Kerala

Sabarimala

The four people, identified as Ananya, Trupthi, Avanthika and Ranjumol, are reportedly from Kottayam and Ernakulam, and had maintained the required fast and done other rituals.

TNM Staff

Erumely police have sent back a group of four transgender persons who attempted to climb up to the Sabarimala temple to enter the shrine around 1.30 AM on Sunday. Mathrubhumi reports that the group was asked to leave Sabarimala and go to Kottayam under police protection. The four people, identified as Ananya, Trupthi, Avanthika and Ranjumol, are reportedly from Kottayam and Ernakulam, and had maintained the required fast and were carrying the irumudikettu (bag of holy offerings Ayyappa devotees carry). Mathrubhumi reports that police took this decision to control the law and order situation at Sabarimala. In a Facebook live video posted around 6.30 AM from a moving vehicle on Sunday, Ananya says that previously, transgender persons have been allowed to enter the temple after some initial checking, but that people from Kerala usually don’t go. Ananya said that they decided to go this year, but were blocked by police upon arrival, and repeats multiple times through the video that there is no previous restriction on transwomen going to Sabarimala. In the video, Ananya says that police officers had been aware of their attempt to climb the hill, and that police were present during the ceremonies for filling their irumudikettu. They were also in communication with the police at Erumely and Nilakkal as they were approaching the hill, but on arrival, were made to wait for hours at Erumely police station, where police behaved in a very rude way to them and disallowed them from travelling further. “Almost all the police there, with the exception of a few of the women officers, behaved with us very badly. They even threatened to us into jail and said jail was where we really belonged. They asked us are you male or female, we said neither, we are transgender people. They said “what transgender people?” They also took aside the driver who brought us here and threatened him. They said you had better not ever be seen bringing such “things” to Sabarimala ever again,” Ananya said. In the Facebook video, Ananya also says, “I don’t want to talk about [entry of] women, that is a different issue, I am talking about entry of transgender people. Before, if a transgender person went to Sabarimala and they looked like a woman at that time, they would have to conduct some verification, and police assistance is required for that. That is why we went to the police. Otherwise they don’t ask us anything. The police asked us why did you have to come and ask for police protection, couldn’t you go by yourself?” In the video, Ananya also describes how the police made remarks about their clothing. All four members of the group wore black sarees to make the trek. “The police said, you are men right? Why can’t you wear men’s clothing? If you wear a pant and shirt, we can take you to the temple. After some time, we said okay, we will change our clothes, because all we wanted was to conduct darshan at Sabarimala. Then they said no, we offered this some time back but you refused, we are not here to await your convenience.” A transgender person named Mohan, from Tamil Nadu Mohan, was also sent back from Sabarimala on December 14.

Caste

The alleged casteist slurs in question were made during a panel discussion at the Kozhikode Literary Festival back in February 2017.

TNM Staff

Well-known Malayalam writer and Kerala Sahitya Akademi award winner Santhosh Echikkanam was arrested by Hosdurg police in Kasargod on Saturday for allegedly insulting and making casteist slurs. The police acted on a complaint by one Chamakochiyil Balalkrishnan, from the village of Echikkanam, who belonged to the Mavilan community. W The New Indian Express reports that he was produced before a magistrate and granted bail by the Kasargod District Court on Saturday, on the condition that he reports to the investigating officer every Saturday. The Times of India reports that Echikkanam had applied for anticipatory bail to the Kerala High Court previously, but his request was denied and he was asked to surrender before the Hosdurg police. He surrendered before investigating officer DySP Pradeep Kumar. Police told TOI that a case had been registered against him under sections of the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. TOI also reports that the casteist slurs in question were made during a panel discussion at the Kozhikode Literary Festival back in February 2017 and that Balakrishnan said he decided to file the complaint after the session was aired on a channel and uploaded on YouTube. His complaint includes a copy of the video, and claims that the comments made by Santhosh were insulting to him and his community. TNIE reports that Santhosh made references to a “friend”, without mentioning the person by name. The Deccan Chronicle reports that Santhosh was said to have made a remark about the Mavilan community, of which Balakrishnan is a member, during a discussion on his short story Panthibhojanam at the literary festival. The event was organised by a Kottayam-based publishing house. Echikkanam reportedly said that some people of “lower” or oppressed caste became elites when they found fame and wealth. Santhosh has authored several short stories, and books like Ottavathil and Komala.

Sexual harassment

Writer and activist Sara Joseph has stated that she would not participate in the Women’s Wall event being organised by the CPI(M) until PK Sasi was expelled from the party.

TNM Staff

The CPI(M)’s hypocrisy in its approach towards PK Sasi’s sexual misconduct allegations continues in its internal probe report. The internal probe report lists out 11 points, which seem to cast aspersions on the conduct and nature of the woman complainant, while ignoring or belittling the complaints made against Sasi, merely calling it “conversation improper for a political leader”. It further casts doubts on the complainant’s testimony and reveals no plans of taking further action against PK Sasi. In August, the complainant, a member of Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI), the youth wing of the Marxist party, had accused the party’s Shornur MLA, PK Sasi, of multiple instances of sexual harassment at the Mannarkkad party office in Palakkad and speaking to her in an innuendo-laden tone over phone. However, the CPI(M)’s internal probe - conducted by Law Minister A K Balan and MP PK Sreemathy - states that the sexual misconduct could not have taken place at the office on the specified days, as the office was extremely crowded on those days, and Sasi’s door was, allegedly, at no point closed during the time the complainant said he sexually harassed her. It further tries to insinuate that the allegations of sexual misconduct are false by making the dangerous assertion that the complainant, a long-standing DYFI member, did not make any mention of the incident to other party members for a long period of time. It also states that the Rs 5,000, which the complainant alleged was given to her by Sasi to ensure she didn’t speak about the harassment, was in fact given to help coordinate volunteers and make arrangements for a “Red Volunteer” event on behalf of the party. The report also casts veiled aspersions on the complainant’s character, by stating that she allegedly “socialises with all”. While going out of its way to prove that Sasi did not commit any acts of sexual harassment in the Mannarkad office, the report, however, does quote the phone calls made by Sasi to the survivor woman, where he told her, “I have a peculiar affection towards you” and “What is the danger that we touched each other when I feel respect for you”. This report was first submitted to the CPI(M) state committee on November 26, after which PK Sasi was suspended from the party's primary membership for six months. The committee observed that though Sasi has not made any sexual advances, the party can take action against Sasi for the telephonic conversation he had made with the complainant. After the report was released, CPI(M) Kerala’s founding member and former Chief Minister of Kerala VS Achuthananthan also reportedly wrote a strongly-worded message to the CPI(M) Central Committee demanding a better and more meaningful enquiry into the complaint, and that stricter action is taken against PK Sasi. Meanwhile, in an interview to Mathrubhumi News on Saturday, prominent writer and activist Sara Joseph stated that she would not participate in the upcoming Women’s Wall event, being organised by the CPI(M) on January 1 to raise awareness on the Sabarimala temple women’s entry issue, until PK Sasi was expelled from the Communist Party. Speaking about the CPI(M) internal probe report, she said, “PK Sasi must be handed over to the police. I will not take part in any function organised by a party that says what Sasi did was not wrong.”

