and how Anglo-Indian women were the first to venture out from their homes and join as secretaries, nurses and air-hostesses. Richard calls it human nature to stereotype the other but points out some of the interesting roles Anglo-Indians have played in the society. “Anglo-Indian women were the first to come out and work as secretaries, nurses, air-hostess. We also had women hockey players, playing games in their shorts. Now it is common but Anglo-Indian women did it back then,” he says. This episode also talks about how the community has branched out with many of the youngsters finding jobs overseas. Dwindling population, growing interest Anglo-Indian novelist Allan Sealy referred to the Anglo-Indian community as “A community that speaks their father’s tongue and eats their mother’s salt,” and the documentary series’ very first episode alludes to this quote. Yet, the fact that the community is losing its old-world charm is undeniable. The documentary itself explores different kinds of people from the community. Richard also shares some of the instances that showed just how multi-hued the community is. “I got to understand a new side to people. People are successful, some not. In one of the episodes we have spoken to a drug addict who has overcome his addiction. Such wide range of people we were able to meet that we wouldn’t have known otherwise. We tend to sit on our high horses and stay content. This was a humbling experience,” he says. “There was a time when we called it our heyday. When we lived in proximity and had frequent parties. We had our own vibrant culture. But now people are busy with work and our numbers have all gone down too,” says Richard, adding, “But when we do gather for events conducted in small pockets, we get to see just how many of us are still around. You have to be there to know that it is still vibrant.” As for Richard, this documentary is not meant for a filmy audience, to have a wider reach. “This is not an artsy, high funda work. You can see that there’s a lot of talking and might appear mundane, to a viewer at some points. But our intent is not to reach a wider audience. It is more of a catalogue, a work that will bring us closer together. This is for the community itself,” he beams.

Body 2:

Electricity

The TANGEDCO stated that power will be restored early if the maintenance works are completed before 4 pm.

TNM Staff

Image for representation

The Tamil Nadu Generation and Distribution Corporation (TANGEDCO) has announced power shutdown on Friday, September 6. The power supply will be suspended from 9 am to 4 pm due to maintenance works. However, if the maintenance works are completed early, power supply will be restored before 4 pm, it stated. The areas where power will be shut down on Friday are: Kottivakkam VGP Layout, Anna Salai, Palavakkam kuppam, Sankarapuram, Seashell Avenue, Radio Colony, Chari Avenue, Ram Garden, Jaisankar Nagar, ECR Road, Poonga Street and Ambedkar Street. Selaiyur Madambakkam, Palayakara Street, Maruthi Nagar, ALS Nagar, Ramana Nagar, Madambakkam Main Road, North Side, North Mada Street, East Mada Street, Manicakam Avenue, Alamelupuram, Esther Garden, Padmavathy Nagar, Selaiyur of Agaram Main Road, Vedachalam Nagar, Janakiraman Street, Indira Nagar West, Ex-Servicemen Enclave, Avvai Nagar, New Balaji Nagar, Bharathi Nagar, Bajanai Koil Street, Madha Koil Street, Palayathan Street, Ranganathan Nagar, Harrington Road, Burma Colony, Ranganathan Street, Karnam Street, Ramasamy Street and Eswaran Koil Street. Read: Bank merger an unwarranted move: All India Bank Employees Association to TNM

Body 2:

Education

The state government launched free coaching in government schools across the state in 2017.

TNM Staff

Image for representation/PTI

Almost six months into the new academic year and three months after the recent NEET, the government of Tamil Nadu is yet to begin its coaching classes for government school students in the state. According to reports, the orientation programme for students was conducted in Chennai, Erode and Coimbatore recently, but the classes are yet to commence since the department is awaiting a nod from KA Sengottaiyan, the Minister for School Education. The state government has also reportedly scheduled training for 320 government school teachers during the upcoming weekend and will be taking NEET coaching classes for the students after their training. The state government started NEET coaching in 2017 and for NEET 2020, 50 students have been selected from each centre across the state through a selection process in August. These students will be provided free NEET coaching by the state government over the weekends. The best performers from these students will be chosen to undergo an intensive residential training session after their board exams in March. Last year, any student who wished to attend the coaching classes during weekends could attend them, unlike the current year. The state provides free NEET coaching in tie-up with Speed Medical Institute which arranges video lectures in one school in every administrative block in the state. The coaching sessions are designed to be offered during weekends, public holidays and school vacations so that it does not disturb the regular curriculum of the students. In 2018-2019, 2,597 students in Tamil Nadu were selected for the intensive training session. These students were provided with books and free laptops to enable them to prepare for NEET. Of the 2,597 students who attended the residential training session last year, 642 students cleared the NEET 2019. As per a report in The Hindu, 17,630 students from Tamil Nadu’s government and government-aided schools appeared for NEET 2019.

Body 2:

Sexual harassment

Mahima* was sacked from her job at a multinational company in 2007 allegedly for protesting her boss's sexual advances.

