Articles by "Tamil Nadu"
Showing posts with label Tamil Nadu. Show all posts

Hello Jammu News at 7:39:00 PM 1




Chennai, Jul 1  :   Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam on Wednesday greeted Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on his 71st birthday.

The AIADMK Coordinator said it was "quite befitting that this high office (of V-P) is adorned by an erudite scholar, parliamentarian and statesman like you."

"It is no secret that your vast and deep knowledge of our people's aspirations and problems, right from your student days, have moulded you into what you are," Panneerselvam said in his greetings to Naidu.

Panneerselvam conveyed his "heartiest felicitations and I feel privileged to join lakhs of well-wishers, who pray for your continued stride in the service of the nation".

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Hello Jammu News at 11:20:00 PM 0
Indian flag and Israel flag


Coimbatore, Jan 28 :  With resolutions being moved in the European Parliament against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, a senior Israeli diplomat said on Tuesday that the issue is India's internal matter.

CAA and Article 370 (that was scrapped) are internal matters of India, which has every right to take a decision about its citizens, Consul General of Israel to South India Dana Kursh told reporters.

Replying to a specific question on Israel's stand on European Union Parliament's resolutions, she said that every country has the right to take decisions about its citizens.

"India has also taken such decision and EU has issues beyond these and no nation should act in any biased manner," she said.

India has supported Israel in such crises from other nations, Kursh said.

Kursh, here to participate in the two-day Indo-Israel Joint Conference on Sustainable Cities at Kumaraguru College of Technology, said both the countries have tie-up in all three major sectors of academia, industry and government.

Tamil Nadu has many successful partnerships with Israel, she said and cited the seawater desalination and waste water treatment plants at Chennai.
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Hello Jammu News at 8:54:00 PM 0
Muslim outfit holding anti-CAA protests


Chennai, Jan 25 :  Scores of members of Muslim outfit Tamil Nadu Thowheed Jamath took out protest marches across Tamil Nadu on Saturday against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

The protesters gathered in front of the Chennai Collectorate holding placards and TNTJ flags and raised slogans demanding withdrawal of the Act.

Tight security was in place to ensure no untoward incidents took place, police sources said.

Around 1,000 cadres congregated in Thanjavur and Tirunelveli holding the national flag and TNTJ flags and staged protests.

The cadres were also seen holding placards saying 'No CAA, No NPR (National Population Register)' and also demanded that the Centre withdraw the Act.

Similarly, TNTJ members in Villupuram and Cuddalore districts took out a protest march towards the district collectorate office and later dispersed, police said.
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Hello Jammu News at 6:27:00 PM 0
statue of rationalist leader E V Ramasamy 'Periyar'


Chennai, Jan 24 :  A statue of rationalist leader E V Ramasamy 'Periyar' was found vandalised in neighbouring Kancheepuram district on Friday with political leaders in Tamil Nadu condemning it and demanding stern action against the culprits.

The statue at Salavakkam was found damaged on Friday morning, causing a flutter in the locality, police said.

The state police warned of "strong action" against anti-social elements involving in vandalising statues of Periyar or other leaders.

The incident comes in the backdrop of a renewed debate on Periyar in Tamil Nadu, after superstar Rajinikanth last week had made some remarks about a 1971 rally taken out by the Dravidian stalwart.

Taking part at an event held by Tamil magazine 'Thuglak' on Jannuary 14, Rajinikanth had alleged: "In 1971, at Salem, Periyar took out a rally in which the undressed images of Lord Sriramachandramoorthy and Sita -with a garland of sandal- (were) featured...."

His comments drew the ire of pro-Periyar outfits and political parties, including the ruling AIADMK and DMK, in Tamil Nadu which hold the late leader in high esteem.

The actor, who is expected to float his political party ahead of assembly elections next year, had refused to apologise as demanded by some Dravidian outfits, maintaining what he said was factual.

Condemning the vandalisation, DMK President M K Stalin on Friday said damaging the statue of Periyar who had "strived for Tamils and Tamil Nadu for 95 years was shameful and regrettable."

The state government must take due action, he told reporters here.

Director General of Police L K Tripathy "has warned police will take very strong action against anti-social elements who vandalise statue of Thanthai Periyar or statues of other leaders in the state," a police source said.

PMK founder leader S Ramadoss expressed concern over the incident and said it will harm general peace.

Of late, such incidents have been recurring in the state, he said adding anyone who hold contrarian views to that of Periyar should only express their opinions but not resort to such vandalism which was unacceptable.

