Kerala

Actor sexual assault case

Dileep, who is accused of masterminding the sexual assault of actress, had approached SC to get the copy of assault visuals.

TNM Staff

PTI

The Kerala High Court on Thursday pulled up the state government over its stand in the actor abduction and sexual assault case, in which actor Dileep is an accused. After the Kerala government told the Supreme Court that charges cannot be framed immediately against Dileep till his petition in the Supreme Court is disposed of, the High Court asked the state government how it was possible for it to decide on the matter when the case is still being heard by the trial court. Dileep has moved the Supreme Court seeking the visuals of the assault. The High Court also asked the state if it was aimed at deliberately delaying the trial, reports Manorama. The High Court made the observations while considering the bail application of Pradeep, who is the sixth accused in the case. The court has rejected bail for Pradeep, who was the driver of the vehicle used by the accused to abduct the survivor. The court also observed that if bail is granted, there were possibilities that the accused will destroy the evidence, reports Times of India. The single bench of the High Court on Thursday also said that the trial should be completed within six months and that the accused was trying to delay the trial by filing appeals in different courts. Dileep, who is the eighth accused in the case, has filed 13 petitions in different courts with various demands over the last two years. Apart from seeking the visuals of the attack, Dileep had also demanded a CBI investigation into the case, accusing the state police of a bias against him. Dileep, accused of masterminding the sexual assault, had earlier approached the sessions court and High Court to get the copy of the visuals of the assault stored in a memory card. But both the courts had turned down the accused actor’s plea. Dileep then approached the apex court with the same plea to get the copy of assault visuals. Dileep’s counsel Mukul Rohatgi argued that the visuals were doctored to deliberately frame the actor and they had the right to access the ‘document’ to prove the accused’s innocence. SC will consider the case on May 1. The trial proceedings which were to begin in Additional CBI court in Ernakulam on April 10 has been delayed after the Kerala state government agreed to not frame charges against actor Dileep and the other accused, till Dileep's petition seeking visuals of the assault, is disposed of by the Supreme Court.

Body 2:

Weather

“People should cautiously stay away from being exposed to direct sunlight from 11am to 3pm during these days,” the KSDMA said.

TNM Staff

Kerala State Disaster Management Authority (KSDMA) has declared that there is a high possibility of heat stroke across the state till Sunday in the wake of increase in temperatures. “Under this circumstance, people should cautiously stay away from being exposed to direct sunlight from 11am to 3pm during these days,” said a statement released by the KSDMA. According to the reports by the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), there will be a rise in temperature from 2 to 4 degree Celsius during April 12 and 13. Kottayam, Pathanamthitta, Idukki, Ernakulam, Thrissur, Malappuram, Kozhikode, Kannur and Kasaragod are the districts most susceptible to rise in temperature. It has also been advised to suspend classes for school and college students on days which have been specially mentioned as ‘cautious’. The local bodies should ensure that children in Anganwadis are not exposed to high temperatures and if so, appropriate measures should be taken. The Labour Commission has also put out an order asking employers to strictly make sure that workers are not exposed to direct sunlight from 11am to 3pm as temperatures are likely to increase in the summer season. The KSDMA has also put out an advisory which states: People are advised to carry a bottle of water always to prevent dehydration. Drink clean water. Avoid the intake of coffee, tea, alcohol or cool drinks in daytime. Wear lose fitting and light coloured cloths. Those who are on holiday trips do manage time schedule according to peak hot hours. Ensure that children do not play outdoors from 11am to 3pm. As pregnant women, aged people, children and those suffering from different ailments are very prone to get heat stroke, they should be extra cautious not to get exposed to sunlight directly from 11am to 3pm. Companies should ensure that their online food delivery staff are safe and secure while travelling in direct sunlight during the particular hours. They should be given time to rest in between their working hours and should also be given protective gear to avoid exposure to direct sunlight.

Body 2:

Crime

In February 2017, Wesley, with or without his wife Sini’s help, allegedly caused Sherin to sustain multiple fractures in her arms and legs, prosecutors say.

TNM Staff

Sherin (L), Wesley Mathews (R)

Wesley Mathews, adoptive father of three-year-old Sherin Mathews who was found dead in a culvert in Texas in October 2017, is likely to have neglected and injured the child before her death, prosecutors believe. According to reports, a court document filed by Dallas County Assistant District Attorney Jason Fine says that prosecutors are trying to build a case against him on those grounds. The document in question contains details of “extraneous offenses, alleged crimes, wrongs or acts” that the prosecution intends to use as evidence in Wesley’s upcoming murder trial, reported NBCDFW. Among these alleged offences is also one that accuses Wesley of injuring Sherin on or about February 1, 2017, with or without his wife Sini’s help, and causing the child to sustain multiple fractures in her arms and legs “to the bilateral humerus, femur and tibia." Sini and Wesley reportedly did not reveal these injuries for minimum one week, and the “history provided to doctors was not consistent with how the injuries occurred.” Prosecutors said that for Wesley’s murder trial coming up on June 24, 2019, they plan to introduce several other alleged crimes, wrongs or acts as evidence against him as well. Apart from allegedly causing Sherin fractures, prosecutors say that he and Sini did not provide adequate nutrition to the child from September 1, 2016 till her demise. On February 24, 2017, prosecutors allege that Wesley did not keep Sherin’s scheduled appointment at Failure to Thrive Clinic at Children's Hospital. They also say that Wesley provided false and misleading information to the Richardson Police Department throughout the investigation on October 6 and 7, 2018. Wesley and his wife Sini, who were natives of Kerala, adopted Sherin from an orphanage in Bihar in July 2016. Sherin disappeared on October 7, 2017, and Wesley initially claimed that he had sent her out in the wee hours of the morning as punishment for not drinking her milk. On October 22, 2017, Sherin’s body was recovered from a culvert under a road about a kilometre from the Mathews’ home. The cause of Sherin’s death could not be investigated as the body had decomposed. Wesley later changed his version, claiming that when he tried to feed her, Sherin had choked on her milk. He also admitted that the family had gone out to dinner and left Sherin behind a day before she died. Wesley was indicted for capital murder by a grand jury and for tampering with evidence. Sini was charged child endangerment. However, Sini was released after 15 months in jail on March 1 this year due to insufficient evidence against her. The charges against her for child endangerment were dropped as well. If Sini had been convicted in the case, she would have faced imprisonment for two to 20 years. It is worth noting that because she was dismissed without prejudice, the same or different charges can still be levelled against her at any point of time.

