Woman gangraped in temple choultry

In a shocking incident, a woman who came on a pilgrimage to Brahmamgari Matham along with a man was gangraped on Sunday night.
What is more shocking is, a police constable and a home guard, in an inebriated condition, outraged the modesty of the woman and allegedly brought their friends also and instigated them to rape the hapless woman in a room in the choultry (inn) attached to Sri Pothuluri Veerabrahmendra Swamy temple.
According to information reaching here, the woman and her companion from Nagulapalem in Venkatagiri mandal in Nellore district, came to the matham on Sunday.
After offering prayers in the temple, the couple decided to stay for the night in the choultry, which proved to be a curse. The choultry register gives out their names as Mr Ch Gupta and Mrs Gupta.
Around midnight, constable Narasimhulu and Home Guard Sekhar on security duty, approached the choultry watchman and took the accommodation register. After threatening the watchman, the duo went to the room where the couple were staying and woke them up on the pretext of making an enquiry. Alleging that they were not a couple, they questioned the pilgrims separately in adjacent rooms.
They locked the man in a room and raped the woman in another till the wee hours. As if quenching their own lust was not enough, they went to a nearby private lodge and brought in their friends to quench their lust too.
They left the choultry after returning the accommodation register to the watchman. The watchman went to the room, unbolted the door and freed the man from confinement.
The two then found the woman in a dazed state in another room. Without making a fuss and without informing the choultry officials, the couple vacated the choultry and left the place.
Choultry manager Penchalaiah, who came on duty at 10 am today, lodged a police complaint. Mydakur DSP Koti Reddy and circle inspector Balaswamy Reddy interrogated the watchman and the manager.
A police team was sent to the victim’s address mentioned in the choultry register. Koti Reddy said the couple were suspected to be having an extramarital affair. The constable was taken into custody

Puducherry observes bandh

Shops and business establishments remained closed here today following a dawn to dusk bandh called by opposition AIADMK, Left parties, MDMK, RPI and RSP in protest against ‘delay’ by the territorial administration in getting Medical Council of India approval for the first state medical college.
Private buses and vans were off the roads while government buses plied under convoy system. The bandh supporters stoned a state run bus at Modeliarpet. However, no one was injured in the incident, police said.
The bandh did not affect functioning of offices and schools, official sources said.
Police were deployed in strength at vantage points. No untoward incident was reported from from any part of the union territory so far, police said.
The bandh supporters also held a procession protesting against the ‘anti-student policy’ of the government. They also demanded immediate scrapping of regional reservation policy for selection of students to professional colleges.

Govt questions Anand’s Indian citizenship

World chess champion Viswanathan Anand may have earned India laurels across the globe, but the government isn’t convinced that he is an Indian citizen. The world’s best chess player was denied an honorary doctorate he was to have received on Monday, because the government is confused over whether Anand is an Indian or Spanish citizen.
The University of Hyderabad decided to award Anand honorary doctorate in 2009. But the university only formally forwarded the proposal to the Human Resource Development Ministry.
When the HRD Ministry twice prompted the university with these queries, it was informed that Anand – who lives with his wife in Spain – is a Spanish citizen. But it still did not inform the Ministry that it needed the approval urgently as the awards ceremony was to be held on Monday.
When asked about the same from Anand’s wife Aruna told, ‘I do not understand from where the confusion on Anand’s citizenship comes from. Anand is and has always been a citizen of India.’
University sources said all relevant documents were forwarded to the ministry, which was expected to approve them and send them to President Pratibha Patil, who holds the official title of Visitor at the University of Hyderabad.

