NEW DELHI: It's election time and both Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Congress President Sonia Gandhi would be busy addressing rallies in Tamil Nadu as in all the other states. The only difference is that in Tamil Nadu, the allies have changed diametrically. Now, Vajpayee will be sharing the dais with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa while Congress President Sonia Gandhi will be shaking hands with her one-time bete noire DMK Chief M Karunanidhi. Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee will be laying the foundation stone of South-North Corridor National Highway project in Kanyakumari on February 2. He is also expected to address a rally in Nagarcoil the same day. Unlike the previous time when there was a tussle between the then Union Minister T R Baalu and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, on whom should be receiving Prime Minister Vajpayee and should be sitting next to him, there is no such controversy now. Prime Minister Vajpayee will be received by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa who may also share the dias with him in Nagarcoil. On the other hand, the Congress President Sonia Gandhi is also being asked to visit Chennai on the occasion of the death anniversary of Anna Durai on February 3. The proposal, which has come from the Congress, is yet to be finalised by Congress President Sonia Gandhi. She is expected to visit Chennai if the seat sharing between the DMK and the Congress is finalised. It will be for the first time that Sonia Gandhi would be meeting Karunanidhi. Her meeting with Karunanidhi would assume significance in the backdrop of the Congress pulling out the rug from the United Front Government on the issue of dropping DMK Ministers in the Gujral Government. It is learnt that the DMK Chief M Karunanidhi and Congress President Sonia Gandhi would also be addressing joint rallies later in the month. While the Congress and the DMK are still struggling to firm-up the alliance by allocating seats much to the satisfaction of each other, the AIADMK-BJP combine is preparing ground to embarrass their rivals. According to the AIADMK sources, it will be ironical that the Congress President Sonia Gandhi who would not miss going to Sriperumbudur to pay homage to late husband Rajiv Gandhi, will also meet M Karunanidhi, the DMK party Chief, whom she had accused of having links with the LTTE. On the issue of LTTE, the AIADMK will be on the offensive pointing-out that while the DMK was hand-in-glove with the LTTE, it is the AIADMK and the BJP, which have been openly fighting the organisation. The DMK allies, the PMK and the MDMK, are even now not shying away from declaring support to the LTTE, remarked a BJP leader.
Sacked TN Govt employees move SAT
Friday, January 30, 2004
PTI CHENNAI: About 25 Tamil Nadu Government employees, including some Union leaders and teachers, have moved the State Administrative Tribunal against their removal from service for participating in the indefinite strike by employees in July last year. SAT Chairman Justice I David Christian has issued notice to the state authorities concerned and posted the applications for hearing on February five. In their applications the employees sought a direction to the authorities to produce the records in respect of their representations and quash the order of the three-member retired high court judge panel, appointed by the Madras High Court to go into their dismissals by the state Government. They had also sought a direction to the state Government to reinstate them. The panel had gone into the grievances of over 5700 suspended employees for participation in the strike. While two of the judges Justice K Sampath and Justice Malai Subramaniam had submitted their reports on December 26, Justice P Thangavel handed over his report to the state government on December 31. The panel was constituted a few months back on the directives of the Supreme Court. Hearing of the grievances of the dismissed employees began on September one. Of the 5700 dismissed or suspended, the terminations of about 1000 were upheld by the panel.
AIADMK ties the knot with BJP
Friday, January 30, 2004
The AIADMK supremo has agreed to form an alliance with the BJP CHENNAI: The inevitable happened. The AIADMK and BJP tied up the knot, with the former accepting A B Vajpayee as the prime ministerial candidate. This is the second time the two parties tied up after their maiden alliance in 1998. The announcement came from the AIADMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa after a 45-minute meeting with the BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu at her Poes Garden residence on Wednesday morning: "We've decided to work together. Details about the number of seats will be worked out by the committees of the two parties." She, however, declined to confirm if she would join the NDA, while expressing confidence that Vajpayee would be the next Prime Minister. She also replied in the negative on if there was any proposal to include any other party in the front in Tamil Nadu. "Whatever I have to tell you I have said," was her reply to the question on joining the NDA. The BJP national executive committee member Sukumaran Nambier accompanied Naidu. They were received by state ministers C Ponniayan, O Paneerselvam and D Jayakumar, who ushered them to meet Jayalalithaa. Later in the afternoon, talking to the media, Naidu clarified a decision has not been taken yet if the AIADMK would be a part of the NDA and that it could like the TDP take a decision later. However, this aspect was not taken up during their discussion.
Tenneco Automotive to outsource from Chennai
Friday, January 30, 2004
CHENNAI: Tenneco Automotive, a leading US-based supplier of emissions and ride control systems, will source from its Chennai centre the IT, human resources, engineering and financial services for its global needs. The company on Thursday commissioned its 'shared services centre' in Chennai with a view to use this facility as a base to support the global needs of Tenneco Automotive. Bill Haser, Vice President and Chief Information Officer of the company, told reporters here that Chennai had been selected in view of the availablity of right skills and facilities. Financial services outsourcing from the Chennai centre would commence from this year, he said, adding that the company had a pilot centre in the city since last year. The company presently supplies its products to Indian vehicle majors like Maruti, Ashok Leyland, Volvo, Bajaj Auto and TVS Motors from its manufacturing facilities in Gurgaon, Hosur, Pondicherry and Pune.
TN to have Oracle as partner for e-governance
Friday, January 30, 2004
PTI CHENNAI: Electronics Corporation of Tamil Nadu (ELCOT) and Oracle India on Thursday signed an MoU under which Oracle will partner the state government in its e-governance initiatives. ELCOT is the nodal agency, under the Information Technology department of the state government, for implementing e-governance projects. The MoU was signed here by Sudeep Jain, Managing Director of ELCOT, and Shekhar Dasgupta, managing director of Oracle India Private Ltd, in the presence of Vivek Harinarain, IT secretary of the state. Jain told reporters that the MOU would add greater value to the government's e-governance projects, especially in revenue and registration departments. "Our relationship with ELCOT will give us an opportunity to use Oracle technology and applications in providing world class e-governance solutions to Tamil Nadu," Shekhar Dasgupta said on the occasion.
Madhavan’s site draws more than 1 million visitors
Friday, January 30, 2004
Thousands of Fans are still pounding at the official website of Madhavan (www.rmadhavan.com) which has crossed a record breaking 1 million visitors. The website which is being designed and maintained by www.galatta.com, is the first official website of a movie star which has ever crossed 1 million visitors. Congratulations to Madhavan and all his fans who are responsible to making the site, the number one, most visited movie star website. http://www.galatta.com
Congress, DMK agree on Tamil Nadu seat-sharing
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Congress, DMK agree on Tamil Nadu seat-sharing Indo-Asian News ServiceChennai, January 27 The Congress and the DMK on Sunday said they had reached agreement on seat sharing in Tamil Nadu for the upcoming general election but were mum on the numbers. "The seat-sharing is more or less complete," DMK chief M Karunanidhi said after a meeting in Chennai with Congress emissaries Manmohan Singh and Kamal Nath. "A credible and formidable alliance" had been formed in Tamil Nadu, Nath said. "The modalities have been discussed in detail. Within two to three days, the state Congress committee will discuss with the DMK all further issues to present a credible and strong alliance," he said. Neither party would say how the 39 Lok Sabha seats in Tamil Nadu would be distributed. The DMK has 11 Lok Sabha seats and is expected to contest at least 15-17 seats. Congress sources here hinted the party had sought at least 12 seats. The meeting was, however, not fully satisfactory for the Congress, with the DMK having given away the lone Pondicherry seat to the PMK without consulting the Congress. The Congress has won Pondicherry in nine of 11 parliamentary elections and currently holds the seat. Karunanidhi, however, made it clear to the Congress it would have to give up the seat in the interest of coalition politics.
LTTE concerned over Indo-Lanka defence pact
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Colombo: The Tamil Tiger rebels Monday expressed "serious concern" over the proposed Indo-Lanka Defence Cooperation Agreement (DCA), saying it "could have far-reaching negative consequences" on the stalled peace process in the island nation. According to Tamilnet website, LTTE's London-based chief negotiator and political strategist, Anton Balasingham, has conveyed to India the LTTE's objections to the DCA through the good offices of the Norwegian facilitators. Balasingham has pointed out to the Norwegians that the proposed defence pact with India "might upset the balance of forces to the disadvantage of the LTTE and disturbing that military equilibrium would lead to the disturbance of the ceasefire agreement, the very foundation on which the Sri Lankan peace process stands". "A military pact with India would encourage the Sinhala political leadership to take a hard-line, belligerent attitude towards the Tamils and eventually destroy the mutual trust between the estranged communities, a crucial factor necessary for the consolidation and promotion of peace," the LTTE's political advisor has been quoted as saying to the Norwegian facilitators. "There is no strategic necessity for the Government of India to rush into a defence agreement with military implications at this crucial time when the peace process itself is endangered by the political crisis in Colombo," Balasingham pointed out. He stated that such an agreement at this stage would be detrimental to the interests of the Tamil people and would seriously "damage their bargaining power". Balasingham also charged that President Chandrika Kumaratunga and her political arch rival Prime Minister Ranil Wickremesinghe "are desperately eager to gain 'political credit' over such a military agreement with India, propagating it as an effective instrument to contain the military power of the Tamil Tigers". The LTTE's reaction has come barely a couple of weeks after President Kumaratunga sent a four-member delegation led by her newly appointed Defence secretary Cyril Herath to New Delhi to expedite the DCA project. Herath, upon his return last week, has submitted a three-and-a-half page draft of the DCA to Kumaratunga for her approval. The LTTE's reaction also coincided with a trip to New Delhi by Prime Minister's special emissary and Economic Reforms Minister Milinda Moragoda, who masterminded the idea and did the groundwork in New Delhi for the defence deal. India has offered Sri Lanka a greater military assistance, which includes the supply of transport helicopters to enhance the armed forces airlift capability, the rehabilitation of the airstrip at the strategically vital Palaly military base in Jaffna, as well as various kinds of military training programmes.
