Page 73 - Kerala

Popular Front of India: Understanding the organisation and the controversy

Created in 2007, the organisation describes itself as the "organisation that fights for the rights of minorities, Dalits, and marginalised communities".

Kerala High Court initiates suo motu case against PFI's call for bandh

Kerala High Court on Friday initiated a suo motu case against Popular Front of India leaders who called for a strike in the state against the arrest of its members by the National Investigation Agency

PFI hartal: Kerala police warns of stern action against law breakers

Kerala police have beefed up security in the state and issued directions to the district police chiefs to ensure law and order after the radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) called for a state-wide hartal on Friday. The dawn-to-dusk hartal was called by the PFI to protest against the raids in the offices and residences of its leaders and their subsequent arrests on Thursday by the NIA and other agencies for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. A statement issued by the police said stern action will be taken against those who violate the law. "All the policemen in the state will be deployed for the maintenance of law and order, " the statement said. Meanwhile, the state-run KSRTC has informed that it will operate as usual. The transport corproation said special services to hospitals, airports and railway stations will be arranged if necessary and will also seek police protection, if needed. PFI on Thursday had said a hartal will be observed in the

Rahul Gandhi resumes Bharat Jodo Yatra from Aluva UC college in Kerala

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday resumed the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' by planting a sapling brought from Lakshadweep at the premises of the Union Christian College Aluva here. He also paid floral tribute to a mango tree planted by Mahatma Gandhi at the college on March 18, 1925. "Day 15 began at 6:20 am from UC College, Aluva with @RahulGandhi paying floral tribute at a mango tree planted by the Mahatma there on 18.03.1925. @RahulGandhi planted a sapling brought from Lakshadweep by a delegation of Athithi Yatris. This is the spirit of #BharatJodoYatra," senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted. Thousands joined Gandhi on the 15th day of the Bharat jodo Yatra, with one side of the national highway completely filled with Congress workers waving the party flag. The morning session of the Yatra will cover a distance of around 11 kms and will conclude at Karukutty Kappela Junction at Angamaly. Gandhi will be addressing the press at a convention centre here. The evening leg of t

NIA, ED conduct anti-terror raids in 10 states; 100 PFI activists detained

The National Investigation Agency on Thursday morning launched a massive nationwide search operation against groups, including PFI, and individuals allegedly supporting terrorists, officials said. In the "largest ever investigation till date", the searches are taking place at the premises of those allegedly involved in terror funding, organising training camps, and radicalising people to join proscribed organisations, they said. "The raids are taking place at the homes of national, state and local leaders of PFI. The state committee office is also being raided. "We strongly protest the fascist regime's moves to use agencies to silence dissenting voices," the outfit said in a statement.

Guv creating constitutional crisis in Kerala at behest of BJP, RSS: CPI(M)

Kerala's ruling CPI(M) on Tuesday accused Governor Arif Mohammed Khan of creating a constitutional crisis in the state at the behest of the BJP and RSS. Local Self-Government Minister M B Rajesh and the state's former Finance Minister Thomas Isaac alleged Khan was trying to implement the policies of the BJP-RSS in Kerala and the same is evident from his conduct of the last few days. Rajesh alleged that the BJP knows it cannot buy or intimidate Left MLAs to join it, as it did in other states like Karnataka and Goa, and "therefore, they are trying to create a Constitutional crisis here." Isaac, speaking on similar lines, alleged, "Wherever there is a non-BJP government, they are using the Governor to create problems in those states. Look at Maharashtra, West Bengal, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Jharkhand, it is happening at all those places, not just Kerala." They said withholding assent to the University Laws and Lok Ayukta Amendment Bills by the Governor and saying in advance that he wil

Rahul Gandhi launches 13th day of Bharat Jodo Yatra; 225 km covered so far

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Tuesday kick-started the 13th day of his Bharat Jodo Yatra from Cherthala here along with thousands of party workers. The yatra began with the planting of a Rambutan sapling at St. Michael's College. It was organised by Sasthravedi, the environment wing of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee. The morning leg of the yatra will cover a distance of around 14 km and conclude at Kuthiyathodu here. According to AICC general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh, the yatra has covered a distance of 255 km in 12 days. "Today Bharat Yatris will walk 15 kms from Cherthala to Kuthiyathodu in Alappuzha district during the morning session of the padayatra. The campsite tonight is in Kochi district," Ramesh tweeted. Senior Congress leaders K Muraleedharan, Pawan Khera, Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan and Shanimol Usman, among others, walked with Gandhi in the morning. Men, women and children were seen waiting along a hig

