Archive for category Dharmapuri
TN: SC verdict will act as deterrent: victims’ families
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, Court, Death, Departments, Dharmapuri, Health, Information, accident, illegal on August 30th, 2010
Hailing the Supreme Court’s verdict that upheld the death sentence awarded to three AIADMK workers in connection with the 2000 Dharmapuri bus burning case, families of the victims Monday said the ruling would act as a deterrent to violence against innocent people.
“My daughter may not come back today. But the verdict, though delayed, will act as a deterrent against persons trying to resort to such a crime in the future,” K Kasiammal, mother of Hemalatha, one of the three students charred to death in the incident, said here.
She said any mercy petitions by the accused should not be entertained “considering the gravity” of the crime.
“I am happy that the right punishment has been given to the guilty. This is a lesson to others. It would prevent recurrence of such violence,” Kumaraswamy, father of another victim Kokilavani, said at Paramathivelur in Namakkal district.
Stating that attempts were made to derail the case, he thanked all those who deposed as prosecution witnesses resulting in the conviction.
Senior lawyer R Srinivasan, who was the special government pleader in the trial court in Salem, said justice had been served and the apex court judgement would act as a deterrent against violence aimed at innocent people.
“It is due punishment for killing innocent students,” he said.
Kokilavani, Hemalatha and Gayathri, students of the Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, were burnt alive when a mob set their college bus on fire at Ilakkiampatti near Dharmapuri during protests against the conviction of AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in Kodaikanal Pleasant Stay Hotel corruption case.
A Salem court had awarded death penalty to Nedu alias Nedunchezhian, Madhu alias Ravindran and C Muniappan, which was upheld by the Madras High Court in 2007. Twenty-five others were awarded terms ranging from two months to two years terms ranging from two months to two years.
Earlier in the day, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and B S Chauhan confirmed the death sentence awarded by the Madras High Court in 2007.
Allegation of “deviating” from the original plan on the Hogenakkal water project
Posted by ganesh in Communication, Court, Departments, Dharmapuri, Health, Information, Other, Water, competition, government on April 23rd, 2010
Tamil Nadu government today refuted Karnataka’s allegation of “deviating” from the original plan on the Hogenakkal water project, saying it stuck to the plan and there was no truth in the charge of the state drawing excess water than the permitted level.
“There is no plan to draw 1.7 tmc or 2.5 tmc of water as alleged by Karnataka Water Resources Minister Basavaraj Bommai. nstead we are sticking to the Centre-sanctioned original plan of drawing 1.4 tmc only,” Deputy Chief Minister M. K. Stalin informed the State Assembly.
Responding to KP Anbazhagan (AIADMK), who raised the issue, Mr. Stalin, who also holds the Municipal Administration and Water Supply portfolio, denied violation of any sorts, including the location of the project.
Promising to complete the project, which envisages providing drinking water supply to Dharmapuri and Krishnagiri districts, well ahead of the schedule of 2012, Stalin said he will give further explanation on the contentious issue while replying to the debate on grants,scheduled for Monday.
Karnataka, at loggerheads with Tamil Nadu on the vexed Cauvery water sharing dispute, had alleged deviation by Tamil Nadu from the original plan regarding the Rs 1334 crore Japanese-funded project. Bommai had said his state was mulling legal action against its neighbour.
J Jayalalithaa on expressed confidence capture power in the next poll
Posted by ganesh in Assembly, Chennai, Communication, Dharmapuri, Information, Other, Political, competition, election on April 2nd, 2010
In an apparent bid to boost the morale of AIADMK cadre after the dismal show of the party in the Pennagaram byelection, general secretary J Jayalalithaa on Thursday expressed confidence that her party would capture power in the next Assembly elections.
The former Chief Minister on Thursday went to Erode to enquire about the health of a party worker, who sustained burn injuries following his self-immolation attempt after the AIADMK candidate lost deposit in
Pennagaram.
“The AIADMK had lost deposit in Hosur and Killiyur polls even during MGR’s time. But he was not disheartened by it and strived hard to bring the party back to power. The party would bounce back and capture power in the next year Assembly elections,”
AIADMK suffer the ignominy of losing its deposit
Posted by ganesh in Dharmapuri, Information, Other, Political, competition, election, government, programme on March 31st, 2010
The AIADMK, which could manage to come third in the Pennagaram by-election also had to suffer the ignominy of losing its deposit, after the results were declared on Tuesday.