Order on Vaiko's bail plea fixed for Feb 3
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Discuss: Is POTA effective enough to curb terrorism? Chennai: A designated court in Chennai fixed February 3 for pronouncing its orders on a bail application filed by MDMK leader and POTA detenu Vaiko. Designated judge L Rajendran reserved his orders after Tamil Nadu advocate general N R Chandran, appearing on behalf of the government, objected to grant of bail for Vaiko. Vaiko and eight other partymen were arrested in July 2002 under the anti-terror law for allegedly speaking in favour of the banned LTTE at a public meeting at Tirumangalam in Madurai district in June that year. The Madras High Court had granted bail to the eight partymen on January 12 after a trial court had rejected their bail pleas.
Kerala urges TN to release water from Aliyar
Tuesday, January 27, 2004
Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Chief Minister A.K. Antony told the state assembly on Tuesday that his Government had taken all possible steps to get water released from Prambikulam-Aliyar project to meet the drought in Chittur taluk of Palakkad district. Replying to a calling attention motion by K.A. Chandran (Cong), he said he had written to his Tamil Nadu counterpart J Jayalalithaa in this regard. He said Kerala had received only 3.78 tmc water this season from the project out of 6.46 tmc as per the revised agreement between the two States concluded recently. The question of getting the full quantity of water had been taken up with Tamil Nadu repeatedly. The chief minister said Palakkad had been declared a drought-hit district and relief measures were taken on a war-footing. Out of Rs 70 lakh sanctioned by the Government as relief to the drought-hit farmers, Rs 35.71 lakh had already been distributed. A provision of Rs one crore had been made in the 2004-2005 State budget to construct check dams in that district. Suspension of agriculture cess for one year was another measure taken by the Government to provide relief to the farmers. Moving a submission on the issue, K. Achuthan (Cong) threatened that the farmers of Palakkad would go to Chennai and observe fast there if Tamil Nadu failed to release water from the Parambikulam-Aliyar project to save the district from severe drought.
PMK gets six seats as DMK begins sharing seats
Saturday, January 24, 2004
Chennai, Jan 23 (IANS) : The DMK-led front in Tamil Nadu Friday began its seat-sharing exercise for upcoming parliamentary elections by allotting six seats to the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK). The DMK, which walked out of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's ruling coalition last month, has tied up with the Congress party to form a front that will take on the Chief Minister Jayaram Jayalalitha's AIADMK. Two other former Vajpayee allies, the PMK and the MDMK, are in the DMK-Congress alliance in Tamil Nadu, named the Progressive Democratic Front. The seats given to the PMK are Dharmapuri, Tindivanam, Chengalpet and Chidambaram in Tamil Nadu and the neighbouring single-seat Pondicheery. The DMK said a sixth seat - either Vellore or Arakkonam - would also go the PMK way. The PMK derives its strength mainly from the Vanniyar community. The PMK was the party that joined the front last, but it became the first in the alliance to be given seats by DMK president and former chief minister M. Karunanidhi. The Congress, whose leaders have met Karunanidhi, said the DMK would decide on the seat sharing in Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu elects 39 members to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of parliament, while neighbouring Pondicherry accounts for one seat. In the last Lok Sabha polls, when the AIADMK allied with the Congress, Jayalalitha had allocated 10 seats to the Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) and the Congress. Although the TMC has merged with the Congress, Karunanidhi is expected give the Congress the same number of seats. The Congress has traditionally held the Pondicherry seat. Since this has gone to PMK, this could cause some heartburn in the Congress. Former finance minister and Congress Jananayaka Peravai leader P. Chidambaram has met Congress president Sonia Gandhi in New Delhi and announced he would fight the Lok Sabha election as part of the Congress-DMK front. Also allied with the DMK and Congress and the Communist Party of India and the Communist Party of India-Marxist. The PMK currently has five members in parliament. The DMK is now left with 34 seats, of which it is expected to give at least five to MDMK. The DMK is expected to contest 15 to 17 seats.
Supreme Court dismisses plea against Nedumaran's bail
Saturday, January 24, 2004
New Delhi, Jan 23 (IANS) : The Supreme Court Friday dismissed a petition by the Tamil Nadu government challenging the bail granted to Tamil nationalist leader P. Nedumaran, a close ally of Sri Lanka's Tamil Tigers. The Madras High Court had granted Nedumaran bail in January in a case relating to the publication of two books in support of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), who are held responsible for the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi in 1991. A bench consisting of judges S. Rajendra Babu and G.P. Mathur dismissed the plea, pointing out Nedumaran had been in jail for over 17 months after he was arrested under the stringent Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) in another case. The Supreme Court had last month dismissed the Tamil Nadu government's appeal against the grant of bail to Nedumaran in the POTA case. Nedumaran was arrested under POTA in August 2002. Earlier this month, the case relating to the publication of the two books -"Kaviya Nayagan Kittu" and "Ilangai Inaprachnayin Adipadaigal" - that was registered in December 1993, came up for trial and the high court granted him bail on January 6. The Tamil Nadu government contended the first case against Nedumaran was registered in December 1993 after the LTTE was declared an "unlawful association" under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. It said the two books were sold and distributed not only in India but also in other countries and the proceeds funded LTTE activities in India. The state government pointed out Nedumaran was granted anticipatory bail in this case but did not appear before the lower court for the "efficient and expeditious disposal of the case". In view of a sessions court order that the trial be completed in one month, the high court should not have granted bail to him, the petition contended.
Death Toll in Tamilnadu Wedding Hall Fire Rises To 55
Saturday, January 24, 2004
Chennai, Jan. 24 (NNN): The death toll in the devastating fire at a wedding hall in Tamilnadu’s Srirangam on Friday rose to 55 on Saturday with a woman succumbing to her Burn injuries in a local hospital. The victim, among the 38 injured, died at a government hospital in Tiruchirappalli on Saturday morning, hospital sources said. At least 54 persons, including the 42- year old bridegroom and 22 women, were charred to death and the bride and 37 others injured as fire, suspected to have been caused by short-circuiting, engulfed the marriage hall shortly before the wedding was to be solemnized in this temple town. The blaze, which broke out at a marriage hall on the busy EVS Street at Rangarajapuram in the temple town of Srirangam, was brought under control within hours. The injured persons were rushed to Srirangam and Tiruchirapalli government hospitals. The bride was saved by one of her relatives, according to the sources. The cause of the fire has been blamed by police and fire department on a electrical short-circuit in the serial light wiring, which was put up on the thatched roof of the hall on the first floor. According to an eyewitness, the fire broke out due to short circuit when a video crew was fixing a plug for the focus light. The plug burst and the pandal caught fire due to the sparks, he said. Earlier some reports said the that the incident occurred after the coconut palm leaf roof caught fire when camphor was burnt in the hall. According to the police many deaths were took place due to stampede as people who had gathered for the `Muhartham’ (auspicious time for the wedding) ran in panic to get out of the hall. Panicky guests rushed down a narrow staircase from the wedding venue on an upper floor as the fire broke out, causing a stampede, according to officials. The first floor of the hall was completely destroyed in the fire. The ceremony was taking place in the early hours of Friday because the time was considered auspicious under the Hindu calendar.
Missing students are back home
Friday, January 23, 2004
CHENNAI: It was an emotional reunion of sorts for the parents of five children, who had run away from home to Ooty on Tuesday, as they embraced their children who arrived at the Royapettah Police Station on Thursday morning after being escorted from Ooty by a special search party of the police station. On arrival, the students - Nirmala Devi, 15, Bhuvaneswari, 15, Logeswari, 15, Austin Schilogher, 16, and Muralidharan, 14, - told the police that they had gone on a tour only for sightseeing and that they had not informed their parents fearing denial of permission. Later, they were sent home after being counselled by Mylapore Deputy Commissioner R Shanmuga Rajeswaran. The students told media persons at the police station that they were planning the tour for quite sometime and had arranged money by way of doing a few odd jobs after school hours without the knowledge of their parents. Another student said that he had saved money for a long time for the excursion. As planned, the students left home on Tuesday morning on the pretext of going for tuition, but went to a friend’s place in Mylapore and from there to Poonamallee, where they boarded a bus to Bangalore. On Tuesday evening, the five reached Bangalore where they went for sightseeing before spending the night at Bangalore bus stand. On Wednesday morning, the students mortgaged Nirmala Devi’s jewellery for Rs 600 and left for Ooty. After reaching Ooty, the students had their lunch and were sitting at the bus stand when they were picked by the city police who had rushed to Ooty. It is learnt that the students had come under the influence of a Tamil movie which idealised friendship and youth
13th century slab with inscriptions found near Salem
Friday, January 23, 2004
SALEM: An ancient stone slab with inscriptions has been found at Minamballi, near Salem. N Sundarajan, curator, Salem Museum said, the 13-line inscription speaks of the custom of establishing separate temple and worship for Goddess Amman. The slab could be dated to the period of Rajendra Cholan I because it was during his time separate ‘sannidhis’ were created for the Amman. Hence it could be a 13th century relic, he pointed out. The slab measures 3.34 feet in length, 2.34 feet in breadth and 0.5 feet in depth. It was found in the lands of Irudhaiyaraj and his brother Peter. The revenue department has handed over it to the Salem Museum.