Sanyukta Dharmadhikari

Representative image

After 12 years of running from pillar to post, a Chennai woman who alleged that she was sexually harassed by her boss was given Rs 50,000 as compensation by the Madras High Court. Mahima*, who worked at a multinational company in Chennai, was fired from her job in March 2007 allegedly after she refused to give in to the advances made by her CEO Rajesh. After she was fired, she filed a case of sexual harassment against him and after a long-drawn battle across several courts and over many years, a Madras High Court order dated August 8, 2019, gave her Rs 50,000 as compensation. While a previous Madras High Court order had granted her Rs 1.86 crore as severance pay and an additional Rs 1.86 crore as compensation for sexual harassment, a division bench hearing an appeal by the company reduced the second amount to Rs 50,000, calling the earlier order 'excessive and onerous.' ‘Sexually harassed, then fired’ The Madras High Court order also outlines the complaint filed and charges made by Mahima. In 2006, Mahima started working as a Vice President at the company. Within a few months of her joining the company, she noticed that there was a change in the behaviour of the Chief Executive Officer of the company. The CEO would allegedly make sexist and derogatory remarks about her physique and dress sense and sent her three inappropriate SMSes. Unable to tolerate his behaviour, Mahima sent in her resignation letter. Rajesh immediately apologised and she agreed to take back her resignation after the company promised a safe working environment. However, after she withdrew her resignation, Rajesh’s behaviour worsened, Mahima's petition had said. He stopped giving her work and reduced the number of opportunities, allegedly as punishment for not responding to his sexual advances. In March 2007, the company revised her salary and reduced it. During that time, a new Vice President was appointed in the company and Mahima allegedly received several e-mails containing derogatory and indecent remarks from Rajesh and the new VP. Though she raised the matter with senior executives of the company, no action was taken. Finally, she was fired for ‘breach of contract,’ allegedly without any specification as to what the breach of contract was. Mahima says in her petition that instead of responding to her mails asking about the termination of her employment, the management denied her admission to her into the office on December 21, 2007, and escorted her out of the office in full view of her co-workers. Mahima then filed a police complaint against Rajesh for sexual harassment, cheating, criminal breach of trust, misappropriation of company funds and criminal intimidation, and demanded proper compensation. The company sided with Rajesh and filed an extortion case against Mahima in New Delhi. After five years of running from one court to another in this manner, she finally agreed to an arbitration. Arbitration says 'no proof of harassment' By this time, the extortion and harassment case had reached the Supreme Court. The Supreme Court, in 2011, recommended a settlement of all disputes via an arbitration. The arbitration order concluded that there was no case of sexual harassment and gave her a compensation of Rs 2 crore as severance pay. The arbitrator had come to the conclusion that “Mahima lodged the complaint relating to sexual harassment only after she left the employment even though she was subjected to harassment soon after her employment in the company.” The arbitrator also concluded that Mahima had prosecuted the Directors and other officers of the company “only to extract a higher amount.” The arbitrator stated that there was no proof that Mahima had resigned when Rajesh allegedly made those sexual advances and added, “had she resigned, she would not have been eligible for any compensation at all. In all probability, that was the reason why she had withdrawn the resignation as she was willing to leave the company with some compensation particularly because she was not sent to USA.” Mahima then challenged the arbitration order in the Madras High Court. In 2015, a single-judge bench of the Madras High Court ordered that she be given a compensation of Rs 1.86 crore in addition to the employment dues she was to be paid. The court stated that the non-constitution of a committee by the company, as directed by the Supreme Court in Vishaka case, had prejudiced the appellant. “It was further concluded that had it been constituted, the appellant could have ventilated her grievance before such committee,” the Madras High Court order said. Unhappy with the order, the company then approached a division bench of the Madras High Court. On August 8, 2019, 12 years after the sexual harassment complaint was first filed, the Madras High Court reduced the compensation for sexual harassment to Rs 50,000. Calling the earlier compensation amount ‘excessive and onerous’, the High Court observed that the company’s only fault was that it did not have a Vishaka committee. “It is needless to mention that the appellant is entitled for a just and reasonable compensation for non-constitution of a committee as held by the Honourable Supreme Court in Vishaka case. However, such compensation cannot be a windfall or bounty and it should have reasonable nexus to the breach,” the Madras High Court order stated, adding that in its opinion, it will be a fair and reasonable compensation which Mahima is entitled to. Sources tell TNM that Mahima is now planning to approach the Supreme Court against the High Court order. (*names changed to protect identity)

Body 2:

Business

With the auto sector facing a massive crisis, automakers have sought for a reduction in GST to provide some relief.

Priyanka Thirumurthy

Image for representation/PTI

Representatives of the automobile industry met Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman last week in Chennai and sought a lower Goods and Services Tax (GST) to help tide over the current crisis in the sector. And while the Union Minister assured them that the matter will be taken to the GST council, a state government representative tells TNM that this move would come at a social and economic cost. Across the country, the auto sector is facing a crisis not seen in the last 20 years, with plummeting car sales and as a result, over two lakh job losses. Data from the Society of Indian Automobile Manufacturers (SIAM) shows that 300 dealerships have shut down in recent times. Tamil Nadu's capital city, once dubbed the 'Detroit of Asia' due to its burgeoning automobile manufacturing units and allied industries, has also seen a decline in sales and loss of jobs for contract workers. Automobile manufacturers suggest that a reduction in GST could provide relief in the face of a crippling slowdown in demand. But talking to TNM, Additional Secretary of Industries Arun Roy says that GST cannot be blamed for the existing slowdown, be it in the auto or textile industries."I am not in favour of GST reduction on auto. The slowdown is because people have no credit available and also partly due to BS (Bharat Stage) VI transition," he tells TNM. Bharat stage Emission Standards (BSES) have been instituted by the Centre to regulate the output of air pollutants from internal combustion engines and spark-ignition engines equipment, including motor vehicles. Stage VI with revised rules is set to be implemented from April 2020, which would mean that vehicles now being made by automakers should comply with the BS-VI norms."In textiles, the problem is not GST rate but the fact that many firms that were earlier operating below the tax radar has now been forced inside due to the nature of GST. Also, lack of FTA with Europe and US has affected our export competitiveness," he adds. He further points that reducing GST will affect revenue."GST reduction is a loss of revenue for both centre and state, which will have its effect on government expenditure. Budget in defence, salary, pension and interest payments cannot be touched. So invariably it will eat into funds available for some welfare scheme or infrastructure," he says. Even if there is a GST reduction, Arun is of the opinion that it should be limited to two-wheelers and three-wheelers. The move, says the official, will help the lower middle class. The GST council is set to meet next on September 20. When asked what the state government plans to do then, to address the slowdown, he says, "I don't see a major role for state government when the slowdown is a national phenomenon. At best it can do direct cash transfer to boost rural demand, which we periodically do under one guise or another. Policy-based interventions of state government such as investor promotion, or skill training will take at least 2-3 years to show results."

