News Analysis India

Tag: M K Stalin

  • Disinformation campaign: Special team formed by Nitish Kumar leaves for Tamil Nadu to take stock 

    Express News Service

    PATNA: Amid reports of Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin’s conversation with his counterpart Nitish Kumar in Bihar, a four-member special team left for DMK-ruled state to assist those Bihar’s migrant workers who wanted to return to their home town in the wake of alleged attack on them. The Tamil Nadu police chief, however, denied any such attack in that state.

    Highly placed sources in the state secretariat said that Tamil Nadu chief minister had a telephonic conversation with Nitish over the situation arising out of the alleged attack on Bihar’s migrant workers. What transpired between the two leaders could not be immediately known but it is expected that the two had discussed about the reports of attacks on Bihar’s migrant workers.

    On Friday, Nitish constituted a four-member committee that will travel to Tamil Nadu to take stock of the situation.

    “As soon as I got to know through newspapers, I directed the officials to look into the matter. They talked with the Tamil Nadu government and reported that a special team should be sent from here,” Nitish said, adding that the visiting team will also look into the matter thoroughly.

    D Balamurugan, secretary, rural development department, Shree Alok, special secretary of labour resources department, and two IPS officers P Kannan and Santosh Kumar are part of the visiting team who will submit the report to the chief minister on their return. It is learnt that Balamurugam and Kannan are from Tamil Nadu.

    “The team has already left for Tamil Nadu on CM’s directive,” Bihar chief secretary Amir Subhani said.

    A day earlier, a delegation of BJP leaders led by leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha had called on Nitish and sought his intervention into alleged atrocities against Bihar’s migrant workers in Tamil Nadu. Nitish had assured the delegation that action would be initiated by government to ensure safety and security to Bihar’s migrant workers staying in Tamil Nadu.

    On the other hand, Tamil Nadu DGP Sylendra Babu claimed that the videos circulated on social media were fake.

    The DGP had also warned of stern action against those involved in circulating fake and doctored videos on social media to spread hatred in the society and create confusion between the two state governments. 

    Bihar’s deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had gone to Tamil Nadu to attend a function held on the occasion of birthday of chief minister M K Stalin. Tejashwi, however, attacked by Opposition BJP for taking part in birthday celebration of Stalin and not paying heed to grievances of migrant workers of the state.

    Meanwhile, Bihar police headquarters has released a helpline number for migrant workers stuck in Tamil Nadu.

    Complaint against Stalin, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav

    A complaint petition has been filed in a court against Tamil Nadu’s chief minister M K Stalin and deputy chief minister of Bihar Tejashwi Prasad Yadav in connection with alleged attack on Bihar’s migrant workers in the past couple of days, leaving the latter’s family members in a state of shock. 

    The petition has been filed in the court of chief judicial magistrate, Muzaffarpur by advocate Manoj Kumar Singh on behalf of Ved Prakash, district chief of Jan Adhikar Party. The petitioner alleged that several workers were brutally thrashed, leading to death of two and injuries to many others. 

    The court has fixed March 18 as the date of the hearing. 

    PATNA: Amid reports of Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin’s conversation with his counterpart Nitish Kumar in Bihar, a four-member special team left for DMK-ruled state to assist those Bihar’s migrant workers who wanted to return to their home town in the wake of alleged attack on them. The Tamil Nadu police chief, however, denied any such attack in that state.

    Highly placed sources in the state secretariat said that Tamil Nadu chief minister had a telephonic conversation with Nitish over the situation arising out of the alleged attack on Bihar’s migrant workers. What transpired between the two leaders could not be immediately known but it is expected that the two had discussed about the reports of attacks on Bihar’s migrant workers.

    On Friday, Nitish constituted a four-member committee that will travel to Tamil Nadu to take stock of the situation.googletag.cmd.push(function() {googletag.display(‘div-gpt-ad-8052921-2’); });

    “As soon as I got to know through newspapers, I directed the officials to look into the matter. They talked with the Tamil Nadu government and reported that a special team should be sent from here,” Nitish said, adding that the visiting team will also look into the matter thoroughly.

    D Balamurugan, secretary, rural development department, Shree Alok, special secretary of labour resources department, and two IPS officers P Kannan and Santosh Kumar are part of the visiting team who will submit the report to the chief minister on their return. It is learnt that Balamurugam and Kannan are from Tamil Nadu.

    “The team has already left for Tamil Nadu on CM’s directive,” Bihar chief secretary Amir Subhani said.

    A day earlier, a delegation of BJP leaders led by leader of Opposition in Bihar assembly Vijay Kumar Sinha had called on Nitish and sought his intervention into alleged atrocities against Bihar’s migrant workers in Tamil Nadu. Nitish had assured the delegation that action would be initiated by government to ensure safety and security to Bihar’s migrant workers staying in Tamil Nadu.

    On the other hand, Tamil Nadu DGP Sylendra Babu claimed that the videos circulated on social media were fake.