Hollywood takes more than a liking to Kaakha Kaakha
Friday, January 23, 2004
CHENNAI: It’s official now. Kaakha Kaakha is going to Hollywood. And it’s taking director Gautham Menon and producer Kalaipuli Thanu with it. Unlike its Tamil version, which was set in Chennai and based on a loner cop who battles extortionists and gets his wife killed in the bargain, the Hollywood version of Kaakha Kaakha, tentatively titled Guarding On, will set a loner Russian commando against Chechen rebels. As for the love interest, the schoolteacher Maya of Kaakha Kaakha will be replaced by ballet dancer Maya in Guarding On. ‘‘We’re still in the ABC stage. For instance, we haven’t decided whether we are going to set an American cop in Russia or keep the commando Russian. But either way, it’s going to be a Hollywood film. It’s just that we have a long way to go before Z,’’ says Gautham. ‘‘It all began after Kaakha Kaakha came out. Thanu thought it would do well in Hollywood,’’ adds Gautham. Kaakha Kaakha came out the fourth biggest grosser of 2003 in terms of collections. Thanu then approached Chennai-based Mohan Narayanan as a business consultant on how to make the cross-over to Hollywood. The group from Chennai – Thanu, Gautham, and Narayanan – visited Los Angeles, in mid-November 2003 and made their presentations to various producers. Four of the producers – one of them being Ryan Johnson (executive producer of The Score starring Edward Norton and Robert de Niro) – liked the movie and asked them to ready a script. Gautham and Thanu then started the company Malibu Tigers, which would produce the movie. ‘‘It was agreed that Thanu would put in some amount of money and the American producer would put in the rest,’’ says Gautham. Gautham, who wrote the screenplay for Kaakha Kaakha, will not be writing the script for Guarding On. Scripting for the Hollywood version has been entrusted to screenbrokers Alan Ross and Bonnie Sanders. It looks like the crew will be American, including the music director. ‘‘I’d like to take Harris Jeyaraj (who did the music for Kaakha Kaakha) but that’s up to the producer,’’ says Gautham. Gautham, busy now with his Tamil film Chennaiyil Oru Mazhaikaalam and the Telugu version of Kaakha Kaakha, sees Guarding On as a mid-2005 project. Gautham says he does not want to comment on what the budget for Guarding On will be, but other sources closely involved in the production say it is 10-15 million dollars (Kaakha Kaakha’s budget was Rs 2.5 crore, a little more than half a million dollars). What’s ironic is that Kaakha Kaakha, a script that had no takers for a very long time in Kollywood – so much so it had Gautham making the movie in fits and starts as and when the money flowed in – now has four lined up in Hollywood.
Verdict in SPIC case on Friday
Friday, January 23, 2004
CHENNAI: Special Court Judge R Rajamanickam will deliver the judgment in the 'SPIC-TIDCO disinvestment case' on Friday (Jan. 23). Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, former Industries Secretary C Ramachandran and industrialist A C Muthiah, the accused in the case, are to be present in the court at the time of delivery of the verdict. The charge against them was that they had caused heavy loss to the exchequer by relinquishing the government's share in TIDCO in favour of SPIC.
BJP ready to go extra mile for tie-up with AIADMK
Friday, January 23, 2004
CHENNAI: The Bharatiya Janata Party and the National Democratic Alliance government at the Centre are preparing to go out of the way to accommodate Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to firm up an alliance with the AIADMK. A clear indication of this was given on Wednesday during the telephonic talk that Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani had with Jayalalithaa, which was followed by her announcement that BJP president M Venkaiah Naidu would meet her on January 28 to talk alliance. Following this, BJP national secretary L Ganesan said on Thursday that the party would seek ''double digit seats'' (minimum 10 seats) from the AIADMK. ''However, it is not the number of seats that is important. What is more important is that all the 40 candidates (39 in Tamil Nadu and one in Pondicherry) should support the prime ministership of Vajpayee,'' he hastened to add, indicating that the BJP, in its eagerness to clinch an alliance with the AIADMK, may not drive too hard a bargain. The party is also waiting to first get the AIADMK's alliance through, at least in principle, before it even thinks of any additional allies. Playing down the issues that Jayalalithaa had raised during her telephonic talk with Advani, Ganesan said they were not in the nature of pre-conditions for the alliance. They were demands placed before the Centre by the state government in the interest of Tamil Nadu. Jayalalithaa had, among other things, sought immediate release of Rs 700 crore from the National Calamity Contingency Fund (NCCF) instead of the Rs 50 crore that the Centre had offered to release as the first instalment. She had also sought the withdrawal of the controversial October 2003 draft notification issued by the Union Environment Ministry. Advani had responded favourably to both these demands. And, it was within hours of this discussion that Jayalalithaa's announcement about Naidu's mission came. Brushing aside the political significance of the timing of the state government's demands, Ganesan said with the dissolution of parliament imminent, it was but natural for any state government to request the Centre to issue some favourable orders before it (the Centre) became a caretaker government. However, with Venkaiah Naidu meeting Jayalalithaa next week, ''the chances for the alliance are very bright,'' Ganesan said
Over 50 killed, 40 injured in major fire mishap in Tamil Nadu
Friday, January 23, 2004
Srirangam (Tamil Nadu), Jan 23 (PTI) In one of the worst tragedies in recent memory in Tamil Nadu, atleast 52 people were today charred to death and over 40 sustained burns and other injuries, in a fire, which broke out at a hall, during a marriage ceremony here. The dead included the bridegroom, 23 women and two kids. There are many more still in government and private hospitals, whose exact numbers are not immediately known. The fire broke out, allegedly due to a short circuit, in the serial lightings, put up on the thatched roof of the first floor of a marriage hall located at the busy EVS street area. The hall was engulfed in flames immediately after the fire broke out, police and fire sources said here. Many more were injured in the stampede that followed. More than 400 people had gathered for the marriage. A pall of gloom descended in the hall as the mishap occurred at a time when the 'mangalsutra' was about to be tied by the groom. People tried to escape through the narrow staircase in the hall and many who had already suffered burns died in the stampede. According to an eye witness, the fire broke out due to short-circuit when the video-crew was fixing the plug for the focus light. The plug burst and the pandal caught fire. PTI
One more minister in TN Cabinet
Thursday, January 22, 2004
One more minister in TN CabinetThursday January 22 2004 00:00 IST CHENNAI: One more minister is being inducted into the state cabinet, taking its total strength to 25. C V Shanmugam, representing the Tindivanam Assembly constituency, will be sworn in at a ceremony on Thursday, and he will be designated as the minister for Labour, according to a Raj Bhavan communique here. He will also hold the portfolios of Employment and Training, Urban and Rural Employment, Census and Wakfs, presently looked after by Transport Minister R Viswanathan. Shanmugam was a minister in charge of Commercial Taxes in the first ministry of Jayalalithaa when she returned to power in 2001. He also continued in the ministry when O.Panneerselvam became the Chief Minister.
Ganja peddlers held
Thursday, January 22, 2004
Ganja peddlers heldThursday January 22 2004 00:00 IST ERODE: Veerappanchathram police inspector KPS Jayachandran on Wednesday arrested Parvathi and Maheswaran on the charge of selling ganja at RN Pudhur area. From them, he seized 3.5 kg ganja, valued at about Rs 1 lakh.
Advani promises to dilute Baalu's fiat
Thursday, January 22, 2004
Advani promises to dilute Baalu's fiatThursday January 22 2004 00:00 IST CHENNAI: In a significant indication of a thaw in the relationship between the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre and the AIADMK Government in Tamil Nadu, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani on Wednesday contacted Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa telephonically to inform her that there would be a substantial enhancement of delegation of powers to the state government with regard to environmental clearances for construction projects. Advani's telephone conversation with Jayalalithaa comes in the wake of relentless feelers being sent by the BJP leadership to the AIADMK for an alliance ahead of the Lok Sabha elections. And it was Advani, generally described as pro-Jayalalithaa, who had greeted her on New Year day. A state government press release said Advani told the Chief Minister that the Union Ministry of Environment and Forests was comprehensively examining the entire regime of environmental clearances. Advani also assured Jayalalithaa that the concerns expressed by her on the issue would be fully kept in mind while finalising the new regime for environmental clearances. Advani's assurance follows Jayalalithaa's request for withdrawal of the draft notification issued by the Ministry of Environment and Forests on October 27, 2003 providing for an Environmental Impact Assessment to be made by the Union Government for major construction projects. The draft notification was issued by T R Baalu when he was the Union minister of Environment and Forests, apparently with a view to stalling the State government's mega project for a new Secretariat in the Anna University complex. Advani also told the Chief Minister that the important issues that had been brought to his notice by her were receiving his immediate and personal attention. On the request for sanction of Rs 700 crore from the National Calamity Fund to tackle the drinking water scarcity in Chennai, Advani said a Central team was being deputed to Tamil Nadu to make an assessment of the situation. Besides, the Union Government would be releasing Rs 50 crore immediately as an ad hoc sanction under the National Calamity Fund. However, Jayalalithaa told Advani that the amount proposed to be released was rather inadequate to meet the unprecedented water scarcity prevailing in Chennai.
Rs 50 crore to tackle water crisis in Chennai
Thursday, January 22, 2004
Rs 50 crore to tackle water crisis in ChennaiThursday January 22 2004 00:00 IST CHENNAI: With the Centre agreeing to immediately sanction Rs 50 crore from the National Calamity Contingency Fund to tackle the drinking water crisis in Chennai, the Metrowater Board has fortified its steps to ensure adequate supply. A slew of measures have been taken up by the Board: Hiring private wells from agriculturists, installing pump sets that can draw water, linking the wells to pipelines, increasing the number of tankers for supply and identifying new groundwater sources to tap. Officials of the Metrowater Board said measures to ease the water crisis have already commenced. Tenders have been called for in some of the packages planned and some work has already begun, said Metrowater Managing Director V Thangavelu. The Chief Minister had written to the Centre for funds to work out three components of emergency plan to meet the water scarcity: Tanker supply for the entire city; tapping of water from wells along the Poondi - Thamaraipakkam belt, which would be routed to the city via Red Hills; tapping of well fields about 220 km south of Chennai. The Board would pay the owner for drawing water from the well on an hourly basis. The Metrowater Board has also issued tenders for drilling bore wells in a cluster of fields in Cuddalore district near the Paravanaru river and Gedilam river. The water will be tapped and brought to Vadakuthur and brought to Chennai via pipes laid for the New Veeranam scheme, which would be ready in June, said an official. Contract work has also started on cleaning the sewage-polluted water of Kolavai Lake in Chengalpattu. The water will then be treated at Mangalam and brought to Chennai through pipes. Estimates from the Board say that 20 mld can be got from this source. The Board would also instal 2,000 Sintex tanks, 400 steel tanks and 1,000 India Mark pumps in the city. The number of tanker trips would be soon increased to 10,000 from the current 7,500 trips. This could go up even to 13,000 trips in the peak of summer.