Body 2:

Sexual Harassment

The accused, who has finished his course, was found guilty in three out of four sexual harassment complaints filed against him.

Megha Kaveri

Image for representation

A law student who has completed his course at the Tamil Nadu National Law University, Trichy, has been found guilty of sexual harassment by the Interal Committee (IC) of the University. The IC concluded that he was guilty in three out of four complaints filed against him, and have recommended five months of community service – and until this is completed, his degree will be withheld. The complainants however are unhappy with the punishment, and have demanded that his conduct certificate from the university should mention his offences. In May 2019, four women students from Tamil Nadu National Law University (TNNLU) had filed complaints of sexual harassment against the final year law student. During a farewell party organised inside the campus in May this year, he asked a student to kiss him, and when she refused, he resorted to stalking her for the rest of the party. When talk of this incident got out, another student who was sexually harassed by the accused came forward. The accused had sexually harassed her in the university campus, in November 2018, the complainant told the IC. The third complaint on which he was found guilty is of sexual harassment over a period of three years. The Internal Committee conducted the inquiry with witnesses, friends and the accused between May 20, 2019 and August 10, 2019 and released their report on August 26. “The respondent shall be directed to undergo community service for a period of not less than five months,” the IC report said. It also recommended that the university withhold the results of the End semester examination 2019 of the accused until he submits valid proof of completion of community service, and that any awards or recognition which were supposed to be conferred to him be reconsidered. However, the complainants are disappointed with the punishment, and have now decided to appeal to the VC to ensure that his actions are reflected in his conduct certificate. Speaking to TNM, a source close to one of the complainants said, “In IPC under section 354A [Sexual harassment and punishment for sexual harassment], the punishment is minimum one year of imprisonment to three years of imprisonment. This guy who has been found guilty of sexually harassing three women, has been recommended a punishment of five months of community service. Does this really reflect the gravity of the offences he has committed?” “It is not the ICC's job or our job to worry about his future or his job. It is his responsibility to consider the repercussions of his actions on his future and his work,” the source said. However, the IC of the university has justified their recommendations. Speaking to TNM, an IC member who was a part of the proceedings said that this was the only option remaining in the guidelines, which were applicable to him. “Since he was a final year student and had already appeared for his final exams, dismissal or transfer or barring him from exams were not options for us. Hence, we recommended that he undertake community service for five months,” the member said, adding that the IC has also recommended to the university to mention the fact of the IC proceedings in his conduct certificate when he comes back after the community service to collect his degree certificate. But these facts have not been mentioned in the IC order, a copy of which is in TNM’s possession. The member also added that a firm that had offered a job to the accused has rescinded its offer due to the IC proceedings. While the complainants have now decided to appeal to higher authorities in the university, students are wary about whether this will yield results. Swarna Rajagopalan, the Founder and Director of Prajnya Trust and an advisor at Gender at Work India explained that beyond specifying recommendations, the IC is not empowered to do more. “IC is empowered to hear the case and make its recommendations based on the range of punishment specified in the anti-sexual harassment policy of the institution. It cannot force the institution to implement its recommendations,” she said, adding that if either of the parties in the case choose to approach a court of law over the IC’s recommendations, then the report will be taken as a valid evidence. Amba Salelkar, a Chennai-based lawyer working on gender, disability, and mental health inclusion told TNM that ICs in such cases can include counselling sessions and community service. “Under section 10 of University Grants Commission (Prevention, prohibition and redressal of sexual harassment of women employees and students in higher educational institutions) Regulations, 2015, the institution can award reformative punishments like mandatory counselling and, or, performance of community service,” she said. She also pointed out that community service and counselling are just two examples provided in the guidelines and the IC can also recommend other reformative punishments to the offender. She also added that the aggrieved person is entitled to compensation for any loss including mental trauma, loss of career opportunities and medical expenses incurred by the victim for physical and psychiatric treatment. “The HEI shall issue direction for the payment of the compensation recommended by the IC and accepted by the Executive Authority, which shall be recovered from the offender,” read the guidelines. TNM has reached out to the Vice Chancellor of the university for her comments on the matter. The story will be updated once she responds.

Body 2:

Education

While 27-year-old Kirubamohan claims it was due to pressure from the Chancellor and Vice-Chancellor, the college states that he did not submit the requisite documents.

Priyanka Thirumurthy

27-year-old Kirubamohan, the former secretary of the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle in Madras University, has alleged that he has been declared ineligible for a Master's programme in the institution. The Journalism graduate states that he was removed from the Department of Philosophy, due to pressure from the Tamil Nadu Governor/Chancellor Banwarilal Purohit and from Vice-Chancellor P Duraisamy. Kirubamohan had joined the Madras University for a degree in Buddhism on July 31. He had earlier graduated from the University's Department of Journalism and Communication in 2018 and had initiated the formation of the Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle in the institution. As secretary he had organised protests against the ban on beef and against invitations given to Tarun Vijay (former Rajya Sabha member) and BJP leader L Ganesan to address students in the college. "When I joined the course, the Buddhism HoD Venkatachalpathy told me that I don't need a Transfer certificate because I graduated from the same college," says Kirubamohan. "But on August 29, without any prior intimation, they gave a letter cancelling my admission blaming it on the missing transfer certificate," he adds. Kirubamohan stated that this decision by the administration, two months after he was admitted, was made because of his involvement in agitations in the college. He alleges that the HoD was under pressure to remove him despite his acceptable grades and attendance records."There are two more students in my class who didn't submit their eligibility certificates but they have not been questioned," he alleges. Vice-Chancellor P. Duraisamy however claimed that rules had been flouted. “He (Kirubamohan) had completely violated the admission guidelines. Last year and the year before, he created a lot of protests. The candidate had graduated from Anna University in engineering and then done a PG in journalism. He has not met the conditions of the admission guidelines,” he told The Hindu. He also stated that a letter from the head of journalism department regarding his conduct was factored in and denied that the Governor had a role to play in the rejection process. "I wanted to do research in the subject of Buddhism and propagate progressive notions in society. That is why I took it up," says Kirubamohan. "My father is a daily wage worker and my mother a housemaker. Our livelihood was going to depend on me and now I've been removed from college."

