What goes around …
Last week was a tough time for Tangedco as an anti-corruption NGO filed a vigilance complaint alleging irregularities in awarding tenders for procurement of transformers. In response, top officials at the public utility had issued a statement denying the allegations. However, many officials had opposed the idea of issuing such a statement as they had raised concerns over the flaws in the tender process, and issuing a statement defending the tenders may only land them in more trouble. It remains to be seen whether the concerns raised by a section of officials will come back to bite Tangedco.
False alarm
A few days back the police intercepted an old model jeep with a police sticker and licence plate with the letter ‘G’, while conducting regular vehicle checks on the Chennai to Trichy Highway at Tindivanam at midnight. On inspection, the officers discovered bundles of rifles and swords in it. Senior officials were notified and they arrived at the scene immediately. On checking, the police found that the rifles and swords were actually props used in the filming of a movie near Gingee and Tiruvannamalai, featuring Rajinikanth. After confirming that their documents were in order, the officials instructed the occupants of the vehicle to hide the police sticker and ‘G’ from the licence plate, before letting them go.
Ignorance is bliss
Cops of an all women police station (AWPS) and law and order (L&O) police station, who are always at loggerheads over investigation jurisdiction, were at it again last week when handling a sensational case under the Pocso Act. AWPS cops were upset with the latter for sharing graphic and sensitive details about the case with a few media outlets, which led to victim shaming on a few TV channels. When AWPS cops raised the issue with the senior officer, the L&O cops stated that AWPS cops were incompetent and that they arrested certain people out of vested interest. Even though the rivalry reached a new high, the senior official refused to intervene in the matter and told the two departments to sort it out amongst themselves.
Of loyalties, priorities
A large number of residents from Kombao thottam, Quaid-E-Millath Nagar in Tiruppur city, were opposing the construction of a sewage treatment plant in the area recently. The locality, mostly dominated by the Muslim community, is near Noyyal river and in the heart of the city. To convince them, minister KN Nehru was deputed to speak to the residents. As the effort failed, Nehru decided to transfer the project to another location. “Bhais (Muslims) from Tiruchi are very obedient, they immediately accept my opinion, but bhais from Tiruppur are adamant,” Nehru remarked. In reply, one of the elders said, “Bhais from Tiruppur are good and adamant, but they will only vote for DMK.” This comment triggered a huge laughter among the audience and KN Nehru moved away with a smile.
Just cordial
MK Alagiri, who was expelled from DMK, celebrated his mother Dayalu Ammal’s birthday along with his brother MK Stalin at the Gopalapuram residence on Sunday, which created speculation about Alagiri’s re-entry into politics. When reporters asked Udhayanidhi if Alagiri and Stalin spoke to each other, he said both have always shared an amicable relationship. On being prodded further about his uncle’s re-entry into politics, Udhayanidhi said he is not aware of any such development, leaving Alagiri’s supporters disappointed.
(Contributed by S Guruvanmikanathan, Bagalavan B Perier, Sahaya Novinston Lobo, Saravanan MP and S Kumaresan; Compiled by Affan Abdul Kadar)