Kovil
Friday, January 16, 2004
Film: KOVILCast: Shimbu, Sonia Agarwal, Nasar, Rekha, VadiveluMusic: Harris JayarajProducer: A M RathnamScreenplay and direction: Hari Released on: Jan 10, 2004 Shimbu disappoints again. His much talked about film, KOVIL, is a big letdown. Hari who gave blockbuster SAAMY last year faltered in his rehash version of Bharatiraja’s ALAIKAL OYVATHILLAI. Unlike the original, KOVIL suffers from lack of innovative narration and insipid music score by Harris Jayaraj. The original had great compositions by Ilayaraja and terrific screenplay. KOVIL lacks the both qualities. The film is about love story about two youths who belong to two different religions. Hindu boy Sakthivel (Silambaran) and Christian girl Agnel Devi (Sonia Agarwal) fall in love. The heroine’s father Susa Michael (Nassar) is a rabid Christian who not even lets his daughter have Hindu style of dressing. He is against to anything that is Hindu. The hero’s father Periyasami (Raj Kiran) is a true Hindu and is a do-gooder. Don’t ask how church going Agnel Devi falls instantly love with a devout Hindu guy! Meanwhile, they happily sing songs and dance in various exotic locations but their parents shatter their happy dream life. To give a new twist to the story of ALAIKAL OYVATHILLAI, the director Hari has brought in some stupid twist that heroine is not really Christian and that she was orphan adopted by Nasser. A humiliated Nassar climbs on top of the church and threatens to commit suicide to atone his sins but is saved by his archrival Rajkiran. Though Shimbu entertains the audience with his usual Rajinikanth style of mannerisms, he lacks good story to exhibit his histrionics and talent. Sonia Agarwal is a misfit as a devout Christian girl. There is not much to talk about Harris Jayaraj’s music. All in all, Hari has failed to provide an entertainer.
Virumandi trailer played on R-world
Thursday, January 15, 2004
The trailer, plot, songs and starcast of the controversial film Virumandi, scripted and directed by Kamal Haasan, is now available in R-World of the Reliance Infocmm mobiles. At a press conference arranged to announce the launch of the facility here yesterday, Kamal Haasan said Virumandi to be released on Pongal day (tomorrow), looked certain to clinch success. All the controversy with regard to the film had subsided and now the audience had to give their verdict. I have seen the movie more than 150 times so far and I can assure you as a film fan that Virumandi will enthrall movie-buffs. Following the tie-up between Rajkamal Films International and Reliance Infocomm, I am happy that I have reached my target audience with over seven lakh Reliance subscribers watching the movie trailers. Forecasting exciting times ahead for the entertainment industry, he said it has become possible for film-makers to reach their target audience directly. Reliance India mobile users can now downlaod wallpapers, view trailers and down load tunes from the movie. Special contests have also been organised by Reliance, in which the winners will be able to meet or chat with Kamal Haasan by video conference. Somasekhar, wireless business head for Tamilnadu and Kerala, Reliance, said Virumandi, being released for Pongal festival, has given us an opportunity to not only showcase our data and broadband capabilities but also make it available to customers. The Reliance is equipped to provide customised content to Tamilnadu customers according to their needs and tastes. Gourik Roy, commercial-head, Reliance, was also present on the occasion.
Governor, leaders greet Tamils on eve of Pongal
Thursday, January 15, 2004
Tamilnadu Governor P S Ramamohan Rao today greeted the people of the State on the eve of Pongal, the harvest festival, and said while we rejoice in the economic renaissance of India, we also need to overcome the setbacks caused in Tamilnadu by an errant monsoon through innovative farm strategies suited to our natural endowments. Let us hope that 2004 will restore the bounty of nature and revive the farm economy. May we also enjoy peace for the pursuit of happiness, he said. Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, in a statement, said she was wishing Tamils the worldover a heart filled with happiness as the day is celebrated with gaiety in all Tamil homes. She said, we must take an oath on the day to receive our share of the Cauvery waters. She stressed on the importance of farming as an occupation by quoting poet Thiruvalluvar and said Tanjore, the rice bowl of Tamilnadu, depends on river Cauvery for its livelihood. She asserted that the final victory (in getting waters from Karnataka) would definitely be ours, no matter what hardships come our way. In his message, TNCC president G K Vasan said, we must decide to put an end to anti-democratic norms perpetuated in the form of unilateralism and arrogant politics on Bhogi. On the occasion of Pongal, let us take the decision to unite and arise against falsity and anti-people activities. Let us lay the foundation for good changes in politics and to succeed in the social goal of driving away poverty and removal of caste and religious differences. Let the novelty that people expect happen in Tamilnadu. Minister of State for Communications and Information Technology and BJP leader Su Thirunavukkarasar, who greeted everyone on behalf of his party, said Tamils in India and also over the world must pledge to have their part in the work of making India the leading nation of the world by 2020. We must take efforts unitedly to drive away poverty, ignorance and violence from the world, he said. DPI general secretary Thol Thirumavalavan greeted Tamils in the country and overseas by calling upon Tamils to take a vow to come together as one and destroy the differences of caste and religion and to stand up to have Tamil language declared as classical and official language of the nation. In his message, Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal said the month of Margazhi symbolises piety. The three days stand for various devout activities to seek blessings of the Sun and also to offer thanks to the cows. It is auspicious if the milk boils but it must not flow over the vessel. One must only ask if the milk has boiled, he said and also added that one must pray that one gets enlightened on the day. Dravidar Kazhagam president K Veeramani, lamenting that last year was hit by drought, said nature must show some grace in this new year which begins with Pongal. My heartfelt wishes that humanism, happiness, rationality and good character should be filled in peoples heart, he said. State co-ordinator of Federation of Hindu Organisations Vinayaghar V Murali, in his message, greeted people on the occasion of Pongal and Makar Shankaranti .
Vasan meets MK
Thursday, January 15, 2004
TNCC president G K Vasan today said he did not foresee any problem in seat-sharing with the DMK and expressed hoped that the DMK-led coalition would win all the seats in Tamilnadu and Pondicherry. He told this to reporters after holding a meeting with DMK president M Karunanidhi at Anna Arivalayam in Chennai. Vasan is scheduled to leave for Delhi tomorrow to attend the Pradesh Congress Committee meeting. He said he would share with AICC president Sonia Gandhi the details of the meeting with Karunanidhi. He also thanked Karunanidhi for his efforts in forming the secular alliance in the State.
International conference on higher education from Jan 16
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Chennai, Jan 13 (UNI) In a bid to help higher educational institutions to prepare and cope up with the changing and competitive environments, a three-day international conference will be organised here from January 16. Sponsored by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC), the International conference on ''Developing Competitive Strength in Institutions of Higher learning in the changing scenario'' would be held at Ethiraj College for women here. Addressing a press conference in this connection here yesterday, Mr Justice S Jagadeesan, Chairman, Ethiraj College Trust, said the conference, organised for the first time in the country, was aimed at preparing the higher educational institutions to accept the need for the change and take steps to meet the challenges in the competitive environments. He said the conference would be inaugurated by Governor P S Ramamohan Rao and eminent academicians, noteworthy scholars and executives from the Industry would present papers on key topics, concerning higher education. The conference would address issues concerning diverse academic areas like Industry, Institute partnership, teaching, learning methodologies, core competencies and government's role in promoting quality in higher education, Ms Indhrani Sridharan, Principal, Ethiraj college, who was present at the press conference said.
Five killed as two buses collide
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Villuppuram, Tamil Nadu, Jan 13 (UNI) Five people, including two AIADMK functionaries, and an infant were killed and 62 injured, six of them seriously, when a State Transport Corporation bus and a private bus collided head-on at Aziznagar near Ulundoorpet in this district today. Police said the mishap occurred when the AIADMK functionaries were proceeding to Chennai from Virudhunagar to attend a party interaction meet. The Government bus was on its way to Tiruchirapalli from Chennai. The deceased were identified as Velammal (52), Jayaraj (45) (both AIADMK functionaries), Mahendran (19), Mankkai (45) and Gajendran (five months). The injured were admitted to the Ulundoorpet Government Hospital, where they were,later, referred to Chennai for speciality treatment. Meanwhile, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa expressed condolences to the bereaved families and announced an ex-gratia payment of Rs 50,000 to the families of the deceased, Rs 15,000 to the grievously injured and Rs 6,000 to those who sustained simple injuries, an official release issued in Chennai said.
Reliance to promote Kamal Hassan's 'Virumandi'
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Chennai, Jan 13 (UNI) Trust versatile Kamal Hassan for variety: the actor-director has struck an alliance with Reliance India mobile to promote his new film 'Virumandi,' which is to come to screens simultaneously in Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh on January 15. Following a tie-up between Kamal's Rajkamal Films and Reliance, the blurbs, video clips, songs and the trailor of the film could be viewed on Reliance mobile phones through its 'Show Time' platform, Reliance Infocomm Marketing Head Kaushik Roy and RIM Business (Tamil Nadu and Kerala) Head V G Somasekhar announced at a joint press conference with Kamal here today. The Reliance Show Time platform was also promoting the film through other media avenues like hoardings. An 'R world' contest on the film was also being undertaken for 'RIM' customers, with the winners getting tickets for the movie. Video chat with the stars and the crew of the film was also part of this publicity package on RIM, they said. ''My idea is to make my film reach the people by any means but through the best technology. Reliance has this,'' Kamal said about the tie-up. Replying to a wide range of questions, Kamal said the day would not be far off when an entire film could be watched for a price on computer screens through internet. This would be the best way to beat the evil of video piracy which could not be contained through the present punitive measures by the authorities, he added. On his latest offering to his fans, Kamal said ''the film has the content to match the hype. I assure you it will not be boring.'' The accomplished actor said he was looking forward to the response from the people, having been able to complete the film overcoming unnecessary controversies. The film, originally titled 'Sandiar,' met with opposition from a Dalit leader, K Krishnasamy, who threatened to disrupt the screening of the film, saying the title had communal overtones. Kamal changed the title to 'Virumandi' following a request from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. He was also forced to complete the film on sets in the city, recreating the hamlets in Theni district of Tamil Nadu where he originally intended to shoot the film, but was denied permission by the authorities.