Controversy

'Kithab' was presented by students of Balasangam, a children's organisation, in Alappuzha.

TNM Staff

Kithab, the Malayalam play that has been at the heart of a controversy and withdrawn from the school youth festival following protests by Muslim groups, is now back on stage, albeit not by the same performers. The play was presented by students at Balasangam district meet in Alappuzha on Saturday. Balasangam is one of the largest children’s organisations in the state, aimed at raising children sans any discriminatory ideas based on religion, caste, colour or region. Confirming this, Sivaprasad, district level secretary, told TNM, “Yes, Kithab was staged during the kala jaada (art march) called Venalthumbikal. We took permission from the original director of the play, Rafeeq Mangalasseri. It was performed by the children of Balasangam." Ever since the play was staged at the Memunda Higher Secondary School, Kozhikode, various Muslim groups, including the SDPI, protested against it. Kithab tells the story of a girl who dreams to call out the azan (Islamic call to worship) like her father, a muezzin. The SDPI had staged a protest, demanding the play be withdrawn for hurting religious sentiments. The Muslim Students Federation (MSF), too, had given a complaint to the District Education Officer. Following this, Kithab, which won awards at the sub-district level, was withdrawn from the school youth festival. The Memunda School had a history of presenting unique themes at school festivals and being noticed for it. Sivaprasad says that they decided to stage the play since it addressed a social issue like gender discrimination. Anandalakshmy, the district president of Balasangam, said that it was to support the idea of freedom of expression. “We decided to stage the play to express solidarity with those who had staged the play and then could not,” says Anandalakshmy, who also plays a part in Kithab. The play ended with cheers and shouts of "azaadi" from the audience. Kithab is a humorous portrayal of a Muslim household, where the girl who wishes to call out the azan sings and dances with her friends and mischievously steals the fish fry her mother cooks for the men in the house. One day she expresses her desire to call out the azan. Her father locks her so she would not perform in a play (play within the play) again. He tells her she wouldn’t reach heaven if she does these things. “If I’d lose entry to heaven because I sing and dance, then I don’t want that heaven,” she says. The father is ready to kill the girl when she disobeys him and goes to do the school play. But then, the mother reminds him that he is not just the muezzin but also the father of the girl. He then lets her call out the azan. Kithab ends with the girl calling out the azan while the others prayed. Watch the full play staged in Alappuzha here:

Crime

Aswathy and her driver Binoy Abraham were arrested for possessing and attempting to sell MDMA.

TNM Staff

Picture courtesy: Manorama

Malayalam film and television actor Aswathy Babu was arrested on Sunday from Thrikkakara at Kochi in Kerala for being in possession and attempting to sell illegal drugs. MDMA worth several lakh rupees was found in her possession. The Kochi police also arrested her driver Binoy Abraham along with her, according to multiple reports. The 22-year-old actor and her driver were arrested and booked after the police reportedly seized 58 grams of MDMA, a psychedelic party drug, based on a tip off about them. They were arrested from her flat in Kochi, while they were waiting to deliver the drug to a customer. The police decided to raid the Thiruvananthapuram based actor’s flat based on a tip off given to them about the parties that take place inside the flat. On further probe, it was found out that the actor’s driver helped her get drugs from Bengaluru for her. Further probe will also be done to uncover the whole network, which the police suspect will be a huge one. Last year, drugs worth RS 280 crore were seized by the excise department in Kochi alone, reports state. Aswathy, who is from Chingavanam in Kottayam, was doing minor TV roles. She recently rented a flat in DD Golden Gate in Palachuvadu which is where she was arrested. Thrikkakkara police SI Shaiju AN said that the police had been monitoring her for the past few weeks following information that she had been in possession of illegal drugs. The duo was arrested from their flat’s basement while the driver Binoy was handing over the stuff to Aswathy, according to TOI. Also Read: When dopers turn dealers: How India’s party drug users are peddling for a quick buck

Sabarimala

The event is being organised by the CPI(M) to clarify their stand on the Sabarimala controversy.

TNM Staff

Malayalam actor Manju Warrier, who had extended her support to the Women’s Wall organised by the ruling CPI(M), has withdrawn her support now. In a post published on Facebook on Sunday, Manju said that she did not want to associate herself with movements that had political undertones. “I had lent my support to the women’s wall thinking that it was an initiative taken by the State government for the women. But I did not realise that there were political undertones in it. This happened because of my ignorance. I was not aware that the women’s wall initiative was being associated with many political issues. I believe that nobody should stand divided based on anything. I wish that we stand for each other regardless of caste, creed and religion, just like how we forgot about everything and came together during the floods,” she wrote. “I don’t have politics that is defied by the colour of the party flags. My politics is art. I have nothing beyond this. Therefore, I wish to distance myself from any initiative that’s held in the name of parties or politics. I emphasise that this is the same view I have on the women’s wall,” her post read. The actor also stated that she had participated in many programmes organised by the state government at all times and she will continue to do so in the future. Hours prior to this clarification post, Manju had posted a video on Facebook expressing her support for the wall. “Renaissance values should be protected, gender equality is inevitable. Let Kerala go forward. I am with the women’s wall all,” she said. The actor’s decision comes a day after writer Sarah Joseph withdrew her support to the wall demanding that PK Sasi, a CPI(M) MLA who was accused of molesting a DYFI (Youth wing) women’s leader, was expelled from the party. The government, in a massive demonstration from Kasaragod to Thiruvananthapuram, has appointed a 101-member organising committee to manage the wall. The demonstration is to counter the opposition and other right-wing outfits’ protest against the Supreme Court verdict allowing women of all ages to enter Sabarimala. With the women’s wall, the ruling CPI(M) attempt to show their ‘progressive and secular mindset’ with regards to the verdict.