Trisha fuming on false reports

Irked by reports appeared in a section of the media dragging her name into the Tollywood drug controversy, Trisha has said that legal action would be initiated on those spreading “malicious and cheap rumours” on her.
The actress, who is currently shooting for a Tamil movie, ‘Manmadhan Ambu’ starring Kamal Haasan, in Kodaikanal, said, “There is not even an iota of truth in such reports. They are totally false and have ulterior motives.”
Claiming that some were trying to damage her image, Trisha said she had approached her advocate in this regard. “I will initiate necessary legal action based on the advice from my lawyer,” she said.
Trisha added: “It’s shameful the extent people would go to bring someone down. Actors are here to do their jobs and not be used for false media publicity. The disgusting news that’s been spreading about me is absolutely false and done in bad taste.”

Karunanidhi seeks explanation from former LTTE leader

eferring to the remarks of former LTTE leader Kumaran Pathmanathan on the role some politicians from Tamil Nadu in the efforts to arrive at a ceasefire in Sri Lanka’s war against the LTTE, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said Mr. Pathmanathan has to explain the facts relating to the war.
Mr.Karunanidhi pointed out that KP had contended that MDMK leader Vaiko had stood in the way of a ceasefire. Quoting KP, he also said that Mr.Vaiko influenced a change in the decision of the LTTE leadership to enter into a ceasefire because if a peace process began, then the DMK and Congress would get credit for such a development.
Also, CPI (M) MLA K. Mahendran had contested the part in which KP had stated that it was Mr.Mahendran who conveyed to Mr.Vaiko that the LTTE wanted to enter into a dialogue with the Sri Lankan government. It was up to KP to clarify this, he said.
Answer to Vijaykant
Responding to DMDK leader Vijaykant’s allegation that both the DMK and the AIADMK were corrupt parties, Mr.Karunanidhi questioned Mr.Vijaykant’s locus standi to speak about corruption. People will laugh at his contention, Mr.Karunanidhi said and advised him that before finding fault with the appearance of others, it would be better if he had a long and hard look at the mirror.
Mr.Karunanidhi said that the proceeds from two of his movies (‘Mannin Maindhan’ and ‘Kannamma’) were given towards tsunami relief operations. His son, M.K.Stalin, had handed over the cheque for Rs. 21 lakh to the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa. Similarly, income from ‘Uliyin Osai’ minus income tax was given to senior artists. Also, the Kalaignar Karunanidhi Trust had disbursed to the poor Rs.72.65 lakh from November 2005 to August 2010.
To encourage young writers and to ensure quality work in Tamil, he had given Rs.1 crore to Book Sellers and Publishers Association of South India. Using this corpus, five upcoming writers were being given Rs. 1 lakh every year. So far, 17 writers had received the award. He had also donated Rs.1 crore to the Institute of Classical Tamil and a trust had been formed for research and to recognise scholars.

VCK will lead alliance in 2016: Thirumavalavan

Power sharing would be the next tangible step in letting Dalits taste political power, said Vidudhalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) founder Thol Thirumavalavan as he urged party office bearers to align their activities towards achieving this goal.
Addressing an in-camera meeting of the regional district executive committees here on Sunday night, Thirumavalan said the party’s, ‘Vision 2011’ did not translate into capturing power next year, but to make a significant jump towards the goal.
Even as he dropped ample hints that the party leadership was not prepared to make any offhand moves in the coming Assembly elections, he did not rule out an alliance in future. “To achieve the long-term goal of Dalit liberation through the attainment of political power, the party will lead an alternative alliance in the State in 2016. But not in the coming elections,” he said.
“Millenniums of oppression suffered by Dalits can be brought to an end only when they have their hands on the government machinery,” Thirumavalavan said. He slammed the ruling DMK for giving second-class treatment to Dalits and allowing the police to foist false cases against them.
He pointed out that winning political approval and the election commission’s recognition before the Assembly elections was the party’s top agenda. He said the VCK’s intensive membership drive in the last six months had seen an enrolment of 12 lakh members in 44 districts.
He clarified that the memberships were bonafide and each was approved only after the membership fee was paid. “This is an unprecedented feat in Dalit political history,” Thirumavalavan stressed.
The goal, he said, was to get 30 lakh new members and form at least 750 new camps in each district. “An increase in memberships and camps will arm us better at the alliance negotiating table at the time of seat allocation,” he justified. Although the Election Commission mandates the magical figure of seven MLAs for party recognition, he said the VCK would strive to win 15 seats, ensuring that they have a share in power.
He added that the party would align with all democratic forces and organisations representing regional, racial, ethnic, communal, religious and linguistic minorities. Henceforth, he said, the party would broaden its vision to absorb all democratic forces in the party, while asking partymen to enlist more people from outside the Dalit fold.

