Kerala https://www.newindianexpress.comen-usThu, 28 Mar 2024 17:47:43 +0000Legacy-rich Ponnani seeks waves of changehttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/legacy-rich-ponnani-seeks-waves-of-changehttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/legacy-rich-ponnani-seeks-waves-of-change#comments61fb61bc-792e-46d9-b5af-7d6dfecf914cThu, 28 Mar 2024 02:23:33 +00002024-03-28T02:23:33.313ZMP Prashanth/api/author/1870414Ramadan,PonnaniKeralaKOCHI: A daytime trip through Ponnani in the month of Ramadan may not yield what a reporter is looking for in the time of elections. Apart from posters and banners at some places, there are no visible signs of busy political activities that characterise pre-elections days.

“You chose the wrong time,” says M P Rafi, a journalist in Tirur.

“The streets of Ponnani come to life at night after the fast is broken. Some candidates prefer indoor meetings and get-togethers till Ramadan is over. During this period, processions on roads happen mostly at night.”

But appearance can be deceptive. Though physical campaigning is minimal in the Lok Sabha constituency, where IUML rebel K S Hamsa is taking on his former party colleague Abdusamad Samadani, who is the incumbent MP of neighbouring Malappuram, ‘subterranean’ moves are already under way. Both sides are busy storing ammunition that can be fired in the last leg of the campaign, after Eid-ul-Fitr.

“Ponnani has a rich tradition of value-based politics, which has become almost extinct now,” says writer K P Ramanunni, a Ponnani resident.

The Congress had stalwarts like Advocate Ramunni Menon while E K Imbichi Bava represented the communist party, he points out.

“When Bava decided to fight an election against Menon, someone asked Bava, who didn’t have much formal education, what he could do against Menon who was an LLB-holder. Bava answered that all LLB holders can vote for Menon and the rest will vote for him! LLB-holders were rare in those days,” Ramanunni recalls.

Thunchan Parambu in Tirur, a cultural landmark of the constituency

Imbichi Bava used to walk miles to meet the legendary communist K Damodaran to study the basics of communism, he reminisces.

Ponnani has a legacy of inclusive culture from the days of Sheikh Zainudeen Makhdums in the 16th century. “It was a more prominent port than Kozhikode and trade with other countries flourished from here. Ponnani Valiya Palli was a centre of learning and Vilakkathirikkal was the name of the learning process. Ponnani was known as the Mecca of Kerala,” Ramanunni says.

Ponnani holds a special place in the cultural landscape of Kerala, too. The river Nila had nurtured the literary pursuits of towering figures in Malayalam, from Thunchath Ezhuthachan to M T Vasudevan Nair. MT once wrote that Nila, which he knew closer, was dearer to him than the oceans that hide innumerable secrets in their bosom. Writers and artistes including Uroob, Akkitham, M Govindan, Namboodiri, Kamala Surayya, Nalappattu Narayana Menon and Balamaniamma were part of the ‘Ponnani Kalari’.

But, in any election, it is not the glorious past of any constituency that is discussed. And so, the people of Ponnani will be more concerned about issues closer to their lives. The candidature of Hamsa, who is contesting on a CPM symbol, has evoked some curiosity among the voters. The LDF picked him considering his proximity to the Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama and with the hope that he will be able to create a division in the traditional Muslim vote bank. But Samadani, an orator par excellence, can easily sway voters UDF’s way with his linguistic skills. The BJP has fielded Nivedita Subramanian, the state president of Mahila Morcha.

Mohammad Yusuf, a Ponnani resident, says the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) will influence voters in the constituency.

“Many of us are concerned about the Act as we feel it targets Muslims. Moreover, the incumbent MP of Ponnani, E T Mohammed Basheer, has failed to bring development to the constituency, which is why he has opted for Malappuram this time,” he says.

At the same time, there are those like Mohammad Shareef, a resident of Ayiroor in Perumpadappa, who feel people are not concerned about issues such as the CAA, a hot topic this election campaign especially in the Malabar region.

“What we need are basic necessities like drinking water and food items at lower prices,” he stresses.

Mohammed Kutty, who lives near the Ponnani KSRTC bus stand, believes the anti-people policies of the Union government are a major talking point this election. “The BJP-led government is doing nothing to assist common people and is seen as working for the big corporates. People, including Hindus, are facing difficulties in India because of rising prices. This election holds significance as people aim to remove the BJP government from power,” he says.

There are issues related to sea erosion and potable water that are often sidelined in the dust and din created by the political campaign. Candidates have promised their manifesto will be prepared after consultation with the voters and by incorporating their suggestions. The people in Aliyarpalli, Marakkadavu, Murinjazhi, Puthuponnani and Veliyancode have faced severe sea erosion in the past.

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Kerala: When cultural icons clashed at the hustings https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kerala-when-cultural-icons-clashed-at-the-hustingshttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kerala-when-cultural-icons-clashed-at-the-hustings#commentse8c48e18-addc-4ec1-840f-2cd454d27b6aThu, 28 Mar 2024 02:33:02 +00002024-03-28T02:33:02.378ZManoj Viswanathan/api/author/1876259Azhikode,PottekkattKeralaKOCHI: Elections in Kerala have been fought over ideologies but the political battle often stoops to mud-slinging. But the state had the opportunity to witness a battle of two writers, both titans of the literary world, in 1962.

The Left had fielded renowned writer and Jnanpith laureate S K Pottekatt as an independent in the Thalassery Lok Sabha constituency, and after a long search, the Congress brought in writer and orator Sukumar Azhikode to retain the constituency. It was the second contest for Pottekkatt who had unsuccessfully contested the first election after the state formation in 1957.

In his maiden contest, Pottekkatt was trounced by Congress’ M K Jinachandran who won with a slender margin of 1,382 votes.

“Though Sukumar was my friend then, I didn’t campaign for him,” said critic M K Sanoo, recalling the epic battle.

“But I remember both the Left and the Congress had lined up many writers to campaign for Pottekkatt and Sukumar. But Sukumar had a sharp tongue, which created many foes. One of those days, Pottekatt told me that each time Sukumar addresses a rally he would get 5,000 additional votes. As expected, he lost the election by a huge margin.”

The tryst with politics proved a costly experiment for Azhikode, losing by 64,950 votes. Soon, he distanced himself from the Congress and remained a fierce critic of the party till his last breath.

“Later, the CPI had considered fielding him in Thrissur, but I advised him to keep away from politics. I also told former chief minister Achutha Menon that Sukumar wasn’t the right candidate,” recalled Sanoo.

But Azhikode was not the only writer who burnt his fingers in the electoral cauldron. In a bid to capture the Thiruvananthapuram, the CPI had fielded Jnanpith poet O N V Kurup in 1989. Despite his support in the social circles, ONV lost to Congress’ A Charles by a margin of 50,913.

Writer Madhavikutty, who later converted to Islam and adopted the name Kamala Surayya, also had once contested the Lok Sabha election from Thiruvananthapuram. She had formed a party and contested the election in 1984. But her entry into politics did not make any impact. She got only 1,786 votes.

Thalassery Lok Sabha constituency

1962

  • S K Pottekkatt (Independent)

    2,16,836, 58.81%

  • K T Sukumaran (INC)

    1,51,886, 41.19%

Margin: 64,950

1957

  • M K Jinachandran (INC)

    1,10,114, 37.15%

  • S K Pottekkatt (Independent)

    1,08,732, 36.68%

Margin:1,382

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BJP and Congress are hand in glove: Annie Rajahttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/bjp-and-congress-are-hand-in-glove-annie-rajahttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/bjp-and-congress-are-hand-in-glove-annie-raja#comments8e186bec-8eae-4ae0-bb32-ef637c20d5fbThu, 28 Mar 2024 02:40:38 +00002024-03-28T02:40:38.655ZLesly Joseph/api/author/1871952BJP,Congress,Annie RajaKeralaWhat was the rationale behind the Left parties’ demand that Rahul Gandhi, the sitting MP from Wayanad, should not defend the seat?

The LDF had announced its candidate long back, but the UDF took its time to declare Rahul’s candidature. He shouldn’t have contested from Wayanad even in 2019. Now the BJP is asking who the Congress’ real opponent is. Is it the CPI, which is part of the INDIA alliance? When he had a lot of other options in Telangana, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka, Rahul again chose Wayanad, which is politically an injudicious decision.

How do you assess BJP’s K Surendran’s candidature?

That the BJP and the Congress are hand in glove is clearly visible in Wayanad. But the competition is between the UDF and the LDF.

Do you think that Kejriwal’s arrest and subsequent developments will have an impact on the Lok Sabha elections?

It will be discussed widely across the country. We need to connect several things to explain the context of Kejriwal’s arrest. The BJP government is using Central agencies in a frantic attempt to cover up its corruption, which has been exposed through the disclosures on electoral bonds. In the history of India, Narendra Modi’s government will be known for legalising the electoral bond system to carry on corruption and nepotism. These issues were covered up.

What is the significance of the victory of the Left students’ organisations in the JNU union elections?

Despite the ruthless efforts by the RSS to control the JNU, the students realised the agenda and the election was an occasion to express their opinion. The union election was held after four years. When the students got an opportunity, they voted in favour of Left organisations. It’s the victory of Left parties fighting against the Sangh parivar forces. This offers hope of a bright future.

What is your reaction to the allegation that Left parties are unnecessarily spooking Mulims with an eye on their votes?

When the CAA was imposed in Assam, what happened there? Many were left out. How can people trust the Modi government? In terms of CAA, whatever they have promised and what they are doing are diametrically opposite. There are several actions of the Modi government which ignite fear among the minorities. When the PM reached Palakkad recently, they didn’t even let BJP’s Malappuram candidate M Abdul Salam accompany Modi during his roadshow.

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Kerala LS polls: Cross & knotshttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kerala-ls-polls-cross-knotshttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kerala-ls-polls-cross-knots#commentsad1d1bd6-0795-46ea-8675-b27dbe04664cThu, 28 Mar 2024 02:08:29 +00002024-03-28T02:08:29.948ZRajesh Abraham/api/author/1878052BJP,LDF,UDFKeralaKOCHI: As the Lok Sabha election heat simmers in Kerala, all eyes are on how the Christian community – which constitutes 18.4% or 61.41 lakh of the state’s population – will vote.

What are the issues that influence them? Will the community get closer to the BJP this time? If not, will it be a vote en masse for the LDF or rally behind the Congress-led UDF?

While all political parties are leaving no stone unturned to woo the community, the task is easier said than done. The main reason being that Christians are not one single bloc.

The community comprises various denominations – Syro-Malabar Catholics and Latin Catholics, Jacobite/Orthodox Syrians, Mar Thoma Syrians, Church of South India (CSI), Pentecost/Church of God members and Dalit Christians. And, each segment has its own interests, issues, and demands.

Traditionally, the Syro-Malabar Catholics, who make up 23.46 lakh (38.20% of Christians in the state), are considered close to the Congress. However, things have been gradually changing over the past two decades.

UDF candidate Shashi Tharoor during Palm Sunday celebrations in Thrivananthapuram

In contrast, the Jacobite segment of the Malankara Church lean towards the ruling Left front. The Jacobite Syrian Christian community has 4,83,000 members, and the Orthodox Syrian community about 4,94,000. Together, they number 9,77,000, according to a 2016 paper by K C Zachariah of Centre for Development Studies (CDS).

“The Christian community is not a monolithic block, nor were communal sects in their attitude to issues and in their outlooks,” explains Fr Paul Thelakat, former spokesman of the Syro-Malabar Church.

“Pluralism has been an important component of the Christian make up. It has resisted the herd mentality.”

The declining influence of the Congress over the Church, especially among Syro-Malabar Catholics, is attributed to several factors. “Several years ago, the Church and its flock considered communists an anathema. Voting for ‘Hammer-Sickle-Star’ (CPM party symbol) was a strict no. But, it has completely changed now,” points out Congress veteran Prof. K V Thomas, who is now LDF government’s special representative in Delhi.

“Over the years, the Left front has made significant inroads into the Christian community, while the Congress influence has eroded.”

NDA candidate Suresh Gopi at Palm Sunday celebrations of the Latin Church in Thrissur

A major reason for this is the absence of leaders such as Oommen Chandy and K M Mani, who had special rapport with the church leaders.

Writer Paul Zachariah, a keen observer of Christianity in Kerala, explains that it’s not just about the leader’s religion. He points out the sway former Congress chief minister K Karunakaran held over the Church leadership and the community.