Oil Tanker strike called off in certain districts
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
Coimbatore, Jan 14 - Tanker lorry owners in Coimbatore, Erode and other districts have called off their agitation following reaching an amicable settlement after talks with oil companies’ representatives. The agreement was reached after the end of fifth rounds of talks. Truck and tank owners are against the oil companies’ plan to finalise a two-year contract, starting from November 2003, at a reduced hiring rate. The officials of Indian Oil Corporation, Bharat Petroleum, and Hindustan Petroleum held talks with tanker owners from Coimbatore, Erode, Dharmapuri and other districts. The fifth round of talks was held this morning and an agreement was reached. Following this, the tanker owners announced their decision to call off their strike. Last night, tanker owners from Chennai, Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Vellore, Thiruvannamalai, Villupuram and Cuddalore district announced that their vehicles will be operated from today on the conclusion of talks.
DMK-PMK-MDMK political lobby of LTTE: Subramanian Swamy
Wednesday, January 14, 2004
New Delhi, Jan 13 (UNI) Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy has said the DMK-PMK-MDMK Front in Tamil Nadu is an exclusive political lobby of the LTTE in India and should be isolated in the elections. In a statement, Dr Swamy said the exit of the PMK from the NDA and the decision of the party to join the DMK-led Front is no surprise to anyone who realises that the LTTE wants an exclusive political lobby in India. ''This Front, led by the DMK is a great danger to the nation. it should be fought by all secular and patriotic forces in the country. Since the BJP legitimised these pro-LTTE forces by giving them Cabinet representation, the party should be isolated in Tamil Nadu and decimated as well,'' he said.
MDMK chief Vaiko moves POTA court for bail
Tuesday, January 13, 2004
Chennai, Jan 13 (PTI) MDMK Chief and POTA detenu Vaiko today moved the designated POTA court, trying a case booked against him under the anti-terrorist law for allegedly supporting the banned LTTE at a public meeting, for bail.Designated POTA Judge L Rajendran posted the bail application for hearing on January 21. Vaiko has been in prison for the last about 18 months since his arrest on July 11, 2002 for allegedly speaking in favour of the outlawed outfit at a public meeting at Tirumangalam in Madurai District in June that year. The Madras High Court yesterday had granted bail to eight MDMK partymen, who were arrested along with Vaiko for the same reasons. This is the first time the MDMK leader is applying for bail since his arrest. PTI
Kamalhassan
Friday, January 9, 2004
Kamalhassan is all set to release his latest film Virumaandi for Pongal. The film was dogged by controversies ever since its launch in Madurai in April 2003. And on the eve of its release, Kamalhassan, one of the most talented actors in India shares his experiences during the making of the film. Excerpts: How was 2003 for you? You must be a relieved man as all the controversies surrounding Virumaandi have come to an end. I am happy that 2003 was a good year and I will remember it as the year that I made Virumaandi. All the unnecessary controversies raked up has come to an end and the film has been cleared by the censors with an ‘A’ certificate and a few cuts. I am happy that it has shaped out exactly the way I had conceived it in my mind and hope that audience will also appreciate it. How would you describe Virumaandi? Virumaandi is not the story of a single person and his life. I have tried to depict a lot of Virumaandi’s whom I have seen in my life. I have made the film for my people and think that I have succeeded to a very large extent by bringing a local flavour and nativity to the film. Being a creative person, all those controversies must have hurt you? Initially I was upset about the issues that were raised against me as magazines also came out with their own versions of the film. Some said it was based on Perungamanallur riots; while others dubbed it as a period film. And some uncharitable elements even questioned the script and called it plagiarism, but I went on with my work silently without much ado. Now let everyone see the film and decide. How was it to recreate an entire village in Chennai? When I had to cancel the shoot in Madurai and decided to put up sets in Chennai, I was very upset that I could never get the actual smell and feel of village atmosphere. But later I realized that anyway the audience cannot smell the villages in a theatre (smiles) and we went all out to recreate an entire village at the Campa Cola grounds in Guindy. My art director Prabhakaran has done a wonderful job. We were able to get that authentic feel and touch of a village in Theni, and even the dialect spoken is that of rustic Madurai. Tell us something about the bulls in the film. Virumaandi is the first movie where the ancient dare devilry bull-fight game of "Jalli Kattu" was shot live with real charging bulls and never-say-die unarmed bull fighters. Over 50 rugged bulls known for its toughness were specially selected along with trainers and bullfighters. The bulls were trained and Abirami and me spent time with the bulls as part of the familiarization process. And in the end they became like pets. I even had a fracture while taming them. How do you plan to fight video piracy? I always believe that it is not easy to fight piracy, so Rajkamal will be releasing the DVD of the film shortly after the release in US. The Telugu version will also be released soon and maybe if the film is good it will be remade into Hindi like how Thevar Magan became Virasat. Right now we plan to release Virumaandi for Pongal with 250 prints worldwide. Are you worried about competition from the young brigade of stars? I have no fear at all. In fact I love competition and welcome good films. Even a bright student may fail in an exam when he is pitted against a dull guy if he is scared and not confident about himself. I am extremely confident about the film. Are there any smooching scenes in Virumaandi? Please go and see the film and tell me. If you like it see it again and again (smiles). Are you having a premiere in US? Is it for an international audience? Yes Virumaandi will be the first Tamil film to be premiered in US. The film will be releasing in Los Angeles, New York and San Francisco. It is targeted at the Indians living in US and not an international audience. You have sung all the six songs in the album. Please comment. It is because music director Ilayaraja asked me to do so. He wanted all the songs to have Virumaandi’s voice and which better voice suits the character than Virumaandi himself! One last word on Virumaandi. This war will be fought and won! (sify.com)
Dhanush restrained by the court
Friday, January 9, 2004
Dhanush has been dragged to the court by producer Rufus Parker for alleged breach of contract. A Chennai city civil court has restrained the hot and happening actor from doing the films that he signed after Ragava for which he had been paid an advance of Rs 10 lakhs. He had signed Parker’s Ragava just after the release of Kathal Kondein for a promised fees of Rs 90 lakhs. But after he became a superstar following the success of Thiruda Thirudi, Dhanush started ignoring Parker and gave dates to other producers who signed him for more money. When Parker complained to Producers council, Dhanush and his father Kastoori Raja expressed their willingness to reimburse the money plus any added expenditure to the tune of Rs 22 lakhs. Raja also said that Dhanush will not be doing Ragava as he was not happy with the story. However the judge at the civil court said that there was a Prima Facie case for the producer and granted interim injunction till January 20 restraining Dhanush from giving dates or participating in shooting in any feature film signed after Ragava! (sify.com)
Manoj K. Jayan
Friday, January 9, 2004
From across the border For Tamil film buffs, he’s the man who sported the bald look and played henchman to Mammootty in ‘Thalapathy’, the good cop with a mental problem in ‘Dhool’, and Arasu, the suave underworld don in the recent Deepavali release, ‘Thirumalai’. Roles so different, yet each played with élan. Manoj K. Jayan has finally arrived! The popular actor of Malayalam films married to actress Urvashi has made a smooth transition from the Malayalam acting arena to Tamil. In a tete-a-tete, the actor speaks about his work and experiences. On his background: My father Jayan (Jay of the Jay-Vijayan duo) was a popular Carnatic musician and I seem to have inherited some of his talent in my genes! For, though I haven’t learnt Carnatic music, I can sing quite well, and have even sung for one of my Malayalam films. On his entry into acting: I was interested in acting from an early age and when I completed my studies, I underwent a course in acting. It was there that I learnt the basics. The first time I put on make-up was in 1988 for the Malayalam tele-serial ‘Kulamagal’. The serial got me my first film assignment, ‘Maamalakkapurathu’, directed by Anil. However, the film never got released. Then came films like ‘Perunthachan’ and ‘Sargam’. ‘Sargam’ was remade into Telugu as ‘Saregamalu’ where I got to re-enact the same role. Then followed films with eminent directors, films that helped me establish my credentials as an actor. On the Malayalam films he’s acted in: I’ve been working for about 12 years in the Malayalam field. ‘Sargam’ got me a state award. I got to work with directors like Hariharan (Parinayam), Bharathan (‘Chamayam’, ‘Vengalam’ and even his last film, ‘Churam’), Jairaj (‘Soppanam’ and my first film as a hero, ‘Kudumbasametham’) and three films scripted by M T Vasudevan Nair. With Shaji Kailash I got to do ‘Asuravamsham’, the role of a rebel, which earned me the image of an action-hero. There was ‘Sallabham’ directed by Sunderdas, which was Manju Warier’s first film, which was a complete entertainer. I got to play Nandita Das’ lover in the national award-winning debut film of director V K Prakash,, ‘Punarathivaasam’. I got to do films that were classy, offbeat, action-oriented and sheer entertainers. No actor can aspire for more! On his entry into Tamil films: My first film was Maniratnam’s ‘Thalapathy’. The rushes of ‘Perunthachan’ was being screened at AVM and Maniratnam accompanied Santosh Sivan to see it. Fortunately, the scenes screened were mine. I was sporting a bald look for the film. Maniratnam like it and asked Santosh to contact me. When I got the message, I rang up Maniratnam. He called me over and I was signed up for ‘Thalapathy’. On the long gap before re-entry into Tamil: After ‘Thalapathy’, I became busy with Malayalam films. Nothing substantial was offered in Tamil. Then I got this call from producer A M Ratnam’s office. Director Dharani, who was making ‘Dhool’ for them, had seen me in ‘Asuravamsham’ and wanted me for a role in ‘Dhool’. The film was a success and my performance as a cop was appreciated. Meanwhile I did ‘Game’ with Kartik. Then followed ‘Thirumalai’ in which I played Arasu, the underworld don. Vijay is the hero. I’m now getting offers from Tamil and Telugu, but as of now I’m concentrating on Tamil. On how he copes with Tamil: I write my dialogue lines in Malayalam and memorise them. It’s only when they make some sudden changes that it confuses me a little! But now I’ve learnt to cope with that. In the Malayalam field, there is prompting, so no actor needs to memorise his lines. But I find it better in Tamil for one can get the correct emotion and timing here. On his co-stars: Vikram is pleasant to work with and very friendly. He congratulated me on my performance in ‘Sargam’ and I was touched. Vijay is a bit of a recluse and talks little, but very cooperative on the sets. Kartik is a very lively, jolly person. Ajit, with whom I’m doing ‘Jana’, has impeccable manners. Seeing me left alone at times, he would invite me to his caravan. On the Tamil audience: I find them very encouraging and supportive. Audiences elsewhere are at times insulting, but here I’m yet to get a bad feedback or be taunted. In my latest release ‘Thirumalai’, I happened to mention my mobile number in a scene. And since then my mobile has not stopped ringing! On his spare-time activities: I spend time with my family, my daughter Tejalakshmi. I listen to a lot of music too. At times, I sing! On his future projects: I’ve signed for three films in Tamil. There’s ‘Jana’ with Ajit, directed by Shaji Kailash. There is a prestigious project with some of the best talents of cinema involved. It’s titled ‘Sringara’. It’s a period film set in the 1920s, centered on the Devadasi system. I play one of the lead characters as a zamindar, and I get to wear a lot of ornaments and a royal gear. Aditi Rao, a popular dancer, plays the female lead. It has Thotta Tharani’s sets, Madhu Ambat’s camera and Lalgudi Jayaraman’s music. There’s ‘Nayudu’, a bi-lingual (Tamil-Telugu) where I play the anti-hero. I have two films in Malayalam. And then there’s the Telugu remake of ‘Dhool’ (‘Veede’) with Ravi Teja, where I play the same role I did in the Tamil version. (Source: ChennaiOnline)