Body 2:

Lok Sabha 2019

PK Kunhalikutty, the veteran IUML leader and sitting MP is in a direct fight with 30-year-old VP Sanu of the CPI(M) in Malappuram.

Saritha S Balan

From Right Unnirkrishnan, PK Kunhalikutty and VP Sanu

PK Kunhalikutty seeks votes with a smile. For a seasoned politician like him, his approach is calm but assured, without the exuberance of his younger rivals. This is the second time the National General Secretary of the Indian Union Muslim League and the sitting MP from Malappuram is contesting the Lok Sabha constituency. The veteran politician, who has been a seven-time MLA and a three-time Minister, is up against CPI(M)’s VP Sanu, SFI’s National President. The 30-year old is making his electoral debut and is the youngest among the candidates of the three fronts in the state. His vibrance his hard to miss, especially under the scorching sun as he seeks votes. But Sanu’s youthful energy maybe no match for 68-year-old Kunhalikuty, whose party’s roots are deep in Malappuram, a constituency which has been traditionally stood with the IUML in all elections barring one. IUML bastion The Malappuram Lok Sabha constituency consists of six Assembly segments Kondotty, Vallikkunn, Vengara, Manchery, Mankata and Perinthalmanna. Prior to delimitation in 2009, Malappuram was a part of the Manjeri Lok Sabha constituency, which has seen the IUML emerge victorious on most occasions. It was only in 2004 that the Left tasted victory in Manjeri when the state saw a wave for the LDF alliance. Post delimitation, the Left is strong in segments such as Perinthalmanna and Mankada, while the remaining four segments are UDF bastions. In the last two Lok Sabha Elections in 2009 and 2014, Malappuram elected E Ahamed, a senior leader of the IUML. In 2014, the former Union Minister won with a massive margin of 1,94,000 votes. Ahamed, however, passed away in March 2017, necessitating a bye-election. The IUML fielded Kunhalikutty, who was sitting MLA of Vengara at that time, in the byelection. Kunhalikutty marched to victory in the bye-polls, defeating his CPI(M) rival MB Fazial by 1,70,000 votes. Two years on, Malappuram will witness another direct fight between the Congress-led UDF and the CPI(M)-led LDF, although the BJP is also in the fray with V Unnikrishnan as the NDA candidate. The IUML with its headquarters in Malappuram is powerful in the northern region of the state, while Kunhalikutty as a leader is equally powerful. Rumblings within IUML But this time, Kunhalikutty is also battling dissent within the party. A source close to the party says, “There is resentment within various Muslim communities against fielding Kunhalikutty. Also his influence in the party has been diminishing, so has his ability as a crowd puller.” What’s more the source says that the accusation against Kunhalikutty is that he has not delivered on poll promises nor has he looked after the party’s affairs. “It was for this reason that the IUML had considered fielding Kunhalikutty in neighbouring Ponnani, the other seat offered to the party as part of the UDF alliance. The source says, “Even the party is not too happy with him and hence considered him for Ponnani, which is the turf of his party colleague ET Mohammed Basheer. Because this time the fight in Ponnani is really tough. He reportedly became emotional when his name was suggested for Ponnani.” He adds, “Panakkad Hyderali Shihab Thangal, the party supremo, has been keeping a tight grip over Kunhalikutty. The time has gone when anything would work in the party, as per Kunhalikutty’s wish.” Furthermore, the source says that it was at Kunhalikutty’s behest that a meeting was arranged with the Socialist Democratic Party of India (SDPI), known for its communal politics. However, when the LDF accused the IUML of tying up with the SDPI, it was then that the party distanced itself from the meeting, calling it ‘accidental’. “The meeting with the SDPI was organised by Kunhalikutty. But he came late for the meeting, but ET Mohammed Basheer came on time and Kunhalikutty managed to save himself when he was caught red handed. The SDPI had waited initially to field candidate, but after the meeting became public and since they got annoyed by Kunhalikutty playing safe, SDPI state president Abdul Majeed Faisi decided to contest,” adds the source. Kunhalikutty’s absence in Parliament when the Triple Talaq Bill was presented had also raised eyebrows within the party and the party leadership had even sought an explanation from him. National over local issues In Malappuram, a Muslim dominated constituency, people largely look at the national picture when voting for the Lok Sabha elections. “The rule at the Centre should change. Here people would mostly have that feeling. We don’t want anyone who promise wonders, but all sections of people should feel safe in a country,” says Nissar Ahammed, a watch shop owner at Manjeri Road. “Here we vote for the candidate, whoever is doing well for the people. We all want a firm and fair rule,” say Vasantha and Kanakavally of Kondotty. Even Kunhalikutty has focused his campaign on national issues. “What is the relevance of the Left parties at the national level? The fight is between the Congress and the BJP,” he tells TNM. The IUML also raises political violence between the Left and the RSS as a campaign issue. The Left’s counter campaign has, however, focused on Kunhalikutty as a leader who won’t give opportunity to the youth. When asked about his chances, Sanu confidently says, “There is history of beginners like me trouncing big leaders in the elections.” Sanu’s father and CPI (M) VP leader Zakaria, who had lost to Kunhalikutty from Kuttippuram in the 1991 Assembly Election also took a dig at the IUML leader when he learnt that his son had been given a ticket. Zakharias said, Kunhalikutty would continue to stand for elections even against Sanu’s son. The LDF has also slammed IUML for centering power in the hands of a few leaders and for not giving chances to the youth in elections. And while the Left raises issues of development, there has also been criticism over the fact that the LDF has chosen to field a political novice against a veteran like Kunhalikutty. “There was possibility for a fair political fight. But by fielding not such a strong candidate who can take on Kunhalikutty the Left has actually lost the fight,” says a source in the Left camp.