Despite the facts that AIADMK candidate T R Anbazhagan belonged to the dominant Vanniyar community in the constituency and party general secretary J Jayalalithaa had campaigned for him on poll eve, the party could not even finish second, a place grabbed by the PMK.
The AIADMK candidate managed to get only 26,787 votes.
Similarly, the DMDK candidate K G Kaverivarman secured only 11,406 votes and lost his deposit.
PMK’S ‘FORMULA’: The Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK)’s ‘Pennagaram formula’ helped it to win only the second place in the by-poll.
Though party founder leader Dr S Ramadoss did not disclose throughout the Pennagaram campaign what the Pennagaram formula was, his party commenced its campaign as early as December last itself.
Ramadoss and his son and former Union minister Anbumani Ramadoss campaigned for their party candidate focusing more on the caste factor.
This was done to counter the DMK’s ‘Tirumangalam formula’ of ‘money and caste’ (panam and inam). Despite such a long campaign by the two senior leaders, PMK candidate Tamilkumaran could manage only the second spot, polling 41,285 votes.
MK’S IMPACT: The special invitation that Chief Minister and DMK leader M Karunanidhi offered to Pennagaram constituency voters at the fag end of the DPA’s campaign seemed to have had its effect.
Karunanidhi at that meeting had said he had not come to seek votes for his party’s candidate but to invite the people to visit the newly constructed Assembly complex at Chennai.
Though it would not be possible for all to visit the complex, they could send P N P Inbasekaran (DMK candidate) as their representative, he had said. And the 36,384-vote victory margin of the DMK candidate indicated that his appeal had gone down well with the electorate.
M Karunanidhi has said only the party has the authority to name a leader
Posted by ganesh in Chennai, Communication, Departments, Dharmapuri, Information, Other, Political, government, programme on March 31st, 2010
In an apparent bid to put an end to the reported succession war in the DMK, Chief Minister and party president M Karunanidhi has said only the party has the authority to name a leader.
‘Even I don’t have the powers to do so,’ Karunanidhi said in an interview to a Tamil magazine when asked about his elder son and Union Minister M K Alagiri’s remarks that only he (Karunanidhi) has the capacity and ability to lead the party.
‘In a democracy, every individual has a right to express his opinion, but the party is the final authority to decide on the leadership issue. Even I don’t have the powers,’ he said.
Asked about reported difference of opinion between his two sons Alagiri and Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin on the succession issue, Karunanidhi denied it, saying, ‘They very well know that if they have any differences, it will only hurt me. They are not ignorant about this.’ The DMK supremo’s comments come days after Alagiri’s statement that he would not accept anybody other than Karunanidhi as his leader remarks which have again fuelled the succession issue.
MLA takes charge
Newly-elected DMK MLA from the Pennagaram Assembly constituency P N P Inbasekaran was sworn in as an MLA of the Tamilnadu Assembly at Speaker R Avudaiyappan’s chamber in the new Secretariat here today.
Interestingly, Inbasekaran has become the 100th MLA of the ruling DMK and the first Legislator to be sworn in in the newly inaugurated Assembly complex.
Avudaiyappan administered the oath of office and secrecy to Inbasekaran who won with the 36,000 votes margin in the 27 March bypoll.
Karunanidhi, Stalin, Ministers K Anbazhagan, Arcot N Veerasamy, Duraimurugan, K Ponmudy, A V Velu, Pongalur Palanichamy, Thangam Thenerasu and Geetha Jeevan, TNCC president K V Thangkabalu, VCK chief Thol Thirumavazhavan and others were present.
The bypoll was necessitated following the demise of Inbasekaran’s father P N Periannan. On Tuesday, after winning the byelection, Inbasekaran met Karunanidhi and received his wishes.
DMK big victory in the Pennagaram.
Posted by ganesh in Communication, Dharmapuri, Political, Public, competition, election, function on March 30th, 2010
The ruling DMK today tasted a big victory in the Pennagaram Assembly seat, byelection to which was held on 27 March. The PMK, which has a considerable support in the Vanniyar-dominated constituency, emerged second while the main opposition AIADMK came third.
In the counting, which was taken up at 8 am today amid tight security, it became clear that the DMK candidate P N P Inbasekaran was heading for victory.
The real fight was however between AIADMK contestant Anbazhagan and PMK’s G K M Tamizhkumaran, as to who would emerge second in the fiercely-fought byelection.