He demanded the arrest of culprits behind the act.

CPI state secretay R Mutharasan and AMMK leader TTV Dhinakaran also condemned the vandalism and demanded proper action
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Hello Jammu News at 8:54:00 PM 0
Check your facts, Nirmala Sitharaman tells nitpickers


Chennai, Jan 19 :  Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday said those who hurled jibes at her for not taking part in a recent brainstorming meet steered by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on reviving economy have got their facts wrong.

In view of another appointment that was finalised about a month prior to the pre-budget meet on January 9 at Niti Aayog, she could not participate in it, she said.

"After getting Prime Minister's approval, I took part in another event. But without knowing the facts in full, some people are making comments," she said.

While Nirmala faced flak from some, including netizens for not participating in the important meet, she said she knew her job and work on the union budget was on.

"Some are saying I am taking the role of Home Minister and going around the country explaining about CAA. We have our own duty.

This government is one and even though I travel across the country to speak on CAA, I focus on my work. We have got around 10 days to present the budget and that work is also going on," Sitharaman said in a meet here on CAA.

On comments in the recent past that she was announcing a "budget every Friday," which was a reference to booster measures for various sectors, the Union Minister said she such remarks were light hearted and came as a relief to her.

"It is good entertainment," she said.

The meet chaired by Prime Minister Modi discussed a range of issues to pep up growth, startups and innovation.

After deliberating with economists, private equity and venture capitalists, business leaders and agri experts, Modi called for focussed efforts from all stakeholders to achieve the target of nearly doubling the size of the Indian economy to USD 5 trillion by 2024.
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Hello Jammu News at 4:35:00 PM 0



Chennai, Mar 24 :   The IPL 2019 opener turned out to be a low-scoring contest and rival captains Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Virat Kohli expressed their dissatisfaction over the slowness of the Chepauk track.


Royal Challengers Bangalore were all out for 70 in 17.1 overs, a target that Chennai Super Kings achieved in 17.4 overs to win the match by seven wickets. 

Despite finishing on the winning side, Dhoni made it clear that he would expect better wickets in the upcoming games.

"I never expected the wicket to play how it actually played. It was too slow. We were really surprised by how slow the wicket was. It reminded me of a Champions League wicket in 2011 after we won the IPL. 

"The wicket definitely needs to be much better, even with dew it was spinning big," Dhoni said at the post-match presentation ceremony here last night. 

Kohli, who is also the Indian captain, on his part said: "The wicket looked much better than it played. No one thought the wicket's going to play the way it played. We thought somewhere 140-150 would be an ideal score because of the dew factor later on. A scrappy sort of start to the league. That is what you get when you have a wicket like that. 

"But either team would have struggled batting first. I don't think either team had control over it. The pitch was under the covers for four days." 

Kohli felt neither teams enjoyed "that kind of a pitch".

"I don't think either of the team would have enjoyed that kind of a pitch, especially in T20 cricket where guys want to get runs and put the runs on the board or chase scores down." 

Dhoni said any genuine spinner will do well on this track.

"Something like 140-150 is something you are looking at; 80, 90, 100 or 120 is very low scoring. If you saw how the wicket played and if you have genuine spinners in your line-up you can create lot of trouble. It will be very difficult to score runs. 

"So the wicket needs to get much better than where it is right now. It needs to be (more) high scoring. Other teams have good spinners as well and this isn't the pitch we are looking forward to," the CSK skipper added.

Dhoni said his reason for opting to bowl after winning the toss was the uncertainty over how the surface would behave as CSK had the experience of playing a practice match leading into the IPL opener. 

"We were not really sure about the wicket. We played a practice game on the same wicket and it wasn't turning so much. It was a slightly high-scoring game. Yes, practice game, there is a tendency normally you will score 30 runs more than what you will in a proper game." 

For Kohli, it was a relief that a match like this happened at the start of the tournament.

"No one wants to start like this, but it's good to get a game like this out of the way early in the tournament rather than having it at a very important stage in the tournament," the RCB captain said. 

"We spoke of trying to be in the game, taking it to the 18th over was nice to see." 

Kohli, however, admitted that his team's batting was not good. 

"The batting wasn't good, it wasn't easy to bat on, looked much better surface though. We should have batted better. If that was 100-110 run game it would have been very close," he said.   [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 4:08:00 PM 0


Chennai, Mar 11 :  The AIADMK in Tamil Nadu Monday kick-started its candidate selection process for the April 18 Lok Sabha elections in the state, with the interview of ticket aspirants of ten constituencies.