Kerala CM flays Governor, dubs him 'anti-Communist propagandist'

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Monday hit out at Governor Arif Mohammed Khan over his allegations against the State government on a number of issues, calling him an anti-Communist propagandist and urged him not to stoop to the level of Opposition politicians who target the Left dispensation in the southern State. Hours after Khan launched an attack on the LDF government at a press conference at the Raj Bhavan, Vijayan, also a veteran CPI(M) leader, accused the former of showing submissiveness towards RSS and told him to understand the history of the Communist movement in Kerala. Khan, the anti-Communist propagandist of the day, should understand that the Communists were subjected to suppression before it came to power in the State through ballot in 1957, Vijayan said at a party programme. Vijayan said the post of the Governor is a Constitutional responsibility not a position from which one expresses personal opinions. The Governor, speaking to the media earlier in the da

Kerala: Governor ups offensive against LDF govt, says its stifling dissent

Escalating his offensive against the Left front government, Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan on Monday accused the State of silencing voices of dissent, including that of the Raj Bhavan. Khan launched an allout attack against the ruling LDF over issues including his alleged heckling at a varsity in 2019, functioning of the universities in the State and the State's revenue generation largely dependent on lottery and liquor sales. At a news conference here, Khan shared with the media video-clippings of him being allegedly heckled at the Kannur University event in 2019 and some correspondence with the government over the functioning of varsities. Khan, whose outburst came in the wake of the Assembly recently passing a Bill apparently aimed at curtailing his powers as Chancellor of universities, charged the State with silencing differing voices and claimed the Raj Bhavan was not spared as well. He alleged that certain ideologies which originated from outside India, in an apparent ...

Auto driver-cum-chef Anoop on cloud nine as he wins Rs 25-cr Onam lottery

An auto-rickshaw driver, who was planning to go to Malaysia to work as a chef, on Sunday won the Rs 25 crore Onam bumper lottery in Kerala, just a day after his application for a loan of Rs 3 lakh was approved. Even more interesting is that Anoop, hailing from Sreevaraham here, bought the winning ticket -- TJ 750605 -- on Saturday. But it was not his first choice, he told media persons who were present at the agency where he had bought the ticket. He did not like the first ticket he chose, so he opted for a different one which turned out to be a winner, he said. Regarding the loan and his Malaysia trip, an ecstatic Anoop said, "The bank called today regarding the loan and I said I don't need it anymore. I will not be going to Malaysia either." He has been buying lottery tickets for the last 22 years and has won amounts ranging from a few hundreds to a maximum of Rs 5,000 in the past, Anoop said. "I was not expecting to win and therefore, I was not watching the lottery results on

Governor cannot reject, withhold bills indefinitely, says Kerala govt

A Governor can withhold the bills passed by a state Assembly, but it cannot be for an indefinite period nor can he reject them, the Kerala government said on Monday. State Law Minister P Rajeeve, speaking to reporters here, said under the Constitution the Governor has the power to give assent to bills, withhold them or send them to the President of India. "The Governor does not have the power to reject the bills," he said. His remarks come in the wake of Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan last week saying that will not allow the University Laws Amendment Bill recently passed by the state Assembly as it allegedly seeks to legalise illegalities and pave the way for appointment of "unqualified relatives" of the staff of the Chief Minister and his cabinet colleagues. Recently, a row broke out over the attempt to appoint the wife of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan's personal secretary in the Malayalam department in Kannur University though she had the lowest research score but highest i

Kerala Governor to meet media at Raj Bhavan amid clashes with LDF govt

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is likely to meet the media on Monday at the Raj Bhavan where he is expected to release some documents and video clippings. Khan had a day ago invited the media to the Raj Bhavan here amidst an ongoing war of words between him and Kerala's LDF government over several issues connected to the functioning of varsities in the state. The Governor, on Sunday, had said he would release to the media letters written by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan to him assuring that there will be no interference from the government in the affairs of the universities in the state. He had also said he would put out some video clips, which are probably of the heckling incident he faced at Kannur University in December 2019 when he went there to inaugurate the Indian History Congress. According to Khan, the heckling he faced there was part of a conspiracy to frighten him into not speaking in public and Vijayan had allegedly told the police not to lodge a case in connectio