DMDK candidate Kaverivarman stood fourth right from the first round of counting and the continued the dismal show till the end.
At the end of the 11th round of counting, DMK was leading the show with 49,800 votes, PMK with 19,524 votes, AIADMK with 16,933 votes and DMDK 6,934 votes.
Even as the victory for the DMK became imminent, it was celebration time in the DMK. Cadres assembled at party headquarters Anna Arivalayam here, burst crackers and distributed sweets as the lead kept swelling by every passing round.
They greeted party president and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi and Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin (who is seen as the architect behind the big win), as they arrived at Arivalayam.
The Pennagaram byelection was peaceful without any violence and 84 per cent of polling was recorded. Due to some technical error in 10 polling stations, the voters were given extra time to cast their votes.
Apart from Tamilnadu Chief Electoral Officer Naresh Gupta who camped in the constituency following an instruction from the Election Commission, three election observers and the District Election Officer toured the constituency while polling was in progress.
Expressing satisfaction over the peaceful conduct of the poll, Gupta commended Dharmapuri Collector-District Election Officer P Amutha and police officers. Chief Election Commissioner Navin Chawla telephonically conveyed his appreciation of the work of the police to Inspector-General and Officer on Special Duty for the election Abash Kumar.
The DMK, which won all the byelections in the State after 2006, concentrated more on Pennagaram, a so-called PMK bastion, ever since the bypoll date was announced.
Speaking to reporters before leaving for Pennagaram, Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi said, ‘I had decided to campaign for the party candidate in Pennagaram constituency because the people are expecting me there.
In the past I have visited Pennagaram many times to propagate the ideas of the DMK. Now I don’t like to disappoint the people of the constituency.’
The fact that the octogenarian himself is personally going to campiagn (he had opted out of active electioneering in the previous few byelections) indicated the seriousness with which the ruling party is approaching the challenge.
MK expresses happiness
Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi today expressed happiness over his party candidate’s victory in the Pennagaram byelection.
Speaking to reporters here, he said the DMK faced the bypoll with immense faith on democracy and emerged triumphant.
‘This is a victory for the good deeds of the State and Central governments. I thank the people of Pennagaram, DMK workers and activists of alliance parties for the victory.’
73.77 per cent of voters exercised their Pennagaram
Posted by ganesh in Communication, Departments, Dharmapuri, Political, competition, election, government on March 27th, 2010
Till 4 p.m., 73.77 per cent of voters exercised their franchise, according to P. Amutha, Dharmapuri Collector and District Election Officer. The Pennagaram constituency, part of the backward district of Dharmapuri, has a total of 2,01,008 voters, of whom men account for 1,12,892 and women 98,116.
Naresh Gupta, Chief Electoral Officer, now stationed at Dharmapuri, is monitoring the polling from the control room at the collectorate.
In Samichettipatti village (25 km from the Dharmapuri town), the police chased away a mob who assembled near a polling booth. One person sustained minor injury. In another village – Nagaramarai, the police detained some people, the exact number of whom was not available immediately.
It was after 10. a.m. that the voter turn out picked up momentum. The figure of polling was 13.2 per cent till 10 a.m.; 23.78 per cent (11 a.m.); 29.35 per cent (noon) and 46 per cent (1 p.m.), according to the control room at the Dharmapuri district collectorate.
Due to a technical problem, the polling started half-an-hour late in Kullanaur polling station, which covers Thalappallam, the native village of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam nominee R. Anbalagan. In Moongilmaduvu village, the native place of the Pattali Makkal Katchi president G.K. Mani, the turnout was heavy.
Tight security arrangements had been made for the by-polls with more than 2, 450 personnel, drawn from 3 companies each of the Central Industrial Security Force, Central Reserve Police Force and the Karnataka Armed Reserve Police. Besides, eight companies of Tamil Nadu Special Police were deployed. Additional police forces had been deployed at the polling booths in naxalite-affected villages of Eriyur, Nagamarai and Neruppur.
First aid centres were set up in all stations.
A 11-member delegation of Bhutan led by Tashi Gyeltshen, Commissioner, visited a few polling stations in Pennagaram. The delegation, consisting of two Commissioners and nine Deputy Commissioners, is being accompanied by Kamal Sharma of the Election Commission.
On Friday, the team was briefed by Mr Gupta and Ms Amutha regarding the poll arrangements.
It would also observe the counting process on Tuesday, according to an official release issued in Chennai.