Vijayakanth pitches in for alliance leadership

Putting an end to speculation on tie-ups with major parties for the coming state Assembly elections, DMDK founder president, ‘Captain’ Vijayakanth said on Sunday that he would lead the electoral battle only from the front, which means that parties that accept his party’s leadership alone can join his alliance.
Speaking about any electoral alliance for the first time, Vijayakanth told party workers, after opening a new marriage hall built by him at Mamandur near Chengelpet, that the party would build a formidable alliance without the DMK and AIADMK.
The DMDK was a force to reckon with in Tamil Nadu and that parties that accept DMDK’s leadership were welcome to join hands, he said, evoking a roaring round of applause.
The call assumes significance in the background of the PMK’s present “neutral” position and the party founder Dr S Ramadoss making it clear recently that he was not averse to joining hands with Vijaykanth.
The Kongunadu Munnetra Kazhagam (KMK), which wields some influence in Coimbatore, Pollachi and Erode, has also indicated that it was not averse to a “third front”.
DMDK presidium chairman Panruti S Ramachandran exuded confidence on the emergence of a third front and said: “The fact that we got 11 per cent votes in the last Parliamentary elections proves that sizable sections in Tamil Nadu support a third alternative force.”

Film actresses among 9 held for prostitution

The Hyderabad Police seem to be relentless
in bringing the wrongdoers in Tollywood to books.
The cops have caught three small time actresses in offences related to prostitution.After their remand, they have been released on bail.
The three heroines informed by the police to the media are Jyothi, Saira Bhanu and Neelamani along with few others. They were caught redhanded by the police as they were involved in prostitution.Apparently, Jyothi and Saira Bhanu have been involved in prostitution in a house near Kundanbagh, close to Minister’s Quarters, in Hyderabad. A raid at the premises was carried out by the police on 21st August night and the actresses were interrogated the whole day on Sunday. The media was briefed about their arrest only on 23rd August, Monday.
                                       

Jyothi, a small time actress has acted in a lot of movies while Saira Bhanu promoted herself from a television anchor to actress in movies like Anaganaga Oka Roju, etc.

The actresses have been released on bail after assurance from family members.

Accused who posed as CM's grandson jumped

CHENNAI: Balaji alias Shashanth, arrested by the Chetpet police recently for posing as a grandson of Tamil Nadu chief minister M Karunanidhi and cheating three persons with promises of swanky cars auctioned at a cheap price by the state government, had done several con jobs in Bangalore earlier, it has been found. The Koramangala police had in February recovered several cars, including a Ford Fiesta, a Maruti Swift, a Toyota Innova and a Skoda, along with a pocket bike and gold valuables worth Rs 3 lakh. He jumped bail there and began operating in Tamil Nadu.

Koramangala police inspector G Nagaraj, who had picked up the accused earlier, told TOI over telephone from Bangalore: "His real name is Sukhas Reddy and he is a resident of Banaswadi in Bangalore."

A pre-University drop-out and a native of Andhra Pradesh, Sukhas, aided and abetted by his parents Chandrasekhar and Mala, who have now gone underground, would surf the internet and get information about government tenders. Armed with the information, he would call companies pretending to be a representative of the department concerned and strike a deal. He would promise to buy products from the companies and ask for a 10% cut to be deposited in his account in advance. Once the money was paid, he would change his mobile number and disappear, said inspector Nagaraj.