“So, the rapport factor has nothing to do with the religion of the leaders. Among the current lot, only Ramesh Chennithala (former opposition leader) has some sort of acceptance within the Church and its leadership,” he adds.

Prof. Thomas, who is now acting as a bridge between the Left government and the Church leadership in Kerala, says there’s a vacuum in Congress leadership in Kerala.

What about the BJP? The rise in concerns over ‘jihad’ among a section of the community, viewed along with Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s frequent meetings with Church leaders, seems to indicate that the gap between the saffron party and Christians is getting bridged – brick by brick.

“Some [Christian] leaders who have moved to the BJP are mere fortune hunters,” comments Zachariah.

According to Fr Thelakat, the BJP knows well that, in order to win in Kerala, they need the support of either of the minority groups. “Christian fundamentalism, too, is on the rise. There are clear anti-Islamic feelings in certain parts of Kerala, often based on mimetic rivalry emanating from socio-economic and demographic reasons,” he adds.

“Meanwhile, in the north and northeast, Christians are persecuted in the name of conversion.”

While the equation sounds complex, this election will certainly be closely watched to analyse if the Christian community is, indeed, warming up to the BJP in Kerala. That would be a paradigm shift in the state.

If so, which will be the constituencies where the BJP gains? If not, who will be the beneficiary – LDF or UDF? We will know the answers on June 4.

Christian population in Kerala

  • Total: 61.41 lakh

  • Catholics: 37.44 lakh

  • (61% of total Christians in Kerala -- 23.46 lakh is Syro-Malabar and 9.33 lakh Latin Catholics)

  • Jacobite Syrian Christian: 4,83,000

  • Orthodox Syrian: 494,000 (together 977,000)

  • Mar Thoma Syrians: 405,000

  • CSI: 274,000

  • Pentecost/Church of God: 214,000

  • Dalit Christians: 160,000

ISSUES THAT CONCERN CHRISTIAN COMMUNITY

  • Rise in number of deaths due to wild animal attacks in Wayanad, Idukki, Kannur — where large number of Christian settlers — Syro-Malabar Catholics

  • Low prices of rubber and spices — mostly Syro-Malabar Catholics

  • Depleting fish resources — fishers mostly Latin catholics

  • Jacobite Syrian Christian — loss of large number of churches to Orthodox

  • The district with the largest number of Syro-Malabar Catholic Christians is Kottayam (13.4%), followed by Idukki (12.9%)

  • Districts with a large number of Syro-Malankara Catholics are Ernakulam (16.7%) and Kozhikode (13.0%).

  • Latin Catholics, the principal district of residence is Ernakulam (24.4%)

Source: Religious Denominations of Kerala by K C Zachariah (2016)

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Kerala: Elections come & go, lives remain miserable in border villageshttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kerala-elections-come-go-lives-remain-miserable-in-border-villageshttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kerala-elections-come-go-lives-remain-miserable-in-border-villages#comments18de9ff6-ea03-4f17-9cbb-c29934c7ca1dThu, 28 Mar 2024 02:58:38 +00002024-03-28T02:58:38.502ZAnil S/api/author/1869846border villages,Election 2024KeralaPOZHIYOOR(THIRUVANANTHAPURAM): A knocked-down wall sporting a faded graffiti, seeking votes for C Divakaran, the LDF candidate in the 2019 general elections, stands mute spectator to the rough sea that have wreaked havoc in this village on the Kerala-Tamil Nadu border.

Most dwellings near the sea stand perched on the shoreline. The parched land has been on the boil. As the afternoon sun beats down mercilessly, a group of men gathers under a makeshift shade and works on the kambavala (gill nets).

“You see such penury only this side. Take a look at the other side; things are different. Won’t we feel bad?” asks one of the fishermen, pointing to the boundary stone that marks the Kerala-TN border.

In a way, this roughly 150-m-long stretch housing close to 25 families defines the state of affairs in border villages. About 13 of these familes are Kerala voters; others vote in TN.

“Elections? Is that what you want to enquire about? Can’t you see our pathetic state? So far 6-7 ministers, MPs and MLAs have come here. They visit, shower promises and leave. Nothing happens. Isn’t it all a farce? Why should we vote now,” quips Siluvapicha Antony, 56, a fisherman.

Traditional fishermen busy repairing Kambavala (gill net) at south Kollemcode.

Elections hardly make any difference to the nearly 1,000 fishermen families in the Paruthiyoor Pozhiyoor and Kollemcode Pozhiyoor villages on the Kerala-TN border. Nestled in the boundary of Thiruvananthapuram and Kanyakumari LS constituencies, the residents are often neglected by both governments.

A number of families staying across the border pay tax and electricity bills in Tamil Nadu, but possess ration cards and voting rights in Kerala. A few can seemingly vote in both states, but vouch they have never misused it. Whether they do or not, the fact is their concerns have always fallen on deaf ears.

Consistent coastal erosion, which they say is mainly due to a groyne across the border, has razed close to 300 houses in this coast, 30 of them last year alone. Increasing coastline destruction has affected close to 20,000 folks who are part of the 4,000 families inhabiting this belt. Helpless victims of ocean fury, many fishermen under two parishes here are seriously mulling boycotting the Lok Sabha election.

A faded wall graffiti of 2019 LDF candidate C Divakaran, at south Kollemcode, along the Kerala - Tamil Nadu border.

The sleepy coastal belt under Kulathur panchayat is also yet to wake up to the upcoming polls. NDA candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar dropped in for a lightning visit here last week. UDF’s Shashi Tharoor and LDF’s Pannian Raveendran are yet to make an appearance.

For the people here, back-to-back polls have only served to make voting a meaningless affair, as neither the elections nor candidates, have succeeded in leaving any positive impression on them.

For villagers, elections are a mere farce

With no regular work coming in and homes no longer safe, many residents were forced to relocate to places like Uchakkada. Some preferred to simply cross the border into TN, where service cost is much less. “We don’t have 24-hour electricity out here, but the tariff is exorbitant. I get a bill of Rs 2188 here, while across the border, bills are roughly around Rs 15- Rs 200. I wonder how,” says Anthonippichan, yet to recover from the shock of being slapped with such a hefty bill.

Fisherfolks here feel none, neither the state government nor the Centre, takes their cause seriously. That’s why they have been pondering a poll boycott. Nothing is official yet.

“There are about 4,000 families under the two parishes here. We have submitted our demands to the state government. These include construction of a fishing harbour, a groyne, and a sea wall. If our demands are not met, we will take a call on what’s next,” said Mariyadasan, secretary, Paruthiyoor Parish.

With shoreline erosion here to stay, many fishems find it difficult to get even a day’s work. Living in utter penury, some often go across the border where things are slightly better. “We took a day off today as we had plenty of work yesterday. People do come from across the border offering to work with kambavala here. We don’t object. After all, they are our brethren,” says Anthinipllai, 55, of Neerodi village that lies across the border under Kanyakumari constituency where Congress’ sitting MP Vijay Vasanth is defending his seat against BJP’s Pon Radhakrishnan and AIADMK’s Pasilian Nazerath.

While Pillai is a TN voter, his brother Xavier has his franchise in Kerala. There’s one thing in common though. Neither seem bothered about getting to know their candidates, as they are more or less convinced, that polls are a mere farce enacted at regular intervals to favour the powerful few! The daily drudgery of a wearisome life shall always be theirs to suffer!

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Kalamandalam to go gender-neutral; male students can learn mohiniyattamhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kalamandalam-to-go-gender-neutral-male-students-can-learn-mohiniyattamhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kalamandalam-to-go-gender-neutral-male-students-can-learn-mohiniyattam#comments2710f729-5ae4-40f8-b3d6-5543bfc474a0Thu, 28 Mar 2024 02:49:07 +00002024-03-28T02:49:07.146ZManoj Viswanathan/api/author/1876259Kalamandalam,mohiniyattamKeralaKOCHI: A meeting of Kerala Kalamandalam’s administrative board on Wednesday decided to make all its courses on performing arts gender-neutral, a move that will now make male students eligible for admission to courses hitherto reserved exclusively for girls, including mohiniyattam and nangiarkoothu.

The decision has been taken amid the controversy created by dancer Kalamandalam Satyabhama, who had made racist remarks against dancer R L V Ramakrishnan, brother of late actor Kalabhavan Mani, and criticised the practice of men performing mohiniyattam.

“The administrative board decided to make all courses at Kalamandalam gender neutral from the next academic year. Till now, we were admitting only girl students in mohiniyattam and nangiarkoothu courses. From the next academic year, we will be admitting boys to these courses. They can pursue the courses from Class VIII to postgraduation,” Kalamandalam Vice-Chancellor B Ananthakrishnan told TNIE.

During TNIE’s Express Dialogues series in March last year, Kalamandalam Chancellor Mallika Sarabhai had said she will look into allegations of gender discrimination at the institution and ensure all students get admission to every course.

Kathakali in schools

Considering the lack of patronage for kathakali course among male students, Kalamandalam will forward a proposal to the government to start kathakali courses in schools. Classes will be held six hours a week in schools having enough interested students, said Kalamandalam VC B Ananthakrishnan.

PG courses in mohiniyattam and kuchipudi from next yr

The administrative board also decided to start PG courses in mohiniyattam and kuchipudi from the next academic year. Kalamandalam will also start a new course in theatre and performance making which will help students explore opportunities in experimental theatre, participatory performance and three-dimensional lighting. Students graduating in this course will be able to work independently and explore opportunities in allied sectors.

Administrative board members Kalamandalam Gopi, Kalamandalam Kshemavathi, Kalamandalam Sivan Namboothiri, Neena Prasad, Kalamandalam Latha Edavalath, A V Satheesh, P Venugopal, K B Rajanand and under-secretary in the department of culture Subhashini Thankachi attended Wednesday’s meeting.

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Kochi Water Metro floats proposal for green hydrogen-powered vesselhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kochi-water-metro-floats-proposal-for-green-hydrogen-powered-vesselhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kochi-water-metro-floats-proposal-for-green-hydrogen-powered-vessel#comments2ce14d6c-f3ea-4038-bbf2-6f6e59c847a7Thu, 28 Mar 2024 03:23:59 +00002024-03-28T03:23:59.466ZAishwarya Prabhakaran/api/author/1869275Kochi Water MetroKeralaKochiKOCHI: Kochi Water Metro’s focus on sustainability is driving its exploration of hydrogen-fuel-cell technology. And, it is planning to add a vessel running on green hydrogen in the near future.

Kochi Water Metro Ltd managing director Loknath Behera said it is important to stay ahead of the game in terms of technological advancement to ensure sustainability. “Our existing electric-boat fleet will become redundant in the next five to ten years, and new technology will be introduced. We are now exploring the possibility of introducing a hydrogen-fuel-cell vessel, developed by Cochin Shipyard Ltd (CSL). Large-scale adoption will be examined for our future boats. However, some modifications will be required to make them cost-effective,” he said.

“At present, green hydrogen is expensive. But this will not be the case in the future,” he added. After the recent commencement of operations on the South Chittoor, Eloor and Cheranalloor routes, Behera said the Fort Kochi-High Court stretch is next in line.

“The trial run on parking boats near the floating pontoon at Fort Kochi terminal has been completed and the boats will be tested on the route between High Court and Fort Kochi in the coming days,” said Behera.

“ We are planning to start services on the route, with a focus on tourists, in April. The plan is to operate three boats on the route once service commences,” he said, adding that CSL is expected to deliver one more boat soon.

The High Court-Fort Kochi service will attract more tourists with schools closed for vacations. “Interior work on the Fort Kochi terminal is in the final stages and efforts are on to complete it at the earliest. The construction of terminals at Paliyamthuruth, Kumbalam, Willingdon Island, Eroor and Mattanchery is also progressing,” said an official.

Presently, Kochi Water Metro operate services on the High Court-Vypeen, High Court-Bolgatty, High Court-South Chittoor, South Chittoor-Cheranalloor, Cheranalloor-Eloor and Vyttila-Kakkanad routes.

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Kerala: Students with low grades to get academic support during vacationhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kerala-students-with-low-grades-to-get-academic-support-during-vacationhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kerala-students-with-low-grades-to-get-academic-support-during-vacation#comments26a2e3de-a484-4ed3-b918-940d2d8aa763Thu, 28 Mar 2024 03:15:55 +00002024-03-28T03:15:55.910ZSovi Vidyadharan/api/author/1880146Vacation,Academic supportKeralaTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In A first-of-its-kind initiative in the state, students who secure low grades in annual exams will be provided academic support at home during summer vacation to ensure that they achieve the desired learning outcomes before the commencement of the next academic year.