The by-election was necessitated by the death of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Member of Legislative Assembly P.N. Periyannan. Apart from the DMK, the AIADMK, PMK and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam have fielded their nominees.
The counting will be held on March 30.
Polling in the by-election to Pennagaram Assembly
Posted by ganesh in Communication, Departments, Dharmapuri, Information, Other, Political, competition, election, government, police on March 27th, 2010
Polling in the by-election to Pennagaram Assembly constituency in Dharmapuri district of Tamil Nadu began this morning amid tight security.
As almost all the polling stations have been declared sensitive, a large number of police personnel and paramilitary forces have been deployed to ensure free and fair poll.
Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Naresh Gupta said all arrangements have been made and police forces posted in all sensitive polling stations.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of DMK MLA P N Periannan. A total 31 candidates are in the fray. Prominent among them are P N P Inbasekaran (DMK), R Anbhazhagan (AIADMK), K G Kaverivarman (DMDK) and G K M Thamizhkumaran (PMK).
The bypoll is witnessing a four-cornered contest between the ruling DMK, its arch-rival AIADMK, the PMK and the DMDK.
All the leaders–Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa, PMK founder-leader S Ramadoss and DMDK leader actor Vijayakanth, besides Deputy Chief Minister M K Stalin campaigned for their candidates.
While the DMK fielded Inbasekaran, son of Periannan, PMK has nominated Tamizhkumaran, son of party president and legislator G K Mani.
DMK successfuly win M Karunanidhi
Posted by ganesh in Dharmapuri, Information, Political, competition, election, programme on March 24th, 2010
Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi has expressed the hope that his party would emerge triumphant in the 27 March bypoll for Pennagaram Assembly Constituency.
Speaking to reporters here before leaving for Pennagaram to address an election meeting scheduled tonight, he said, ‘Our party will surely win the byelection. I have no doubts in it.’
Asked about a reported remark of Union Minister for Chemical and Fertilisers M K Alagiri that he would never accept anyone other than Karunandhi as his leader, the Chief Minister said, ‘he (Alagiri) would be the better person to answer the question.’
Asked that Alagiri had hinted that no one had the talent to lead the party after Karunanidhi, the octogenarian said, ‘Even I too don’t know from which year I would not be there.’
On the Supreme Court’s ‘backing’ to actress Kushboo’s comments that there is no wrong in premartial sex, Karunanidhi said, ‘some would approach the issue on the basis of Kalaviyal in ancient Tamil literature.’
Meanwhile, the DMK president was given a rousing reception by party workers on the outskirts of Pennagaram, where he would address a mega public meeting in support of DMK candidate P N P Inbasekaran tonight.
The DMK, which won all the byelections in the State after 2006, has been concentrating more on Pennagaram, a so-called PMK bastion, ever since the bypoll date was announced.
Speaking to reporters recently, Karunanidhi said, ‘I had decided to campaign for the party candidate in Pennagaram constituency because the people are expecting me there. In the past I have visited Pennagaram many times to propagate the ideas of the DMK. Now I don’t like to disappoint the people of the constituency.’
The fact that the octogenarian himself is personally going to campiagn (he had opted out of active electioneering in the previous few byelections) indicates the seriousness with which the ruling party is approaching the challenge.
Though there are 31 candidates in the fray, P N P Inbasekran (DMK), T R Anbazhagan (AIADMK), G K M Tamilkumaran (PMK) and Kaveri Varman (DMDK) are the key contestants for the 27 March polling. Campaigning will come to end tomorrow.
DMK M K Stalin challenged AIADMK Jayalalithaa to Hogenakkal water project
Posted by ganesh in Communication, Departments, Dharmapuri, Information, Political, Water, dam reports, government, modification on March 24th, 2010
Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister and DMK treasurer M K Stalin on Tuesday challenged AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa to prove her charges with regard to the Hogenakkal water project.
Campaigning for his party candidate P N P Inbasekaran in Pennagaram constituency, which is facing a byelection March 27, Stalin said he would quit politics if Jayalalithaa proved her charges. “And if she failed to prove them, she should quit politics”, he said.
Stating that the former Chief Minister was elected from Bargur in the combined district of Dharmapuri, Stalin said she never visited Pennagaram and did nothing for the people of the constituency.
On Monday, Jayalalithaa launched her campaign at Kurumpatti hamlet, where she charged the ruling DMK with “failing to implement” the Hogenekkal water scheme. “There is no progress in the project after the laying of foundation stone,”
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