He was exposed after an apartment owner on Old Madras Road filed a complaint against Sukhas. Sukhas had rented the flat, claiming to be the son of Revenue Minister Karunakara Reddy. He disappeared one fine day without paying the rent, amounting to Rs 1.8 lakh. He used to move around in swanky cars and had even hired a gunman from a security agency in Koramangala, Nagaraj added.

He was proficient in English, Kannada, Telugu and Tamil.

E-waste consignment seized at Chennai port, 5th in 3 months

The Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI) on Thursday detected the fifth case of e-waste dumping in Chennai. On a tip-off, DRI intercepted a container full of old computer parts, imported from Brunei, at the Container Corporation of India godown at Tondiarpet.

In the last two months, DRI has intercepted five such consignments in Chennai and seized more than 127 tonnes of e-waste, which if dumped could pose serious health hazards to the public and damage to the environment through nickel, mercury and lead poisoning.

DRI officials said Chennai had become a dumping ground for e-waste from Australia, Korea, Canada and Brunei, where the cost of disposal and recycling is high. Many of these countries export their waste to developing countries in connivance with importers. This is then sold to small industries, which extract metals from the waste and dump the hazardous parts.

Late on Thursday, DRI sleuths intercepted a consignment marked for Venus Metals, Nanganallur, from Brunei. The consignment was declared as ‘switch board scrap’. On examination, officials found that the container had 166 used computer monitors, circuit boards, 89 control panels, loose electrical motor parts, broken computer printers and keyboards.

As per rules, the import of e-waste and electrical waste are covered under the Hazardous Waste (Management, Handling and Transboundary Movement) Rules, 2008. Their import can be made only with the permission of the ministry of environment and health in addition to a licence from the Director-General of Foreign Trade. None of the five cases detected in Chennai had the relevant papers.

"The chartered engineers, who examined the consignments, reported that they contained goods which were non-functional. Even those which are reusable require extensive refurbishing, which would result in heavy e-waste generation,” DRI additional director general C Rajan said.

Commonwealth Express arrives in Chennai

Southern Railways additional general manager K K Srivastava on Tuesday received the Commonwealth Express at Chennai and declared it open for public viewing from August 18.

The train which had previously made a stop at Secunderabad junction in Hyderabad is a part of the publicity campaign for the Commonwealth Games 2010 to be held in New Delhi. "This train will be in Chennai for three days, during which the public can see the exhibits on display on this train," said Srivastava. "The exhibition train consists of 11 coaches, five of which will showcase the history of the Commonwealth games, famous sportspersons in India and the railways contribution to sports. It will also trace the history of the Queen's Baton Relay," he added.

The remaining six coaches will carry displays of India's progress through the years in the sector of information technology. Dr Santhosh Babu, CEO of Tamil Nadu eGovernance Agency, said, "The Railways was the first harbinger of e-governance on such a massive scale. It is only fitting that this showcasing be a joint venture with the Railways."

The Queen's Baton, similar to the Olympic Torch, carries a message from the Queen of Commonwealth, that is England, and is carried in a relay around all the 70 commonwealth countries before being relayed to the host country where the games are held. The flagging off of the Commonwealth Express in New Delhi by Railways minister Mamata Banerjee coincided with the arrival date of the baton through the Wagah Border from Pakistan on June 24.

Divisional railway manager S Anantaraman said, " The express train will cover 48 cities before returning to New Delhi on the eve of the Commonwealth Games. After Chennai, the train make halts at Puducherry and Madurai before moving onto Thirvananthapuram in Kerala."

The Indian railways is confident of receiving a large footfall in Chennai. "We received around 38,000 footfalls at Secunderabad junction," said Srivastava. "The response has been good in other cities too."