Arrest

Rahul Easwar had failed to report to the Pathanamthitta police station on December 8 forcing a local court in Ranni to revoke the bail.

TNM Staff

Rahul Easwar, the president of the Ayyappa Dharma Sena has been arrested on Monday morning from a rest house in Palakkad. This comes after a local court in Ranni on Saturday revoked his bail on the grounds that he violated the bail conditions. As per his bail conditions, Rahul Easwar was supposed to report at the Pathanamthitta police station every Saturday. However, On December 8, he failed to appear as he was in Delhi for a television panel discussion. Rahul Easwar was first arrested from Pamba on October 17 for protesting when the gates of the Sabarimala temple opened for the first time after the historic verdict of the Supreme Court allowing the entry of women of all ages to the temple. Before the gates of the shrine opened on October 17, Rahul Easwar had said that the believers would stage a peaceful protest in the premises of the temple. However, on the same day, violent protests erupted as a mob of protesters vandalised vehicles, attacked women journalists and pelted stones at police officials. Following this, Rahul Easwar was arrested by the Pamba police under various sections of the Indian Penal Code including section 144 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), read with 149 (member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecuting of common object of the assembly), and 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public serving from discharge of duty). He was later granted bail on October 22 under certain conditions. Rahul had earlier told TNM that he would approach the Kerala High Court as well as the Human Rights Commission on Monday against this “childish and outrageous act by the police.” “On December 8, I wasn’t able to report at the police station as I had to go to Delhi for a TV discussion. But I had informed the police station that I would be late. By the time, I had arrived on December 9, the police had told the court that I have violated the bail conditions,” says Rahul Easwar.

Death

With oxygen to his brain cut off, Irfan suffered severe brain damage, but he had miraculously survived.

Saritha S Balan

After teetering between life and death for nearly eight years, 12-year-old Irfan, the lone survivor of the deadly 2011 Karikkakom bus accident that killed six children and one adult, has died. Though Irfan suffered grievous injuries as a result of the accident, hope and optimism swirled around the boy from across the state as many hoped he would recover from the tragedy. But on Monday around 7 am, Irfan's health took a turn for the worse, and his parents rushed him to the KIMS hospital in Thiruvananthapuram. "It would happen frequently after the accident, and every time we will take him to hospital," Irfan's father Shajahan told TNM. But this time, the child could not be saved, and he passed away around 9 am. On February 17, 2011, a school van carrying multiple children to their kindergarten in Pettah fell into the Parvathy Puthanar, a manmade canal near Karikkakom in Thiruvananthapuram. Though local people dived into the canal to attempt to rescue the trapped children and their babysitter, the presence of water weeds hampered the mission, according to reports. Six children and one adult died in the accident, while only 5-year-old Irfan survived. With oxygen to his brain cut off, Irfan suffered severe brain damage and other injuries. He was in a coma for almost a month and placed on a ventilator. Over the last nearly eight years, Irfan has undergone various forms of treatment, including acupressure, physiotherapy and music therapy. There were small but hopeful signs that he would recover, like responding to touch by moving his eyes. He was bed-ridden through out, though his parents had hoped that he would start walking someday. Irfan's parents, Shajahan and his wife Sajini, had been trying to conceive a child for eight years before they finally had Irfan. After the tragic accident almost snatched their only son away, they dedicated their lives to caring for him, though after the accident, "he never recognised anyone," said Shajahan. In 2014, Oommen Chandy's family, local businessmen, and construction company helped fund and build a new house for Irfan in Jawaharnagar near Karikkakom. From school students and locals to celebrities and ministers, Irfan had a stream of well-wishers visiting him and showering him with toys, and offering a constant source of moral support to his family. Mariamma Oommen, the wife of former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, had even said the optimism that Irfan's parents showed had moved her. The previous United Democratic Front government led by Oommen Chandy also gave a government job to Shajahan.

Media

While CM Pinarayi Vijayan has said the circular will be amended, it is unclear what sections will see changes, and if they will be satisfactory to media persons.

TNM Staff

On November 15, the Government of Kerala had issued a notice through the Home Department, imposing strict restrictions on direct interactions between media persons and the Chief Minister, state ministers and other high-level government officials. This move was immediately criticised by media organisations, which pointed out that it would curb media freedom in Kerala and restrict journalists from carrying out their duty. The Editors Guild of India, too, has condemned the proposed move by the Kerala government, in a statement shared on their social media page on Monday. The notice disallows government departments and offices from handing out press releases directly to the media, instead reroute it through the Information and Public Relations Department only. Opposing this, the Editors Guild of India called the proposed restrictions “a regressive and direct assault on press freedom”, pointing out that it “imposes curbs in (journalists’) movement inside the government secretariat and makes senior government representatives attending public functions out of bounds for them”. Editors Guild of India condemns the Kerala government's recent directive that imposes undue restrictions on the media. Read the full statement here- pic.twitter.com/wLNty2rfoA— Editors Guild of India (@IndEditorsGuild) December 17, 2018 The Kerala government’s circular places further restrictions on media persons attending press conferences by the Chief Minister, with only accredited journalists being allowed to do so. Various journalist associations, including The Kerala Union of Working Journalists (KUWJ) and Indian Journalists Union, condemned the move strongly and demanded the notice be revoked as it interferes with the freedom of the press. On December 1, the Congress-led opposition coalition (UDF) also condemned the proposed move and demanded the order be withdrawn. Following the public outrage it sparked, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, speaking in the Kerala Legislative Assembly on December 3, did claim that the circular was not issued to restrict journalists, but was in fact supposed to help journalists conduct their work properly. While he also said that the concerns that arose from various fronts would be examined and the notice would be revised, the circular has not been revoked by the government, nor is it clear what sections of the circular will be amended. While hinting at making some changes to the circular during the Assembly sessions, Pinarayi Vijayan said that press conferences could be attended by all those with press or entry passes. However, in the same breath, he also stated that in the era of online and television media, the practice of media persons approaching ministers all the time raised “security concerns”. He also suggested that the media should be informed about the working of government through the PR Department. This makes it particularly unclear what kinds of changes the revised circular will see, and whether the final notice will prove satisfactory to the media persons it will affect directly.