The ruling party also invited applications from aspiring candidates for the by-polls to 18 Assembly segments, which will be held along with the parliamentary polls.

Elections to 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone Puducherry segment will be held on April 18, the second of the seven phases of polling across the country for a total of 543 seats.

On Monday, the AIADMK Parliamentary Board, whose members include party Coordinator and state Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and Joint Coordinator and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami, interviewed the aspiring candidates for 10 constituencies including Salem, Nilgiris and Coimbatore, a party release said.

The AIADMK is heading the NDA in Tamil Nadu, whose constituents are the BJP, PMK, DMDK, Puthiya Tamizhagam and Puthiya Neethi Katchi.

The party has allotted seven seats to PMK, five to the BJP, four to the Vijayakanth-led DMDK, and one each to Puthiya Tamizhagam and Puthiya Neethi Katchi in the state, thus leaving 21 for itself as of now.

There are expectations that former Minister GK Vasan- led Tamil Maanila Congress may join the AIADMK front, giving the final shape to the combine that will take on the DMK-led alliance.

The lone Puducherry seat has been allotted to AINRC, headed by former chief minister N Rangasamy.

Further, the AIADMK invited application forms from aspirants for 18 Assembly seats in the state where bypolls are scheduled.

The filled-in forms and a fee of Rs 25,000 should be submitted on March 13 between 10 a.m and 6 p.m, it said.

The by-polls are considered crucial as it would have a bearing on the stability of the Palaniswami-led AIADMK government which needs to win a sizeable number of them to retain its majority in the 234-member House.

Bypolls would be held in Poonamallee, Perambur, Tiruporur, Sholinghur, Gudiyatham, Ambur, Hosur, Harur, Pappireddipapatti, Nilakkottai, Tiruvarur, Thanjavur, Manamadurai, Andipatti, Periyakulam, Sattur, Paramakudi and Vilathikulam, he had said.

Of the 18 seats, sixteen had fallen vacant following the disqualification of ruling AIADMK MLAs loyal to rival party leader TTV Dhinakaran.

The by-poll to Tiruvarur seat has been necessitated by the death of sitting member and late DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi while the Hosur seat fell vacant following the disqualification of Minister K Balakrishna Reddy after his conviction by a court in a decades-old criminal case.

Bypolls were not scheduled for Tiruparankundram, Ottapidaram and Aravakurichi constituencies, which are also vacant, in view of election petitions pending in the Madras High Court.       [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 4:58:00 PM 0


Chennai, Mar 9 :  A total of 172 students has been commissioned as gentlemen and lady cadets, including those hailing from Bhutan and Afghanistan, during a passing out parade at the Officers Training Academy here.

Lieutenant General Ranbir Singh, General Officer, Commander-in-Chief, reviewed the parade Saturday and encouraged the cadets to adhere to core values of the Indian army.

Also, he presented the Sword of Honour and a silver medal to the academy under officer Siddharth Bhawnani.

Singh complimented the cadets and staff of the OTA on the excellent standard displayed by all.

He presented a gold medal to cadet Sandhya and a bronze medal to battalion under officer Noyonika Binda, an official press release said.                 [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 3:17:00 PM 0


Chennai, Feb 26 :  Makkal Needhi Maiam Tuesday announced that non-members would be allowed to seek party tickets to contest the coming Lok Sabha elections.

Speaking to reporters here, the party president Kamal Haasan said applications can be procured from February 28 to March 7 at a cost of Rs 10,000 each.

"This is not just for MNM members. But people also should take part. Non-members can also recommend a prospective candidate from a district or zone if they think the person would come out as a best MP," he said.

Talking to reporters here, Haasan asserted that his party would join hands only with like-minded parties.

"We are not going to join hands with those with whom we are having differences of opinion. Having such concurrence with allies is very important, that is why we are not hurrying on fixing an alliance," he said, adding talks were going on.

Asked if there was a change in his stand on contesting alone, Haasan said, "Earlier we had said if there is a necessity we would contest alone. If there is a circumstance like that now we would be going alone and are ready for it."

The MNM's 'election committee' would review the applications and hold a formal interview at the party's headquarters in Chennai after March 7 to shortlist its candidates, the party said.

Early this month, the actor-politician had said his Makkal Needhi Maiam would contest all the 39 seats in Tamil Nadu on its own in the coming Lok Sabha polls, indicating a shift in its policy to forge alliances.