Body 2:

Human Interest

70-year-old Sreeman Narayanan, resident of Muppathadam in Ernakulam district, is also an award winning writer and wholesale lottery dealer.

Neethu Joseph

The Eloor-Edayar industrial belt in Ernakulam district is often in the news for the pollution of the Periyar River which passes through the region. But in a small village called Muppathadam in this industrial belt, lives 70-year-old Sreeman Narayanan, who has been functioning as a one-man army to protect nature. With summer intensifying, he is on a mission to distribute 10,000 earthen pots for free to people who are willing to provide water for the hapless birds reeling under the scorching heat. “With summer worsening, most of the water sources of the birds have dried up. Not only humans, but animals too get affected due to the increase in temperature and suffer from dehydration. From this single mud pot, at least 100 birds can drink water,” says Sreeman. From an award winning writer to a wholesale lottery dealer, Sreeman wears many labels. But he likes to be known as a person who has embraced the Gandhian way of living. About 9,000 pots have already been distributed to residential associations, clubs and educational institutions. The project titled 'Jeeva jalathinu oru manu pathram', meaning ‘an earthen pot for life saving water’, was initially started in 2018. With its huge success, Sreeman decided to restart it this summer. Birds taking dip in water kept in earthen pots “Since most of the posts have already been distributed, I have ordered for more earthen vessels to continue this,” he adds. To buy 10,000 earthen pots, it cost Sreeman Narayanan about Rs 6 lakh. “I have completed my responsibilities as a father by taking care of my three children. They are living a peaceful life now. And I do not want to keep savings for the future ignoring the present destruction of the earth. So, I make use of the income that I get from my lottery business and the small restaurant I run in the village,” says the proud father who brought up his three girls after the death of his wife 30 years earlier. Last year, Sreeman distributed 50,000 saplings worth 15 lakh across the district free of cost. “Before that I had personally planted about 10,000 trees across the houses in my village in Muppathadam. While planting the trees I also made it a point to get assurance from the families that they will keep the fruits of at least one tree in each compound for birds,” said Sreeman. Inspired by the life of Gandhi at an early stage in his life, Sreeman lives by the Gandhian principle that his life should be a message to the world. Sreeman has been engaged in all his social work under the banner 'Ente Gramam Gandhijiyilude', meaning my ‘My village through the ways of Gandhiji’ for the past six years. He started full-time social work by distributing about 5,000 copies of The Story of My Experiments with Truth, Mahatma Gandhi’s autobiography. dual postgraduate degree holder in Malayalam and Economics, Sreeman bagged the Kerala State Institute for Children’s Literature award in poetry for his work Kuttikalude Gurudevan in 2016. He has also written a couple of other books, of which Ente Puzha, written against the background of pollution in the Periyar river is the most recent. Recently, he bagged the SK Pottekkatt award for his efforts to protect the environment.

Body 2:

Lok Sabha 2019

Ernakulam's LDF candidate P Rajeev said he will ensure people have access to clean drinking water, quality education and healthcare as his election promise.

Neethu Joseph

Making sure that no part of the constituency is left uncovered in the election campaign, P Rajeev, Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate in Ernakulam constituency, started his second round of campaigning for the upcoming Lok Sabha polls. The former Parliamentarian and Ernakulam District Secretary of CPI (M) is campaigning hard, and fast in the constituency. Speaking to TNM between his campaigns on a hot afternoon, Rajeev expressed his views on the constituency and stressed that Ernakulam was not a Congress bastion. “We cannot call a constituency as a particular party’s fortress. We are devaluing the people of the constituency by saying that,” said Rajeev. Ernakulam Lok Sabha Constituency was formed when it broke away from the Travancore-Cochin constituency in 1957. Over the last few decades, the LDF could win the Lok Sabha seat from Ernakulam only two times (1996 and 2004), that too, with the support of independent candidates backed by the party. But P Rajeev, who holds the reins of the party in the district, says that constituencies cannot be any party’s bastion. “People select candidates using their discretion, based on the issues they face currently. We lost the constituency in 2009 by thin margins. So we cannot say Ernakulam is the bastion of Congress,” said Rajeev. In 2009, CPM’s Sindhu Joy lost the polls to Congress’s KV Thomas by 11,790 votes. Ernakulam’s sitting MP KV Thomas contested and won the elections from the constituency for five terms since 1984. This year, however, the party has fielded sitting MLA Hibi Eden. Sharing the plans for the development of his constituency, Rajeev said that he aims to improve the living standards of the people. “I do not have any magic wand to do this. I have asked the people here what their needs are. I believe in doing things based on this,” Rajeev told TNM. “I will ensure the people have access to clean drinking water, air and environment. Best quality education, health care and other facilities associated with this will also be ensured,” said Rajeev. When asked about the recent amicus curiae report on the faulty dam management during the 2018 Kerala floods, Rajeev said that releasing the report during the election season was probably due to some vested interest. Without offering any further explanation, he jumped to the rehabilitation initiatives of the government. “We had been directly involved in the rehabilitation of flood-stricken areas like Paravur in Ernakulam. Recently, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan even handed over the keys of the 1001 house in the district, which was in Paravur,” said the LDF candidate in Ernakulam, which was one of the worst-affected districts in the floods.

Body 2:

Law

Biju Radhakrishnan’s mother Rajammal, an accused in the case, was also acquitted by the court.