Controversy

Aswathy Nair has spoken out a day after VA Shrikumar Menon claimed that he was still making the movie Randamoozham based on MT Vasudevan Nair's story.

Sharanya Gopinathan

At a press conference held in Thiruvananthapuram on Sunday, Malayalam movie director VA Shrikumar Menon told reporters that he could start shooting for the movie Randamoozham, based on MT Vasudevan’s 1984 novel by the same name, in 6 months time. He said that commencing the project was possible as the storyboard and research for the film was ready. Dismissing that there were any serious difference with MT Vasudevan Nair, Shrikumar also said that he will soon iron out all the issues with the author. These comments made it seem as though the shooting and production of the movie by VA Shrikumar would go ahead with no issues. This, however is not the case according to MT's daughter Aswathy Nair. "In the wake of the many comments and statements being circulated in the media regarding the movie ‘Randamoozham,’ I would like to demystify certain aspects of the discussions. As such the subject matter is under subjudice and anybody making any comment on the facts about the movie may do so at their own risk as it might turn out to be contempt of court. ‘Randamoozham’ is a masterpiece work of my father Shri MT Vasudevan Nair and no one can make any claims on its rights as on date," she wrote. Aswathy says that once her father gets the script back, he will decide as to who will do the movie. "This project is after all my father's dream, which we hope to make a reality in the best way possible. May God be with us," she wrote. Four years ago, in July 2014, MT had handed over the screenplay of Randamoozham to VA Shrikumar, for a contract period of three years. Given that the three year period and an extra year of grace period had elapsed, MT Vasudevan Nair wanted the script back. Though MT Vasudevan Nair and his daughter did not want to make further comments, a source close to the family told TNM that they decided to go to the Kozhikode Municipal Court in October 2018 as many of their queries to Shrikumar went unanswered."Though Shrikumar had claimed that it would be India's costliest movie that will be bankrolled by industrialist and UAE-based businessman B R Shetty, MT Vasudevan Nair asked him thrice if there was any formal contract with the producer and never got a reply. He waited for four years, but there was no sign of the movie even starting. Moreover, he was not ready to give back the script. This is why he went to court," the source said. MT Vasudevan Nair told the Municipal Court that he wanted his story back and was willing to pay the advance back to VA Shrikumar. Though the Municipal Court gave an injunction in favour of MT Vasudevan Nair, VA Shrikumar appealed in the District Court of Kozhikode. "He has asked the court permission for arbitration. MT and his family does not want that. What is the need for arbitration?" the source said. The source added that the family was upset over VA Shrikumar's assertions that he was working on the movie. "How could he pretend like everything was back to normal when the issue is in court? People were wondering if the movie was still on. This is why Aswathy posted on Facebook," the source said. Speaking to TNM in October, MT had said, that he is backing out from the project because “after four years, the film has not even begun shooting, and the contract for the screenplay was only for three years.” The 1984 novel Randamoozham tells the story of the Mahabharata epic through the eyes of Bheema. It won the Vayalar Award for the best literary work in Malayalam in 1985, and the Muttathu Varkey Award in 1994.

Crime

Leena, the owner of the beauty parlour, had agreed to give her statement to the police on Monday. However, she failed to appear at the station.

TNM Staff

Kochi police will summon the owner of beauty salon Nail Artistry, actor-model Leena Maria Paul, as she has failed to appear at the station and give her statements regarding the stray shooting incident that took place in front of her parlour on Saturday. Leena’s co-operation in giving an initial statement to the police is crucial to the investigation. The incident happened around 3.45 pm last Saturday when two unidentified men came on bikes and opened fire outside the parlour, which is situated near the walkway at Panampilly Nagar in the city. According to CCTV footage accessed by the police, the two men climbed up the staircase to the first floor where the parlour is located and fired at the parlour door. The customers inside the parlour suffered no injuries and the men rode away soon after the incident. Following investigations, the police suspect that the shooters used air guns. Officials have recovered .22 calibre pellets from the site, according to reports. Leena had agreed to give her statement to the police on Monday. However, she was a no show, reports add. According to some news reports, Leena had earlier complained about underworld don Ravi Poojari threatening her, and a financial tussle seems to be the most common assumption behind the reason for the strange shooting incident. Leena has had several fraud cases against her in the past. In June 2015, she and her then partner Shekhar Chandrashekhar were arrested by the Economic Offences Wing. Leena, who has acted in several big movies, like John Abraham’s Madras Cafe and Mohanlal’s Red Chillies, was accused of running a fraudulent investment firm that promised investors ten times’ returns. She was arrested after several complaints to the Mumbai Crime Branch were made by investors who were duped. In 2013, Leena and her then partner Balaji had been arrested by the Delhi and Chennai police in a joint operation for allegedly swindling money to the tune of Rs 19 crore from a private bank in Chennai. Leena was supposed to be in Kochi on Monday to give her statement. However, the staff at Nail Artistry confirmed that she was not present. When TNM tried Leena’s number, her number was not reachable.

Youth

Anyone in the age group of 15 to 30 can join the Kerala Voluntary Youth Action Force, which will be launched on December 19.

