1. Leaders flay Tirunelveli caste violence
The Leader of Opposition and AIADMK’s general secretary, Edappadi K. Palaniswami deplored the attack, robbery and urination upon two young men of the Scheduled Caste community near Thachanallur in Tirunelveli district. Earlier yesterday, six persons were arrested over the incident that took place on October 30.
“This has proved that caste atrocities are taking place in an unprecedented way after the DMK came to power [in May 2021],” Mr Palaniswami alleged in a post on his social media handle (X). Tamil Nadu Congress Committee’s legislature party leader K. Selvaperunthagai also condemned the incident.
Tamil Nadu Congress Committee’s legislature party leader K. Selvaperunthagai, PMK founder S. Ramadoss, Dravida Kazhangam leader Veeramani, MDMK leader Vaiko also condemned the incident.
2. Case to remove all unauthorised flag poles dismissed
The Madras High Court dismissed a public interest litigation (PIL) petition which sought a direction to the Tamil Nadu Home Secretary and Director-General of Police to remove all unauthorised flag poles across the State, with an observation that a similar direction had already been issued by the court in 2019.
3. MKU convocation | CPI (M) holds black flag protest; Governor skips address
Cadres of Communist Party of India (Marxist) held a black flag protest against Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi in Madurai, for not granting assent to award honorary doctorate to freedom fighter and veteran Communist leader N. Sankaraiah, ahead of the Governor’s arrival to participate in the convocation ceremony of Madurai Kamaraj University.
A section of professors boycotted the event. The Governor who distributed certificates to the graduates skipped his convocation address.
Earlier yesterday, Tamil Nadu Minister for Higher Education K. Ponmudy announced that he was boycotting the event, citing the pendency of Governor’s assent for the honorary doctorate to Sankaraiah.
4. BJP functionary Suriya Shiva back in part post
Following the completion of the six-month suspension period as part of disciplinary action, Tiruchi Suriya Shiva, son of Tiruchi DMK MP Siva, has been directed to resume his party post based on his request, according to a statement issued by the Tamil Nadu BJP leader K. Annamalai.
It may be recalled that Suriya Shiva, was suspended from the post of State general secretary of the Tamil Nadu BJP’s Other Backward Classes’ wing in November last year, following the leak of an abusive telephonic conversation he had with the party’s State minority wing president Daisy Saran. Later in December, he announced he was quitting the BJP.