The State Council for Educational Research and Training (SCERT) has come up with a blueprint for the comprehensive academic support programme, which will be further fine-tuned after discussions with all stakeholders.

The state follows a five-point grading system for Classes I to VIII and nine-point grading for Classes IX and X. The academic support programme is intended for students who secure a ‘D’ grade and below in Class IX and ‘E’ grade in Classes I to VIII, as students awarded these grades are considered to have not achieved the desired capabilities.

For Classes I to VIII, the grades do not affect promotion to higher classes as the Right To Education (RTE) Act prescribes ‘all pass’ up to that level. However, the grading is seen as a valuable indicator of the performance of the students. However, a Class IX student has to secure at least a D+ (above 30%) to be promoted to Class X.

Teachers will be directed to complete the evaluation of the answer scripts for the final examination in the first week of April. A list of students who secured ‘E’ grades from Classes I to VIII and ‘D’ and ‘E’ grades in Class IX will be included in the programme. The teachers will visit the houses of children needing support. One or two special sessions per week will be held during the two-month vacation period. The support of special educators will also be utilised for children with special needs.

After providing the required support, the students will be assessed using the question paper of the final examination. “It is intended to complete the re-assessment before the beginning of the next academic year. Owing to the Lok Sabha election during the vacation period, the schedule could be slightly delayed to June, “ said SCERT director Jayaprakash R K.

Ensuring learning outcomes

According to SCERT officials, the academic support programme was launched in the wake of national surveys indicating that children in the state had not achieved the desired learning outcomes, especially in mathematics, social studies and languages. Besides, the all-promotion norm up to Class VIII has led to a majority of teachers not viewing the final exam and terminal exams with the seriousness they deserve. Owing to this, many children get promoted to higher classes without achieving the required capabilities.

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Stray dogs posing threat to tourists, residents in Varkalahttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/stray-dogs-posing-threat-to-tourists-residents-in-varkalahttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/stray-dogs-posing-threat-to-tourists-residents-in-varkala#commentsb0969a0d-1e2c-457c-a765-4be2cc3ed8d0Thu, 28 Mar 2024 03:42:28 +00002024-03-28T03:42:28.493ZShainu Mohan/api/author/1873546Varkala,dog menaceKeralaThiruvananthapuramTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The rise in dog attack cases at Varkala - a popular international tourism spot in Kerala - is posing serious concerns about the safety and security of visitors, residents and foreign tourists. Recently, several people, including foreign tourists were attacked by stray dogs in the area. According to tourism stakeholders, such incidents will jeopardise the tourism prospects of the destination.

Dog menace is also a looming threat to the efforts of the tourism department to promote Varkala as a leading surfing destination. Officials are also worried that dog menace could be a threat to the large crowd expected at the upcoming international surfing event here.

On Tuesday, around five people were injured in a dog attack incident at North Cliff in Varkala.“A dog brutally attacked my employee. The dog looked sick and the same dog attacked four other people too. Such incidents are becoming more frequent. Authorities concerned should take steps to manage the stray dogs. We reported the incident to the ward councillor and I got a call from the municipality, but no further action has been taken yet in my knowledge. It is high time that the authorities step up and address this issue,” said Jayan R, who runs a guest house at North Cliff in Varkala.

The lack of dog rehabilitation centres, ABC (animal birth control) and an ineffective stray dog management plan are the primary reasons for growing stray dog menace in Varkala.  “ABC programme and vaccination drives are not being carried out properly. It is a serious issue and now the incidents are becoming more frequent. We have been urging the authorities concerned to initiate an effective intervention plan for a long time now. We had also staged a protest a few months back. But our demands are falling on deaf ears of the authorities,” said councillor R Anil Kumar, Hospital ward, Varkala Municipality.

Complaints have been pouring in from stakeholders too in this regard. “At least four or five foreign tourists were attacked by stray dogs in the past two days. Such incidents will send a wrong message to the world about Varkala and tarnish its image as a preferred tourist destination in the country,” said Lenin R, joint secretary of Varkala Tourism Development Association.

Meanwhile, the authorities of the Varkala Municipality have refuted the allegations. Varkala Municipality chairman K M Laji said that the municipality has invited tenders to set up an ABC facility. “ABC is already happening and vaccination drives are also going on. We have earmarked funds in the budget for stray dog management. The project will take off soon,” he added. 

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FEFKA dedicated to welfare of its members irrespective of gender: B Unnikrishnanhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/fefka-dedicated-to-welfare-of-its-members-irrespective-of-gender-b-unnikrishnanhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/fefka-dedicated-to-welfare-of-its-members-irrespective-of-gender-b-unnikrishnan#comments9b4a9c65-88fa-4ff4-b373-aa221e431323Thu, 28 Mar 2024 05:55:45 +00002024-03-28T05:55:45.374ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566FEFKAKeralaKOCHI: Criticising the Women in Cinema Collective indirectly, Malayalam filmmaker and FEFKA general secretary, B Unnikrishnan, said that, at the end of the day, FEFKA is a trade union that works for the welfare of its members irrespective of gender, colour or caste.

While speaking at the FEFKA meeting held in Kochi on Wednesday, he said, “If we see the videos and photos of FEFKA from its launch in 2009, we can see the representation of several women.

“Some people say FEFKA is against women. What I want to tell them is that we are not an organisation that speaks for women sitting in the luxury of AC rooms or speaks about women empowerment on Facebook by staying in a caravan. We address and solve the problems being faced by the members of the union,” he said.

He added that FEFKA is a trade union that includes people, no matter women, men, queer or transgender persons.

“It is about the labourers. We are proud to say that we are labourers,” said Unnikrishnan.

FEFKA also launched an insurance scheme for the members of the union at the event.

Mohanlal gets directors’ union membership

Actor Mohanlal received his membership in the FEFKA Directors Union on Wednesday. He shared the news on his X. “Heartfelt thanks to FEFKA for the warm acceptance and welcome. Honoured to be part of this incredible family,” he said. He is entering into direction through film Barroz announced in 2019.

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Won’t implement CAA in Kerala: CM Pinarayi Vijayanhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/wont-implement-caa-in-kerala-cm-pinarayi-vijayanhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/wont-implement-caa-in-kerala-cm-pinarayi-vijayan#comments085a22be-b178-494c-98a7-1a9d5ece2138Thu, 28 Mar 2024 05:03:48 +00002024-03-28T05:03:48.064ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566CM Pinarayi VijayanKeralaKOLLAM: Strongly attacking the RSS and the Union government, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said that the BJP government, by implementing CAA, is orchestrating an assault on the Muslim community akin to Hitler’s atrocities against the Jews. However, despite all efforts by the BJP, the CAA will not be implemented in Kerala, the CM said. He was speaking at a mass gathering organised by the LDF to oppose the CAA in Kollam on Wednesday.

“The CAA aims to erode citizens’ fundamental rights, with an ominous agenda to relegate Muslims to second-class status. Much like Hitler and his Nazi regime targeted Jews as their primary foes, the RSS and the Sangh Parivar are marginalising minorities, particularly Muslims, under the guise of the CAA,” said the CM.

He further emphasised that the CAA aligns with the RSS’ vision to transform India into a religious state and dismantle India’s secular fabric.

Despite the BJP’s rhetoric about India’s ascent on the global stage, nations such as Germany and America have voiced opposition to the CAA.

Pinarayi said that the BJP-led Union government was using Central agencies to target opposition parties.

“The BJP regime is sowing seeds of discord among citizens, undermining the essence of India’s secular democracy. Despite India’s plummet from the 55th to the 107th rank in the poverty index, the RSS persists in dismantling democratic institutions. The recent arrest of Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal is a blatant move by the BJP to advance its Hindu Rashtra agenda,” the CM said. He also attacked the Congress, accusing the party of failing to mount a united resistance against the CAA.

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Kerala: As nights get warmer, power consumption posts new highhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kerala-as-nights-get-warmer-power-consumption-posts-new-highhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kerala-as-nights-get-warmer-power-consumption-posts-new-high#commentsfc070bba-3d44-43e9-9b45-3085d1ab7e57Thu, 28 Mar 2024 03:59:41 +00002024-03-28T03:59:41.594ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566Kerala power consumptionKeralaKOCHI: With soaring daytime temperatures leading to warmer nights, power consumption in the state is rising at an alarming rate, leaving the KSEB scrambling to avoid load shedding.

Daily consumption crossed the 100-million-unit-mark for the first time in the state’s history on April 13 last year. This season has seen multiple breaches, causing concern to the state power entity, which depends on purchases from the national grid and the pricey private sector to meet 80% of its demand.

Consumption touched 103.86 million units (MU) on Tuesday, breaking the previous record of 102.99 MU set on April 19, 2023. The peak load during night hours has been rising on a daily basis, thereby breaking records, for the past two weeks. The previous record of 5,024 MW fell on March 12 when peak load touched 5,031 MW. Since then, the peak load has seen a gradual increase and a new record of 5,303 MW was set at 10.29pm on Tuesday.

According to officials, there is an increasing trend of mostly middle-class households installing air conditioners, which has led to a steep rise in power consumption. The electricity board has been purchasing around 10 MU of power daily from the real-time market at Rs 10 a unit for the past two months, which is adding to its financial woes. With summer temperatures in north India also rising there will be a scarcity of power in the real-time market and KSEB will be forced to purchase power at exorbitant rates -- Rs 16 to Rs 19 a unit, at prevailing rates -- from private entities from the first week of April.

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ED lens on ‘dubious’ CMRL-Exalogic dealshttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/poll-eve-ed-case-against-veena-triggers-slugfesthttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/poll-eve-ed-case-against-veena-triggers-slugfest#comments9b1f22c9-a5bd-411e-9bff-f47cd52143dbThu, 28 Mar 2024 03:52:40 +00002024-03-28T03:52:40.923ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566ED,VeenaKeralaKOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case to investigate alleged dubious transactions between Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter T Veena’s firm Exalogic Solutions and Kochi-based Cochin Minerals & Rutile Ltd (CMRL). The ED’s enforcement case information report (ECIR) is similar to a first information report (FIR) filed in criminal cases.

ED’s investigation is based on an income tax department report that said CMRL paid Rs 1.72 crore to Exalogic under the guise of providing software services. Another national agency, the Serious Fraud Investigation Office (SFIO), is looking into the Rs 95 crore CMRL reportedly paid various persons and entities, including political leaders and trade unions. This had emerged during a 2019 I-T probe into CMRL.

ED officials said they have carried out a preliminary probe, but refused to divulge information about the ECIR, which also covers Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases that the ED has based on a predicate case probed by other agencies.

Though no criminal case has been registered, ED officers maintain that they can register one based on the I-T investigation into CMRL.

Now, ED will first collect evidence from CMRL by interrogating its officials. Similarly, it will verify CMRL’s books before proceeding with an investigation into Exalogic. The I-T report had revealed that CMRL had paid money to other political leaders and trade unions as well. The ED investigation is also likely to cover the reported recipients.

Earlier this year, an inquiry report by the Registrar of Companies (RoC) had highlighted major violations and fraud by Exalogic in its transactions with the CMRL.

The RoC report, whose findings came to light in January, had recommended an ED probe into any PMLA violation and a CBI probe for offences under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

Poll-eve ED case against Veena triggers slugfest

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The slapping of a money laundering case by the Enforcement Directorate on Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter Veena T has triggered a political slugfest in the state ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. Hours after the ED filed the case, Pinarayi came down heavily on the Union government, accusing it of misusing central agencies to target opposition parties. Referring to his Delhi counterpart Arvind Kejriwal’s arrest, Pinarayi said it cannot be termed as either the first or the last. The future of democracy is in genuine danger, he warned.

Strongly defending Pinarayi in the issue, the CPM leadership chose to train its guns on both the UDF and the BJP. The ED move is to appease the two parties, the CPM said. Meanwhile, the opposition UDF chose to portray the ED case as a mere electoral stunt.

Referring to the ED action on allegations of fund transfer between Exalogic Solutions and CMRL, CPM state secretary M V Govindan said the ED action was a placatory ploy for Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan’s benefit. He pointed out that Satheesan has been demanding ED action against Pinarayi. “The ED is now filing cases against people just to support the BJP’s cause. The Centre had used ED and other central agencies for political gains in the last assembly election too,” he alleged. Govindan also criticised the Congress position on ED action against non-BJP leaders. The Congress has always criticised ED when the agency went after Congress leaders.