    The DGP had also warned of stern action against those involved in circulating fake and doctored videos on social media to spread hatred in the society and create confusion between the two state governments. 

    Bihar’s deputy chief minister Tejashwi Prasad Yadav had gone to Tamil Nadu to attend a function held on the occasion of birthday of chief minister M K Stalin. Tejashwi, however, attacked by Opposition BJP for taking part in birthday celebration of Stalin and not paying heed to grievances of migrant workers of the state.

    Meanwhile, Bihar police headquarters has released a helpline number for migrant workers stuck in Tamil Nadu.

    Complaint against Stalin, Tejashwi Prasad Yadav

    A complaint petition has been filed in a court against Tamil Nadu’s chief minister M K Stalin and deputy chief minister of Bihar Tejashwi Prasad Yadav in connection with alleged attack on Bihar’s migrant workers in the past couple of days, leaving the latter’s family members in a state of shock. 

    The petition has been filed in the court of chief judicial magistrate, Muzaffarpur by advocate Manoj Kumar Singh on behalf of Ved Prakash, district chief of Jan Adhikar Party. The petitioner alleged that several workers were brutally thrashed, leading to death of two and injuries to many others. 

    The court has fixed March 18 as the date of the hearing. 

  • Congress differs with Sonia Gandhi, DMK targets TN Governor

    By Express News Service

    NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: Reacting sharply to the Supreme Court order, Congress said that it differed with Sonia Gandhi on pardoning them. Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Friday, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said his party will seek legal remedy.

    “The premature release of the six convicts, who had carried out the brutal, pre-meditated and heinous assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, has shocked the nation’s conscience and has invited serious concern and criticism from all sides of the political spectrum,” Singhvi said.

    “The assassination of a former PM stands on a totally different footing. Irrespective of political color, such a person is reflective of the insignia of the sovereignty of the country,” Singhvi said. On the question of why the party’s opinion in this matter is at variance with Sonia Gandhi, the MP said,  “Sonia Gandhi is entitled to her views but the party does not agree with it. We respect that. If we can disagree with Mrs Gandhi’s views, we can disagree with the DMK as well,” he said. 

    Meanwhile, the party’s ally DMK and other political parties in Tamil Nadu, except the state Congress unit, the BJP and the TMC, welcomed the verdict. The parties, while hailing the verdict, slammed Governor R N Ravi and his predecessor Banwarilal Purohit over the delay in taking a call on the State Cabinet’s decision to release the convicts. 

    Chief Minister M K Stalin said, “It’s a historic verdict that upholds democratic principles.  The ruling also underscored the fact that Governors should not keep the decisions taken by a popular government in abeyance as they are merely appointees to the gubernatorial post.” 

    Verdict a victory for human rights: CM

    The DMK government has been demanding the release of these convicts. In 2000, the then CM M Karunanidhi took steps to commute Nalini’s death sentence to life imprisonment. “This verdict is a victory for all those who are struggling for human rights and humanism,” Stalin said.

    AIADMK organising secretary D Jayakumar termed the verdict a victory for the continuous legal steps taken by successive AIADMK governments. Giving a detailed account of the efforts of former CMs J Jayalalithaa and Edappadi K Palaniswami, he said,

    “Their legal battle has now culminated in the release of all the convicts.” AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam also welcomed the verdict. TNCC president KS Alagiri toed his party’s line and expressed dismay. “The families of those who lost their lives along with Rajiv Gandhi are in deep grief,” he said.

    CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan said the governor and the Centre delayed a decision on the State Cabinet’s recommendation to release these convicts. MDMK general secretary Vaiko said even after the SC said TN could release the convicts, the governor had ignored the state’s requests.

    PMK founder S Ramadoss said these convicts would have been released four years ago had the Governor accepted the Cabinet’s decision. “A deadline should be fixed for Governors to make a decision,” he said. VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan said the verdict had confirmed that governors are bound by the decisions of the State Cabinet and called for the governor to resign.

    BJP state president K Annamalai pointed out that the convicts had not been acquitted. “I request CM Stalin not to make TN a haven for the convicts who are released now and who are not citizens of our country.”

    NEW DELHI/CHENNAI: Reacting sharply to the Supreme Court order, Congress said that it differed with Sonia Gandhi on pardoning them. Addressing a press conference in Delhi on Friday, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said his party will seek legal remedy.

    “The premature release of the six convicts, who had carried out the brutal, pre-meditated and heinous assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, has shocked the nation’s conscience and has invited serious concern and criticism from all sides of the political spectrum,” Singhvi said.

    “The assassination of a former PM stands on a totally different footing. Irrespective of political color, such a person is reflective of the insignia of the sovereignty of the country,” Singhvi said. On the question of why the party’s opinion in this matter is at variance with Sonia Gandhi, the MP said,  “Sonia Gandhi is entitled to her views but the party does not agree with it. We respect that. If we can disagree with Mrs Gandhi’s views, we can disagree with the DMK as well,” he said. 