Body 2:

One Nation, One Ration

Tamil Nadu Minister R Kamaraj assured that the existing PDS in the state will not be disrupted by joining the central scheme.

TNM Staff

A week after Tamil Nadu Cooperation Minister Sellur K Raju announced that the government will implement the ‘one nation, one ration card’ scheme in the state soon. Food Minister R Kamaraj, stated that the Centre must offer assistance to the state to provide concessions to migrant card holders. Addressing a press conference, the Food Minister said, "Migrant workers employed in the state must not starve and hence the central government has to provide assistance to feed them. What the Centre gives, we will provide to these migrant workers." Alleviating apprehensions among the existing cardholders, the minister also assured that the existing Public Distribution System in Tamil Nadu will not be disrupted by joining the central scheme."In our PDS system we are giving rice and wheat. Pulses and oil are given at a subsidised rate. For Rs 13.50 and Rs 35 we offer sugar to Antyodaya Anna Yojana (AAY) card holders and ration card holder respectively. In addition to this, we also have the free rice scheme introduced by late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. This is our state scheme and does not apply to other states," he added. The ‘one nation, one ration card’ proposed by the Modi government is an inter-state ration card portability scheme that allows migrants to get their quota of ration from any public distribution system (PDS) across the country. The Centre plans to extend this scheme to all states by 2020. Currently, Tamil Nadu provides 20 kg of free rice per month to nearly 1.99 crore ration card holders. The free rice scheme, which has been in place since 2011, is over and above what the National Food Security Act stipulates. Kamaraj had stated the same demands from the Central government during a conference of state Food Ministers in Delhi on Tuesday. Adding to this Cooperation Minister Sellur K Raju said, “As per the information we received, if a migrant person (from another state) comes to our state and wants to buy the commodities, then based on the law in that state (migrant’s state), they can buy those items here, as per the arrangement in their state." Taking the example of a migrant from Odisha, the concessions given by the PDS system in Odisha will only apply in Tamil Nadu, and won’t be eligible for the free rice scheme. PDS is government-setup shops across the country, which distributes grains and other food and non-food commodities at a subsidised rate, and the ration shop is the endpoint where beneficiaries can buy these items. The Cooperation Minister also added that Tamil Nadu is the only state to even offer pulses and oil under its food subsidy. “So when people of Tamil Nadu go to other states, they can pay for these items according to the rates under the PDS here. People from other states who are buying ration items in Tamil Nadu have to pay the amount in force in their state of origin,” he added. Several opposition leaders in Tamil Nadu have criticised the TN government for joining the central government scheme. DMK President MK Stalin even called it 'unconstitutional' and 'an attempt to uproot the tenets of federalism'. Stalin also added that Modi's move for 'one nation, one ration card' came at a time when 'one nation, one election' received criticism from people. MDMK leader Vaiko also urged the Tamil Nadu government to not 'succumb to the pressure of the central government and join the scheme' as he believed it would affect the existing PDS system in the state. Currently, inter-state portability of ration cards have been introduced between Telangana and Andhra Pradesh. Maharashtra and Gujarat is another existing pair which is trying out portability of ration cards. From October, two pairs of neighbouring states i.e Kerala and Karnataka and Rajasthan and Haryana will also experiment with inter-state ration card portability. Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Ram Vilas Paswan said that the experimental clusters were to lay out a road map to extend the one nation, one ration card scheme to all states. These four pairs of states will join a cluster along with Tripura, Jharkhand and Punjab by January 2020, according to reports.

Body 2:

Automobile

The plant will remain shut from September 6 for five days excluding Sunday.

TNM Staff

Truck manufacturer Ashok Leyland has announced five non-working days for its plant in Ennore, Chennai, due to the auto industry slowdown. The plant will remain shut from September 6 for five days excluding Sunday, according to a letter the company sent its employees. The company’s employees received a letter that September 6 and 7 of this week would remain a holiday and September 8, 10 and 11 will also see no operations at the plant. “As already informed, due to continuing sluggishness and contraction in the commercial vehicle market, the need has arisen to continue to corrective actions to safeguard the interest of the company,” the letter read. The five days of non-production in the plant is expected to affect 5,000 workers, including 3,000 contract workers, according to reports. Wages for these non-working days will be decided later by the Ashok Leyland Employment Union. However, Ashok Leyland is yet to make an official statement on the same. “No statement at the moment. When we have something to share we will notify the stock exchanges,” a spokesperson told TNM. This week, the company reported a drop of 70% in its Medium and Heavy Commercial Vehicle truck sales in the domestic market in August. According to reports, the total sale of medium and heavy commercial vehicle sales dropped by 63% in August 2019. The sale of light commercial vehicles fell by 12% and total vehicle sales including all categories fell by 50%. Due to the ongoing dip in demand in the automobile sector, Chennai, which is one of the hubs of automobile production, has seen layoffs of at least 5,000 contract workers over the last three months. Major automobile companies have resorted to retrenching contract employees or cutting down working days. While auto major Maruti Suzuki announced a two-day shut down of its planes in Gurugram and Manesar, Tata Motors, Hero and TVS groups announced temporary factory closures to cope with the steep dip in sales. On August 9, auto major Mahindra and Mahindra announced a production shut down of 8-14 days in its various plants for the July-September quarter.

