TN This Week: DMK Alliance Boycotts Raj Bhavan Events, Cites 19 Pending Bills

Unexpected heavy rains lashed a few places in south Tamil Nadu, the Western Ghats and the Cauvery delta districts this week. Farmers are at a loss because the pre-monsoon rain has affected the procurement of harvested paddy.

Leader of Opposition and former chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on April 14 urged the state government to immediately compensate farmers who lost their harvested paddy.

On Ambedkar Jayanti, some clashes were reported between Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) members and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) cadre in Chennai and Pudukottai districts. The clashes took place when members of various parties gathered to pay tributes to Dr Ambedkar and garland his statues.

After BJP leader and Home Minister Amit Shah stated that Hindi could be an alternative to English, in contrast, the Tamil Nadu BJP claimed there is no compulsion to learn Hindi to prove one is an Indian. Read more

NewsClick brings you a round-up of the happenings this week.

GUV QUITE ON PENDING BILLS

Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin and the elected representatives of the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) boycotted events in the Raj Bhavan on April 14 because governor R N Ravi gave no assurance on forwarding the 19 pending bills to the President.

The Raj Bhavan events were to mark the Tamil New Year. Notably, April 14 is not considered the beginning of the Tamil year by the DMK, but the first day of the Tamil month of Thai coincides with the harvest festival of Pongal.

Expressing disappointment over “the extraordinary delay” in forwarding the NEET Exemption Bill, Stalin sent a firm reminder to the Governor that he is bound to fulfil the constitutional mandate by forwarding the Bill. The Bill has been sent seeking the Governor’s assent for the second time.

The DMK allies Congress, the Communist parties and VCK boycotted the events. All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), BJP and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) representatives took part.

RESOLUTION AGAINST CUET

The Tamil Nadu Assembly on April 11 unanimously passed a resolution urging the Union government to withdraw the proposal to conduct Common University Entrance Test (CUET). Barring the BJP, all parties, including the main opposition AIADMK and PMK and the DMK allies Congress, VCK, MDMK and Left parties, supported the resolution.

The Tamil Nadu government has alleged that CUET—based on the National Council of Education Research and Training syllabus—will deny equal opportunity to students enrolled with schools following different syllabi across the country. Read more

ANOTHER CONVERSION CONTROVERSY

Earlier this week a video emerged from Kanyakumari in which a girl of class VI alleges humiliation and discrimination against her faith. The girl said that her teacher from a government higher secondary school was belittling the Bhagavad Gita and praising the Bible. The teacher has been suspended by the Education department in Kanyakumari.

A similar controversy erupted from Tanjore in January this year, which closely involved a member of the BJP.

MODI'S IMAGE IN GOVT SPACES

BJP leaders in Tamil Nadu attempt to place PM Narendra Modi’s images in government offices and establishments. BJP state president K Annamalai placed a portrait of PM Modi in a ration shop in Coimbatore.

In another episode in the Tanjore district, BJP ward member Chandrasekharan hung a portrait of PM Modi inside the Veppathur town panchayat office without informing authorities. It was later removed by the chairperson Anjammal.

FARMER FEARS LAND GRAB, KILLS SELF

A 43-year-old farmer committed suicide over fears of his farmland being acquired for the GAIL pipeline project in Paaparapatty in Dharmapuri district on April 13. C Ganesan took the extreme step upon returning from a protest against the gas pipeline project.

Farmers opposed to the pipeline staged a protest by placing the body of the deceased on Pennagaram Road.

CUDDALORE MEDICO PROTEST INTENSIFIES

Students of the Cuddalore Government Medical College have intensified their protest demanding fee reduction. Although it is a state government-run college, the fee is higher than private colleges in Tamil Nadu.

Their protest for fee reduction began in December 2020. The DMK, which was then the opposition party, extended support to the students, now as the ruling party they have not taken steps to reduce fees.