    Meanwhile, the party’s ally DMK and other political parties in Tamil Nadu, except the state Congress unit, the BJP and the TMC, welcomed the verdict. The parties, while hailing the verdict, slammed Governor R N Ravi and his predecessor Banwarilal Purohit over the delay in taking a call on the State Cabinet’s decision to release the convicts. 

    Chief Minister M K Stalin said, “It’s a historic verdict that upholds democratic principles.  The ruling also underscored the fact that Governors should not keep the decisions taken by a popular government in abeyance as they are merely appointees to the gubernatorial post.” 

    Verdict a victory for human rights: CM

    The DMK government has been demanding the release of these convicts. In 2000, the then CM M Karunanidhi took steps to commute Nalini’s death sentence to life imprisonment. “This verdict is a victory for all those who are struggling for human rights and humanism,” Stalin said.

    AIADMK organising secretary D Jayakumar termed the verdict a victory for the continuous legal steps taken by successive AIADMK governments. Giving a detailed account of the efforts of former CMs J Jayalalithaa and Edappadi K Palaniswami, he said,

    “Their legal battle has now culminated in the release of all the convicts.” AIADMK leader O Panneerselvam also welcomed the verdict. TNCC president KS Alagiri toed his party’s line and expressed dismay. “The families of those who lost their lives along with Rajiv Gandhi are in deep grief,” he said.

    CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan said the governor and the Centre delayed a decision on the State Cabinet’s recommendation to release these convicts. MDMK general secretary Vaiko said even after the SC said TN could release the convicts, the governor had ignored the state’s requests.

    PMK founder S Ramadoss said these convicts would have been released four years ago had the Governor accepted the Cabinet’s decision. “A deadline should be fixed for Governors to make a decision,” he said. VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan said the verdict had confirmed that governors are bound by the decisions of the State Cabinet and called for the governor to resign.

    BJP state president K Annamalai pointed out that the convicts had not been acquitted. “I request CM Stalin not to make TN a haven for the convicts who are released now and who are not citizens of our country.”

  • Mamata telephones M K Stalin, suggests meeting of non-BJP CMs

    By PTI

    CHENNAI: While Chief Minister M K Stalin on Sunday said West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar’s act of proroguing the Assembly is ‘without any propriety’, the latter said the House was prorogued at the government’s request and that the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s remark was harsh and not based on fact.

    Stalin tweeted, “The act of #WestBengal Governor to prorogue the WB Assembly Session is without any propriety expected from the exalted post and goes against the established norms and conventions.”

    The Tamil Nadu Chief Minster further said, “the ‘symbolic’ head of the state should be the role model to uphold the constitution. Beauty of democracy lies in extending mutual respect to each other.” Stalin, after Dhankhar defended his action tweeted, “Beloved Didi Mamata Banerjee telephoned me to share her concern and anguish on the Constitutional overstepping and brazen misuse of power by the Governors of non-BJP ruled states.”

    Beloved Didi @MamataOfficial telephoned me to share her concern and anguish on the Constitutional overstepping and brazen misuse of power by the Governors of non-BJP ruled states. She suggested for a meeting of Opposition CMs. (1/2)
    — M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) February 13, 2022
    “She suggested for a meeting of Opposition CMs. I assured her of DMK’s commitment to uphold State autonomy. Convention of Opposition CMs will soon happen out of Delhi!, the TN CM said. Earlier on Sunday, replying to Stalin, Dhankhar had on his official twitter handle said, “Find it unusually expedient to respectfully invite indulgent attention of TN CM @mkstalin that his extremely harsh hurtful observations are not in the least in conformity with facts- attached order. Assembly was prorogued at express request @MamataOfficial @rajbhavan_tn.” Dhankhar also had posted an official communication in this connection.

    Governor Dhankhar had prorogued the Assembly from Saturday based on the state government’s recommendation.

    Trinamool Congress spokesperson Kunal Ghosh had said, “The governor did not take the decision on his own initiative. He has prorogued the Assembly following the recommendation of the Cabinet. There is no confusion in it.”

  • Raiding opposition is BJP’s coping mechanism when facing electoral defeat: Rahul Gandhi

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday said raiding the opposition is the BJP’s “coping mechanism” when it is facing defeat in elections.

    The Congress’ ally DMK condemned the Central government for alleged searches by income tax officials in the residence of party chief M K Stalin’s daughter Senthamarai in Chennai and claimed it has a ‘political objective’.

    However, income tax officials neither confirmed nor denied the searches.

    Taking to Twitter, Rahul Gandhi said, “Raiding the opposition is the BJP’s coping mechanism when facing electoral defeat.”

    Raiding the opposition is BJP’s coping mechanism when facing electoral defeat.
    — Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 2, 2021

    DMK General Secretary Duraimurugan said when parties were on the verge of completing the campaign and looked forward to the day of polling, the income tax searches in the residence of Senthamarai was done with a ‘political objective.’

    “The DMK is not a party that can be scared by such searches,” Duraimurugan said adding the party had already faced similar instances and it would not be deterred.