Korah Abraham

Biju Radhakrishnan, who became a known face across Kerala following the infamous solar scam, was on Friday acquitted by the Kerala High Court in a case where he was accused of murdering his wife. His mother Rajammal, who was an accused in the case, was also acquitted by the court. In January 2014, the Kollam District and Sessions Court found Biju Radhakrishnan and his mother guilty for murdering his wife, Reshmi. The court had found Biju guilty under Sections 302 (punishment for murder), 201 (destruction of evidence), 323 (causing hurt), and 498A (husband or relative of husband of a woman subjecting her to cruelty) of the Indian Penal Code. The Kerala High Court on Friday overturned the verdict of the sessions court by stating that, “This is a case in which there is no direct evidence to prove the commission of murder.” The court stated that the prosecution relies upon circumstantial evidence and went on to explain that if there are no eyewitness to the crime and the case rests on circumstantial evidence, the law suggests a twofold requirement - “First, every link in the chain of circumstances necessary to establish the guilt of the accused must be established by the prosecution beyond reasonable doubt. Second, all circumstances must be consistent only with the guilt of the accused.” Reshmi was declared dead on February 4, 2006. The prosecution alleged that Biju had picked up a quarrel with Reshmi, following which he hit her on the head. Thereafter, it alleged that he administered Ethyl Alcohol to her while she was unconscious and suffocated her with her dress, which led to her death. The court observed that the prosecution places much reliance on the testimony of their son, who was a minor, in order to prove the fact that the accused had assaulted his wife and forced her to drink “some form of liquid”. The Learned Counsel, appearing for Biju argued that the evidence of the child witness cannot be believed for more than one reason. “One is that his statement was recorded seven years later, and by the time he was in a position to give any tutored version before court at the instance of his grandparents and police.” The prosecution had also stated that immediately after it was found that Reshmi had died, both Biju and his mother were absconding, “which itself indicates their involvement in the crime” and that both of them had also not attended the funeral of Reshmi. But the court observed that from the records or from the material documents, “we do not find that the police had in fact searched for the accused at any point of time. No summons or notice has been issued to him during the aforesaid period. Reshmi’s death was considered to be an unnatural death.” The court observed that the scientific evidence available also did not indicate that the death was a homicide. Meanwhile, the court pointed out that during the investigations, many people close to Reshmi, including her father, her sister and her close friend have testified to the fact that she was being tortured by Biju and his mother. “First of all, those are all information received by them from Reshmi and it is hearsay evidence which is not acceptable by a court of law.” The court also rejected her father’s claims that he had seen bruise marks on her body by stating that, “at the time of postmortem, no injuries were found on the body of the victim.” Biju met Reshmi, while the latter was a B.Ed student, who was staying at Biju’s house as a paying guest. They got married in 2001, much against the wishes of Reshmi’s family. Their relationship became strained after Biju allegedly started having an affair with Saritha S Nair, the prime accused in the solar case. The prosecution alleged that Biju had killed Reshmi in order to live with Saritha.

Body 2:

Death

The former bureaucrat was an administrator par excellence, a man known for building one of Asia's largest arch dams.

TNM Staff

Dr Daniel Babu Paul- an IAS officer, a visionary, an administrator par excellence, a mentor and author- a man Kerala revered- passed away at the age of 78. The former Additional Chief Secretary, had been reportedly receiving treatment at a private hospital in Kerala for the past one week. According to reports, his death was caused by a foot infection due to acute diabetes which subsequently affected his liver and kidneys. After suffering a heart attack on Friday, he was rushed to the KIMS hospital where he passed away following a multi organ failure. Born in 1941 to PA Poulose and Mary Paul, Dr Babu Paul was a celebrated IAS officer who had served in several government departments including finance, culture, education and tourism while in service, in various capacities. An illustrious student, Dr Paul had won many scholarships from the King of Travancore during his school and college days and secured first rank for his Master's course. A civil engineer, he had entered government service as a junior engineer, it was during this time that he cracked the civil services exam securing 7th rank. He was 21 years old then. Among the several achievements in his career is the construction of the Idukki Dam - one of the highest arch dams in Asia - which he completed. When the district of Idukki was announced in 1971, Babu Paul took over as it's first Collector. He then took on the project to construct the Idukki dam, a plan that had several detractors. He continued to work in Idukki till 1975, till the dam's construction was over. In his biography, Babu Paul has reminisced much about Idukki fondly and had written proudly about the role he played in shaping the district. Dr Babu Paul retired from service in the rank of Additional Chief Secretary. With his decades long service, he has left his mark in Kerala with the ideas he implemented when he served as Port Trust Chairman, MD of KSRTC and Vice Chancellor of the Kerala University. Following his retirement at the age of 51, he took up the role of ombudsman for local self-government institutions of Kerala. At the same time he also assumed the post of mentor emeritus at the Kerala Civil Service Academy, a centre that helps mentors civil service aspirants in Kerala. A celebrated orator and writer, Dr Babu Paul published his first book ‘Oru Yathrayude Ormakal, at age 19. The book was on his trip to Europe which he had taken to participate in the International Students Conference. Apart from this, he has also published an autobiography of his years in service titled Katha Ithuvare (the story thus far) in 2001. He is also published a Malayalam Bible Dictionary titled Veda Sabda Rathnakaran. Dr Paul is survived by his two children Mariyam and Cheriyan. His wife Anna Babu Paul passed away in 2000. His funeral and last rites will be held at Kuruppampadi on Sunday evening. Babu Paul was in Idukki till the dam, one of the highest arch dams in Asia, was commissioned in October, 1975.

Body 2:

Crime

In her complaint, the woman stated that pictures of the crime were circulated on social media.

Sreedevi Jayarajan

A case has been filed against a man in Kerala for allegedly raping a popular Malayalam TV serial actor. The 61-year-old woman filed a complaint with the Kerala police and added in her complaint that pictures of the act had also been circulated by the accused. The complaint was filed with the Kayamkulam police on Thursday, April 11. According to reports, the woman has stated that the accused, who is in his 30s, had entered her house and raped her. “A case has been registered under IPC section 376 (punishment for rape) and under the IT Act. The accused has been identified as Siya. Based on our investigation, he is not in the country at the moment,” an officer at the Kayamkulam police station told TNM. According to the woman's complaint, the incident took place in October 2018. According to reports, the accused, Siya, befriended her on one of the sites of a shoot. She states that the accused had entered her house in Kayamkulam and later a hotel in Thottappally where she was staying and raped her. Further details about the accused are yet to be known. According to reports, the accused Siya had left the country 12 days ago. The woman also stated that the accused lied to her about his whereabouts and where he was from, stating initially that he was from Malappuram and later changing it to Ernakulam. The pictures of the act were reportedly shared by the accused on WhatsApp. The complaint also alleges that the accused had circulated the images to her husband and friends. This is the second incident in Kerala involving sexual assault of an actor. In February 2017, the actor abduction and assault case, where a Malayalam film actor was kidnapped and sexually assaulted by a gang in a moving car, had sent shockwaves across the state. Actor Dileep has been named as accused number 8 in the case for masterminding the abduction and attack.