Korah Abraham

Facebook/Kerala Voluntary Youth Action Force

A new army is on the rise in Kerala. This army of youngsters, which does not wear any uniform or insignia, was in the limelight during the devastating floods that hit the state in August this year. In an initiative to encourage more youth to combat natural disasters and to train them in different areas of becoming responsible citizens, the Kerala State Youth Welfare Board (KSYWB) will launch the Kerala Voluntary Youth Action Force (KVYAF) on December 19. With the aim to build an army of 1,00,000 persons in the force, an official from the KSYWB told TNM that as of Monday, around 86,000 youngsters have registered to be a part of the force. Anyone belonging in the age group of 15 to 30 can join the KVYAF by registering using the link provided in the Youth Welfare Board website. Speaking to TNM, an official from the Youth Welfare Board, who did not wish to be named, said that this is an initiative supported by the Kerala Government as well as the youth welfare board of the state. “The youth of this state are our biggest assets and their services during the floods have been lauded across the world. Without any requests, they took it upon themselves to help each other with the rescue operations, to volunteer in relief camps as well as to form social media information groups,” the official said. The volunteers will be trained not only in disaster management. The action force will be divided into five ‘armies’ - environmental conservation army, water conservation army, waste disposal army, road protection army and the disaster management army. Initially, the registered volunteers will be divided into six groups and each group will be given training in all the different areas in an academy in Munnar. After the training, the volunteers will be divided into the five ‘armies’ based on their calibre and interests. The official said that experts will give the volunteers both physical training and mental conditioning. The volunteers will be trained in handling various situations during the time of a disaster as well as in spreading awareness about issues such as road safety, environmental pollution and so on. The KVYAF will be inaugurated by the Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on December 19 at the Nishagandhi auditorium in Thiruvananthapuram.

Death

Twelve-year-old Irfan, who had suffered serious brain damage following an accident at Karikkakom in 2011, passed away on Monday.

Cris

Shopkeepers, men and women outside the gates of their houses, give directions to Irfan’s house, before you ask. Keep going straight ahead, they say. The road turning from the Chakai bypass towards Karikkakom in Thiruvananthapuram goes way inside, taking you through the deadly Parvathy Puthannar canal. It is in this canal that five of Irfan’s classmates and their caretaker fell to their death nearly eight years ago. An accident and the fall of a school bus into the waters had taken away their lives, while Irfan, who survived, suffered serious brain damage. After an eight-year-long battle to stay alive, the lone survivor of the Karikkakom bus tragedy passed away on Monday morning at the age of 12. All of the neighbourhood has gathered at Irfan’s house to pay their last respects. As new visitors approach, someone has taken charge of lifting the white cloth covering Irfan’s familiar little face that had been on newspaper pages several times. His picture - two little eyes raised upward and a surgical mask covering half the face - got printed year after year - when Irfan went to Vellore for treatment, when it was thought he’d come back to life, when he got a new house at Karikkakom. Nothing, it seems, saved the boy. “God gave them a child and took away another,” says Arifa, Irfan’s grandmother. She is talking about Inaya, the baby girl, born to Irfan’s parents two months ago. The little sister he did not get to know. She lies down next to her mother, Sajini, crowded by women of the family and the neighbourhood, unaware of her brother’s passing. Someone prompts Sajini to speak. “You took care of him all this while. Talk, Sajini,” an older woman tells her. But Sajini does not wish to. “There was a little improvement when we took him to Vellore three months after the accident. He could hear, look at us. He felt pain and hunger, I knew through his cries. I knew he sensed my presence,” she says, before breaking down. Sajini never went out all these years, she was with her son all the time, her mother-in-law says. “I’d tell her there is Allah with you, who saw how much care she took.” Parvathy Puthannar canal Sajini’s mother Rasiya Beevi recounts how they had waited for seven to eight years for a child before Irfan was born. “He was four and one fourth when the accident happened. The family would move between the Kims hospital and home. Last week we had taken him to Kims. His stomach had been upset for a few days. Today again, we were supposed to take him to the hospital. We didn’t expect this,” Rasiya says. Irfan’s father Shajahan was in the Gulf and had come home to start a small business at the time of the accident. “The changing governments have taken care of all the treatment expenses. There has been a lot of support from the neighbourhood and the media too,” he says. Shajahan was also given a job by the government, at the Shishu Kshema Vakuppu (Child Welfare Department). The family had a new house built by the Oommen Chandy government four years ago. “The CM at the time of the accident was VS Achuthanandan, and then a couple of months later, it was Oommen Chandy. They have both been helpful. The present government too had been supportive,” says Baiju, who lives next door, and whose daughter Arsha had been killed in the same tragic accident in February, 2011. Following the accident, Irfan had been trapped under water for 20 minutes and suffered a brain injury before falling into a coma, Baiju remembers. “Every year we have a commemoration of the children who passed away in that accident – at Smrithimandapam. Suresh Gopi, Manju Warrier and other celebrities have come to attend it,” Baiju says. This February, there would be one more child remembered, who in Baiju’s words, was once a cheerful and smart little boy like any other kid his age.

Controversy

Prasad Pannian was suspended from his post as HOD after his Facebook post supporting a PhD student who was arrested from the campus.

Cris

Dr Prasad Pannian; courtesy: Facebook.com

Dr Prasad Pannian, who was suspended from his post as the Head of a Department at Kasargod Central University, should be reinstated, the Kerala High Court advises in an order issued on December 5. Dr Prasad Pannian was suspended from his post as HOD following a Facebook post he made in support of a student who was arrested from the campus. The suspension could affect the career and reputation of a person, the court says, adding that since the suspension was based on a cause, that cause needs to be examined. “Posting on Facebook or social media has become a matter of concern for public authorities. It is a matter of formulation of an opinion of others. As pointed out by this Court in several judgments, in the absence of any social media guidelines, such a post has to be viewed to find out whether it would be detrimental to the collective interest of the University. The expression of opinion of a teacher in regard to an action cannot be considered as a criticism,” the order states. Prasad was appointed as the HOD of English and Comparative Literature in the Central University of Kerala from August 1, 2017, to July 12, 2019. He was suspended on September 9, 2018, following a Facebook post he wrote, which, the University claims, criticises its decision concerning the arrest of a PhD student. Prasad had made the Facebook post on August 11 in solidarity with research scholar Ganthoti Nagaraju, who has been arrested for breaking the glass pane of a fire alarm in the hostel. “That an act of misdemeanour has been criminalised is deeply disturbing. As far as I understand, this is a minor offence that should have been settled on the campus itself,” Prasad had written on Facebook. “This court has not interfered with disciplinary action. It is for the University to conclude the matter after adverting to all the attendant circumstances,” the order concludes, after listing out reasons why Dr Prasad Pannian should be reinstated in his old post. “More than individual satisfaction, it is also a victory of democratic values and freedom of expression,” Prasad tells TNM, about the order. “Especially since this order stresses the importance of those values in a public institution.” He has not heard from the University yet on what their decision is. He has been continuing as a professor at the institute after his suspension as HOD. “It is another professor who took screenshots of my Facebook post and sent it to the administration – the fifth respondent in the petition, Dr Vellikkeel Raghavan. In the showcause notice issued to me by the University, they mention that it is based on his complaint. This verdict is also against such tendencies of people hurting their colleagues for their personal interests,” Prasad adds. The High Court order says that the counsel appearing for the University justifies the suspension order with various other events. Among these other events, it is also mentioned that “the appointment of the Head of the Department is a prerogative appointment made by the Vice Chancellor of the University and the petitioner cannot, as a matter of right, claim that he should be permitted to continue as Head of the Department.” To this, the High Court order by Judge A Muhamed Mustaque, responds, “It may be true that the Vice-Chancellor has the power to appoint a Professor as Head of Department. However, when an action resulted in the suspension of Head of the Department, the court has to look at that action not from the power that is traceable for appointing such Head of the Department, but for considering whether such action would have visited with any civil consequence of a person who is aggrieved by such action. When a person is suspended from discharging his duties as Head of Department, I would say, it would be a stigma on his career and reputation. Since the suspension was based on a cause, that cause needs to be examined.” Also read: 86,000 Kerala youngsters join youth volunteer force to tackle natural disasters