"We are trying to serve good for the people with clean hands. We are trying to keep our hands clean by not allying with any of the Dravidian parties," he said.

Asked whether his party would contest all the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu and one in neighbouring Puducherry, he said, "yes, we have taken such a decision".              [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 2:28:00 PM 0



Chennai, Feb 26 :  The DMK Tuesday sealed a seat sharing agreement with Kongunadu Makkal Desiya Katchi (KMDK) for the coming Lok Sabha polls,allotting one seat to its ally.

The seat-sharing was finalised between DMK President M K Stalin and KMDK leader E R Easwaran at the DMK headquarters here, a party release said.

According to the agreement, KMDK will fight the election from DMK's 'Rising Sun' symbol, the release added.

DMK has already finalised its seat-sharing with the Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League, allotting the national party nine seats in Tamil Nadu and the lone segment in the neighbouring Puducherry.

The IUML has been allotted one seat.

There are a total of 39 Parliamentary segments in Tamil Nadu, while the neighbouring Puducherry has one.           [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 2:01:00 PM 0


Chennai, Feb 26 :  Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami Tuesday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's air strikes on terror launch pads in Pakistan, commending him for his "bold" efforts against terrorism.

Modi was tasting success in rooting out terrorism, which was threatening the entire world, the chief minister said in a statement and lauded him on behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu.

"I extend my greetings to Prime Minister Narendra Modi due to whose bold functioning, a successful air strike has been carried out which has demolished terror camps in Pakistan," Palaniswami said.

India conducted a major preemptive strike on a Jaish-e-Mohammed training camp early Tuesday, killing a "very large number" of terrorists, trainers and senior commanders 

The strike comes amid heightened tension between India and Pakistan following the February 14 suicide attack by Pakistan-based Jaish-e-Mohammad terror group in Kashmir's Pulwama district that killed 40 CRPF soldiers.           [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 6:10:00 PM 0


New Delhi, Feb 24 :   Prime Minister Narendra Modi Sunday paid tributes to former Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on her 71st birth anniversary, recalling her contributions towards development of the state.

"Tributes to Jayalalithaa Ji on her birth anniversary. Her contribution towards the development of Tamil Nadu will be remembered for generations," he tweeted.

Describing the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader as a "fine administrator and compassionate leader", Modi said her welfare measures had "benefitted countless poor people".

On her demise in December, 2016, the union cabinet had passed a resolution hailing her as a people's leader.

Such resolutions are passed on death of prominent leaders.                [Agencies]
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Hello Jammu News at 4:04:00 PM 0




Chennai, Feb 15 :  A pan-India students and youths organisations' collective-Young India National Coordination Committee (YINCC) has said it will begin campaigns next month across the country to vote BJP out of power for "ditching" the student community.


The body, consisting of 42 students and youth organisations, includes students' unions of Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, Aligarh Muslim University, Allahabad University and Rajasthan University.

JNU Students Union President (JNUSU) Sai Balaji said the collective would begin campaigns across the country from next month (March), in the run-up to the Lok Sabha elections.

"The present government has clearly ditched us in several ways and we have been bearing the brunt of it. This campaign is also to vote the BJP out of power," Balaji told PTI during an interaction.

Last week, thousands of students and youths of the collective took out a march in the national capital from Red Fort to Parliament Street demanding jobs and better educational opportunities.

"To any new government, our demands would be to fill all vacant posts in the government, offer an education loan waiver," Balaji said, referring to a charter released by YINCC.

The charter demands allocation of at least 10 per cent on education in the budget, ending the practice of alleged seat-cuts in universities, fee hike, reservation-cut in higher educational institutions.

"End gender discriminatory rules, ensure academic freedom and freedom of expression on campuses, fulfil constitutionally-mandated reservations," it said.                         PTI
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Hello Jammu News at 2:37:00 PM 0


Chennai, Jan 12 : Two Korean women passengers were detained for allegedly smuggling 24 kg of gold worth Rs 8 crore by the customs department at the Anna international terminal here on Saturday, officials said.

Acting on specific inputs, the air intelligence unit personnel of the department intercepted the passengers who arrived from Hong Kong, an official press release said.

A personal examination of the two revealed 12 gold bars weighing one kg each concealed in their inner garments, it said.

The women were detained and the gold was seized under the provisions of Customs Act, 1962, it added.           PTI
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Hello Jammu News at 6:49:00 PM 0
Nagapattinam, Dec 14 : Four more people have been arrested in connection with the attack on the car belonging to Tamil Nadu Handlooms Minister OS Manian last month while he was visiting the cyclone-hit areas of the district, police said here Friday.