“When the ED arrested AAP leader Manish Sisodia, the Congress was asking why they did not arrest Kejriwal. The Congress would criticise the ED, only when their own leaders were targeted. It was Satheesan who kept harping about ED action against the CM,” he said.

The UDF, however, wants to ensure that the ED probe against the CM’s daughter does not get portrayed as a witch hunt against the CPM ahead of the elections.

Satheesan alleged that the ED probes into the gold smuggling case and the Karuvannnoor and Life Mission scams haven’t yielded any result so far. “The ED registering a case is a mere procedural formality. Earlier too, ED has registered cases on various issues. The ED seems to be toeing a different approach, when it comes to Kerala. It’s only an electoral stunt to create an impression that they (BJP and CPM) are not together,” Satheesan said.

Meanwhile, senior BJP leader V Muraleedharan said the CPM argument that Left leaders were being hunted down by Narendra Modi would not stand anymore. He also criticised Satheesan’s statement that the ED probe was an election stunt. Satheesan failed to raise the issue against the CM’s daughter in the assembly, he alleged.

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Defamatory posts against Shailaja: LDF seeks actionhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/defamatory-posts-against-shailaja-ldf-seeks-actionhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/defamatory-posts-against-shailaja-ldf-seeks-action#comments7bc6e3bc-89eb-46b0-b5ad-a6106c76caf6Thu, 28 Mar 2024 05:25:17 +00002024-03-28T05:25:17.950ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566LDF,K K ShailajaKeralaKOZHIKODE: The LDF has filed a complaint with the Election Commission demanding action against defamatory posts against K K Shailaja, the LDF candidate in Vadakara, on social media. Complaints were also given to the chief minister, DGP, IG, Rural SP and district collector.

The complaint filed by LDF Vadakara constituency secretary Valsalan Panoli stated that the abuse through social media was with the knowledge, consent and instigation of the UDF candidate in Vadakara. “The UDF candidate, activists and their political sympathisers are violating the election code of conduct through Facebook groups and other social media platforms. They are spreading highly derogatory and abusive comments so as to tarnish the image of the LDF candidate. Morphed images insulting K K Shailaja and Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan are also being spread,” the complaint stated.

The complaint further said: “In social media, abusive, vulgar and sexually coloured remarks are being posted under the Instagram posts and reels of the LDF candidate by UDF activist’s social media profiles apparently with the approval of the UDF candidate. The social media posts are being spread with an intention to illegally influence the voters of the Vadakara constituency.”

Meanwhile,a press note issued by the LDF stated, “Congress workers have been social media posts against the teacher in a manner that cannot be accepted under any circumstances.”

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BJP won’t win a single seat in Kerala: M V Govindanhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/bjp-wont-win-a-single-seat-in-kerala-m-v-govindanhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/bjp-wont-win-a-single-seat-in-kerala-m-v-govindan#comments144129f9-0001-45ee-a97d-9d27c5d4eea2Thu, 28 Mar 2024 05:28:02 +00002024-03-28T05:28:02.635ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566M V Govindan,Election 2024KeralaTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM: CPM state secretary M V Govindan said the BJP would not win a single seat from Kerala. He alleged that the Congress and BJP have entered into an understanding in some LS constituencies. He was speaking to reporters in Thiruvananthapuram.

“Undercurrents are active in Wayanad where the BJP state president is contesting. LDF will win all 20 seats in the coming parliament election, including Wayanad and Alappuzha. At the end of the campaign, we will keep saying that,” he said.

He also dismissed A K Balan’s statement that if the party did not perform well, it will lose the party symbol.

“Balan’s remark has to be taken in a lighter vein,” he said.

Govindan also said that the delay in handing over the Sidharthan death case was a serious lapse.

“It should have been avoided. The state government stands with the family of Sidharthan. That’s why it took disciplinary action against home department officials responsible for the delay,” he added.

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Tribal woman killed by wild elephant in forest bordering Wayanad, Malappuramhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/tribal-woman-killed-by-wild-elephant-in-forest-bordering-wayanad-malappuramhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/tribal-woman-killed-by-wild-elephant-in-forest-bordering-wayanad-malappuram#commentsdfd86d4d-1c86-47d6-96e2-d945d6cd21b0Thu, 28 Mar 2024 11:09:29 +00002024-03-28T11:09:29.620ZPTI/api/author/1903325Malappuram,Wayanad,wild elephant,elephant attacks KeralaKeralaWAYANAD: A tribal woman was allegedly trampled to death by a wild elephant deep inside a forest area bordering Wayanad and Malappuram districts, police said here on Thursday Police said her husband suffered serious injuries in the attack.

The couple were attacked when they reportedly went into the forest to collect honey, they said.

The incident occurred in the Parappanpara forests, and authorities came to know of it on Thursday after fellow tribals informed the police and forest officials.

"We're waiting for more information because the police and forest officials have gone to the forest where the incident happened to move them to the hospital," a police officer said.

Meanwhile, the BJP criticised Wayanad MP and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Kerala's Left government for failing to address the increasing incidents of human-wildlife conflict in the hill district.

BJP state president and the party's candidate in the Wayanad Lok Sabha seat, K Surendran, alleged that both the state government and the sitting MP of the constituency have failed to address the issue.

Condoling the woman's death, Surendran said in a post on X: "The human-wildlife conflict in Kerala, particularly in Wayanad, is a recurring nightmare. The State Govt led by @pinarayivijayan and the MP @RahulGandhi have failed to address this crisis. Is Rahul only interested in votes? The wild elephants came to the town more often than Rahul Gandhi came to Wayanad. He seems indifferent to human lives, enjoying his outstation visits without truly engaging with the plight of the people. It's time for Rahul Gandhi to answer for his negligence", Surendran said.

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Cop found dead near Angamalyhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/cop-found-dead-near-angamalyhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/cop-found-dead-near-angamaly#comments3e87889d-ed98-40bc-b8e7-3c8021747b97Thu, 28 Mar 2024 07:08:06 +00002024-03-28T07:08:06.946ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566AngamalyKeralaKOCHI: A police sub-inspector was found dead behind his house at Puliyanam, Parakkadavu, near Angamaly on Wednesday. Police suspect it to be a case of suicide. The deceased is Baburaj, 49, of Kalarrikkal, Puliyanam, Parakkadavu. Baburaj had been working as a sub-inspector at Aluva police station. It was around 7 am that he was found dead by his relatives. Family members told the police that he was under severe depression due to financial constraints. He woke up around 5 am and told his family members that he was going out to play football. However, later he was found dead. Baburaj had been serving in the police special branch for a long period and was recently transferred to the Aluva police station. He is survived by wife and two children.

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Two Kozhikode natives held in cyber fraud casehttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/two-kozhikode-natives-held-in-cyber-fraud-casehttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/two-kozhikode-natives-held-in-cyber-fraud-case#commentsc8893a92-1f79-4c50-a818-1556f2532f84Thu, 28 Mar 2024 07:04:21 +00002024-03-28T07:04:21.834ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566Cyber fraud caseKeralaKOCHI: The police on Wednesday arrested two more persons in a cyber fraud case involving an Aluva resident who lost Rs 1.15 crore. The duo Abdul Khadar, 59, of Nadakkavu and Amir, 25, of Farook, had arranged bank accounts for online fraudsters, who approached the victim, claiming that they were officers with the Mumbai police and that an arrest warrant issued by the Supreme Court was pending against him.

They further told the victim to transfer money to a bank account as part of verification, promising that it would be returned once the process was carried out. However, the money was not returned, following which the victim approached the police. Earlier, two persons were arrested by the Ernakulam Rural police for selling their bank accounts to the fraudsters through Khadar and Amir. The arrested purchased bank accounts from individuals by paying money.

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Many church leaders are not capable of talking to the general and secular public - Fr Paul Thelakathttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/many-church-leaders-are-not-capable-of-talking-to-the-general-and-secular-public-fr-paul-thelakathttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/many-church-leaders-are-not-capable-of-talking-to-the-general-and-secular-public-fr-paul-thelakat#comments52777945-bf7d-4203-82d3-56ab1431ee0cThu, 28 Mar 2024 06:44:45 +00002024-03-28T06:44:45.289ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566political parties,Christian voters,Paul ThelakatKeralaFr Paul Thelakat, writer, former editor of Syro-Malabar Catholic Church-run Sathyadeepam and English bi-weekly 'Light of Truth', spoke to TNIE on Christian voters in Kerala, and how politics is viewed among the community.

Q) Is there a change in Christian voters' approach toward communist parties in Kerala. Traditionally, it is believed that the community is close to Congress.

It is true that the Christians voted for the Congress Party. The party had an idealism which is in full agreement with the Christian point of view. For example its secularism was perfectly in agreement with the Christian view of humanism. The Congress Party believed in humanism fully consonant with Christen viewpoint. The Marxist party was seen as against religion and peace loving society. It was radically opposing religion and seen as violent in nature. Its class struggle was not very much democratic. Slowly the untouchability got eroded with time and practise. Above all Kerala was always having two opposing coalitions which alternatingly got into power and both Marxist Party and its attitudes to religion also changed considerably. Some of the leaders of the party were excellent men of idealism and character. The Kerala Congress which was seen as a party of the Christians changed sides. Communist Party was seen no more as a danger to democracy and secularism. They were seen to be more pro-poor and the underprivileged.

Q) Though Christians constitute 18% of the Kerala population, it is not considered as a single bloc, and there is a perception that the community loses out in the power bargaining?

The Christian community is not a monolithic block, nor were communal sects in their attitude to issues and in their outlooks. Christians were individuals and individuality remained in spite of the communitarian “we feel”. The individuals did not dissolve in the community. Pluralism had an important component of Christian make up. It resisted the herd mentality.

Q) A related question. There are many Christian denominations, from Syro-Malabar Catholics to Latin, Jacobite and Orthodox. Each segment has their own problems. Are each segment associating themselves with various political coalitions?

Of late every community in Kerala looks at politics with a communal interest, this kind of communalism is latent in our political make-up. We are less and less idealists and more and more pragmatics. Each Christian community has its specific interests originating from their specific history, education and economic wellbeing. People are more prone to solve their own petty problems and less and less interested in common issues that affect everyone. Communal ego has become big and outgoing attitudes have shrugged.

Q) Of late, there has also been a slight shift in the way Christians see BJP. Are Christians coming closer to BJP? Or issues like the Manipur riots have affected BJP's attempt to woo the community?

It is the hierarchy of power which has leaned to the Hindutva for the sake of advantages and placating policy of power sharing for the sake of institutions and schemes. Power always seeks power for its own purpose. It does not see the policies and align with the ordinary people based principles of democratic polity. The creative and critical evaluations of former hierarchs are becoming very rare. Many are muddled in their own personal problems. It needs careful study of the society and evaluation of the political policies and programmes of the Governments. Minorities are becoming not critical and creative minorities. Many of the church leaders are not capable of talking to the general and secular public.

Q) Will BJP succeed in wooing the Christian community in Kerala?

BJP knows well that in order to win in Kerala they want either of the minority groups with them. As is evident they woo the Christians. There is also Christian fundamentalism on the rise. There are clear anti-Islamic feelings in certain parts of Kerala which very often is based on mimetic rivalry emanating from socio-economic and demographic reasons. In the North and North-East Christian are persecuted in the name of anti-conversion bills and conversions.

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Rashtriya Raksha varsity to expand to other stateshttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/rashtriya-raksha-varsity-to-expand-to-other-stateshttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/rashtriya-raksha-varsity-to-expand-to-other-states#comments6aa79981-91cf-4916-ac81-97de0b9f84b4Thu, 28 Mar 2024 06:31:49 +00002024-03-28T06:31:49.671ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566KeralaKOCHI: Rashtriya Raksha University (RRU) under the Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) based in Gujarat is looking to expand to other states in the coming years. The university which pioneered in academics related to policing, defence and national security, is planning to introduce new courses in the coming academic years. RRU organised a conclave in Kochi on Wednesday.

In a press conference, Ankur Sharma, Assistant Professor said, “We will be starting our next regional campus at Srinagar in the coming years. The university is looking to have its presence in all states of the country in future. Apart from students, we also train police officers, military and paramilitary personnel in subjects including policing, internal security, information technology, coastal and maritime security, forensic science, cyber law, strategic languages, private security and physical education,” he said.

The university was established by the Government of Gujarat in 2010 and renamed RRU under MoHA in 2020. The main campus of the university is Lavad, Gujarat. It also has its regional campuses in Arunachal Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka and Puducherry. Currently, RRU has nine schools that conduct specialised BTech, MTech, MSc, LLM, PhD and certificate courses. Admission to various educational programmes at the university is through online entrance exams.