Sabarimala

While the four trans women have received permission to make the trek, they have also filed a complaint against the police officers who behaved badly with them on Sunday.

Sharanya Gopinathan

The group of four transwomen, Anannyah, Thripthi, Avanthika and Ranjumol, who were turned away from Sabarimala by Erumely police on Sunday morning, have now been granted permission and police protection to make the trek to the Sabarimala hill shrine. They received permission to do so on Monday morning, and will make the trek on Tuesday morning. Anannyah told TNM, “Manoj Abraham IG has assured us that we will be given police protection in order to conduct darshan at Sabarimala. There is no restriction on transwomen going to Sabarimala to conduct darshan according to both laws and traditions. It is on this basis that they have said that they can take us to Sabarimala with no issues.” She continued, “This morning we met Hemachandran IPS who is responsible for the affairs at Sabarimala. He and Retired Justices S Sirijagan and PR Raman [who have been appointed by the Kerala High Court to work as a monitoring committee at Sabarimala] looked into the matter, and found that there were no issues with us transwomen visiting Sabarimala. We also met Kottayam SP Harishankar IPS and submitted a request before him, after which we went to meet Manoj Abraham and Anilkanth IPS. They told us coolly that there are no restrictions on us transwomen visiting Sabarimala, and that we would be given help and police protection to make our pilgrimage there whenever we wanted to go. So we have decided to go with police protection on Tuesday morning.” When asked if the group still had any complaints about the police’s behaviour towards them, Anannyah said they had filed a complaint against the treatment meted out to them at Erumely station on Sunday morning. “We had visited the Erumely police station on Sunday when we first attempted to go. We were called there for no reason, we could have actually gone straight to Nilakkal, but they called us repeatedly on the phone and mentally tortured us, saying we needed to go to Erumely station. After their continuous phone calls, we went there. To us four transwomen, they said we have to remove the clothes we are wearing and wear men’s clothes. The Supreme Court and Constitution have ensured that all of us have the right to choose what we want to wear, including myself as a transwoman. The police insisted that I, a transwoman, should change out of my saree to men’s clothes. And they threatened our driver and spoke very badly about transwomen and our rights. So we have filed a complaint against the DySP of Kanjirappally, Madhusoodanan IPS, who was present at the Erumely police station at that time, and the Erumely police officers, including women officers, who behaved with us very badly. We have filed this complaint with the Kottayam SP Harishankar, and mentioned the issue to IG Manoj Abraham, who assured us that action will be taken against them, and that they will raise awareness amongst the police officers.” Anannyah also clarified that no imposition or restriction with respect to their clothing has been placed upon the group as they make the trek up Sabarimala hill on Tuesday morning. The police had allegedly threatened to throw the trans women in jail, besides behaving rudely with them on Sunday morning. In a Facebook live, Anannyah had alleged, “Almost all the police there, with the exception of a few of the women officers, behaved with us very badly. They even threatened to us into jail and said jail was where we really belonged. They asked us are you male or female, we said neither, we are transgender people. They said “what transgender people?” They also took aside the driver who brought us here and threatened him. They said you had better not ever be seen bringing such “things” to Sabarimala ever again.” She also alleged that the police made hurtful comments about their clothing, stating, “The police said, you are men right? Why can’t you wear men’s clothing? If you wear a pant and shirt, we can take you to the temple. After some time, we said okay, we will change our clothes, because all we wanted was to conduct darshan at Sabarimala. Then they said no, we offered this some time back but you refused, we are not here to await your convenience.” There have been earlier reports quoting the Thantri stating that there are no restrictions on trans women entering the Sabarimala temple. In the past, transgender persons have been allowed to enter the temple after some initial checks. However, on December 14, a transgender person from Tamil Nadu, Mohan was also sent back from Sabarimala. Read: ‘Why are you dressed like women?’: Police threaten, block transwomen at Sabarimala

Animal's Health

The plight of the twenty year old male elephant was brought to light by People for Animals.

Saritha S Balan

Image Courtesy: People for Animals.