Body 2:

Crime

Sreejith was arrested in April 2018 and allegedly died as a result of custodial torture.

Neethu Joseph

A year after the custodial death of 26-year-old Varapuzha native Sreejith, his family is still waiting for justice. Sreejith lost his life while in police custody. But even after a year, the police have not yet filed a chargesheet in the case. Sreejith was arrested by the Varapuzha police on April 7, 2018, over suspected involvement in a case of abetting the suicide of 54-year-old Devaswompadam native KM Vasudevan. Vasudevan had hanged himself after a gang broke into his house and assaulted him. Sreejith was apparently mistaken for another person who was involved in assaulting Vasudevan. Following his arrest on April 7, Sreejith was taken to a private hospital and on April 9 he passed away from abdominal injuries. His family as well as the State Human Rights Commission have raised suspicions that Sreejith was allegedly killed because of custodial torture. Even though the investigation has been completed, police have not yet filed a chargesheet in the case. Sreejith’s brother Renjith told TNM that though it has been a year since his death, the family is still waiting to see justice for Sreejith. “The investigating officers have told us that there will be a delay in filing chargesheet as they have to complete some more special procedures since the accused are police officers,” said Renjith. Investigating officers told TNM that the chargesheet had not been filed yet as they were waiting to complete the necessary paperwork. “Since this is a case involving government officers as accused, we need the sanction of the state government to file the chargesheet,” Crime Branch IG S Sreejith, who headed the investigation, told TNM. Ten police officers, who had been accused in the custodial death of Sreejith, were reinstated back to service in last December. They were suspended while the investigation was ongoing. “We had talked about this to the investigating officers. According to them, there was provision for the accused police officer to get back into service once the investigation was over, so we did not go behind that,” Renjith added. Sreejith was the father of a two-year-old child when he was arrested by the police. Last May, the government gave his wife Akhila a job in the North Paravur taluk office and has also handed over a compensation of Rs 10 lakh. Sreejith’s innocence in the case was even asserted by Vasudevan’s son. The son had later revealed that Sreejith had been mistaken for somebody else and had not threatened his father.

Body 2:

Elections 2019

The Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala added that the social impact of issues such as Sabarimala can be discussed while campaigning.

TNM Staff

Chief Electoral Officer of Kerala Teeka Ram on Saturday reiterated that political parties in the State will be violating the Model Code of Conduct by asking for votes in the name of god and religion. The CEO also lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi who campaigned in Kozhikode on Friday and added that social impact of issues like Sabarimala can be discussed. “The Prime Minister was here. There was no use of the word Sabarimala in his speech. This should be used as a model for these people (parties). He did not use the word. He just spoke about traditions and customs and these aspects can be discussed,” the CEO stated. On Saturday, the Sabarimala Karma Samithi organised a nama japa protest outside the Kerala Secretariat in Thiruvananthapuram in an attempt to remind people about the "incidents" that took place during the Mandala season. Swami Chithananda Puri, who is one of the leaders of the Karma Samithi said that the election code of conduct is not applicable to the Sabarimala Karma Samithi and that they will definitely raise the Sabarimala issue ahead of the elections. Also present during the namajapa propest was KP Sasikala, the controversial state president of the Hindu Aikya Vedi - a right wing organisation. According to police officials who were present outside the Kerala Secretariat, the protest began outside the main gate of the Secretariat around 11 am on Saturday and went on till about 12:30 pm. “During the protest, the Karma Samiti had raised the issues of the mass arrests of people protesting against the entry of women of all ages into the Sabarimala temple as well as the recent arrest of the Kozhikode NDA candidate Prakash Babu,” the officers added. Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday evening addressed a gathering of 1.5 lakh party workers, who had turned up even from the neighbouring Malappuram and Vadakara constituencies to hear him speak at the Vijay Sankalp rally in Kozhikode beach.

Body 2:

Politics

Gomathi Augustine, one of the leaders of the Pembilai Orumai movement, is contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Idukki as an independent.