Jasmin losing fragrance
Friday, January 9, 2004
She was once the toast of the town, and this was in the very recent past. But now there are very few takers for this screen charmer, as far as the Tamil film scene is concerned. Meera Jasmin, with just two films, 'Run' and 'Bala', caught the fancy of the audience and Tamil film-makers. But came two more films - 'Puthiya Geethai' and the Ajit-starrer 'Anjeneya'. Not only did the films flop, they showcased her in very poor light too. Now she has just one film with Srikant and, of course, the one with Maniratnam. But the scene is entirely different in Kerala where Jasmin has the pick of roles, with almost all the top film-makers, the arty ones and the commercial film-makers, signing her up. (Source: ChennaiOnline)
Engal Anna
Friday, January 9, 2004
(Vijaykant, Namita, Swarnamalya) With his recent releases not doing well at the box office, Vijaykant has gone for a proved subject this time. His new film, titled, 'Engal Anna', is the remake of the successful Mammootty-Ramba starrer 'Chronic Bachelor'! Here Vijaykant is paired with Namita from the Telugu films. Produced by his home banner, 'Andal Azhagar Cine Combines', the film is directed by Siddique, who had directed the original version. The film centres on the life of a businessman whose bitter experiences in his early days had made him stand alone in life and decide to remain a bachelor. The hero has this ongoing feud with his neighbour who has usurped his property. How he helps out all those around him, settles scores with his tormentors and gets back the property forms the rest of the tale. Some crucial scenes were filmed at Vasan House, Chennai, on Swarnamalya, who plays the hero's sister, and Prabhu Deva. Also present on the scene were Vijaykant and Namita, Anandaraj, the villain of the piece, and Vadivelu, who plays the hero's cook-cum-driver. The supporting cast has Pandiarajan, Indraja (who'd played the same role in the original) and Sabita Anand. Namita plays a colleger, who comes to stay next door to the hero and brings about a change in him. This film is also Swarnamalya's return to the screen after her marriage. "I saw her in Alaiypayuthe and felt she suited the character," says Siddique. The film has music by Deva, cinematography by Anandakutan, stunt choerography by Rocky Rajesh and editing by T R Sekhar-Gowrishanker and sets designed by Suchitramani. Says Vijaykant, "It's a family story, with humour and sentiment weaved in. There is some suspense too. It's a total family entertainer which an entire family can watch without embarrasment." The movie is scheduled for Pongal release. (Source: ChennaiOnline)
Ramakrishna
Friday, January 9, 2004
(Jai Akash, Sridevika, Vani) The Shivashakti Pandian-Agathyan team, which gave the successful film 'Kadhal Kottai', which also earned an award at the national level, are teaming up together after a long gap for their new film, 'Ramakrishna'. The film has Jai Akash as the hero, and paired with him are two new faces, Sridevika and Vani. The supporting cast has Vijaykumar, Charlie, Rohit, Muthukalai, 'Halwa' Vasu, Sabita Anand, Venkaiyabalan, Mano Chitra, Vaishali and Paravai Muniyamma. Stunt master Jaguar Thangam makes an appearance playing the villain in the film. Aalankulam, near Tenkasi, was the location for the climax scene of the film. About 27 stuntmen, led by stunt master Jaguar Thangam, took part in the fight. Shot for 10 days, it has the hero warding off the villain and his henchmen with his skillful wielding of the 'silambu'. The scene was canned by cinematographer Rajesh Yadav. A song was picturised at Kuttralam where 100 dancers took part with the led pair. Fast into completion, writer-director Agathyan says, "My 13 years' dream of making this film has come to an end!" Blending the rural and the urban milieu, it showcases Jai Akash as an action hero. The film has music by Deva and lyrics penned by Agathyan who has also written the film's story-screenplay and dialogue apart from directing the film. Editing is by Lancy Mohan, sets by Mohan Mahendran and dances choreographed by Shivashanker, Sampathraj and Ajairaj. (Source: ChennaiOnline)
Manoj K. Jayan
Friday, January 9, 2004
From across the border For Tamil film buffs, he’s the man who sported the bald look and played henchman to Mammootty in ‘Thalapathy’, the good cop with a mental problem in ‘Dhool’, and Arasu, the suave underworld don in the recent Deepavali release, ‘Thirumalai’. Roles so different, yet each played with élan. Manoj K. Jayan has finally arrived! The popular actor of Malayalam films married to actress Urvashi has made a smooth transition from the Malayalam acting arena to Tamil. In a tete-a-tete, the actor speaks about his work and experiences. On his background: My father Jayan (Jay of the Jay-Vijayan duo) was a popular Carnatic musician and I seem to have inherited some of his talent in my genes! For, though I haven’t learnt Carnatic music, I can sing quite well, and have even sung for one of my Malayalam films. On his entry into acting: I was interested in acting from an early age and when I completed my studies, I underwent a course in acting. It was there that I learnt the basics. The first time I put on make-up was in 1988 for the Malayalam tele-serial ‘Kulamagal’. The serial got me my first film assignment, ‘Maamalakkapurathu’, directed by Anil. However, the film never got released. Then came films like ‘Perunthachan’ and ‘Sargam’. ‘Sargam’ was remade into Telugu as ‘Saregamalu’ where I got to re-enact the same role. Then followed films with eminent directors, films that helped me establish my credentials as an actor. On the Malayalam films he’s acted in: I’ve been working for about 12 years in the Malayalam field. ‘Sargam’ got me a state award. I got to work with directors like Hariharan (Parinayam), Bharathan (‘Chamayam’, ‘Vengalam’ and even his last film, ‘Churam’), Jairaj (‘Soppanam’ and my first film as a hero, ‘Kudumbasametham’) and three films scripted by M T Vasudevan Nair. With Shaji Kailash I got to do ‘Asuravamsham’, the role of a rebel, which earned me the image of an action-hero. There was ‘Sallabham’ directed by Sunderdas, which was Manju Warier’s first film, which was a complete entertainer. I got to play Nandita Das’ lover in the national award-winning debut film of director V K Prakash,, ‘Punarathivaasam’. I got to do films that were classy, offbeat, action-oriented and sheer entertainers. No actor can aspire for more! On his entry into Tamil films: My first film was Maniratnam’s ‘Thalapathy’. The rushes of ‘Perunthachan’ was being screened at AVM and Maniratnam accompanied Santosh Sivan to see it. Fortunately, the scenes screened were mine. I was sporting a bald look for the film. Maniratnam like it and asked Santosh to contact me. When I got the message, I rang up Maniratnam. He called me over and I was signed up for ‘Thalapathy’. On the long gap before re-entry into Tamil: After ‘Thalapathy’, I became busy with Malayalam films. Nothing substantial was offered in Tamil. Then I got this call from producer A M Ratnam’s office. Director Dharani, who was making ‘Dhool’ for them, had seen me in ‘Asuravamsham’ and wanted me for a role in ‘Dhool’. The film was a success and my performance as a cop was appreciated. Meanwhile I did ‘Game’ with Kartik. Then followed ‘Thirumalai’ in which I played Arasu, the underworld don. Vijay is the hero. I’m now getting offers from Tamil and Telugu, but as of now I’m concentrating on Tamil. On how he copes with Tamil: I write my dialogue lines in Malayalam and memorise them. It’s only when they make some sudden changes that it confuses me a little! But now I’ve learnt to cope with that. In the Malayalam field, there is prompting, so no actor needs to memorise his lines. But I find it better in Tamil for one can get the correct emotion and timing here. On his co-stars: Vikram is pleasant to work with and very friendly. He congratulated me on my performance in ‘Sargam’ and I was touched. Vijay is a bit of a recluse and talks little, but very cooperative on the sets. Kartik is a very lively, jolly person. Ajit, with whom I’m doing ‘Jana’, has impeccable manners. Seeing me left alone at times, he would invite me to his caravan. On the Tamil audience: I find them very encouraging and supportive. Audiences elsewhere are at times insulting, but here I’m yet to get a bad feedback or be taunted. In my latest release ‘Thirumalai’, I happened to mention my mobile number in a scene. And since then my mobile has not stopped ringing! On his spare-time activities: I spend time with my family, my daughter Tejalakshmi. I listen to a lot of music too. At times, I sing! On his future projects: I’ve signed for three films in Tamil. There’s ‘Jana’ with Ajit, directed by Shaji Kailash. There is a prestigious project with some of the best talents of cinema involved. It’s titled ‘Sringara’. It’s a period film set in the 1920s, centered on the Devadasi system. I play one of the lead characters as a zamindar, and I get to wear a lot of ornaments and a royal gear. Aditi Rao, a popular dancer, plays the female lead. It has Thotta Tharani’s sets, Madhu Ambat’s camera and Lalgudi Jayaraman’s music. There’s ‘Nayudu’, a bi-lingual (Tamil-Telugu) where I play the anti-hero. I have two films in Malayalam. And then there’s the Telugu remake of ‘Dhool’ (‘Veede’) with Ravi Teja, where I play the same role I did in the Tamil version. (Source: ChennaiOnline)
Surya does a double
Friday, January 9, 2004
After his performance in films like 'Kakka Kakka', Surya is being taken seriously as an actor by film-makers. The film he's been signing recently are ones that give him challenging roles. Like AVM's 166th film has Surya as the hero. A remake of the Dilip-starrer 'Kunjikoonam', the film has Surya playing a dual role. One, typical-hero, and the other, an ugly hunchback. With Surya's new-found confidence and his ability to get into any role, the actor should have no problem playing both!