Body 2:

Education

All blackboards in the state will be switched to smart boards, School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan reportedly said.

TNM Staff

The Tamil Nadu government plans to distribute free laptops to over 2.5 lakh government and government-aided school teachers in the state. School Education Minister KA Sengottaiyan said that an announcement will be made after discussing with Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami. Currently, the school education department gives away free laptops to all teachers who are post-graduates for them to be able to teach classes 11 and 12 using online resources. Additionally, as part of a central government initiative to make classrooms smarter, all blackboards in the state will be switched to smart boards, the minister was quoted as saying. A revamp of the vocational education system in the state is also planned. KA Sengottaiyan and school education secretary Pradeep Yadav had recently visited Finland to study the latest technology prevalent in classrooms and the vocational education system of the country, according to reports. Sengottaiyan added that the vocational education system in Finland is much more superior, and that students are turning into professionals right after school. Sports is also an important aspect of vocational education in schools, which attracts students. Teachers from Tamil Nadu will be sent to Finland to learn the vocational education systems there, he said. After a detailed discussion, the training and other aspects will be finalised. At a function on Thursday - which was also Teacher’s Day - over 300 teachers from Tamil Nadu received Dr Radhakrishnan award for the best teacher which includes prize money of Rs 10,000, a certificate and a silver medal.

Body 2:

Take Diversion

Even motorists who are familiar with the stretch say that people coming down from the bridge on Mylapore side tend to drive fast and this can be dangerous at the junction.

Anjana Shekar

Take Diversion is a series by TNM that closely tracks the plight of roads in Chennai city and suburbs. If you have a story to share, write to us email@thenewsminute.com. We will ensure that your story reaches the authorities. If you’re driving down Royapettah High Road flyover from Luz corner in Chennai, the five-road junction you’ll have to pass on your way to Express Avenue is a scene of utter chaos. This junction that connects the Avvai Shanmugam Salai, the narrow Royapettah High Road and a diagonally branching off Masilamani Road, has no traffic signal or cop to regulate the vehicles most of the time. Therefore, the vehicles that reach this junction will have to negotiate their way through on their own. Ironically, there’s a police booth on one corner that overlooks this junction that was empty at the time of this reporter’s visit. Padmanabhan, a delivery agent who is on his way to Mylapore, parks his bike outside a tea shop on one corner of the road. Does he think this unregulated junction is dangerous? “It can be confusing for someone who is driving through this area for the first time. Others who are familiar, will know how to drive across,” he tells us. But, most often, familiarity is of little help on the roads. Rajashekar, who is a resident of Lloyds road, frequents the road since his place of work is closer to the junction. He points out the dangers of an unmanned junction such as this. “Sometimes people coming from Mylapore side, since they are coming down from the bridge, tend to drive fast and this can be dangerous at this junction. Last month, there was a small accident between an MTC bus and a car. Such things are frequent here,” he adds as a matter of fact. As for pedestrians who are trying to get from point to another, this junction can be a nightmare, as witnessed by this reporter. Interestingly, the AIADMK head office is just a few meters from this junction. The junction is also a bus route road. Ramamoorthy, an auto driver from the area who has parked his vehicle opposite the junction, suggests that a traffic signal or the presence of a traffic cop will help avoid accidents in the area. “Very rarely, a traffic policeman stands here. Most often, people weave their way through this junction. There are also schools nearby, so the police will have to make sure this junction is safe.” Also read: Chennai’s pothole-ridden PS Sivaswamy Salai road still a nightmare for residents 15-foot deep sinkhole appears on busy Shanthi Colony main road in Chennai

Body 2:

Court

The petitioner, Deivanayagam, claimed Periyar was not an atheist and that the Dravidar Kazhagam was misrepresenting him. The court, however, held that this was false.

Megha Kaveri

Wikimedia Commons/By Unknown - http://4.bp.blogspot.com

Standing up for freedom of speech and expression under the Constitution of India, the Madras High Court this week dismissed a petition that sought to remove inscriptions from Periyar statues in Tamil Nadu, that said, “There is no god.” The petition filed by a person called M Deivanayagam claimed that the atheist inscriptions under Periyar statues in the state were offensive to believers of the “Universal God”; he wanted the state government to remove these inscriptions, and accused the Dravidar Kazhagam – the successor of Justice Party founded by Periyar – of making up views that were not really Periyar’s. The inscriptions under Periyar’s statues read: “There is no god, no god, there really is no god // He who created god is a fool // He who preaches god is a scoundrel // He who prays to god is uncivilised.” While the petitioner claimed that these are not the views of Periyar, who was only a humanist and not an atheist, the Dravidar Kazhagam rubbished this claim. “The inscriptions were made only at the instance of Thanthai Periyar,” DK said in court, “Thanthai Periyar had foreseen the situation, that if there is no such inscription in the statues, then these statues will also be made as a God and people will start worship, after some years.” The division bench consisting of Justices S Manikumar and Subramonium Prasad dismissed the PIL on Wednesday, September 4, and said that the Dravidar Kazhagam has a right to their views on the non-existence of god – just like the petitioner has a right to believe in god, under Article 19 of the Constitution (freedom of speech and expression). Mentioning numerous examples from previous judgments by the Supreme Court and the High Court itself, the judges stated, “If the petitioner has a constitutional right under Article 19 of the Constitution of India, to express his views on religion and existence of God, …we are of the view that...followers of Thanthai Periyar, in exercise of the rights under Article 19 of the Constitution of India, has a right to disagree with the same.” The court further held that there is no doubt that Periyar himself was an atheist, based on his writings and speeches. “Thanthai Periyar believed in what he said, and there is nothing wrong in having his views inscribed in the statues,” the court order read, adding that DK has the right, under the Constitution of India, to express views on religion and existence of God.

