TN This Week: After 8 Days of Protest, Relatives Receive Body of Victim

After attending the opposition parties' meeting at Patna on Friday, Tamil Nadu CM M K Stalin said that the meeting did not decide on fielding a common prime ministerial candidate but resolved to consolidate all democratic forces to defeat the Bharatiya Janata Party in the 2024 Lok Sabha election.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) expelled its speaker Sivaji Krishnamurthy from all party posts, including the primary membership, as he sparked a row after his alleged ‘derogatory’ remarks about BJP leader Khushbu Sundar.

The members of Tamil Nadu opposition party All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) on Thursday staged demonstrations in all district headquarters across the state condemning the DMK government for the rise in prices of essential commodities, deterioration of law and order, etc. They demanded the ouster of Minister V Senthil Balaji from the state Cabinet.

Several districts of Tamil Nadu witnessed lightning and thunderstorms earlier this week. The state government declared a holiday on Monday for schools in Chennai, Kancheepuram, Chengalpattu, Tiruvallur, and Ranipet districts.

The Madras High Court on Tuesday asked the Tamil Nadu government why proceedings of the State Assembly cannot be telecast at the end of every Assembly session after removing footage of expunged remarks. Asserting that Assembly proceedings cannot be called into question by a court of law, the state government informed the court that it is the prerogative of the speaker to decide on what can be telecast live.

Food safety authorities have confiscated approximately 15,000 tonnes of maize owned by Reliance Industries after discovering that the consignment was stored in unhygienic conditions at a warehouse in Tuticorin.

Tamil Nadu passed an order to create the Tamil Nadu Salt Workers Welfare Board, the first board for salt workers in India. 

The Construction Workers’ Federation of India (CWFI)  held protests and submitted memoranda to district collectors in various parts of Tamil Nadu on June 19, reiterating their demands. Read more

Demanding the withdrawal of the Tamil Nadu Land Consolidation (for Special Projects) Act – passed in the Assembly session in April 202 – Tamil Nadu Vivasayigam Sangam (AIKS) held a protest near Rajarathinam Stadium in Egmore, Chennai on Thursday. Read more

NewsClick brings you a round-up of the important developments from the state in the last week.

CUSTODIAL DEATH

M Thangasamy (23), a Scheduled Caste youth, who was arrested last week by Puliyangudi police in Tamil Nadu's Tenkasi district died in judicial custody. After his family alleged custodial torture, the autopsy report revealed that the deceased had seven deep bruises on his body.

He was taken into custody for allegedly supplying liquor bottles to a woman for illegal sale. In prison, he was said to have suffered from chest pain and breathing difficulties. Doctors declared him brought dead and his postmortem was performed on June 15 at Tirunelveli Medical College Hospital (TvMCH).

After eight days of protest, relatives of Thangasamy received his body on Friday.

CASTE ATROCITIES

Tensions prevailed in Pooluvapalayam village in Coimbatore with the dominant pooluva gounder community stalling the work to construct a drainage channel from a dalit settlement through a locality where caste Hindus live.

The arunthathiyar community in Aviyur village accused the police officials and authorities of siding with the dominant caste groups and denying permission for a sprout pot procession in their temple. Other untouchability practices came to light after TNUEF's intervention. Read more

TASMAC WORKERS PROTEST

On Tuesday, TASMAC Employees’ Union held demonstrations in front of zonal offices across Tamil Nadu. They emphasised various demands, including the need to protect the employees from anti-social elements.

They said that the attacks on Tasmac employees are increasing every day and the police department “does not take prompt action against it”. They also requested that the compensation given to workers who die due to attacks by anti-social elements should be increased in tandem with government employees.

Moreover, welcoming the decision to shut down 500 TASMAC shops, many political parties in the state on Thursday urged the state government to go for total prohibition.

SENTHIL BALAJI UNDERGOES SURGERY

Tamil Nadu Minister without portfolio, V Senthil Balaji, who was arrested last week by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case and subsequently remanded to judicial custody, underwent bypass surgery at a private hospital in Chennai on Wednesday.

Balaji told the Madras High Court on Thursday that the central agency violated legal procedures and constitutional safeguards in arresting him. Read more

Meanwhile, IT raids continue on properties of those associated with Balaji.