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Ernakulam resident to implead in Jesna missing casehttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/ernakulam-resident-to-implead-in-jesna-missing-casehttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/ernakulam-resident-to-implead-in-jesna-missing-case#commentsc87d7c85-daa5-4141-9c01-74b348dad447Thu, 28 Mar 2024 06:30:14 +00002024-03-28T06:30:14.144ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566Jesna caseKeralaTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM: In a new development in the Jesna Maria missing case, an Ernakulam resident has moved the Chief Judicial Magistrate Court Thiruvananthapuran seeking to implead him as a witness. He claimed that he is in possession of information about Jesna, who went missing in 2018, and added that he got the information while he was cooling his heels behind bars in another case. In January, the CBI concluded its probe into the case. Jesna’s father has filed an objection against the closure report. A hearing has been scheduled for April 5.

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Stressed over Ponnani, IUML drops action against MSF leadershttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/stressed-over-ponnani-iuml-drops-action-against-msf-leadershttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/stressed-over-ponnani-iuml-drops-action-against-msf-leaders#comments5003207b-c332-4a1a-9ab3-b19c66c67718Thu, 28 Mar 2024 06:26:31 +00002024-03-28T06:26:31.084ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566IUMLKeralaKOZHIKODE: Apparently feeling shaky in its stronghold of Ponnani ahead of the elections, the IUML has dropped the disciplinary action initiated against former leaders of its students’ arm MSF, who had raised a banner of revolt in connection with the Haritha issue.

The two former MSF leaders, Latheef Thurayur and K M Fawaz, are associated with K S Hamsa, the LDF candidate in Ponnani. The duo was part of the core group formed by Hamsa after his ouster from the IUML.

A section of leaders of Haritha, the girls’ wing of the MSF, had alleged that the student outfit’s president, P K Navas, insulted them during a meeting. The issue snowballed into a controversy with some MSF leaders also joining the issue. The girls, including Haritha leader Najma Thabsheera, approached the State Women’s Commission and a case was registered with the police.

An IUML statement on Wednesday said the former leaders of Haritha have agreed to withdraw the case against Navas. “The disciplinary action against former MSF leader Latheef Thurayur and K M Fawaz has been dropped after they tendered an apology before the party,” it said, adding the respective party units will decide the area of activity of the re-inducted persons.

However, it is learnt that the MSF leadership is unhappy with the decision to reinstate Latheef and Fawaz. The MSF leaders reportedly registered their strong protest with party president Panakkad Syed Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal and national general secretary P K Kunhalikutty.

Sources said a section of the IUML leaders are also unhappy with the decision as they think that it may create an impression that the party is feeling insecure ahead of the polls. They feel that it would send a wrong signal that the IUML is smelling danger in constituencies like Ponnani and would lead to an unnecessary discussion on the Haritha issue, which had almost been forgotten.

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Death of Thiruvananthapuram MCH doctor: Police rule out foul play, recover suicide notehttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/death-of-thiruvananthapuram-mch-doctor-police-rule-out-foul-play-recover-suicide-notehttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/death-of-thiruvananthapuram-mch-doctor-police-rule-out-foul-play-recover-suicide-note#comments77a6fdb0-3218-4c30-8859-0686196f819bThu, 28 Mar 2024 05:22:43 +00002024-03-28T05:22:43.605ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566Thiruvanthapuram MCHKeralaThiruvananthapuramTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Ruling out foul play in the death of a female resident doctor of Thiruvananthapuram Medical College Hospital, police have termed it a case of suicide. A note, reportedly penned by the 30-year-old, was recovered from the apartment where she had been living as a paying guest, officers said.

In her suicide note, Dr Abhirami Balakrishnan said she was fed up with life and no other person was responsible for her decision, Medical College police said. According to officers, she drugged herself with anaesthesia medicine, and the syringe that was used has been recovered.

Sources, however, said they are yet to ascertain the reason behind Abhirami’s decision, adding her family members are also clueless about what prompted her to take her own life. “She was married to a doctor about five months ago. They did not have any domestic issues. We are probing all angles since this is the second incident of suicide among resident doctors of the MCH in the last few months. So far, we are clueless about the reason behind her decision. It’s to be seen whether she was suffering from depression or similar medical conditions. Colleagues and flatmates have testified that she was a jovial person. Once the mourning period is over, we will get in touch with immediate relatives and check on the mental condition of the deceased,” said a police source.

Abhirami had completed her postgraduation at MCH and was on a one-year bond. She was working in the department of medicine and had attended the night shift on Monday. She was staying in an apartment in P T Chacko Nagar. Abhirami failed to respond to the call of her flatmate, who then found her lying dead on Tuesday evening, officers said.

A postgraduate student of the college had committed suicide last December. Dr Shahana, a 27-year-old student of surgery, committed suicide after her lover, Dr E A Ruwise, backed off from their relationship on differences over dowry.

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Kerala: LSGD makes rules stricter; flouting norms may cost local bodies dearlyhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kerala-lsgd-makes-rules-stricter-flouting-norms-may-cost-local-bodies-dearlyhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/28/kerala-lsgd-makes-rules-stricter-flouting-norms-may-cost-local-bodies-dearly#commentse403db4f-cb00-4588-8f4a-7419ccffda0fThu, 28 Mar 2024 03:36:04 +00002024-03-28T03:36:04.614ZShainu Mohan/api/author/1873546LSGDKeralaThiruvananthapuramTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The local self-government department (LSGD) plans to take stringent actions, including imposition of fines, on local bodies that fail to adhere to waste management norms. The move comes in the wake of growing fire accidents at waste management facilities.

On Tuesday, a 60-year-old man was killed in a fire mishap at a waste dumping facility at Chulliyode in Nenmani panchayat, Wayanad. LSGD Minister M B Rajesh told TNIE that strict action will be taken against local bodies that fail to carry out waste management effectively.

“We have a clear vision and have set targets for achieving the zero-garbage status for Kerala. We will be reviewing the progress of each local body in attaining the targets. We have decided to impose fines on local bodies that fail to implement them. We are exploring the legal formalities of the decision,” said Rajesh. He said that the fine amount would be deducted from the plan fund of each local body.

The minister said that a calendar system will be introduced to speed up the removal of waste from storage facilities to avoid accumulation. “The collection has increased manifold and we have directed local bodies to scale up the number of material collection facilities and mini material collection facilities,” said Rajesh. He said that the LSGD would inspect and find out whether social auditing was undertaken at the waste facilities by the local bodies as per the direction.

The LSGD has constituted a special investigation team led by the LSGD additional director with officials from the Suchitwa Mission, the district fire office, and the pollution control board to conduct an inspection of the waste facility at Chulliyode and submit a report by April 5. Besides this, the LSGD has also constituted a team comprising an assistant executive engineer, officials from the Fire and Rescue Services, and the Suchitwa Mission to inspect all waste management facilities under local bodies. The team has been asked to submit a report on the causes of accidents and whether the local bodies ensured fire safety measures at the facilities where the outbreaks were triggered.

The LSGD has also issued a circular directing local bodies to not allow anybody to stay inside such facilities. The man who was killed at Chulliyode was sleeping near the facility when the fire accident took place. In the past months, several major and minor fire accidents were reported at waste storage facilities and this is the first time a man has lost his life.

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'Dubious transactions': ED to probe fund transfers to Kerala CM's daughter-owned 'Exalogic' from Kochi-based 'CMRL'https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/dubious-transactions-ed-to-probe-fund-transfers-to-kerala-cms-daughter-owned-exalogic-from-kochi-based-cmrlhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/dubious-transactions-ed-to-probe-fund-transfers-to-kerala-cms-daughter-owned-exalogic-from-kochi-based-cmrl#comments46067f64-c6fd-481c-9174-1a8350c54f42Wed, 27 Mar 2024 09:59:51 +00002024-03-27T09:59:51.333ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566Kerala CM daughterKeralaKOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has registered a case to probe into the alleged dubious transactions between Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's daughter T Veena's IT firm Exalogic Solutions and Kochi-based Cochin Minerals and Rutile Limited (CMRL). ED's Kochi unit has registered an Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) -- similar with a First Information Report in criminal cases -- and started a probe into the transactions.

ED started a probe based on the Income Tax probe which revealed that CMRL had paid Rs 1.72 crore to Exalogic Solution under the guise of providing software services. Another national agency- Serious Frauds Investigation Office (SFIO) is conducting an investigation against CMRL regarding Rs 95 crores paid to various persons including political leaders and trade unions revealed during an Income tax probe conducted against the CMRL in 2019.

ED officials said that they have conducted a preliminary probe against CMRL. However, they refused to reveal information regarding ECIR registered against CMRL. Similarly, In Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) cases, ED registers ECIR based on a predicate case probed by other agencies. Currently, no criminal case has been registered in the alleged deal between CMRL and Exalogic Solution. However, ED officers maintain that they can register a case based on the investigation conducted by Income tax against CMRL.

Now the ED would first collect evidence from CMRL regarding the money paid to Exalogic. CMRL officials would be called for interrogation as part of the probe. Similarly, the books of CMRL will be verified before proceeding with the investigation towards Veena. The income tax report revealed that CMRL had paid money to other political leaders and trade unions as well. ED investigation is also likely to cover the persons who received money from CMRL.

The controversy surfaced last year after the Income Tax Department filed its report before the New Delhi bench of the Income Tax Interim Settlement Board based on searches held at CMRL and the residences of its MD Sasidharan Kartha and top officials in January 2019. Income Tax had found that CMRL was involved in massive tax evasion by exaggerating its expenses. In November 2020, CMRL approached the Income Tax Interim Settlement Board for a settlement into the matter.

It was revealed that CMRL signed an agreement with Veena to obtain marketing consultancy services in 2016. For the service, Veena was paid Rs five lakhs each per month. Another agreement was signed by CMRL with Exalogic for providing software support to the company in 2017. The agreement was made that Exalogic would get Rs 3 lakhs each per month for the service. However, during the Income Tax probe, top officials of CMRL gave statements that they had not received any service from Veena and Exalogic till now.

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Kerala: LDF candidate Hamsa raises serious allegations against Sadiq Ali Thangalhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kerala-ldf-candidate-hamsa-raises-serious-allegations-against-sadiq-ali-thangalhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kerala-ldf-candidate-hamsa-raises-serious-allegations-against-sadiq-ali-thangal#comments7307bc4a-05da-499f-b2b0-28e4b5c3416fWed, 27 Mar 2024 06:41:18 +00002024-03-27T06:41:18.779ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal,K S HamsaKeralaMALAPPURAM: K S Hamsa, LDF candidate for Ponnani Lok Sabha constituency, on Tuesday raised serious allegations against IUML state president Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal and national general secretary PK Kunhalikutty.

During a meet-the-candidate programme organised by Malappuram Press Club, Hamsa alleged that former IUML state president Hyder Ali Shihab Thangal once criticised Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal for attempting to become the party’s acting president while he was undergoing treatment in Delhi. Sadiq Ali Thangal assumed the role of state president of the party following the passing of Hyder Ali Thangal. Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal was the Malappuram district president of the party while Hyder Ali Thangal served as the state president.

Hamsa said, “Hyder Ali Thangal once scolded Sadiq Ali Shihab Thangal for acting like the party’s working president with the support of Kunhalikutty while he was in Delhi for his treatment. Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal also witnessed the incident. Hyder Ali Thangal told Munavvar Ali Shihab Thangal that he never tried to be the working president of the party while Muhammed Ali Shihab Thangal was serving as the state president of the party, and he was serving as the Malappuram district president of the party.”

Hamsa further alleged that Hyder Ali Thangal was upset over several issues during his final days.

Hamsa added, “IUML workers are not happy as the ED was allowed to question Hyder Ali Thangal.” Hamsa expects votes from the dissatisfied sections within the IUML and from anti-IUML members and followers of Samastha.”

Hamsa said that he would soon release an election manifesto highlighting his development vision for the constituency. “I will be an MP who is always available for the people in the constituency. I will also accept votes from any sections who are impressed by my stance and ideologies,” he said.

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‘Congress should withdraw Tharoor’s candidature’, says CPI state secretary https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/congress-should-withdraw-tharoors-candidature-says-cpi-state-secretaryhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/congress-should-withdraw-tharoors-candidature-says-cpi-state-secretary#comments34496070-d490-4a0e-b3f4-c0cfa563eac1Wed, 27 Mar 2024 06:35:41 +00002024-03-27T06:35:41.882ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566Shashi Tharoor,Binoy ViswamKeralaKOCHI: Commenting on Congress’ withdrawal of its Jaipur candidate following uproar over his right-wing stand, CPI state secretary Binoy Viswam on Tuesday asked Congress to withdraw the candidature of Shashi Tharoor if it is really genuine on its secular stand.