Karunas mocks Vikram
Friday, January 9, 2004
Pop singer-turned-comedian Karunas is all excited about this role he's playing in the new Tamil film, 'Ennavo Pudichirukku'. He's playing 'Peela Magan'. A naughty take-off on Vikram's character Chithan of 'Pithamagan', Karunas comes in the same get-up, and is sure it would make the audience roll with laughter. But what about the reactions of Bala and Vikram? "I just want to get mileage out of it. My intention is not to hurt anyone!" says Karunas. He does add, "Anyway, I did inform them about it before I started shooting." (Source: ChennaiOnline)
Sneha to act as blind
Friday, January 9, 2004
Sneha is practising playing blind these days. The talented and good-looking actress, with her winning smile, is playing the role of a blind girl in her new film, titled 'Athu'. Getting into the skin of the character, the actress reportedly is practising walking around her house with eyes closed. Sneha has always done her part well, whatever the fate of the movie. But, surprisingly, there are not many takers for this screen charmer. Her role in 'Athu' might well turn the fortunes in her favour!
Thathi Thaavuthu Manasu
Friday, January 9, 2004
Director: Azhaguraja SundaramCast: Mumtaz, Kalabhavan Mani, Sona, Urvasi Patel, Sinduri, Vadivelu. Beginning her career as a heroine, the T Rajender-discovery was soon relegated to playing item numbers in films, at times with an apology of a role. But her sizzling dance numbers and 'oomph' earned her the title of a sex goddess, and an immense fan following. Now Mumtaz returns to the screen playing the lead role as a cop, who uses her fists and legs, does leaps and jumps, and also managers to fit in a few dance numbers too. It is to the actress' credit that she performs her role as astutely and with involvement as she does her dance numbers. The story line is realistic and reflects the times (Peru Thulasi Pazhanivel). It's about three girls lured by the glamour of the city, venturing to get a taste of it, and returning home wiser and chastened. Maha Poonkodi and Amudha (Sona, Urvasi Patel, Sindhuri), three simple village girls, accompany a marriage-party of their neighbours to the city, for a friend's wedding. While the rest return home, the trio, escaping their eye, decide to do their own exploration of the city. They spend all the money they'd brought, eating at expensive restaurants and buying chic clothes. The scenes are little cliched and overdone here. When they finally decide to return home, they find their pockets picked, stranded, penniless and starving. Their attempts to sell their jewels, and even beg from passersby, leading to unfortunate results. The trio become the targets of brothel-owners, pimps and girl-trafickers, who try to lure them into their net. The concerned parents appraoch city cop Arthi (Mumtaz), who, with the help of Ramaiyah, a pavement dweller (with his own sad past), tries to trace the missing girls. Produced by Riyaz Ahmed (Mumtaz's manager) it's directed by debutant Azhaguraja Sundaram (apprenticed with Pandiarajan). It's a fairly neat presentation, the director balancing adroitly the various characters and situations, and trying to give a realistic touch to the scenes. Each character has been given the footage and importance it deserves, whether it's Mumtaz or the rest of the characters. Sona, Urvasi Patel and Sinduri project convincingly the tree innocents caught up in the complexities of city life. Kalabhavan Mani as Ramaiyah, sticking to his character for a change, performs his role with understanding. Finally, don't go by the title or it's heroine. For, it's a fairly serious and realistic film, socially relevant, at times heart-rending too. Though for hard-core Mumtaz fans who'd expect to see 'more' of her here, it may be a slight disappointment! (Source: Chennaionline)
Pathikichu
Friday, January 9, 2004
Pathikichu Director: S S ArasanCast: Devaguru, Kamalesh, Manjari, Alex, Pallavi, Shakila, Livingston and Bhuvaneshwari. Moving away from the routine romance-action flicks, this is all about a serial killer with an angst against married women who stray. A plot with potential. But then it's a comparatively inexperienced team of cast and crew who are handling it, and it's been shot in a tight budget too. So, though one could laud the attempt to try out something different for the audience, it's a wasted effort, the poor production values evident throughout. There is no suspense of build-up over the killer's identity as he brazenly goes about committing his murders, not even bothering to camouflage his appearance. Deva (Devaguru), haunted by ghosts from his past, goes on a killing spree, his target being married woman who cheat on their husbands and take on lovers. Brutally killing the women, he lets the men go. As the city buzzes with news of the serial killer, giving a scare to married women who stray, the cops, led by inspector Pandian (Kamalesh) try to unearth the identity of the killer and his motive. But the first to get to Deva is Pooja, a reporter for a private TV channel, who wants a story out of him. Pooja (Manjari) worms her way into the unsuspecting guy's heart, and falls in love with him in the bargain. He reciprocates her love, and, faced with the truth about her, cannot bring himself to punish her. Pooja now tries to persuade him to go live on the channel with his story but he refuses. Till he realises that there is one last killing to be done, and the channel could be used for it. Deva, with a plan, now consents, and the channel sneaks him into their studio for their live show, not knowing what they have led themselves into! The final scene at the studio provides a bit of a thrill. The three lead artistes, Devaguru, Kamalesh and Manjari, are all from the small screen, and just about adequate. There's Shakila in the cast too. But she's been used in a comedy track with Livingston (an insipid one), fully clothed, her pallu mostly in place. Not much for a voyeur here either! (Source: Chennaionline)
Unions urge reinstatement of employees
Friday, January 9, 2004
Tamil Nadu, government employees’ unions urge reinstatement of dismissed employees before Pongal Chennai, Jan 09 - The Tamil Nadu government employees unions have urged the State government to reinstate 999 dismissed employees, before Pongal. They have also demanded that punishments like increment cuts, demotion, and others should also be withdrawn. The three-member retired Madras High Court judges’ panel, which heard submissions of the dismissed and suspended government employees, has ordered the dismissal of 999 employees besides recommending demotions and increment cuts. The panel heard representations from over 5000 employees. The Government employees’ unions, which spearheaded the July strike last year, have appealed to the Tamil Nadu government to revoke the dismissals of over 900 employees and take them back before the Pongal festival. Name Super: K Pandurangan, President, Secretariat Employees Association Para dub: Government employees and teachers have been suffering for the last six months due to agitations. To put an end to their misery the government should come out with a good decision before Pongal. Meanwhile, the unions have also decided to prefer appeals against the dismissals and to seek expunging of remarks made by the panel judges against the employees.