Body 2:

Accident

The woman was walking around the bus, which was parked, towards the side of the road, when the bus suddenly started moving.

Megha Kaveri

A 55-year-old woman was killed on the spot in Coimbatore on Friday after a police bus hit her. CCTV footage shows the woman, identified as Kala, walking around a police bus parked on the side of the road. Initially stationary, the bus suddenly starts moving. Realising that the vehicle behind her was moving, Kala starts to walk faster. But the vehicle speeds up in a matter of seconds, mowing her down before coming to a halt immediately. Kala was on her way to work around 8 am on Friday when the incident happened. She lived with her husband in Perur and worked in a snack shop on Range Gounder Street. The incident happened on the city's busy Raja Street. The city was gearing up for the Vinayagar Chathurthi procession in which thousands are expected to participate later during the day. According to the police, many police vehicles were in the vicinity due to the deployment of police personnel across the city for the Vinayagar Chathurthi procession. “It was an accident. Policemen were being positioned all across the city to prevent untowardly incidents during the procession. Arrangements were being made since morning,” a police officer told TNM. The Big Bazaar Street police were immediately alerted and they rushed to the spot and recovered Kala's body from under the vehicle. Later the body was sent to the Coimbatore Medical College Hospital for autopsy. The police also registered an FIR against Raghu Kumar, the driver of the vehicle, under sections 279 (Rash driving or riding on a public way) and 304A (Causing death by negligence) of the IPC. “Raghu Kumar has been arrested and will be produced before a magistrate for remand,” the officer said.

Body 2:

Politics

OP Raveendranath has in the past too, made noises directly and indirectly toeing the right wing line, while not facing any serious consequences from the party high command.

Priyanka Thirumurthy

Sreedevi Jayarajan

OP Raveendranath Kumar, AIADMK's sole Lok Sabha representative and Theni MP has stirred up a row once again. Addressing a Hindu Munnani event on the occasion of Vinayaka Chathurthi on Thursday, the Theni MP asked all people to put their Hindu identity in the forefront, leaving their other identities aside. "We all should have the emotion of being a Hindu first. Other identities come later. Only then can we create a strong and united India,” Raveendranath's speech was quoted by The Hindu. He also went on to praise Prime Minister Modi for being re-elected in 2019. “It was because of Lord Vinayaka’s grace and Theni people’s love and affection that I have become an MP today. I thank god and the people for that. Last year, I flagged off the Vinayaka idols procession in Chinnamanur. Back then, I had said that only Narendra Modi ji would return to power. Likewise, our Prime Minister Mr Modi has come back for the second time. He is working towards making India a superpower. We, as citizens should stay united to make our country a superpower nation,” he said, as quoted by The Hindu, while addressing the crowds at Chinnamanur in Theni. OP Raveendranath has in the past too, made noises directly and indirectly toeing the right wing line, while not facing any serious consequences from the party high command. In July 2019, the MP, who is the son of Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam supported the Triple Talaq Bill that was passed in the Parliament amidst high drama. In his speech, he lauded the effort by the Prime Minister to 'give equal power to women in our society’, making the AIADMK seem like they had taken a U-turn from their earlier position. The party had, however, back in December 2018, walked out of the Lok Sabha over the Triple Talaq Bill – which banned instant divorce by Muslims and imposed a three-year jail term on husbands who practiced it. The bill was termed 'barbaric' and senior AIADMK leaders had sought an amendment to remove the three-year jail term. Despite Raveendranath's statements, AIADMK waited 3-4 days to clarify their stance, with Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar finally confirming that Jayalalithaa's anti-Triple Talaq stance remains the party's take on the bill. So is Raveendranath speaking out of turn or is he merely being vocal about the AIADMK's support to further Hindutva identity politics in the state? Speaking to TNM, a source from party said that they 'have to change with the times'. "Politicians have to change based on what people believe and want. Earlier leaders like Periyar said that there was no god and said we must not follow a religion," he said, "But now we can't say things like that." When asked if this was because of the support that a party like BJP got across the nation, he added, "We can see what the majority of people want. There was one generation that accepted an ideology of rationalism but now ideas have changed. A party's ideologies and rules are for people, so we must see what people want and then change ourselves." The source, however, added that "as the people's representative, the MP should not have said he was a Hindu first." However, a senior journalist from Tamil Nadu, Lakshmi Subramanian, said she wouldn’t read too much into the incident and believes that these are attempts by OP Raveendranath and his father OPS to remain on good terms with the BJP government. "It is a known fact that the senior leader and his family have always remained friendly with BJP leaders. OPS was personally present when Modi filed his nomination in Varanasi in April 2019 and when he landed in Theni to campaign, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. They want to toe the line with the central leadership, perhaps to grab the limelight or stay relevant," Lakshmi added. According to RK Radhakrishnan, associate editor of Frontline and political analyst, the incident does not expose any ideological shift in the party. "This can be seen as lack of guidance that the MP has received, or as another attempt by him to curry favour with the central leadership or the PM. Even during the Triple Talaq row, many AIADMK leaders spoke about abandonment of wives happening across other religions/communities, with the majority incidents happening among Hindus," he said. The AIADMK high command has been wary of responding to these instances and clarifying the party stance. "With the Chief Minister on a foreign visit, other senior leaders will not respond. They would not want to antagonise the centre by reacting," Lakshmi adds.

Body 2:

Bonded Labour

The police were acting on a tip-off from IJM, an NGO working against bonded labour.