Addressing a meet-the-press programme here, the CPI secretary referred to Tharoor’s statement referring to Hamas as a terror outfit while speaking at the Muslim League’s Palestine solidarity rally in Kozhikode last October. “Why are they (Congress) not withdrawing the candidature of  Tharoor, who regularly takes political stands that are against the Congress’ official stance,” he asked.

Congress dropped Sunil Sharma over his association with The Jaipur Dialogues, a right-wing organisation known for ridiculing Congress and its leaders, from the Jaipur Lok Sabha seat.

‘WAYANAD TO SEE MONEY FLOW FROM BJP’

Viswam said Wayanad will witness a massive flow of unaccounted money for BJP candidate K Surendran. “We have the Kodakara incident before us,” he said, referring to a case where unaccounted money was seized by the police.

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BJP, LDF start high-octane campaign in Wayanad, Congress awaiting Rahulhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/bjp-ldf-start-high-octane-campaign-in-wayanad-congress-awaiting-rahulhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/bjp-ldf-start-high-octane-campaign-in-wayanad-congress-awaiting-rahul#commentse0a4db85-cbc0-4f65-b9c9-d26de1ced964Wed, 27 Mar 2024 06:31:15 +00002024-03-27T06:31:15.226ZLesly Joseph/api/author/1871952Wayanad constituency,BJP, LDF, CongressKeralaKALPETTA: Wayanad constituency, which has drawn national attention due to the candidature of senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, has finally come alive as the BJP announced K Surendran as its candidate.

Surendran started his campaign with a road show on Tuesday. CPI’s Annie Raja, who is the LDF candidate, completed the first and second phases of the campaign. The UDF election campaign is yet to gather momentum. Party workers hope that Rahul Gandhi will reach Wayanad for campaigning in the first week of April.

NDA candidate K Surendran was received by state, district leaders of NDA at Lakkidi on his arrival in the constituency Tuesday. Later, a roadshow was conducted from Lakkidi to Kalpetta Canara Bank premises. “With the road show of K Surendran, the NDA campaign has become more energetic. We have been carrying out campaigning at ward and constituency levels for the past two weeks. We have started poster campaign, constituency- wise conventions and other traditional as well as social media campaign,” said Prashanth Malavayal, NDA convenor in Wayanad constituency.

Annie Raja took out a procession in Eranad Assembly constituency in Malappuram district on Tuesday. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will attend LDF rallies at Mukkam in Thiruvambady Assembly constituency in Kozhikode district, and Nilambur and Vandoor Assembly constituencies in Malappuram district on April 1.

Meanwhile, the Wayanad district Congress leadership has informed that Rahul Gandhi will reach the constituency next week. “The constituency conventions as part of the first phase of the campaign are over. The formation of booth-level committees is going on along with the ward-level family conventions. Though Congress leader Rahul Gandhi is expected to reach the constituency by April 2, party workers and district leaders are carrying out the campaign with the aim of increasing the victory margin of Rahul Gandhi this time,” DCC president N D Appachan said.

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Kerala LS polls: Leaders quarrel over campaigning, Pathanamthitta CPM on firefighting modehttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kerala-ls-polls-leaders-quarrel-over-campaigning-pathanamthitta-cpm-on-firefighting-modehttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kerala-ls-polls-leaders-quarrel-over-campaigning-pathanamthitta-cpm-on-firefighting-mode#comments2eb26eca-145c-46c7-b284-cd386490727bWed, 27 Mar 2024 02:08:45 +00002024-03-27T06:29:08.227ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566Kerala LS polls,Pathanamthitta CPMKeralaPATHANAMTHITTA/KOCHI: The CPM on Tuesday resorted to fire-fighting mode in Pathanamthitta following reports of altercations between its senior leaders during an internal meeting to discuss shortcomings in its election campaigning in the Lok Sabha constituency.

CPM central committee member TM Thomas Isaac is engaged in a prestigious fight in Pathanamthitta, where he is pitted against three-time MP Anto Antony of Congress and BJP’s Anil K Antony.

It is learnt that the district leadership was not satisfied with the intensity of the electioneering in Adoor assembly segment, and when it was pointed out during the meeting, chaired by senior party leader and minister V N Vasavan, held late on Monday night, an angry argument ensued. A senior trade union leader, who was in charge of the area, challenged the findings and said he would disassociate with the party’s election activities, if that was the district leadership’s stance.

However, CPM quickly resorted to downplay the incident with its senior district leaders -- Pathanamthitta district secretary K P Udayabhanu, former MLAs Raju Abraham, A Padmakumar and district committee member P B Harshakumar -- addressing a joint news conference and refuted the reports.

Rebuffing the reports, Udhayabhanu said, “Apparently, some reports said there were fisticuffs between our senior leaders. We are all sitting here together. There were no fisticuffs or arguments. These are creations of the media.”

Udhayabhanu also warned that the party would take legal action against the media for airing wrong news.

Later, speaking to reporters, Vasavan said there were some disagreements between the leaders on the proposed venue of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s rally in Pathanamthitta. “There are no other major disputes or arguments,” he said.

This is the second controversy that CPM is facing this week in Pathanamthitta. On Sunday, the UDF filed a complaint alleging violation of model code of conduct by CPM candidate Isaac. The complaint was that he was deploying the staff of Kerala Development and Innovation Strategic Council (K-Disc) to offer various employment opportunities to youngsters. It is learnt that Isaac submitted his response to Pathanamthitta Collector S Premkrishnan on Tuesday.

A K Antony yet to decide on campaigning for Congress in Pathanamthitta

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Congress Working Committee leader A K Antony has reiterated that if he is healthy, he would travel to Pathanamthitta to campaign for UDF candidate Anto Antony. Incidentally, Antony’s elder son, Anil K Antony is the BJP candidate in Pathanamthitta.

All eyes are on Antony ever since Anil’s candidature was finalised in Pathanamthitta. Since then everyone wanted to know whether he would campaign there or not.

For the past two weeks or so, the veteran leader had been claiming that if he is keeping good health he wouldn’t mind travelling to Pathanamthitta to campaign for the Congress candidate. But leaders close to Antony told TNIE that he is unlikely to travel outside Thiruvananthapuram.

Speaking to reporters at Indira Bhavan after awarding the Thalekunnil Basheer Memorial Literary Award to writer George Onakkoor, Antony came out with serious criticism against Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that if he returns to power for the third time, it would be disastrous for the nation.

(With inputs from T’Puram)

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Non-cooperation of Isaac delayed probe, ED tells Kerala HChttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/non-cooperation-of-isaac-delayed-probe-ed-tells-kerala-hchttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/non-cooperation-of-isaac-delayed-probe-ed-tells-kerala-hc#commentsf019027a-09bc-4d83-a1a5-388a0e77c2d2Wed, 27 Mar 2024 06:26:36 +00002024-03-27T06:26:36.059ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566Kerala High Court,Masala bonds,Enforcement DirectorateKeralaKOCHI: The Enforcement Directorate (ED) on Tuesday informed the Kerala High Court that its investigation into alleged Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA) violations regarding the issuance of Masala Bonds by KIIFB is delayed due to former Finance Minister Thomas Isaac’s lack of cooperation.

The ED submitted this before the court during the hearing of petitions filed by Thomas Isaac and KIIFB, challenging the summons issued by the ED. In an affidavit, the ED further submitted that Isaac has shown disregard for the law and has challenged the ED’s proceedings by refusing to participate in the investigation or provide any evidence to demonstrate his innocence. His behaviour is not in line with that of a law-abiding citizen, and the ED may resort to measures under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) to enforce the summons.

The ED also submitted that minutes of meetings of KIIFB’s executive committee and general body certified that Isaac was the chairman of the executive committee and vice-chancellor of the general body committee.

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KSEB gets Rs 767-crore financial aidhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kseb-gets-rs-767-crore-financial-aidhttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kseb-gets-rs-767-crore-financial-aid#commentse98eef5a-7e02-403d-808c-7cfe235f8268Wed, 27 Mar 2024 06:18:42 +00002024-03-27T06:18:42.334ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566KSEB,Kerala govtKeralaTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM: The state government has sanctioned Rs 767.71 crore as assistance towards Kerala State Electricity Board (KSEB)’s loss incurred during 2022-23. The state government has issued orders according to permission to take over 75% of the loss incurred by the board which would help the entity avail additional borrowing limit of 0.50% of Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) linked to performance in power during the fiscal year 2023-24.

The board had borrowed Rs 500 crore during last December and another Rs 200 crore this month which helped the entity pay salary and pension. The KSEB had already sought the help of the state government during its meeting with the chief minister during the last week. Following the model code of conduct coming into effect on March 16, the Rural Electrification Corporation backed out from lending loan.

A power ministry official told TNIE that power distribution licensees who have dues are not permitted to receive loans from public sector banks as per prudential norms.

“It was feared the board will be unable to meet the salary and pension as well as difficulty in paying advance amount to power exchange. These would have resulted in the state going dark. It was at this juncture that the state government came forward to bear 75% of the loss incurred by the board,” said a power department official.

With the state government coming out with the GO, both the board and state have been saved.

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Efforts to replenish water bodies within forest regions yield results in Keralahttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/efforts-to-replenish-water-bodies-within-forest-regions-yield-results-in-keralahttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/efforts-to-replenish-water-bodies-within-forest-regions-yield-results-in-kerala#commentsccb6789a-88ea-4012-ae6f-3aaf0256d217Wed, 27 Mar 2024 06:10:05 +00002024-03-27T06:10:05.217ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566mitigate animal-human conflicts in Kerala,replenish water bodiesKeralaKOLLAM: A collaborative effort by the forest department and local residents to replenish water bodies within the forest has shown promising results. Since January, a total of 160 water bodies have been restored across Aryankavu, Punalur, Pathanapuram, Ranni, and Konni forest ranges. Additionally, in each forest range of the southern circle, 50 ponds have been newly constructed along riverbanks.

The primary objective of the initiative is to mitigate animal-human conflicts by enhancing water availability within the forest habitat.

The forest department reports a significant decrease in animal movement from forest areas to residential zones, attributing it to the augmented water resources within the forest. Consequently, incidents of elephant and other wildlife conflicts have notably decreased in Ranni, Konni, Achankovil, and Punalur division areas.

“Since January, the department, in collaboration with local residents, has been actively restoring water bodies within the jungle. We have established 50 new ponds in the forest areas of the southern circle. Our aim is to enhance water accessibility within the forest, thereby minimising human-animal conflicts,” said a senior forest official.

Between 2016 and 2023, a total of 909 fatalities and 7,492 injuries were recorded in human-animal conflicts, with wild animal attacks causing crop damage to the tune of Rs 68.43 crore during this period.

“Our efforts have yielded positive results, leading to a significant reduction in man-animal conflicts. Since January, we have observed a decline in such incidents in forest fringe areas of Kollam, Thiruvananthapuram, and Pathanamthitta districts,” said a senior forest official.

Furthermore, the department is actively working towards improving the health of forest soil. Plans are under way to install GPS devices in elephant corridor areas to monitor elephant movements. Currently, around 104 groups, comprising senior officials, volunteers, local authorities, and residents, have been formed to facilitate effective communication and coordination.

“We are in the process of installing GPS devices in elephant corridors to monitor their movements. Additionally, we have established approximately 104 WhatsApp groups to disseminate crucial information among officials and local residents, enabling us to address man-animal conflicts more efficiently,” said a senior forest official.

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Javadekar accuses CM Vijayan of caste and religious bias amidst 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' debate https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Mar/27/javadekar-accuses-cm-vijayan-of-caste-and-religious-bias-amidst-bharat-mata-ki-jai-debate-3https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2024/Mar/27/javadekar-accuses-cm-vijayan-of-caste-and-religious-bias-amidst-bharat-mata-ki-jai-debate-3#comments9e4866fa-5f01-411d-9b36-f07ad4bdcb61Wed, 27 Mar 2024 04:48:25 +00002024-03-27T04:48:25.987ZPTI/api/author/1903325Javadekar,Bharat Mata ki jai,CM VijayanNationKeralaTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Senior BJP leader Prakash Javadekar has accused Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan of viewing society through the "prism of caste, creed and religion", as the saffron party intensified its attack against the Marxist veteran over his statement on the slogan 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai.'