Large wounds on the back of the hind legs and almost no food in the trough in front. The sight of an elephant struggling to stand with the wounds on his leg, shifting his body weight from one leg onto the other, was captured by a member of the People's for Animals two weeks ago. Pictures and videos of 20-year-old Neelakandan facing abject neglect at the Sree Dharma Sastha temple, at Sasthamkotta in Kollam made the Kerala High Court take a suo moto case. It was inside the premises of the temple administered by the Travancore Devaswom Board, that the PFA member captured visuals of the elephant in distress."The PFA member had gone there to feed an injured dog, and saw the elephant lifting his leg in pain, pleading for help. But since the visit was during night time, he could not understand the exact situation. Next morning he shot videos, from which we understood the real plight of the elephant," PFA member Sreedevi S Kartha told TNM. Later PFA activists met Minister of Forests and Wildlife Protection K Raju to bring his attention to the issue. The Minister directed Chief Wild Life Warden PK Kesavan to take action. CWW in turn directed the Forest Range Officer Kollam to take action."All the injuries on Neelakantan were caused by torture by mahouts, they seem to have hit him with knives and sticks. His front left leg is also damaged, which makes his movements painful. If the wounds had been treated on time, he could have been cured," Sreedevi says. Neelakantan's hind legs were tied because he was in musth, but he wasn't freed even after the musth period was over. (Musth is a frenzied state of male elephants once a year, during its mating season). Activists fear that with two wounded legs tied up and one damaged, he is forced to balance his body weight on one leg most of the time. The deliberate starving they allege has lead to weight loss. The case will come up for hearing in the High Court on Tuesday. PFA says that the Forest Department is the natural custodian of elephants, since it's a wild animal and in this case the elephant should be handed over to the Forest Department since the Devaswom Board has neglected the animal. The PFA has demanded that the elephant be shifted to Kottur elephant sanctuary and provided with immediate treatment. They also want doctors from the speciality hospital in Delhi to diagnose Neelakandan's condition. Thee PFA says that in 2015, a panel of five doctors- both from Devaswom Board and Forest Department had examined the elephant, and concluded that treating his wounds was going to be difficult. Though all male elephants are tied during musth, their injuries are treated afterwards. However in Neelakantan's case, he has allegedly been ignored for years, making his condition deteriorate."If the elephant is shifted to Kottur, it would be a good change for it. It will also have to be checked if it will be practical to shift the elephant to the hospital in Delhi. The Wild Life Warden has asked a committee of Forest veterinarians to look into the issue. Let us see what the court's order will say on Tuesday. Our next action will be based on that," says Latha Indira of PFA Thiruvanathapuram.

Transport

According to the Kerala RTC, the vacant posts will now be filled by those who have already been furnished advice memos by the Public Service Commission.

Rejimon Kuttappan

Bhadra Prasad BS, a 37-year-old empanelled conductor at a bus station run by the Kerala Road Transport Corporation (RTC) in Thiruvananthapuram for the last 11 years, is yet to come to terms with his dismissal ‘order’ verbally conveyed to him on Monday afternoon. “As usual, I went to duty. But I was told that there is no job from today. I stood there for a few minutes, I felt that I will collapse there. Then, I returned home clueless on what to do next,” Bhadra, who was the sole-breadwinner of his four-member family, including his aged parents, says. “I got the job through government employment exchange in 2008. It was a daily wage job. When I joined, the wage was Rs 140 and later on, it became Rs 480. But that’s it. There are no other benefits. But I was able to make both ends meet. Now, they have thrown me under the bus, literally. Don’t know what to do, where to go or whom to plead in front of,” Bhadra told The News Minute. Bhadra’s case is not an isolated one. Over 3,800 empanelled conductors are in the same situation as Bhadra. Court Order The Kerala RTC has issued orders for the mass dismissal of 3,861 empanelled conductors with immediate effect. The dismissal orders, dated December 16 and based on a High Court verdict of December 6, have been sent to all the KSRTC depots where empanelled conductors work and the daily wage workers have been told to leave the job. On December 6, the Kerala High Court had ordered the retrenchment of empanelled workers within a week to make way for those who had secured advice memos from the Public Service Commission. “As per the May 5, 2013 Rank List, openings have been reported to the PSC. Hence empanelled conductors cannot continue in their job. Action should be taken within one week or else it will be treated as contempt of court,” the court had said in its order. And when the court took up the issue again on Monday, the Corporation was severely criticised for not issuing the necessary orders. The court had set Monday, December 17, as the deadline for executing its order. The court said that the Kerala RTC management was trying to fool the public and warned that it was well within its rights to remove those in high positions in the Corporation. The Kerala RTC MD has also been asked to file an affidavit on December 18 testifying that not a single empanelled conductor was working in the organisation. It was on May 9, 2013, that the Public Service Commission published the reserve conductor Rank List. In the first phase, 9,300 candidates were served an advice memo. Of this, 3,808 were soon sent appointment orders. The remaining 5,492 had to keep waiting for over three years before a large number of them received advice memos. In the second allotment, 4,051 were sent advice memos. When none of them received an appointment order, some of the candidates in the list approached the High Court. Not against job seekers Meanwhile, Bhadra said that we are not against those who are entitled to get the job. “We are not against them. In the past, when such situations came up, we were also retained. The government could have done that. Now, they have put us against them (job seekers), which is unfair,” Bhadra said, adding that the trade unions are also remaining silent on the situation. “I belong to Centre of Indian Trade Unions. Every month, they take Rs 100 from my salary. But now, when we have landed in trouble, it seems they are least bothered about our case. They have not even pasted a poster in our favour,” Bhadra said. Long March According to Bhadra, they are planning a long march from Punnappara, Alappuzha to the Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram, on Wednesday. “The deserted workers and the family members will hold a long march to highlight our plight. Additionally, we are also thinking of approaching the Supreme Court,” Bhadra said. According to the Kerala RTC, the vacant posts will now be filled by those who have already been furnished advice memos by the Public Service Commission. Assurances Kerala RTC chairman and managing director Tomin J Thachankary, while talking to the ousted empanelled workers on Monday, reassured them and said that this was only a temporary measure. “It is not the government's policy to do away with empanelled workers. The Corporation is doing its best to ensure that you would be called back,” Thachankary said, adding, “If need be, we will go to the Supreme Court against this.”\ Talking to media, Transport Minister AK Saseendran said that services in Malabar region would be adversely affected by the decision. He said that the decision would further aggravate the woes of a cash-strapped Kerala RTC. The minister said that the government would try to convince the court of the severe stress permanent employees would impose on Kerala RTC. He also claimed that the government was not in a position to rehabilitate the empanelled workers who had lost their jobs. Crisis will worsen Meanwhile, a trade union leader in the state transport sector said that Kerala RTC’s mismanagement led to the present crisis. “If the Kerala RTC had bought 1,000 busses with the Rs 323 crore allotted by the government, 2,750 conductors and 2,750 drivers would have got a job. This is for the first time that a mass dismissal is happening,” said MG Rahul, general secretary of Kerala State Transport Employees Union (KSTEU), which is affiliated to the All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC). “In 1979, this kind of a dismissal had happened. But that was in phases. And through protests and legal options, we were able to get back the jobs,” Rahul said, adding that removal of 4,000 workers will put the entire operation of Kerala RTC in trouble. According to a CAG report published in 2017, the Kerala Road Transport Corporation incurred a loss of Rs 1,431.29 crore in 2014-15. The Kerala State Road Transport Corporation, as it was called initially, was established in March 1965 under the Road Transport Corporation Act, 1950 to provide road transport services and other ancillary services in the state.