Sandeep Vellaram

Gomathi Augustine was one of the leaders of the Pembilai Orumai movement who led the agitation by women plantation workers in Idukki in 2015. Now, she is contesting the 2019 Lok Sabha election from Idukki as an independent – but her candidature is facing a minor hurdle from other members of Pembilai Orumai. Lissy Sunny, Pembilai Orumai’s president, has submitted a complaint to the Idukki District Collector, pointing out that Gomathi has been using the name and flag of the Pembilai Orumai movement for her election campaign. She says that Gomathi has nothing to do with the Pembilai Orumai movement anymore. “We will not allow Gomathi to use banners with any visible signs of Pembilai Orumai for her campaign,” Lissy tells TNM, “Gomathi is currently not a primary member of the movement.” Gomathi, however, disagrees. But this issue is only the latest in the infighting in Pembilai Orumai that has severely affected the bargaining power of the women’s collective, who’s credibility has been chipping away in the last few years. Troubles in paradise The Pembilai Orumai collective started in September 2015 with plantation workers demanding an increase in wages and bonus payments for its 4,000-odd women employees. The protest was led by Lissy, Gomathi, and others, and emerged as one of the most powerful organisations in the district. Eventually, however, internal rifts emerged. Gomathi left Pembilai Orumai and joined the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU), which is politically affiliated to the CPI(M). The rest of Pembilai Orumai meanwhile aligned with the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP). In 2017, Gomathi left the CITU and rejoined Pembilai Orumai. In May that year, she was once again at the forefront of a protest, when Kerala Electricity Minister MM Mani remarked that the women in Pembilai Orumai were involved in anti-social activities along with local bureaucrats. Several Pembilai Orumai members took to the streets in protest, shouting slogans against the minister and lying on the road, refusing to move, unless he issued a public apology. However, they had to abandon their protest 20 days later when the minister failed to respond to their demand. But the internal rift continued and the workers who had participated in the protests joined various other organisations. Being targeted by CPI(M): Gomathi Gomathi, who is contesting as an independent, says she is very much part of the organisation and there is nothing wrong with her using the movement’s name in her campaign. She also says she’s being targeted by BJP, Congress and the CPI(M) – “especially the CPI(M),” she adds. Incidentally, in November 2015, when Gomathi won from the Devikulam ward in Devikulam block panchayat in Idukki and was thanking her voters, a woman named Indrani, who was initially with Pembilai Orumai but later joined the CPI(M), started hitting Gomathi. Later, Devikulam CPI(M) MLA S Rajendran, who admitted that the attackers were Left trade unionists, said that the attack was a “retaliation” for the “provocative celebrations” by Pembilai Orumai. “If a woman raises her voice, these political parties will jointly suppress her,” says Gomathi, “Despite the agitation, the needs of the plantation workers were not fulfilled and most of them are still living in dilapidated houses. My main poll campaign is to provide land, title deeds, and better homes to these workers and Adivasis in the district.” As marginalised people from Idukki, the Adivasi Gothra Mahasabha and other tribal communities have extended their support to her, Gomathi says, “I hope more communities and prominent personalities will support my candidature. I believe the tribal and estate workers will vote for me.”

Body 2:

2019 Lok Sabha

Following the flood in 2018, the Kerala government had given a moratorium on farm loans till October 2019.

TNM Staff

The Election Commission (EC) has delayed the Kerala government’s decision to implement the extension of the moratorium on loans taken by farmers. According to the new directive from the EC, the government can implement this only after April 23, the day when the state will go to polls. Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) Tikka Ram Meena on Saturday said that the government can issue an order for extension of the moratorium after elections, reports The Hindu. The CEO had earlier given nod to the government’s decision to extend the moratorium on farm loans but had forwarded the request to the Election Commission for the final word earlier this month. The EC, however, returned the file, asking more clarifications on the report. After the August 2018 flood, the state government had declared a moratorium on farm loans till October 11, 2019. During the floods, 2.8 lakh farmers in the state had incurred a loss of about Rs 1,050 crore. About 46,000 hectares of crops had been destroyed in the flood. The decision to give moratorium was taken in a meeting held by State Level Bankers Committee (SLBC) on the request of the government last August, soon after the floods. Nationalised banks, cooperative banks, small finance banks and scheduled banks had agreed to the moratorium for loans taken by farmers, said a Business Line report. Meanwhile, a cabinet meeting held in March this year decided to extend the moratorium on loans till December 2019. According to reports, the government failed to issue orders on the cabinet meeting soon after the decision was taken. It was only after the Model Code of Conduct for the Lok Sabha polls came into force that the government decided to put out orders. They then approached the Chief Electoral Officer. According to reports, the government received criticisms that there was no hurry to implement the extension now, as the moratorium remains till October 2019.

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2019 Lok Sabha

Wall posters, reportedly put up by Maoists, asking people to refrain from voting had appeared in several parts of the constituency.

TNM Staff

FB/Truevisionnews

Lok Sabha candidates in Wayanad constituency are under threat from Maoists operating in the region, a report by the Special Branch of police said. The police have been asked to beef up the security of the candidates campaigning along the forest borders of the constituency. Gunmen have also been deployed for the safety of the candidates following the threat. Wayanad has turned into an important constituency ever since Congress President Rahul Gandhi was fielded as the UDF’s candidate from the constituency. A few days ago, wall posters by Maoists asking people to refrain from voting in the upcoming polls had appeared in parts of the constituency. According to reports, a letter with a similar message was recently sent to the Wayanad Press Club. According to the special branch report, Maoists will attempt to make use of the present situation to get national attention, reports ManoramaOnline. “However, the special branch of Wayanad has not mentioned threats to any specific candidates,” an official from police headquarters told TNM. Meanwhile, NDA’s candidate Thushar Vellapally has apprised the Election Commission of the threat. "I have written to the Election Commission about this intelligence report from the Kerala police. They will provide the necessary security accordingly,” he told TNM. The state government has already provided him with two gunmen and Thunderbolt commandos. PP Suneer, the LDF candidate in the constituency, on the other hand, has denied the report of any Maoist threat. “Some people aim to spread the message that a peaceful place like Wayanad is dangerous due to the presence of Maoist threat,” he said. Several high profile national leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, CPI(M) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury and BJP President Amit Shah, will be visiting Wayanad in the coming days for the election campaign. Last month, CP Jaleel, a Maoist leader, was shot dead by the Kerala Police at a resort in Vythiri in Wayanad. Jaleel’s kin had the come out saying that police had killed him in a fake encounter.

Body 2:

Lok Sabha 2019

In his absence, Benny Behanan’s family, as well as Congress MLAs and workers, campaigned for him in the Chalakudy constituency.