Rahul Gandhi discusses high fuel costs, low subsidies with Kerala fishermen

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday interacted with fishermen at Vadackal beach in Kerala's Alappuzha and discussed the challenges faced by them ahead of starting the 12th day of his party's Bharat Jodo Yatra.The Wayanad MP held discussions about the rising fuel costs, reduced subsidies, dwindling fish stock, inadequate educational opportunities and environmental destruction among other issues."At 6 am, Rahul Gandhi interacted with fisherfolk at Vadackal beach in Alappuzha on their challenges--rising fuel costs, reduced subsidies, dwindling fish stock, lack of social welfare & pensions, inadequate educational opportunities, and environmental destruction," Congress leader Jairam Ramesh informed in a tweet.The Yatra is in its Kerala leg and would traverse through the state for the next 12 days.The 3,500-km march from Kanyakumari to Kashmir will be completed in 150 days and cover as many as 12 states. From Kerala, the Yatra will traverse through the state for the next 18 days, ..

Rahul Gandhi begins Yatra's 12th day after meeting Alappuzha's fisherfolk

Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Monday held discussions with the fishermen community here at the Vadackal beach ahead of the 12th day of his party's Bharat Jodo Yatra. In an early morning meeting, Gandhi discussed the challenges of rising fuel costs, reduced subsidies, dwindling fish stock and environmental destruction among other issues. "At 6am, @RahulGandhi interacted with fisherfolk at Vadackal beach in Alappuzha on their challengesrising fuel costs, reduced subsidies, dwindling fish stock, lack of social welfare & pensions, inadequate educational opportunities, and environmental destruction. #BharatJodoYatra," senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted. The Yatra on Monday was kick-started from Punnapra while senior Congress leaders K Muraleedharan, Kodikkunnil Suresh, Ramesh Chennithala, K C Venugopal and Leader of the Opposition in the Assembly V D Satheesan accompanied Gandhi. The morning leg of the yatra will conclude at Kalavoor, after covering around 16 ...

All rail projects proposed by Kerala rejected, says Karnataka CM Bommai

Karnataka Chief Minister Basavaraj Bommai on Sunday said all three major rail projects, proposed by Kerala, have been rejected

Kerala CM Vijayan meets Bommai, discusses border development issues

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Sunday called on his Karnataka counterpart Basavaraj Bommai here and discussed many issues including development of border region. According to sources, Bommai and Pinarayi held talks related to the development of border region and night traffic on the highway running through the Bandipur tiger reserve. Opening the NH passing through the ecologically sensitive Bandipur tiger reserve for night traffic had been a long pending demand of Kerala. The southern state had also approached the Supreme Court to allow night traffic and filed an affidavit saying it was highly discriminating for the people living in the surrounding areas of Bandipur National Park to restrict their right to move freely, they said. During the meeting, Bommai told Vijayan that the highway running along the Bandipur Tiger Reserve cannot be opened citing Supreme Court order. The two leaders also held discussion on two pending railway projects and few other highway projects,

Bharat Jodo Yatra enters 11th day; Rahul Gandhi resumes journey from Kerala

The Congress party's Bharat Jodo Yatra led by Rahul Gandhi resumed its journey on Sunday from Kerala's Haripad with hundreds of party workers and leaders accompanying it. The yatra, which entered its 11th day, started shortly after 6.30 AM and senior leaders including Ramesh Chennithala, K Muraleedharan, Kodikunnil Suresh, K C Venugopal and Leader of Opposition, V D Satheesan are walking beside Gandhi in the 13 km-long first leg of the march. Gandhi was seen breaking security cordon in between to meet people waiting on both sides of the road. After walking for over one hour, he took a break to have tea from a hotel along the route. The Congress party said the morning session of the yatra will conclude once it reaches Ottappana and the members will rest at Karuvatta nearby. According to the schedule, the yatra will resume at 5 PM from Purakkad which is 6.5 km away from Karuvatta and Gandhi and the yatra members will be travelling that distance by vehicle. The evening session is ...

Breast milk bank success, to be replicated in 2 more Kerala hospitals

This bank provides collected milk to the needy babies, after all the mandatory tests are conducted at the state of the art laboratory attached to the Kozhikode Medical College hospital.

Governor Vs CM: Congress seeks intervention by PM, President in Kerala

State Congress president K.Sudhakaran told the media in Alappuzha that all levels of decency has been breached in the war of words between the two 'heads' of the state.

All appointments in university will be made on merit basis: Kerala Governor

Kerala Governor Arif Mohammad Khan on Saturday said that all the appointments in the universities will be made on the basis of merit and will not give the authority to appoint VCs to state government