With this, the number of people arrested for the alleged attack has gone up to 12, the police said.

The four were remanded in judicial custody, they said.

The Minister's car was damaged on November 18 while he was proceeding to inspect the cyclone-affected Kannithoppu area of Vedaranyam.   PTI

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Hello Jammu News at 4:36:00 PM 0

Singapore, Sep 22: Leading musical instrument maker Yamaha will commence production of acoustic guitars and portable keyboards early next year from its factory in Tamil Nadu and expects to export 20-30 per cent from the first year's production, a top company official has said.

According to Yamaha Music India, the company would produce 400,000 acoustic guitars and 300,000 portable keyboards a year in the coming years.

"YMI is leading Japan's Yamaha group in the Singapore dollar 720 million investment for two-phase development of a factory that would eventually produce 400,000 acoustic guitars and 300,000 portable keyboards a year, said YMI managing director Takashi Haga on Friday.

Yamaha investment is proceeding smoothly with a good support from the Tamil Nadu government, said Haga while addressing a seminar on promotion of Global Investors Meet 2019 to be hosted by Tamil Nadu on January 23 and 24, 2019.

The Japanese company has invested Singapore dollar 380 million for the first phase of the factory that is coming up at One Hub Chennai industrial zone in Tamil Nadu.

The development has been given all clearances with Phase I construction that started in July last year. Preparation are underway to commence production from early next year.

Most of the YMI production will be for the Indian market, though Haga expects to initially export about 20-30 per cent from first year production of 100,000 sets.

Exports volume will decrease as Yamaha expects strong demand for its products in the year ahead, said Haga, adding that the market has been surveyed.

"We have started music school which is collaborating with private schools across the country," Haga said. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 4:31:00 PM 0

Chennai, Sep 15: Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit denied Saturday reports in a section of media that he had forwarded to the Centre the state government's recommendation to release all the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.

The Governor said a decision on the issue would be taken in a "just and fair manner" in accordance with the Constitution.

"A section of media has been reporting that in the matter of the release of the convicted prisoners undergoing life imprisonment for involvement in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, a reference has been made to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India," a statement issued by the Raj Bhavan said.

Also, some television channels have been holding debates on this "assumption", it said.

"It is clarified that no reference has been made to the Ministry of Home Affairs in the matter. The case is a complex one and involves the examination of legal, administrative and constitutional issues," the statement by Joint Director-Public Relations of the Raj Bhavan said.

Noting that voluminous records on the matter were being received from the state government, the Raj Bhavan said court judgments on connected matters were handed over to it only on September 14.

"All efforts will be taken to process the papers scrupulously. Necessary consultation may be carried out, when required, in due course. The decision will be taken in a just and fair manner and in accordance with the Constitution," the Raj Bhavan said.

On September 9, the Tamil Nadu Cabinet had recommended the release of all the seven Rajiv case convicts, including Nalini and her husband Sriharan alias Murugan.

All the seven prisoners are in jail since 1991.

Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a blast at an election rally in Sriperumbudur near here on May 21, 1991. Fourteen others, including Dhanu, the assassin, were also killed.

Tamil outfits Friday claimed that Purohit had sent the recommendation to the Centre for its advice and Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi announced a protest demonstration on September 26 in this regard. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 6:25:00 PM 0

Chennai, Sep 14: Days after Tamil Nadu cabinet recommended the release of Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts, pro-Tamil outfits Thursday claimed Governor Banwarilal Purohit has forwarded it to the Centre and demanded that all seven be set free forthwith.

Though there was no official word on it from Raj Bhavan, Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi led by T Velmurugan claimed Purohit had sent the cabinet's recommendation to the Centre, calling it against the Constitution and a "slight" to Tamil people.

A former MLA, Velmurugan said it was only to avoid legal complications that their release was contemplated under Article 161 of the Constitution by the state.

The Supreme Court had also disposed of a related case recently which was earlier a "stumbling block" in freeing the convicts, he said.

Disposing of a petition by the Centre, the Supreme Court had said on September 6 that Tamil Nadu governor was at liberty to decide the mercy petition of A G Perarivalan, one of the convicts.

Under such circumstances, he said, the governor should "give his approval for the release of the convicts and abide by the law ".

To urge the governor to accord his approval and go by the law, his party would hold a "besiege Raj Bhavan" protest on September 26, he said.