TNM Staff

The Chennai Police rescued 61 labourers, including 52 minor boys from illegal, forced labour in the city’s jewellery units on Friday. According to a Times of India report, of the 61 rescued labourers, 17 boys were under 14 years of age and 35 boys were between 15 and 18 years. The remaining labourers were between 18 and 22 years of age. All the 61 labourers belong to West Bengal and were made to work in at least five gold jewellery-making units on Wall tax road and in Kondithope for around six years. The rescue mission was initiated on a tip-off by International Justice Mission (IJM), an NGO working to rescue bonded labourers. The teams were led by Maglina, the Additional Deputy Commissioner of Police, Crime against Women and Children wing along with Rayappan, the Assistant Commissioner. The teams began their searches simultaneously at the units at around 11.30 am on Friday and the searches lasted for around two hours. The rescued minors are in the custody of Child Welfare Committee, which is yet to file an FIR against the owners of the jewellery making unit. According to the Times of India report, the rescued labourers were made to work for 14 hours every day in the jewellery making units. Preliminary inquiries also reportedly revealed that the families of the boys rescued had borrowed money from the owners of the jewellery making units as advance. They were housed in small units in which they had to work, cook, eat and sleep. Their work involved different aspects of making jewellery like melting and polishing gold, according to a report in New Indian Express. The rescued boys have been sheltered in a home in Royapuram and are being questioned by officials of the Departments of Industrial Safety and Health, and Child Welfare Committee. FIR will be finalised and registered only after Revenue Divisional Officer finishes his inquiry and issues release certificates to all 61 labourers.

Body 2:

Controversy

The controversy was kicked off after the Ministry of Railways announced that the GDCE will be conducted only in the two languages in response to a query from the South-Central Railway.

TNM Staff

An instruction by the Ministry of Railways regarding the language of the question paper of an exam for existing railway employees has kicked up a row in Tamil Nadu. Leader of the Opposition in Tamil Nadu and DMK President MK Stalin has slammed the decision to conduct the examination only in Hindi and English. “The instructions by the Union Government to conduct General Departmental Competitive Examinations for railway employees in only English and Hindi go against the premise of language equality. I urge the Minister to immediately withdraw the instructions. The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) opposes such discriminatory practices and reiterates that the Union Government immediately must ensure that all Indians are treated equally, irrespective of their linguistic or geographical background,” he tweeted. The instructions given by the Union Government to conduct General Departmental Competitive Examinations for Railway employees in only English and Hindi goes against the premise of language equality. I urge the Minister to immediately withdraw the instructions. 1/2@PiyushGoyal pic.twitter.com/0lr0XL2pMU — M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) September 6, 2019 The exam, which is called General Departmental Competitive Exams (GDCE), is restricted to existing employees of the Indian Railways. The announcement was made in August by the Ministry of Railways after South-Central Railway raised a query about the languages in which the question paper for the examination would be set. Replying to the South-Central Railway's query, the ministry said, "All departmental promotion examinations for serving employees are set in Hindi and English only. Accordingly, there is no necessity for a vested right for GDCE question papers (where such GDCE is conducted separately from the examination for Direct Recruitment from open market) to be set in languages other than Hindi and English." MK Stalin also said that Railway Board must not create conditions for fresh anti-Hindi protests in the state by making such announcements, which discriminates against Tamil. He also pointed out that recently the postal department exams were also scheduled to be conducted only in Hindi and English and that the decision was withdrawn after DMK protested against it.

Body 2:

Law

A transfer order from the Supreme Court collegium stated that the move was in the 'interest of better administration'.

TNM Staff

Madras High Court Chief Justice Vijaya Kamlesh Tahilramani resigned, following orders of her transfer to Meghalaya High Court. The Supreme Court collegium headed by Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi had on August 28 ordered the transfer of the CJ from Madras to Meghalaya. The Collegium had rejected her appeal asking for reconsideration of the transfer. The Chief Justice's office confirmed to TNM that the resignation was sent to President Ram Nath Kovind and a copy of the letter to CJI Ranjan Gogoi. Both the President and CJI offices have acknowledged the letter, informed Justice Tahilramani's office. On Friday, nearly a week after the decision was first made, CJ Tahilramani told senior counsel Indira Jaising that she had decided to resign. “I am no more part of the system and will be sending in my resignation to the President of India and Chief Justice of India,” she said. Justice Tahilramani’s move comes after the collegium decided to shift her to the Meghalaya High Court in what is widely seen as a slight. Without stating any reasons, the collegium had recommended AK Mittal, Chief Justice of the Meghalaya High Court to be transferred to the Madras High Court, to take Tahilramani’s place. The decision to move Chief Justice Tahilramani, who is one of the senior most judges and one among two women High Court Chief Justices in the country, to a smaller court like Meghalaya, was an unusual one. From being the CJ of a court that has a sanctioned strength of 75 judges, Justice Tahilramani was asked to head a High Court with just three judges. While it was an advancement for CJ Mittal, for Tahilramani, it was a step down. Chief Justice Tahilramani had been acting CJ of the Mumbai High Court before getting transferred to Chennai and had presided over many important and controversial cases during the course of her tenure. On May 4, 2017, she upheld the life imprisonment of 11 convicts in the gang rape of Bilkis Bano and the murder of her family during the 2002 Gujarat riots. She also set aside the acquittal of seven persons in the case including five police officers and two doctors, convicting them under sections 201 (tampering of evidence) and 218 (not performing duties) of the Indian Penal Code.

Body 2:

Court

Three college students were killed in October 2016 after a water tanker lorry rammed into a crowd near the SPIC building in Guindy.