PC's son lands in Youth Cong faction feud

Tamil Nadu Youth Congress (TNYC) president M Yuvaraj on Monday accused Karti P Chidambaram, AICC member and Union home minister P Chidambaram's son, of creating divisions in the party. Yuvaraj called a press meet at the TNCC headquarters here to allege that Karti had distributed Youth Congress membership cards at an event in Nagapattinam recently.

"He wasn't authorised to distribute membership cards. In fact, we have a policy against participation of AICC leaders in Youth Congress events. We consider this an interference by Karti Chidambaram in YC affairs," Yuvaraj, considered a loyalist of Union shipping minister GK Vasan, told reporters.

"When senior leaders like P Chidambaram and TNCC president KV Thangkabalu don't interfere in our affairs, why does he (Karti)?" Yuvaraj asked. He added that the TNYC had sent a complaint to the party high command; based on this, Indian Youth Congress (IYC) general secretary Kiran Kumar Reddy, who is in charge of Tamil Nadu, had sent show-cause notices to Prabhu, a Youth Congress functionary in Nagapattinam, and Varadarajan, TNYC vice-president, for inviting Karti Chidambaram to the event.

Stressing that no TNYC event should be held without the consent of its state and district leaders, Yuvaraj added, "Karti is definitely trying to create factionalism."

Karti Chidambaram, when contacted, declined to comment on the issue. However, Reddy was upset over Yuvaraj going public with the developments. "This is an internal matter!" he said, when contacted. "I had not given Yuvaraj permission to call this press conference and it is unauthorised. Also, there are no complaints against Karti."

Reddy brushed aside the matter of the show cause notices and said, "I have sent show cause notices to several IYC leaders. We have an internal policy against inviting AICC leaders for IYC events. This is merely to have better crowd control. Anybody who violates that guideline gets a show cause notice. This may or may not lead to any action."

Accused who jumped bail after murdering AIADMK cadre held

uburban police have arrested a man who had gone underground after he was let out on bail in connection with the murder of AIADMK cadre M R Ravi which took place in 2006. Ravi was murdered near Thirumangalam while he was traveling with his girlfriend, a small-time actress from Andhra Pradesh.

The arrested person, D Vinayagam alias Vinayagamurthy, is mentioned in the first information report as the third accused in the murder case. He was arrested shortly after the murder and was remanded in prison. But he came out on bail when the case was shifted to the Poonamallee fast track court. He and another accused Kozhi' Ravi then went underground in spite of several warrants issued against him by the fast track court. Meanwhile, Ravi was arrested in 2009. The judge eventually split the case and proceeded with the trial against the other 16 accused, given them double life terms in 2008.

CONSOLING FAMILY: Former Chief Minister and AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa at the residence of M.R. Ravi, Ambattur AIADMK town secretary, who was murdered.

"We got a tip off about Vinayagam's movements in the city and a special team was formed under Korattur police inspector G Augustin Paul Sudhagar. On Saturday evening, the team intercepted a Tata Indica vehicle bearing Andhra Pradesh registration number (AP 03 AC 8403) near Thirumangalam junction and picked up the occupants. Vinayagam and two others including his girlfriend were in the car. Vinayagam was taken away for interrogation," a police officer said.

Meanwhile, some of Vinayagam's friends on Saturday night sent text messages to many journalists and lawyers, saying he had been taken into custody by the police illegally and that he would be killed in an encounter on Sunday. Police sources said Vinayagam would be remanded and that the fast track court judge would conduct a separate trial for him.

Ravi, who was Ambattur town secretary of AIADMK and a resident of Mogappair, was murdered brutally by a six-member gang at his office on Yadhava Street in Padi on June 2, 2006. The assailants not only shot at him but also hacked him. A few months later, one of the accused, Nagoor Meeran, was killed in a police encounter near Villivakkam. The main accused, Mogappair Raja, the son of a retired IAS officer, was later let off after police found no evidence to substantiate his connivance in the case.