When approached to ascertain whether Purohit has forwarded the state's recommendation to the Centre, a Raj Bhavan official said, "It's confidential and we cannot comment on it".

Tamil Nadu Law Minister C Ve Shanmugam said there was no formal word on it.

"There is no official communique on it," Shanmugam said in a terse reply.

"Under Article 161, the governor of a state has full powers to decide on the recommendations of the state Cabinet," the minister said on the sidelines of a function in Cuddalore.

Tamil outfit "Tamil Desiya Periyakkam" said the governor sending the recommendation to the union home ministry raises suspicion if he was succumbing to "North Indian political pressures".

Under Article 161, the governor cannot exercise his personal discretion and has to just implement the Cabinet's decision, it said.

DMK organising secretary and Rajya Sabha MP R S Barathi backed the release of the convicts and said he felt there was no need to take up the matter with the Centre.

"In my opinion, sending the recommendation to the central government is not necessary. The Supreme Court's direction should be followed," he told.

When the Supreme Court has given its direction, the governor has to act accordingly, he said, adding it is "crystal clear" that the apex court has ruled that the state government can take a decision on the issue.

The state's ruling AIADMK, since the days of late J Jayalalithaa, has been for releasing all the seven convicts.

CPI state secretary R Mutharasan dubbed the governor's action as "delaying tactic". "It seems to have been done with the ulterior motive of denying them freedom," he said, adding the sentiments of Tamil people should be respected.

The Congress had, however, deprecated the state government's recommendation.

"There can be no compromise on terrorism and terrorists. The state cannot derelict its duty on punishing terrorists.

"There can be no politics over Rajiv Gandhi's assassins as SC hasn't granted any relief to them. It's time the government takes a cue and follows the same line," Congress spokesman Randeep Surjewala had said soon after the Tamil Nadu government made the recommendation.

While the mainstream parties and pro-Tamil outfits staunchly support the release, families of the victims of the blast in 1991 have opposed the move.

Coming together, the families of victims led by the coordinator of their forum S Abbas, whose mother was among those killed, have sought an appointment with the governor to present their views.

The Tamil Nadu government had said on Thursday it was confident that the governor will respect people's feelings which reflect in the cabinet's recommendation.

In its recommendation, the state cabinet said all the seven convicts--Nalini, her husband Sriharan alias Murugan, Perarivalan, Robert Payas, Jayakumar, Ravichandran and Santhan-- should be released.

Murugan, Santhan, Jayakumar and Payas are Sri Lankan Tamils.

All the seven convicts are serving life imprisonment and are behind bars since 1991.

Rajiv Gandhi was killed in a blast at an election rally in Sriperumbudur near here on May 21, 1991. Fourteen others, including Dhanu, the assassin, were also killed.  (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 2:37:00 PM 0

Rameswaram (TN), Sep 13: Nearly 250 Tamil Nadu fishermen were allegedly chased away by the Sri Lankan Navy personnel while they were fishing off Neduntheevu, a fishermen association leader said Thursday.

The Lankan Navy personnel also snapped fishing nets of 10 boats.

The incident occurred Wednesday night when the fishermen from this island town were fishing near Neduntheevu and the Sri Lankan Navy men came to the spot in two boats and drove them away at gun-point, Rameswaram Fishermen Association President P Sesuraja alleged.

Following this, all of them returned to shore this morning without a catch, he said.

On August 10, a total of 27 fishermen from Nagapattinam, Pudukottai and Ramanathapuram districts were arrested by the Lankan Navy on the charge of fishing in the island nation waters. (PTI)
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Hello Jammu News at 2:34:00 PM 0

Chennai, Sep 13: Vinayaka Chaturthi was celebrated across Tamil Nadu Thursday with religious fervour as the faithful thronged various temples to offer prayers.

Devotees, dressed in new clothes, offered 'Kozhukattai,' a sweet delicacy in south India, to Ganesha, believed to be the remover of obstacles and provider of knowledge.

Idols of Lord Ganesha have been installed in many places across the state for people to offer prayers before they are immersed in the Bay of Bengal after week-long celebrations.

In Chennai, police have identified designated spots for immersion of idols.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami extended greetings to the people on the occasion and wished them prosperity and wellness.

In Puducherry, devotees thronged the over 350-year-old Manakula Vinayakar temple in the heart of the town since early morning to offer prayers to the presiding deity.

Chief Minister V Narayanasamy sought the blessings of Lord Ganesha at the temple and distributed 'laddus' among the devotees.

Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi also greeted the people on the occasion. (PTI)
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