Megha Kaveri

On October 13, 2016, Thursday, Rajasekaran, a police officer in the Traffic Investigation Wing of J3 police station Guindy, received a call around 3 pm about an accident near Chellammal Women’s College in Chennai. He remembers rushing to the spot only to see a gory scene - a water tanker lorry had rammed into a crowd and its driver was missing. Three young college students were killed in the accident and four others were injured. He immediately set the ball rolling in the road accident case, which would see a verdict under three years from the date of occurrence. An FIR was registered under sections 279 (Rash driving), 304 (ii) (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 308 (Attempt to commit culpable homicide), 337 (Causing hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) and 338 (Causing grievous hurt by act endangering life or personal safety of others) of the IPC. On Thursday, a Mahila Court in Chennai convicted the driver Rajendran (44) and sentenced him to five years of imprisonment and a fine of Rs 20,500. Rajendran was arrested a day after the accident and was remanded to judicial custody. The trial in the case went on for a year after a chargesheet was filed by the police. Obtaining a conviction in road accident cases is not an easy ask. Several factors must fall in place for the court to be convinced of the accused's guilt. Experts also say that the court awarding imprisonment to the accused is uncommon. In this case, it was meticulous police work which helped the victims' friends and families get justice for their loved ones. Scientific evidence filed in court Speaking to TNM, Rajasekaran, the Investing Officer in the case, said that it was the scientific evidence which the police had submitted in the court that helped the affected parties get a favourable verdict."We approached the case in a scientific manner and made sure our forensic evidence was perfect," he says. Explaining that forensic evidence includes the proof of vehicle accident obtained by matching the paint patches that chipped away from the lorry and got stuck on to the other vehicles which suffered damages, Rajasekaran said that the statement of the witnesses were also to the point and consistent throughout the proceedings. "That also played a major role in getting the accused convicted in this case," he points out. Culpable homicide and not death by negligence Rajasekaran adds that registering the FIR under section 304 (ii) of the IPC was crucial to get a conviction. “A case under this section would mean that the accused knew the consequences of his actions and still continued to do it. In this case, the driver knew that overspeeding will cause an accident and kill someone but he still did it. That is why we invoked this section of the IPC,” he explains. He also adds that this was not a case of drunk driving. Interestingly, this is not the first conviction that Rajasekaran has managed to get in his career for road accidents. He earned a conviction in a similar case involving an MTC bus in Chennai's Flower Bazaar police district a few years ago. "In that case, I was at the Elephant Gate Traffic Investigation Wing. As soon as the incident occurred, I went to the spot and took a lot of photographs, which I attached while filing the report on the case. Those photographs helped the honorable court realise the damage that the accident had caused and helped me secure a conviction for the accused in the case, an MTC bus driver," he recollects. Statement of witnesses crucial for conviction Expressing his opinion on the conviction, a senior police officer in Chennai, who didn’t want to be identified, says that to get convictions in a road accident, that too in a short span of time, many factors need to fall in place. The statements of eye-witnesses are crucial for a case to get the accused convicted, he adds. “Eye-witnesses and more importantly, the first responder’s deposition, is the most important aspect in securing conviction in road accident cases,” he says. First responder is the person who rescues the victim and or alerts the police about the accident. Adding that in the given case, the friends of the victims had testified in the court, it was easy to get a verdict in favour of the victims.

Body 2:

Dam

This is the 43rd time that the dam is reaching full capacity since it was constructed.

TNM Staff

Tamil Nadu’s Mettur dam, which is one of the largest dams in the state, reached full reservoir level (FRL) on Saturday. The dam’s Stanley reservoir reached its full reservoir level of 120 feet on Saturday evening, according to reports. The water inflow to the dam has been steadily increasing and the water level stood at 117.59 feet as on Friday. According to reports, the inflow to the dam on Thursday evening stood at 15,000 cubic feet per second, increased to 25,000 cusecs on Friday morning and later to 50,000 cusecs on the same day, according to reports. By Friday evening, water inflow stood at 65,000 cusecs. This is the second consecutive year that the Mettur dam, which stands across the Cauvery river, reached full capacity. Back in July 2018, the dam reached full capacity after a gap of 5 years. This is the 43rd time that the dam is reaching full capacity since it was constructed. Several reports also stated that at Biligundu, in Krishnagiri district - which is said to be the point of entry of the Cauvery river in Tamil Nadu, the water inflow stood at 75,000 cusecs on Friday. Considering the huge levels of inflow, the dam authorities had increased discharge of water from the dam from 18,000 cusecs to 25,000 cusecs by Friday. The storage will be maintained at full capacity for a few days if the inflow remains the same. Catchment areas of the Cauvery are predicted to see several days of continuous rains ahead. Meanwhile, people living in the low-lying areas along the Cauvery river have been moved to safer locations.

Body 2:

Tamil Nadu govt signs MoUs worth Rs. 2,780 crore at New York Investors' meet

The Anglo-Indians of Madras: Glimpses into city's dwindling community

Chennai’s Kottivakkam, Selaiyur to face 7-hour power cut on Friday

TN govt’s free NEET coaching classes yet to take-off for 2019-20

Chennai woman’s 12-yr-old battle against sexual harassment ends with Rs 50k compensation

TN govt against lowering GST for automobiles, says it comes at a social, economic cost

TN Law student found guilty of sexual harassment, survivors unhappy with punishment

Former secy of Ambedkar Periyar Study Circle alleges Madras University denied him admission

One nation, one ration card: TN asks Centre to pay for concessions to migrants

Ashok Leyland announces 5 non-working days at Chennai plant amid auto sector slowdown

Tamil Nadu govt plans to distribute free laptops to all govt school teachers

Why this five-road junction in Chennai’s Royapettah is a nightmare for motorists

Constitution grants right to say ‘there is no god’, says Madras High Court

55-year-old woman mowed down by police vehicle in Coimbatore

'Hindu first': AIADMK MP's comment to curry favour with BJP or a Hindutva turn?

61 bonded labourers including 52 minors, rescued from jewellery-making units in Chennai

MK Stalin opposes conduct of railways promotion exam in only Hindi, English

Madras High Court CJ Vijaya Tahilramani resigns protesting her transfer to Meghalaya

How Chennai cops built watertight case to get justice for 3 students killed in accident

TN’s Mettur dam reaches full reservoir level for second consecutive year