Addressing a rally organised by the CPI(M) in Malappuram on Monday against the controversial Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), the Chief Minister had said the slogans 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai' and 'Jai Hind' were first raised by two Muslims and asked whether the Sangh Parivar would be ready to abandon them.

"Kerala CM asked whether BJP will chant Bharat Mata ki Jai slogan after knowing that one Muslim poet has coined it? Mr Pinarayi, we don't see society from the prism of caste, creed, or religion. We will chant Bharat Mata ki Jai. Will you chant?" Javadekar, who is also the party's Kerala in-charge, said in a post on 'X' on Tuesday.

Reaching out to the minority community in this Muslim-dominated north Kerala district, the veteran CPI(M) leader had said Muslim rulers, cultural icons and officials had played a significant role in the country's history and independence movement.

Drawing examples from history to prove his point, Vijayan had said a Muslim man named Azimullah Khan had coined the slogan 'Bharat Mata Ki Jai.' He had also said an old diplomat named Abid Hasan had first raised the slogan 'Jai Hind'.

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Two of four Kerala youth forced into Russia-Ukraine war to return home: MoS Muraleedharan https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/two-of-four-kerala-youth-forced-into-russia-ukraine-war-to-return-home-mos-muraleedharan-2https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/two-of-four-kerala-youth-forced-into-russia-ukraine-war-to-return-home-mos-muraleedharan-2#comments68acf424-f72d-4e95-b4be-5223534907aeWed, 27 Mar 2024 04:42:34 +00002024-03-27T04:42:34.118ZPTI/api/author/1903325Russia-Ukraine war,Two Kerala youth,MoS MuraleedharanKeralaNationTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two of the four Kerala-based youths who fought in the war against Ukraine after being recruited into the Russian army by private agencies will soon return home to their families, Union Minister of State (Mos) for External Affairs V Muraleedharan has said.

The MoS said on Tuesday evening that the Indian Embassy was readying their travel documents to return from Russia.

"We expect that they will soon return home," Muraleedharan, who is contesting from the Attingal Lok Sabha constituency in the upcoming 2024 general elections, told reporters.

Regarding the remaining two residents of the state, the MoS said the External Affairs Ministry was in talks with the Russian government to bring them back as well.

"Rest assured we are taking strong measures to ensure their return," he said.

According to the relatives of the three men, he said that they were taken to Russia by a recruitment agency with the promise of a whopping salary of Rs 2.5 lakh.

Earlier, Muraleedharan had said that authorities have launched an investigation into agencies that recruited Indians to go to war-torn Ukraine after luring them with the promise of lucrative jobs in Russia.

He had also said that the Central government was taking all possible efforts to bring back all Indians stranded in the conflict zone, and procedures are underway to take legal action against the agencies that recruited them.

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Kothamangalam murder: Elderly woman was hacked, say policehttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kothamangalam-murder-elderly-woman-was-hacked-say-policehttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kothamangalam-murder-elderly-woman-was-hacked-say-police#commentsd4c55347-c9f0-4a7a-94a4-dfa34881127eWed, 27 Mar 2024 03:23:51 +00002024-03-27T03:23:51.691ZExpress News Service/api/author/1897566Kothamangalam murder,SarammaKeralaKOCHI: The 72-year-old woman found dead on Monday at her residence in Kallad, Kothamangalam, was hacked multiple times on her neck, the police have said. Going by the pattern adopted by the assailant, the police suspect it to be a case of planned murder to steal ornaments.

Saramma, wife of the late Eliyas, of Chengamanattu House, was found lying in a pool of blood when her daughter-in-law, Silju, a schoolteacher, returned from work at 3.30pm. The police were soon called in after she informed her husband, Eldhose, who was at a nearby church, of the incident.

According to the FIR registered at the Kothamangalam police station, four gold bangles weighing 32 grams and a gold chain weighing 16 grams worn by her -- worth Rs 2.94 lakh -- were found missing.

“During the inquest procedure, we identified three deep cuts on her neck. That might be a reason for her death. However, further clarification about the cause of death would be revealed in the postmortem report,” Ernakulam Rural Police Chief Vaibhav Saxena, who visited the crime spot, said.

The initial impression was that Saramma died because of a head injury after being hit by some hard object, he said.

Pointing to the possibility of it being a well-planned operation, the officer said: “If anyone randomly makes such an attempt, the accused would be leaving traces of evidence, which is absent in the case. We suspect that someone who knew that Saramma would be alone at home was involved in the murder and theft. Similarly, sprinkling of turmeric powder also reveals that it was a planned execution.”

The police are interrogating three persons from Assam living in the locality, after it was found that one of them did not go to work on Monday.

“We are not narrowing our probe to just the migrant workers living in the locality. We have prepared a detailed list of suspects. We have received some information following the probe. However, the information has to be double-checked before proceeding further. We have checked CCTV cameras in the area. We hope to nab the persons behind the incident soon. Our best investigators are working on the case,” Saxena said. The forensic team, fingerprint experts and the dog squad examined the crime scene. The police dog stopped the trail after running towards the house of a neighbour. The body of Saramma was handed over to relatives after the postmortem examination on Tuesday. Shocked by the murder, people from different parts of Kothamangalam had gathered at the house after the incident.

Thorough probe

The forensic team, fingerprint experts and the dog squad examined the crime scene. The police dog stopped the trail after running towards the house of a neighbour

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Congress trains 200 speakers to blaze a campaign trail across Keralahttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/congress-trains-200-speakers-to-blaze-a-campaign-trail-across-keralahttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/congress-trains-200-speakers-to-blaze-a-campaign-trail-across-kerala#comments35979823-0dd2-4870-9b56-021cb1fcf7c1Wed, 27 Mar 2024 03:13:43 +00002024-03-27T03:13:43.027ZArun M/api/author/1871240Congress,Kerala LS pollsKeralaKOCHI: Despite the shift in electioneering to digital platforms, the persuasive power of effective oratory continues to resonate with voters. Recognising that, the Congress has lined up 200 speakers to spice up the campaigning across all 20 Lok Sabha constituencies in the state.

These articulate speakers have been tasked with disseminating the party’s policies and key campaign topics to counter targeted attacks from political opponents.

According to Congress leaders, these orators are the party’s “ideological arsenal” and perhaps the real ‘star campaigners’ of the party which aims to repeat the near sweep it achieved in 2019.

The concept was proposed by the Ramesh Chennithala-led KPCC election campaign committee, as the party believes that compelling speakers wield a greater sway over the voters even in the digital age. These individuals, chosen from various levels of the party, have been trained at the party headquarters, Indira Bhavan, in Thiruvananthapuram to accentuate crucial themes and party policies.

The workshop organised for the speakers was attended by top party leaders, including Leader of Opposition V D Satheesan and the AICC leader-in-charge of the party affairs in the state, Deepa Das Munshi.

Campaign committee convenor Pandalam Sudhakaran said the orators were selected by the district committees concerned. “The party has picked 10 members from each Parliament constituency,” he pointed out. CPM, the main political opponent, is now attacking the Congress citing the defection of leaders and the party stand regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act, while the BJP is highlighting the dynastic culture.

“Campaigning is only picking up and we will devise a strategy to counter opponents. Currently, the focus is on disseminating the party’s ideology among the people. They will act as ‘ideological weapon’ of the party,” said senior Congress leader and member of campaign committee, Cherian Philip.

The training session was held under the leadership of Cherian Philip on Monday, from 10am to 5pm.“There are a lot of topics for campaigning but these speakers will focus on uniform policies to reach out to the masses. They will highlight the anti-people policies of Pinarayi Vijayan’s regime in the state and Narendra Modi’s rule in the Centre as well,” he added.

The speakers have been trained to deal with the media, both conventional and social, too. “The directive is not to defame or abuse opponents in any way. We have to follow a polite way of campaigning everywhere, including on social media,” Pandalam Sudhakaran said.

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Kerala: Pro-IUML group in Samastha lashes out at CPM over CAA https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kerala-pro-iuml-group-in-samastha-lashes-out-at-cpm-over-caahttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kerala-pro-iuml-group-in-samastha-lashes-out-at-cpm-over-caa#comments1317d35c-4c41-447d-bbea-487c7e70003bWed, 27 Mar 2024 03:09:28 +00002024-03-27T03:09:28.594ZMP Prashanth/api/author/1870414CPM,Pro-IUML group in SamasthaKeralaKOZHIKODE: The pro-IUML faction in the Samastha Kerala Jem-Iyyathul Ulama has launched a campaign to block CPM’s efforts to woo Muslims by raising issues such as the Citizen Amendment Act (CAA). The group has launched a social media campaign to ‘expose the anti-Muslim’ face of CPM, while the party is busy holding anti-CAA rallies in the state, mainly in Malabar.

In a Facebook post, writer Moyin Malayamma said the presence of Musaliyars in CPM’s Constitution Protection Rally in Malabar was not a good sign.

“It is the negation of the stand they took in the past 95 years. Are there no threats from the CAA outside Malabar? Is the area a part of Pakistan? Answer is very simple. It is only party propaganda. Those who have common sense will understand it. Feel pity over those who join it even after understanding the agenda,” he wrote in the post.

It is the support extended by the rival group in Samastha to LDF candidate in Ponnani K S Hamsa that infuriated the pro-IUML group most. “None of the Samastha leaders or scholars has said Hamsa is their candidate. It is not Samastha’s tradition to be subservient to the communists,” says a message circulating in pro-IUML groups. The message adds that the history of the Samastha is that it showed a way out for the ‘Arival Sunnis’ (Kanthapuram group) who hobnobbed with the CPM.

“Some red musaliyars who are dreaming of material benefits might have said so. But Samastha is not responsible for it,” the message said, apparently referring to the pro-CPM remarks by Samastha mushawara member Umar Faizi Mukkam.

Other campaign materials being circulated in the group are harsher. A poster recalls the remarks by CPM leader Kadakampally Surendran. “CPM is the party of Kadakampally Surendran, who said the content of Malappuram is communal, after the party’s electoral defeat,” said the poster. Another said CPM is the party of EMS who spoke against Sharia laws.

Another post highlights the statement from CPM state committee member K Anil Kumar, who had said it was CPM’s contribution that many Muslim girls have come forward to discard the head scarf. Yet another post says it was SFI that staged ‘Kithab’, the play presented by school students accused of hurting religious sentiments.

It is not the first time the pro-IUML group is campaigning against CPM. It had alleged that the LDF government was promoting liberalism and gender neutrality through school curriculum. Sunni scholars like Bahaudeen Nadvi had recalled the past incident of religious leaders from Malappuram burning the red flag of the communists to protest the ‘irreligious ideology.’

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Kerala: Tired of drama, Chalakudy longs for progresshttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kerala-tired-of-drama-chalakudy-longs-for-progresshttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kerala-tired-of-drama-chalakudy-longs-for-progress#commentsffd80ed4-8861-4379-803a-a783ed2f5ce8Wed, 27 Mar 2024 02:59:21 +00002024-03-27T02:59:21.653ZBiju E Paul/api/author/1872664Chalakudy,Kerala LS pollsKeralaCHALAKUDY: The small bridge above the Chithrapuzha is a mere three kilometres from the temple town of Tripunithura. And the road leading to the industrial area of Ambalamugal is busy with heavy vehicles, with tankers parked on either side to collect oil from the Kochi refinery.

The south-western gateway to the Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency, which borders the Ernakulam and Kottayam constituencies, wears the look of a busy metro.

The election campaign is gaining momentum in the area, says Shankarankutty, a driver from Karimugal. But he also has plenty of grievances to share regarding politicians.

“A vast section of people don’t trust the electoral exercise. All fronts have been cheating people for many decades and we are helpless. After the election, the winners and losers vanish from the scene. The winners are enjoying life using the tax paid by us,” says Shankarankutty, his voice ringing with despair.

While electioneering was aggressive earlier, with graffiti an ever-present sight, nowadays, the walls look deserted. Very little graffiti is visible on roadsides.

But there are posters of sitting MP and UDF candidate Benny Behanan, LDF candidate C Raveendranath and BJP candidate K A Unnikrishnan.

In different parts of Kunnathunadu, though, posters of the Twenty20 candidate – Charly Paul – outnumber those of the others.

The presence of Twenty20 is visible in Karimukal, Pallikkara and Kizhakkambalam, besides other areas, throwing a challenge to the leading fronts. At Kizhakkambalam, numerous vehicles are seen parked at a plot adjacent to the main road. Nearby is the supermarket operated by Twenty20. Many people crowd the entrance with tokens in hand.