After the murder, former chief minister J Jayalalithaa who visited Ravi's house had said, "Ravi was facing a threat to his life from DMK men even before the Assembly elections (in 2006). As the AIADMK was in power then, he was provided with police protection. However, immediately after the DMK came to power, the protection was withdrawn, resulting in his murder."

Vandalur zoo celebrates silver jubilee

 Schoolchildren crowd around the animal enclosures at Vandalur zoo, pointing and chattering excitedly. Even on a weekday, the zoo is packed. At the chimpanzees' enclosure, Srinivasan watches them with a hawk's eye, ensuring that no one throws plastic and hushing the children gently when they get too noisy.

"These chimps are my friends," says Srinivasan, one of the zookeepers. "I ensure that they are safe and healthy." For him, it's more than just a job. It's been 25 years since Arignar Anna Zoological Park, also known as Vandalur zoo, was thrown open to the public but his association with it dates back even further. He is one of the few old-timers who actually helped set it up.

"G Palani and I began working in 1979," says Srinivasan. Vandalur zoo started out as a menagerie in 1854. "Dr Edward Belford of Madras Museum got some rescued panther cubs and kept them near the museum. It attracted large crowds, so he thought of starting a zoo," says Dr Manimozhi, the zoo biologist.

In 1855, Dr Belford started the Madras zoo on the museum premises, and it was later transferred to the Madras Corporation. It was shifted to People's Park, near Central station in 1861 as it was growing.

"Soon it was necessary to relocate it to an even larger area," says Manimozhi. At People's Park, there was a lot of air and sound pollution, and there was not enough space for the animals. Since many people lived in the area, it posed a health hazard to animals.

Work to shift the Madras zoo to Vandalur Reserve Forest began in 1976. People from surrounding villages were roped in to afforest the area. "There was nothing but scrub jungle, and practically no tree cover," says Palani, who looks after the zebra, giraffe and ostrich. Both he and Srinivasan remember the days when they went scouting for seeds in Chengalpet and the Madras Christian College campus. "We have planted most of the trees here," Palani says proudly, patting the trunk of a nearby tree.

From the zoo director to the ground staff, they're all thrilled to mark the zoo's silver jubilee. "We plan to promote the idea of animal adoption and rope in celebrities. The idea is to create awareness and a love for animals among people," says Dr KSSVP Reddy, zoo director.

Events with students during wildlife week in October and a zookeeper for a day programme are also on the cards. Today, the zoo draw over 16 lakh visitors a year, but old timers like Palani and Srinivasan still remember the early days. "We worked in the scorching sun, making enclosures, putting up signs, creating trails for different species and eco-friendly rest sheds," says Manimozhi, who has been on the staff since 1988. They also developed a record-keeping system with details of the animals brought to the zoo.

Today, the 602-hectare zoo is one of the largest in south-east Asia, with 146 species and 1,376 animals and about 50 keepers tend to them. "When we started work, we were hired to clear bushes and work on the land," says Chelliah, who is eating lunch behind the enclosure for white tigers. Over time and with some training, they began taking care of the animals too. "I had never been with wild animals, but felt no fear," he says.

The keepers are at the zoo by 8.30am. They first check the animals and notify the authorities if anything is amiss. Enclosures are cleaned, water troughs filled and the animals fed. Animals and humans share an easy camaraderie. Gombe and Gowri come ambling when Srinivasan calls out to them. "Clap, Gowri," he says, encouragingly, rewarding the chimp with a banana.

Since the keepers spend all day with the animals, they are a treasure house of information. "Vandalur zoo is the leader of captive breeding programmes for the lion-tailed macaque, Nilgiri langur and Nilgiri tahr. The keepers are an essential part of the programme as they tell us when the animal is in heat or when it is ill," says Manimozhi.

For the keepers, the zoo has become a second home. "When I came, it was for daily wages. Now I have a government job and earn a basic salary of about Rs 6,000," says Chelliah.