Neethu Joseph

FB/Benny Behanan

After being hospitalised for about a week following a heart attack, Benny Behanan, the senior Congress leader and UDF candidate from Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency, is back in the game. He kickstarted his election campaign on Sunday evening in the presence of senior Congress leader AK Antony. The 63-year-old leader suffered a heart attack on April 5. He was soon admitted to a private hospital in Kakkanad in Ernakulam and had to undergo angioplasty. The unexpected ailment of the UDF candidate had left the party workers and leaders perplexed for a day. The campaign was, thus, stalled for a day. However, the very next day, Congress MLAs of the Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency picked up the campaign right where Benny left off. MLAs such as Anwar Sadath, Eldose Kunnappally, Roji John, VP Sajeendran, VD Satheesan and PT Thomas started campaigning for Benny. Speaking to TNM, PT Thomas said, “We were amazed to see people’s concern for Benny Behanan. It was not just the UDF supporters, but those who did not have any specific party affiliations were also showing their concern and support for him.” Benny Behanan’s family members, too, were campaigning for him. “His wife and children did some rounds of campaigning. People in the constituency seemed to have liked how we all came together and stood for him,” added PT Thomas. With this support and concern of the people in the constituency, UDF in Chalakudy is of the view that Benny Behanan can defeat CPI (M)-led LDF’s Innocent and BJP’s AN Radhakrishnan. Innocent, the sitting MP from the constituency, had contested in the last Lok Sabha polls as an independent backed up the Left. But this time, he is contesting on the party symbol. “We have no fear that this sudden setback will become a hurdle in winning the election. In fact, it is not a setback; we understood how the people of Chalakudy really cared for Benny Behanan. We have in no ways fallen behind in campaigning; we even covered the whole constituency once,” MLA Eldose told TNM. Benny Behanan will restart his campaign with a road show, along with AK Antony. “He has to take rest for at least one month. Since he insisted on campaigning, doctors have given him permission to do road shows,” said PT Thomas. Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency comprising seven assembly segments – Kaipamangalam, Chalakudy, Kodungallur, Perumbavoor, Angamaly, Aluva and Kunnathunad – came into existence after the delimitation exercise in 2008. Out of the seven constituencies, three - Kaipamangalam, Chalakudy and Kodungallur – are in Thrissur district and four assembly constituencies - Perumbavoor, Angamaly, Aluva and Kunnathunad – are in Ernakulam district.

Body 2:

Social media

Pop Cult is a digital space for Malayalam pop culture, that is mostly on Malayalam movies, with hilarious definitions, movie character profiles and more.

Cris

Courtesy: instagram.com/popcult.tribe/

Arya Prakash sat at her home in Hyderabad that March day and rewrote the definition of the Malayalam word 'Vedi'. Google would tell you it's a slang for whore or slut, but Arya defined it as ‘a woman way out of your league and/or doesn’t give a flying f"#$ about your 17th century judgements’. She put it in a neat white font over a black background and posted the image on the month-old Instagram page 'Popcult.tribe', a digital space for Malayalam pop culture that Arya runs with three others. The post is one of the 100 made on Pop Cult by a team of four, that includes Arya, who has a hilarious blog called silma reviews she writes with a blogger called The Last Caveman, full of fun takes on Malayalam movies of different times. Charles Andrews, a quiz master who would pop up on television sometimes, had read her blog and pinged her to tell her he loved it. They talked of pop culture and realised they had both been waiting to start something like Pop Cult. “The third member Aashiq Bava is Charles’s acquaintance, and he takes care of the funding. The fourth – Kishan Bhas – is a designer and video editor we hired,” Arya says on the evening Pop Cult posted its 100th post. Arya Prakash Pop Cult team; From Left: Charles, Aashiq, Kishan A few days before Vedi, Pop Cult posted definitions of Feminichi and Kuru Pottal – the first is used as slur on feminists, and the second is when someone is frustrated to the core. View this post on Instagram No Eno can cure this burning #PopCultDictionary #PopCult #PopCulture #Mollywood #Movies #Uyare #Parvathy #MalayalamMovies #Malayalam #Kerala A post shared by Pop Cult Media (@popcult.tribe) on Mar 24, 2019 at 5:40am PDT Pop Cult defined Feminichi as ‘Title conferred to any woman who has an opinion’ and Kuru Pottal as ‘The burning feeling inside a mallu misogynist’s chest when Parvathy’s new movie releases’. They mean actor Parvathy and she was one of the first to share these definitions, along with other celebrities like Rima Kallingal and Aashiq Abu. “Yes, when they shared it, it brought visibility to the page, a lot of others began sharing it, some began writing to us, some confided,” Arya says. It was not just women that opened up, there were also men owning up to using these derogatory terms on women once upon a time, and feeling bad about it now. “We had a strategy, on what we wanted to do, and not to do things that are already done. Apart from the movie characters on Instagram and Tinder profiles, there are also movie mashups of Hollywood and Mollywood (these would show Malayalam movie posters carrying popular Hollywood titles and vice versa, in a way that matches the images). Then there is a section called mango peel news which would be satirical news (mango peel in Malayalam is a funny term called maanga tholi, used for sarcasm),” Arya says. View this post on Instagram This-movie-must-not-be-named #TitleFix #MovieMashup #Hollywood #harrypotter #voldemort #Mollywood #PopCult #PopCulture A post shared by Pop Cult Media (@popcult.tribe) on Mar 5, 2019 at 9:35pm PST View this post on Instagram A moment of pride to malayalees across the globe, Samsung’s latest series of smart phones will feature Samsung Galaxy A10 to honour Mohanlal. “It’s the complete smartphone and what other name suits it?”, Samsung spokesperson excitedly said. Among other features, Galaxy A10 will vibrate like Mohanlal’s fingers in Dasaratham climax, sport a khaki camouflage printed cover, and has inbuilt songs from Lalism band. “What is a phone if it’s not smart, what is smartness after all, everything is Maya”, Mohanlal told MangoPeel News, responding to the phone launch. This report will be edited with Maya’s response as soon we get hold of him/her. #MangoPeelNews #Mohanlal #A10 #Samsung #Mollywood #PopCult A post shared by Pop Cult Media (@popcult.tribe) on Mar 7, 2019 at 5:07am PST One of the newest additions is a spoof horoscope endearingly called Kumbidiscope, after the character Kumbidi, a fake astrologer in the movie Nandanam. Sample the entry for Saggitarius. April is the month you will finally realize resolutions do not happen unless you do something for it. Start with showering daily. View this post on Instagram It's a brand new month, and Kumbidiscope is here with predictions for April How does your month look like? PS: If you do not find your zodiac sign in this list, rush to the next post. #Kumbidiscope #Horoscope #ZodiacSigns #PopCulture #PopCult A post shared by Pop Cult Media (@popcult.tribe) on Apr 1, 2019 at 5:48am PDT The movie character profiles have also been a hit. Chinnu, the female lead in Queen, is described as “Chinnu, 18: Chinnu likes to sing, Chinnu likes to dance, Chinnu likes friendship, Chinnu likes Chinnu’s name. If you swipe left, Chinnu will be sad.” View this post on Instagram Who else read it in Chinnu's voice? #TinderForMovieCharacters #tindermemes #Mollywood #malayalammovies #Malayalam #Tinder #PopCult #PopCulture #Movies #TinderBio A post shared by Pop Cult Media (@popcult.tribe) on Mar 9, 2019 at 9:36pm PST The admins, like the actors who speak their mind on social media, had not been spared of abusive comments. “There is some backlash and hatred. When we defined Kuru Pottal, some people began calling us Paru Cult. Then there is the usual trash talk and men asking if you would call your mother or sister Vedi. We don’t usually engage with them, except when it turns abusive, and then we delete it,” Arya says. The context is fun but it's having its impact too. A woman – who blogs under the name sentranced – read Arya’s definition of Vedi and says she found closure. She had horrible memories of the word Vedi, when sneering teen boys and girls called her that in school, for being ‘over-sized’. Arya’s cool new definition helped her release ‘a truckload of weight’ off her head, sentranced wrote. Arya says she felt warm content knowing her words could do this – bring closure, solace, a pat to the hurt past of another. The content on Popcult has evolved in the past few days. It is now mostly on Malayalam movies – Instagram profiles of movie characters, Tinder profiles too (with the funny swipe lefts and rights), quizzes on movie titles and so on. Pop Cult Dictionary defining words like Vedi is only one part of it. But it is perhaps that which doubled and tripled their views from a few hundreds to a few thousands. The Pop Cult team next plans to do videos. In a little more than a month they have already done much more than they planned. “In one line, the idea is to make Malayalam pop culture universal,” Arya says. Also read: Visual artist Karthik Subramanian’s video is a satirical commentary on TN politics