The outlet is a huge relief to the people of Kizhakkambalam and neighbouring panchayats, says Kanakan, a Thiruvaniyoor resident.

“If we have to spend around Rs 5,000 for groceries in the open market, we spend a maximum of Rs 2,500 here. Those residing in Kizhakkambalam, Thiruvaniyoor, Poothrikka, Puthencruz, Aikkaranad, Kunnathunad, Mazhuvannoor and Vengola panchayats can buy items from here,” he says.

Kanakan was a communist until seven years ago, but now he is a ward coordinator of Twenty20.

“Whoever else rules the state or country, the poor people always remain poor. However, in these panchayats, people are kings. They get groceries and medicines at a reasonable price. All roads, and the houses of the poor, are in good condition. Opponents say it is because of the corporate social responsibility (CSR) fund of the Kitex company. But the CSR is applicable to all corporates. Who spends it? If we look at other parties, which leader is socially committed? The era of EMS is gone,” he says.

Kalady too is busy but electioneering is yet to pick up pace. The people of Kallala Estate under the Plantation Corporation are a frustrated lot.

Women on their way to collect drinking water at Anjangadi in Sreenarayanapuram panchayat under Kaipamangalam assembly segment | Express

“Governments have neglected us for many years,” says Benny K V. “The wage is too low and the work arduous. Even more worrying is the fear of wild animals. Elephants, tigers and leopards are common sights in these rubber and oil palm plantations. They arrive at the plantation looking for food and water. Today morning, a herd of elephants arrived to drink from a small stream here,” he says, pointing to fresh elephant dung.

K N Soman, who has been residing at a layam (lined houses in a plantation) for the past 53 years, says: “By 7pm, the elephant herd arrives at the plantation, making our lives miserable. No one can go out of the layam after that. If an emergency arises, it is tough to go outside the estate.”

In the Athirappilly forest area, a group of people are busy creating firebreaks to prevent wildfire. They are workers under the Vana Samrakshna Samithi (VSS). “I was an active political worker, but my attitude has changed,” says Vimala Shaji, accompanied by Prasad, Santhosh and Prameela. “The political leaders shake hands, hug, kiss, and do everything possible to please voters. After elections, they never look at us. The Chalakudy river and Athirappilly waterfalls offer a little hope in our lives. The job allotted under the VSS is the only source of income for our families and Rs 600 is the pay. Who wins the election doesn’t matter to us,” she adds.

Workers under Vana Samrakshana Samithi resting after work on the side of Athirappilly-Vazhachal road in Chalakudy | Express

Workers under Vana Samrakshana Samithi resting after work on the side of Athirappilly-Vazhachal road in Chalakudy | ExpressIn Koratty, social activist Rajan Thomas says all fronts are active, with Twenty20 set to create a bit of an impact this election.

Issues are different in Kaipamangalam, the lone coastal segment in the Chalakudy constituency. Octogenarians Kuttappan and Sadanandan are playing cards in the corridor of an old building at Lorrykadavu, near the Anjangadi beach in Sreenarayanapuram panchayat.

Sivadasan, a retired defence person joined in.“The politicians are corrupt,” Kuttappan says, pointing to a lamp post.

“A sum of Rs 5 lakh was earmarkedto install the lamp. However, it cost less than Rs 2 lakh. Where did the remaining money go?”

Another structure near the beach constructed 30 years ago by spending around Rs 25 lakh is lying idle. “But there is no breakwater to anchor boats at the fish landing centre. The money has been wasted. After the summer became harsh, people are running from pillar to post to get potable water. But the people’s representatives remain silent,” says Sivadasan.

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With focus on career dreams, Gen Z goes zzz... over polls & politics on campuses in Keralahttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/with-focus-on-career-dreams-gen-z-goes-zzz-over-polls-politics-on-campuses-in-keralahttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/with-focus-on-career-dreams-gen-z-goes-zzz-over-polls-politics-on-campuses-in-kerala#comments592a19e5-0469-4fbb-b01a-69816c381f89Wed, 27 Mar 2024 02:55:08 +00002024-03-27T02:55:08.948ZAnu Kuruvilla/api/author/1903654Gen Z,Elections campaign in KeralaKeralaKOCHI: With the recent controversies over campus politics in Kerala, one might expect the majority of college students in the state to be caught in the heat and dust of election action. Well, that does not seem to be the case.

The elections couldn’t have come at a worse time for a major chunk of young voters, who are now laser-focused on their semester exams. Unlike in the past, when elections used to be hot topics of discussion among students on college campuses, there clearly is a lull this time.

“The new crop of students, especially the first-time voters, seem to be apolitical,” says Neha Valsaraj, a second-year BA English student at Pazhassi Raja NSS College in Mattannur, Kannur.

“Whether national or regional, politics does not stir them. Their attitude is as if all the hullabaloo around doesn’t affect them.”

Aravind K S, a third-year MSc student at Cusat in Ernakulam, echoes similar observations. “Besides those actively involved in student politics, others are largely disinterested in political activities,” he says.

“If we were to take a survey on the campus, the numbers would clearly illustrate the current scenario. The majority are students who prefer to remain neutral.”

Heavyweight candidates such as BJP’s Rajeev Chandrashekar and Congress’s Hibi Eden have understood this trend, and are striving to attract young voters by announcing new-gen projects and connecting with them on a personal level.

In a move to attract students in the tech sector, Union Minister Rajeev Chandrasekhar, the NDA candidate in Thiruvananthapuram, has promised to set up AI labs in 10 colleges in the constituency.

Meanwhile, Congress and LDF leaders such as Hibi, K Muraleedharan, M K Raghavan, Elamaram Kareem and K K Shailaja have been visiting campuses and engaging directly with students.

Sivaram, a second-year student at Ernakulam Government Law College, the student community on campuses can be divided into three groups. “The first group has clear-cut affiliations to political parties, the second votes based on the candidate’s profile, and, finally, those who don’t delve much into poll politics,” he says.

“The last group forms the majority. Moreover, nobody has any time to think about politics due to exams.”

The only thing that bothers these ‘apolitical’ students are their marks and career prospects, says Aravind. “According to student organisations, many of these students might not even exercise their franchise,” he adds.

NDA candidate Rajeev Chandrasekhar interacting with students of LBS Institute, T’Puram

“Lack of job opportunities here, and the lure of greener pastures abroad are also making students apolitical. It’s as if: ‘We won’t be here, so why bother?’”

Neha points out another factor: the ban on campus politics by autonomous colleges. “Unlike in the past, most campuses, except government ones, don’t have active student politics,” she says.

Agreeing with Neha, Sarin S, a fourth-year BTech student at Saintgits College of Engineering (Autonomous) in Kottayam, says, “Students are not politically aware. Ask students on our campus, and you will find that most would vote for a party or candidate as instructed by their families.”

He adds that there’s also a general disdain among the youth that whoever wins elections would only worry about filling one’s own pocket and do nothing for the country’s welfare.

Are any efforts being made to make students more politically aware? “Yes, a lot of awareness campaigns are being held in colleges,” says Vaidyanathan S, first-year B.Com student at St Joseph’s College, Devagiri, in Kozhikode.

“Student leaders have been campaigning. They have also been training students on the process of voting and its importance.”

Awareness campaigns are being held by the district administration as well, says Neha. “However, this doesn’t necessarily translate to political awareness among students,” she adds.

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Kerala LS polls: Back-to-back bang-bang!https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kerala-ls-polls-back-to-back-bang-banghttps://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2024/Mar/27/kerala-ls-polls-back-to-back-bang-bang#commentsed62cfd0-6151-4a43-8bab-12d5a02ce8dbWed, 27 Mar 2024 02:51:56 +00002024-03-27T02:51:56.163ZK S Sreejith/api/author/1872342Kerala LS pollsKeralaTHIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Two recent elections stood out distinctively in Kerala’s political history for the dynamic voting patterns that deviated from the norm. They were ‘wave’ elections.

After the 1980s, when the UDF and LDF were formed, in most Lok Sabha elections, the UDF always had an edge, except in 2004. In the case of assembly elections, the pendulum system was a given. Shocking landslides were a rarity.

However, the April 2019 parliament election and the 2021 state assembly election, Kerala witnessed back-to-back stunners.

The 2019 general elections came after the flood of the century in 2018. While some pinned the blame on the then LDF government, others lauded it for the way it managed the crisis.

Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi’s candidature from Wayanad, along with the impression created about the Congress returning to power at the Centre, tilted the balance in UDF’s favour.

Then, of course, the then LDF government’s stand on the Supreme Court verdict on women’s entry into the Sabarimala temple led to polarisation of the Hindu votes against the Left. For the first time after the Nilakkal protest in 1982, the Sangh Parivar, which led a strong protest against the state government’s haste in implementing the SC verdict, saw a golden opportunity. But its hopes were dashed.

The possibility of a Congress comeback at the Centre drove Muslim and Christian votes in favour of the UDF. Upsetting the BJP’s calculations, a large chunk of Hindu votes also swayed in its favour, helping it win 19 of the 20 parliament seats. An unprecedented sweep in Kerala.

After two years, a belligerent UDF took on the LDF in the assembly election held in May 2021. The LDF appeared to be on the backfoot. The sensational case over gold smuggling via diplomatic channels and the consequent arrest of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s principal secretary M Sivasankar by the ED had left the LDF shaken.

Add to that, other scandals and allegations over mismanagement of the 2018 flood relief and the pandemic. The age-old ‘anti-incumbency factor’ seemed to be on the boil. The UDF eyed an easy walkover.

However, the LDF surprised poll pundits with an impressive comeback in the local self-government elections, held soon after the general election. The UDF and the BJP were dismayed.

The UDF still banked its hopes on the ‘pendulum factor’ in electoral politics of Kerala, where the two mainstream fronts came to power in alternate intervals. That, however, would not be the case. The LDF government’s Covid crisis management, along with the distribution of free ration kits, seemed to retain voter confidence. With the anti-incumbency factor fizzling out, the LDF created history by retaining power for a consecutive second term by any government – except the Congress-CPI government led by C Achutha Menon in 1977. The LDF was reelected with 99 of the total of 140 seats – up by 8 from its 2016 tally.

Family matters

K Muraleedharan: Son of former chief minister K Karunakaran, Muraleedharan is a four-time MP and two-time MLA. The Congress has fielded him in Thrissur, his father’s home turf. He was elected as an MP from Kozhikode in 1989, 1991, 1999, and Vadakara in 2019. He was elected to the state assembly from Vattiyoorkavu in 2011 and 2016.

Rahul Gandhi: Son of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi and former Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Rahul is contesting for the second time in Wayanad. In the 2019 general election, he contested from Amethi, his then sitting seat, and Wayanad. He lost to Smriti Irani of the BJP in Amethi, a traditional fief of the Gandhi family, but won in Wayanad with a record margin.

Hibi Eden: Son of the late Congress leader and MP George Eden, Hibi was elected to the Lok Sabha in 2019 while he was representing Ernakulam in the state assembly. He replaced former Union minister K V Thomas, and is now seeking a second term in Parliament from Ernakulam.

Francis George: Francis George, son of Kerala Congress founder K M George, has been elected twice as MP from Idukki. In 2020, he merged his Janadhipathya Kerala Congress, with the P J Joseph faction of the Kerala Congress. He is now seeking a mandate in Kottayam as a candidate of the UDF.

A Vijayaraghavan: A former MP and member of the CPM politburo, Vijayaraghavan is the husband of Higher Education Minister R Bindu. Having previously represented Palakkad in Parliament (1989), he is vying to reclaim the seat, which the party lost in 2019.

Anil Antony: Son of former chief minister and veteran Congress leader A K Antony, Anil is contesting as a BJP candidate in the Pathanamthitta Lok Sabha constituency. Previously a leader of the Congress IT cell, he joined the BJP last year.

Thushar Vellappally: Thushar Vellappally is the son of Vellappally Natesan, general secretary of the SNDP Yogam. Thushar is contesting in the Kottayam LS seat as a candidate of the NDA. Thushar is the president of BDJS and serves as the vice-president of the SNDP. In 2019, he contested from Wayanad.

Bridging the Gulf

Congress leader Shafi Parambil, the UDF candidate in Vadakara, is in Qatar to campaign among the Keralites in the country. Former League leader and the LDF candidate in Ponnani K S Hamsa will leave for the UAE within two days. Besides encouraging voters to return to Kerala during polling, these visits are intended to canvas votes of their relatives back home. Raising funds, of course, is another reason, say sources.

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