Palani adds, "I am here every day from 8.30am to 5.30pm. I come check on the animals even if my children are sick. I can't think of doing any other job."

IIT students asked to help in country's development

resident opens Golden Jubilee celebrations of IIT-Delhi

- Photo: Rajeev Bhatt

A landmark: President Pratibha Patil flanked by Union Minister for Human Resource and Development Kapil Sibal (right) and IIT-Delhi Director Surendra Prasad at the Golden Jubilee celebrations on Monday. NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Technology students who constitute some of the best brains in the country should be active partners and contributors in India's quest to become a knowledge-based society, President Pratibha Patil said here on Monday.
Inaugurating the Golden Jubilee celebrations of IIT-Delhi, Ms. Patil said: “IIT graduates all over the world are a powerful group. They have resources and experience which can be leveraged to generate ideas along with necessary funding for development projects in India.”
The future of India depends on three sources -- a value system based on harmony, tolerance and selflessness, the youth, and innovations and inventions. “Educational institutions like IITs are crucibles where all three forces can be developed,” she added.
Ms. Patil emphasised the role of science and technology in providing responses and solutions to the issues of food grain productivity and its proper distribution, water and energy conservation and reducing the cost of renewable sources of energy such as solar and wind. Science and technology could also assist in constructing energy-efficient buildings and low-cost housing, combating disease and climate change issues.
Institutions such as the IITs need to develop robust mechanisms for collaboration with other institutions, she said.
With regard to patents, India was lagging behind in comparison to the US and China and hence would have to make more efforts to improve its performance.
IIT-Delhi Director Dr. Surendra Prasad said: “The Institute completing 50 years is a time to reflect on renewal, rebuilding and planning for future growth.”
Efforts are being made to strengthen the nanotechnology programme of the Institute which had received a grant of Rs.50 crore for the same.
Measures are also being contemplated to encourage increased enrolment of girls in the Institute's B.Tech. programmes, he added.

Jayalalitha invites Congress for alliance

The general secretary of AIADMK while addressing a public meeting at Trichy hinted a tie up with Congress party in the forthcoming general elections for the state assembly.

The public meeting was held at Railway grounds at Trichy allotted by Railway ministry headed by Mamata Bannerjee an ally of the Congress to whom Jayalalitha sent special emissaries to get the ground after the local authorities denied permission for holding a meeting at other avenues.

Jayalalithaa read a well prepared speech attacking only DMK and soft-pedaling with Congress party. She announced that the time had come to join “hands” to put an end to the DMK Government literally meaning a tie up with Congress party ( with hand as election symbol)

After seeing a large gathering at Trichy, Jayalalithaa mentioned that this is her home town and she has never seen such a crowd in her political life. Encouraged by the huge gathering in the Cauvery area, she went on attacking the DMK Government on various grounds such as Cauvery issue, Farmers plight, killing of Indian fishermen, etc.
Jayalalithaa called for an end to the “ family rule” of Karunanithi. “A family is trying to fool us. A family is looting Tamil nadu, Go and see anywhere in any democratic country in the world, in which country you can see a father Chief Minister, a son deputy chief minister, another son a central minister, a grand son central minister, a daughter member of Parliament?. One family possess 25 television channels, several media houses, cable networks, 50 FM stations, several educational institutions and lakhs of acres of lands and estates” she said.
While going around Tamil Nadu Jayalalithaa has already started her election campaign while at the same time sending feelers to Congress leaders including Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi highlighting denial of power share in the state although DMK runs the show as a minority government with the support of Congress party.
The political circles are considering this as a strategy to either to wean away Congress from DMK or weaken the position of DMK within UPA by pushing the Congress to demand more seats if it prefers to stay with DMK.