Sabarimala

On Sunday, the police prevented Anannyah, Renjumol, Thripthi and Avanthika from visiting the temple, threatened them and even asked them to change to men’s wear.

TNM Staff

After much commotion over their entry into Sabarimala temple on Sunday, the four transgender women - Anannyah, Renjumol, Thripthi and Avanthika - finally climbed the hill and offered prayers at the shrine on Tuesday. Dressed like any other woman Ayyappa devotee, the four wore a black saree, carried the irumudikettu (bag of holy offerings) and climbed the hill amid police protection, headed by Manoj Abraham IG. “Apart from the problems we faced on Sunday, we did not have any other problems, either from the police, the devotees, the public or the Karma Samithi. We went there, performed darshan and returned,” Anannyah told TNM as she and the other trans women were climbing down towards Pamba to head back to Ernakulam. On Sunday, the four trans women were turned away from Sabarimala by Erumely police, although there are no restrictions on transgender persons conducting darshan at the temple, legally and traditionally. Anannyah said that they were offered police protection till Erumely police station. However, getting permission was no easy task for the group. In the early hours of Sunday, as the four were heading to Nilakkal, the Erumely police called them to the station. At the station, the police instructed them to change their sarees and wear men’s clothing. In a Facebook live video on Sunday, Anannyah said that the police were rude to them and did not allow them to travel further. She also said that the police officers were aware of their attempt to enter Sabarimala temple, and that they were also present during the ceremonies for filling their irumudikettu. On Monday morning, the group first met Hemachandran IPS, the officer responsible for the affairs at Sabarimala, as well as retired Justices S Sirijagan and PR Raman, the panel appointed by the Kerala High Court to monitor the pilgrimage in Sabarimala. After they found that there were no issues in transgender persons visiting Sabarimala, the trans women submitted a request to Kottayam SP Harishankar IPS, and later met Manoj Abraham and Anilkanth IPS. Finally, the four trans women were granted permission and police protection to climb the Sabarimala hill shrine.

Food

Tests showed that the banned brands showed signs of adulteration and were of sub-par quality.

TNM Staff

The sale, storage, distribution and manufacture of 74 brands of coconut oil have been banned in Kerala by the food safety department. The crackdown comes after a notice from food safety commissioner Anand Singh, as tests showed that the banned brands showed signs of adulteration, were of sub-par quality and had violated provision of the Food Safety and Standards Act 2006. The investigation and subsequent ban were put into place after an investigation by Manorama News. Food safety officials have said the brands will face strict action for having manufactured and sold adulterated coconut oil. The New Indian Express reports that Health Minister KK Shylaja had instructed the food safety department to step up its activities in the prevention of sale of adulterated food items being sold in Kerala. Nearly half of the banned brands of coconut oil bear the suffix “Kera”, in order to trick consumers into believing that they are part of or linked wit the government-owned enterprise, KeraFed. Some of the newly banned brands include StS Kera Premium Gold (Jithu Oil Mills), Kera Proudy (Bej Traders), K S Kerasugandhi (Indian Agencies), Kera Hira (Bej Traders), Nalikera (St Mary’s Oil Traders), Kitchen Tasty (Kairaly Oil Mills), Kera Swadisht (Liya Trading Company), and Kera Sulabha (Pulary Coconut Oil). Most brands adulterated their coconut oil with oils of poorer quality, such as palm oil. This is not the first time coconut oil brands have been banned in Kerala. Back on May 31, the food safety department banned the sale of 45 brands of coconut oil due to adulteration and poor quality, whileon June 30, 51 additional coconut oil brands were banned for the same reason. With the ban on these additional 74 brands, a total of 166 brands of coconut oil have been banned in Kerala this year.

Crime

When the Lulu Group filed a complaint with the Riyadh police, Shiju fled Saudi Arabia and arrived in Thiruvananthapuram.

TNM Staff

Photo courtesy Lulu Avene Riyadh website

A man accused of cheating and stealing Rs 4.5 crore from the Lulu Avenue mall in Riyadh has been arrested by the police in Thiruvananthapuram. Asianet reports that 42-year-old Shiju Jospeh was arrested within Thumba Police Station limits on Tuesday. Asianet further reports that he was being assisted by a Jordanian native, Mohammed Hakim, in committing the crime. The Times of India says that Hakim was an employee of one of the companies that would deliver services to the mall, and that the two hatched a plan to create bills for the products, and redirect the products elsewhere. The crime was carried out by the pair for over one and a half years, but when it was discovered by Lulu Group and a complaint filed with the Riyadh police, Shiju reportedly fled Saudi Arabia and arrived in Kerala. After this, the Lulu Group filed a complaint with the Thiruvananthapuram City Police. TOI reports that police found it difficult to nab Shiju as he did not use his cell phone much, and instead used WhatsApp, which is harder to track and trace. However, a squad of the police was able to nab him thanks to the work of cyber experts within their department. Thumba police sub-inspector Hemanth Kumar recorded the arrest of Shiju Joseph, who was produced at the police station wearing a bright pink shirt, and a case of cheating was filed against him. Shiju was remanded to judicial custody after being produced before a magistrate. It appears that Riyadh police can approach the court in Kerala if they want Shiju to be handed over to them. Despite the crime being committed in Saudi Arabia, there are provisions for those accused in such crimes to be arrested and tried in India, no matter where the crime was originally committed.

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'God gave us a child and took one away': Heartbroken Irfan's family mourns his death

HC advises Kasargod Central University to reinstate HOD suspended for FB post

Initially blocked, 4 trans women granted police protection to visit Sabarimala

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Over 3,800 Kerala RTC empanelled workers given dismissal orders, to march for justice

4 trans women enter Sabarimala shrine, offer prayers amid police protection

Kerala govt bans 74 brands of coconut oil for food safety violations

Man accused of defrauding Lulu Group in Saudi of Rs 4.5 crore arrested from Kerala