A case for Solomon
Friday, January 9, 2004
Madurai, Jan 8: Here is a case for Solomon to solve. Two persons today claimed ownership of an abandoned boy here and what baffles the officials is that both have ample proof to back their claim! A 14-year-old mentally challenged boy was found abandoned on a roadside here Tuesday. He was admitted by the police to the Government Rajaji Hospital at the intervention of Littles Trust, an NGO. While Amirthavalli, a construction worker from Tumbaipatti, near Melur, claimed that the boy, Murugesan, was her son who was lost in 1996, but Balakrishnan (45) claimed that the boy, whom he identified as Pandiarajan, was his nephew. According to Amirthavalli, who also showed a group photo in which the boy was present, was lost in 1996 when he was around seven years. Incidentally, the boy resembles Amirthavalli. She came to the hospital today with her elder brother, second son and some relatives, to take the boy home. Amirthavalli said she came to know about her missing son from the newspapers and had rushed to the hospital. Her husband, she said, had abandoned her long ago and she was living with her relatives and second son. However, Balakrishnan, who claimed that the boy was his nephew, gave the names of the boy's sisters, mother, father, family deity, etc., which matched what the boy had told the NGO volunteers. Balakrishnan's brother, M Jagadeesan, also called on the boy at the hospital. He said the boy and his three sisters were in the custody of his father's brother, Mahalingam, at Kavanur in Ramanathapuram. He was shocked to know that Mahalingam had abandoned the boy and the boy had "quite a lot of property in Ramanathapuram district". Another sister of the boy, Kavitha, is also a mentally challenged person. The boy's parents had died and mystery still shrouds the death of his mother Mangaiarkarasi who was cremated even before his brother could go there. Balakrishnan and Jagadeesan claimed that the boy had been normal till recently. Mahalingam, when contacted by the NGO officials, told them that he had severed relations with the boy long ago and he was not aware of anything about him. Judicial magistrate T P Vadivelu, who called on the boy at the Government Hospital, said he had ordered the hospital authorities to keep the boy in the hospital till he recovered, under Section 53 of the Juvenile Justice (Children's Care and Protection Act 2000). The magistrate, who is an ex-officio of the Juvenile Court, said after a detailed inquiry the court would decide who was the real claimant. The NGO officials said they admitted the boy at the hospital at the intervention of the district collector and police. The boy's sisters were still in the custody of their paternal uncles in Ramanathapuram, Jagadeesan said. He was worried that Kavitha would also be abandoned by Mahalingam. Police had also filed an FIR before admitting the boy to the hospital. (Agencies)
Kanchi to be developed as Eco City
Friday, January 9, 2004
Kancheepuram, Jan 8: For the first time in the country, an environment management plan is to be implemented for a town. Ministers V Somasundaram and R Vaithilingam today inaugurated a workshop to discuss the draft plan for the development of Kancheepuram, 'Kanchi Eco City'. This city is world famous for its silk sarees and temples. Dr S Balaji, director of Environment, Tamil Nadu, in his introductory address, said this was the first time in the country that an environment management plan is to be implemented for a town and it is proposed to be discussed by experts in various fields before implementation. The plan envisages the improvement of infrastructure for industry and transport giving support to the backbone industries of silk and rice mills without harming the environment. He said around 10 lakh tourists visit the temple town annually, many of them foreigners. (Agencies)
TB recovery rate high in Tamil Nadu
Friday, January 9, 2004
Chennai, Jan 8: Tamil Nadu witnessed an 86 per cent recovery rate from tuberculosis (TB) since the launch of the TB eradication programme in 1999, a top government official said today. Speaking at the launch of a newsletter of REACH (Resource Group for Education and Advocacy for Community Health) here, Tamil Nadu Joint Health Secretary Supriya Sahu claimed a direct link between TB and poverty and asked the state authorities to employ persons suffering from TB in development programmes so as to provide them a means of earning. Most TB cases were poor persons who lacked the means to have basic nutrients the human body required, she said. She said TB patients should be integrated with the mainstream and not be isolated. Tamil Nadu, she said, was perhaps the first state in the country to directly involve women social workers of non-governmental organisations in TB eradication programmes. REACH president and agriculture scientist M S Swaminathan said the metropolis was fast becoming the health capital of the country. The city boasted of tremendous medical expertise and infrastructural facilities, he pointed out. (Our Correspondent)
Water deal with Kerala: DMK seeks details
Friday, January 9, 2004
Chennai, Jan 8: The DMK today demanded that the Tamil Nadu government come out with full details on the talks it had with the Kerala government on the resolution of the Parambikulam-Aliyar Project (PAP) dispute. The deputy leader of the DMK legislature party, Duraimurugan, in a statement tonight, said Tamil Nadu PWD Minister O Pannerselvam and his Kerala counterpart, T M Jacob, had stated that the chief ministers of both the states would sign a final accord soon. "If the dispute is solved through dialogue, everybody will welcome it. But the people of the state are being kept in the dark about the negotiations. The Tamil Nadu government should come out with full facts of the negotiations," he said. Jacob had stated that an agreement had been reached on sharing the surplus waters of the PAP, Duraimurugan said, adding that the fact was that there was no surplus water. He also wanted to know whether Kerala had agreed to Tamil Nadu's demand of using the entire water in Melneer River till that state had completed work on the Idamalaiyar Dam. Since the matter concerned four lakh farmers of the Tamil Nadu, the state government should take the Opposition and farmers into confidence and apprise them of the details of the agreement reached between the two states, he said. (Our Correspondent)
Contractor hacks niece to death for affair
Friday, January 9, 2004
Madurai, Jan 8: A building contractor hacked his elder brother's daughter to death angered by the gossip about her. The incident occurred at Mushtakurichi, near Kamuthi in Tamil Nadu's Ramanathapuram district, yesterday. Police said contractor Balamurugan got angry when the locals told him that his niece Murugeswari was having an affair. He traced her to the field where she was working and hacked her to death. She died on the spot. Police have registered a case and are looking for the contractor. (Agencies)
Nedumaran walks free from prison
Friday, January 9, 2004
Tamil Nationalist Movement leader P Nedumaran was today released from the Central Prison here this morning. He was given a warm reception by his supporters. Nedumaran was arrested under Prevention of Terrorism Act (POTA) on 1 August, 2002 along with supporters S Veerapandian, Dr Thayappan, Parandaman, orator Paavanan and publisher Shahul Hameed among others. Veerapandian, Thayappan and Pavanan were earlier released on bail. Though the Madras High Court granted conditional bail to Nedumaran in the POTA case, he could not be released as a case pertaining to printing and publishing of a book in favour of the LTTE in 1993 was pending against him in the Alandur court. After the Alandur and Chengalpet courts refused bail, Nedumaran approached the Madras High Court. On 6 January, Madras High Court granted bail to him. The bail was given by the vacation Judge, Justice A K Rajan, while allowing an appeal by Nedumaran against the Chengalpattu Sessions Court's dismissal of a bail plea by him on 5 January. Following this, Nedumaran was released from the Cuddalore Prison at around 9.45 am today. His family members, Peoples Civil Rights Federation leader Sukumaran, Tamil Nationalist Movement general secretary Rajendran and DMK MLAs M R K Panneerselvam, Cuddalore Pugzhalendi were among those who welcomed him. He would be given a reception in Cuddalore, Pondicherry, Villupuram and Tindivanam. Nedumaran had been set free after spending 523 days in incarceration. The Madras High Court has asked him to surrender his passport and refrain from giving interviews to the press and stay in Chennai.
Alliance struck at lunch meet
Friday, January 9, 2004
The Congress and DMK today formally clinched an electoral alliance to contest the coming Lok Sabha polls at a luncheon meeting Dr Manmohan Singh, AICC president Sonia Gandhi's special emissary, had with the DMK chief M Karunanidhi at his residence here. After the hour-long meeting, Dr Singh said other modalities like seat sharing would be discussed later. Asked if MDMK, a known sympathiser of the banned LTTE, which was responsible for the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, would be part of the proposed Front, Singh said 'we do not want to go into the past'. Karunanidhi said MDMK would be 'part and parcel' of the proposed front. TUNE UP TO TIES: Congress emissary Dr Manmohan Singh meeting DMK chief M Karunanidhi at his CIT Colony residence today. Also seen are TNCC chief G K Vasan and DMK Youth Wing Chief M K Stalin. Photo: M Dheenadayalan Among the DMK leaders present were former Union Minister T R Baalu, M K Stalin and Dayanidhi Maran (Murasoli Maran's son who is said to be being groomed for active politics). Stalin presented a shawl to Singh upon his arrival at the spanking new residence of Karunanidhi. Earlier, Manmohan was received at the Chennai airport by TNCC president G K Vasan and former TNCC chief E V K S Elangovan. From there Vasan and Singh drove to Karunanidhi's residence. The Congress Working Committee (CWC) member and former Union Minister was deputed for the task by Congress president Sonia Gandhi after a meeting of the CWC in New Delhi yesterday which went into the issue of forging pre-poll alliances. Talking to newsmen at the airport, Manmohan said he was authorised to speak on the alliance between the two parties. Just a few days ago, another Congress leader, Mani Shankar Aiyar called on Karunanidhi. It was said to be a courtesy call, but it was also seen as a precursor to serious meetings. Today's formal Congress-DMK meeting came after a gap of 20 years. The DMK had allied with the Congress last in 1980 and the tie-up lasted two years. Since then the parties have always faced elections as opponents. The Congress had kept off the DMK saying that it had links with the LTTE which masterminded the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. However, since the recent drubbing it suffered at the hands of the BJP in the Assembly elections in some States, the Congress has decided to play a proactive role in forging alliances to take on the BJP. The Congress, which is seeking to form a 'secular' front at the Centre, openly began to woo the DMK soon after the latter announced its exit from the NDA. Though the fight in the State is between the DMK and the AIADMK, the Congress has indicated that it is ready to back the DMK, expecting a reciprocative gesture from it with regard to forming a government at the Centre. The DMK, which is leading the front opposed to AIADMK in the State, is also expected to take on the BJP, its ally till recently. The DMK's snapping of ties with the NDA also drew CPI(M) general secretary Harkishen Singh Surjeet to Chennai. He held preliminary talks on alliances with the DMK chief and received support from the latter. CPI general secretary A B Bhardan is expected to meet the DMK leader too on 21 January and discuss the issue forming an alliance. Meanwhile, the Congress and the Left parties are yet to sort out the question of forming a single alliance at the Centre. Talks are already moving towards forming 'two platforms' in a single coalition.
CPI leaders to meet Karunanidhi on Jan 21
Monday, January 5, 2004
CHENNAI: CPI national general secretary A B Bardhan will meet DMK president M Karunanidhi here on Jan 21, according to party sources. The scheme for alliances in the State for the forthcoming Lok Sabha polls and the national political scene are expected to figure during the discussions. CPI national secretary D Raja and State secretary R Nallakannu would accompany Bardhan during the meeting with Karunanidhi, sources added.
School girls falls to death
Monday, January 5, 2004
Chennai, Jan.5. A school girl fell to her death from the terrace of a multi-story apartment complex in Mahalingapuram today. Police identified the girl as Shilpa Gopinath, a Std. 11 student of a private school in Kilpauk. The daughter of a marine engineer, Shilpa was staying in Anna Nagar. Her body was found after the watchman of the apartment complex heard her fall around 11-30 a.m. He informed an office bearer of the apartment's residents association. She was in her school uniform and was identified by her school staff who were informed by the police.