List of Political parties in Tamil Nadu

A All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam All India Educated Unemployed Youth Party All India Ezhai Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam All India Latchiya Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam All India Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam All India Moovendar Munnani Kazhagam All India Muslim League (2002) Ambedkar Makkal Iyakkam Ambedkar Makkal Katchi Anaithinthiya Thamizhaga Munnetra Kazhagam B Bharatiya Forward Bloc C Commonweal Party Congress Jananayaka Peravai D Dalit Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam Democratic Forward Bloc Dhiravida Thelugar Munnetra Kazhagam Dravida Telugar Munnetra Kazhagam Dravida Vizhipunarchi Kazhagam Dravidian parties H Hindu Makkal Katchi I Indian Christian Front Indian National Democratic Congress Indian Uzhavar Uzhaippalar Katchi

K Kamarajar Adithanar Kazhagam Kamraj Desiya Congress Kongunadu Makkal Katchi Kongunadu Munnetra Peravai M MGR Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam MGR Kazhagam MGR Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam MGR-SSR Latchiya Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Makkal Manadu Katchi Makkal Tamil Desam Katchi Makkal Vizhippunarvu Iyakkam Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Marxist Periarist Communist Party Moovendar Munnetra Kazhagam N National Forward Bloc P Aravinda Bala Pajanor Pasumpon Forward Bloc Pattali Makkal Katchi Puthiya Needhi Katchi R Revolutionary Forward Bloc S Subhasist Forward Bloc T Tamil Arasu Kazhagam Tamil Desiyak Katchi

T Tamil Maanila Congress Tamil Maanila Kamraj Congress Tamil Nadu Forward Bloc Tamil Nadu Makkal Congress Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazagham Tamil Nadu Peasants and Workers Party Tamil National Party Tamilnadu Toilers' Party Tamizhaga Dravida Makkal Katchi Tamizhaga Janata Party Tamizhaga Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam Tamizhaga Munnetra Kazhagam Thamilar Bhoomi Thamizhaga Munnetra Munnani Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam Thayaga Marumalarchi Kazhagam Thazhthapattor Munnetra Kazhagam Thondar Congress U Uzhavar Uzhaippalar Katchi V Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi Vivasayi Anbhu Katchi

First southern superstar's centenary is eventless

CHENNAI: About half a century before Rajnikanth's mannerisms became a rage, MKT Bhagavathar's hairstyle was followed by every young man south of the Vindhyas. So popular were his songs that for generations men wooed their sulking women by singing Radha unakku kobam agathade'. Housewives made filter coffee humming another song, Mayaprapanchathil'. Little wonder that film historians hail him as the first superstar of southern cinema, pointing to his enduring legacy. However, the centenary of the actor whose voice enslaved generations of film and music buffs is going almost unnoticed, according to film historian Randor Guy.Presenting the budget in the Assembly this year, finance minister K Anbazhagan had announced that the centenary of MKT Bhagavathar would be celebrated in a grand manner. However, till date, no felicitation plans have been announced. "Bhagavathar had acted only in 14 films in his career and six of them were big hits, with Haridas' running for three Diwalis in a single theatre, a record that remains unbroken," said Guy. "He is an icon and his works deserve to be celebrated every year."

Film historian Vamanan, who delivered a lecture on Bhagavathar as part of Madras Week celebrations at the music department of Madras University -- the only event related to the superstar to be held so far -- felt that lovers of cinema should organise celebrations in honour of the original superstar'. "One need not wait for the official machinery, since Bhagavathar kept off politics and belongs to the people," Vamanan said.Bhagavathar debuted in films in 1934 with Pavalakkodi' and his film Chintamani' is the first Tamil film to run for a year, said the two historians. Born on March 1, 1910, he died on November 1, 1959, his career hitting a block after he was accused and imprisoned in the sensational Lakshmikanthan murder case. Although released after a re-trial, his career never soared again, but his celluloid works remain ever-greener.

When contacted, sources in the information ministry said plans for a grand celebration, along the lines of Anna's centenary celebrations, were being fine-tuned. "A review meeting was held recently. His works will be exhibited in many towns and the grand event will be held either in Trichy or Chennai within 45 days," the sources said.