Body 2:

Lok Sabha 2019

While the Congress is highlighting the criminal cases against Jayarajan, the Left is attacking the BJP rule at the Centre of the last five years.

Saritha S Balan

From Right K Muralidharan, P Jayarajan and VK Sajeevan.

Vadakara is particularly relevant in the political landscape of Kerala for it is the land of TP Chandrasekharan; where he was murdered too. It is a two-way contest here between the LDF and the UDF, with the BJP just making up the numbers. CPI (M)’s P Jayarajan and Congress’s K Muralidharan are equally strong to take each other on, which makes it an unpredictable contest. In fact the Congress had become defensive after the CPI (M) handpicked Jayarajan. The Congress after deliberations lasting days, and nearly three weeks after the CPI (M) announced its candidate, chose Muralidharan, a surprise pick. Muralidharan is a sitting MLA of Vattiyurkkav constituency in Thiruvananthapuram. Jayarajan was the District Secretary of the CPI (M) in Vadakara’s neighbourhood Kannur and stepped out to contest in Vadakara. Both are fierce competitors. This has raised the stakes of the election campaign in Vadakara, as compared to several other constituencies. Jayarajan is one of the most powerful leaders of the party in the north and the strongest in Kannur. Muralidharan, a former minister and former head of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC), has got acceptance for his capabilities and diligence. VK Sajeevan is the BJP candidate. What makes Vadakara particularly relevant? For a politically conscious Malayali, Vadakara is synonymous with the name of TP Chandrasekharan. TP, as he was called, stood for correctness within the CPI (M). He parted ways with the party following differences and founded the Revolutionary Marxist Party (RMP) in 2009, based in Onchiyam at Vadakara. TP was hacked to death in May 2015. The CPI (M) has been accused of conspiring in the murder and three CPI (M) functionaries are accused in the case. P Jayarajan is also accused of involvement in the murder. The crime had left a lasting impact even among hardcore CPI (M) workers. TP’s wife KK Rema, who now heads the RMP, has said that they will support the Congress-led Left Democratic Front. The RMP has not fielded a candidate so as not to split the anti-CPI (M) vote and according to Rema, thereby ensure the defeat of Jayarajan. UDF highlights criminal cases of Jayarajan Jayarajan is an accused in two murder cases- that of Indian Muslim Youth League worker Ariyil Abdul Shukoor in 2012 and of RSS worker Kathiroor Manoj in 2014. This is the key campaign tool for the UDF. “Not a single woman has lost her husband because of me, not a single child has lost a father because of me. I am not accused in any case barring one for protesting against Pinarayi Vijayan,” said Muralidharan, unleashing a direct attack on Jayarajan in a speech at Kallikkandy, amid thunderous applause from the audience, who are a mix of Congress and its ally Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). The Congress also makes a point that the Left has no relevance at the national level and hence voting for them is futile. “The Left is contesting altogether in 40 seats. Even if they win in all seats, it won’t be even one-third of the total strength of the parliament. The Left should realise the reality,” Muralidharan says. Coming to the BJP, he says if Modi comes back to power, then we might not even have elections the next time. The Left focus on national politics “The one movement which has stood strong against communalism is the Left. We are highlighting the misrule of the RSS-BJP in the last five years; the communal politics of Modi,”Jayarajan tells TNM. Pic: P Jayarajan Facebook Page Reacting to the attacks on him as a murder case accused, he alleges, “That is the Congress agenda to get the RSS-BJP votes.” Vadakara is one of the constituencies which is expected to be impacted by the candidacy of Rahul Gandhi from Wayanad, which could favour the UDF. “What impact has Rahul Gandhi made during all these years when he was the Congress Vice-President, why the party lost most of the states and what impact is it going to make here,” Jayarajan asks. Rema has called Jayarajan a murderer against which CPI (M) state Secretary Kodiyeri Balakrishnan lodged a complaint. The people’s view “The fact that a candidate is a criminal is a matter of concern for all. In Vadakara, TP is still a living memory. The election discourse can’t be without him,” says Sumesh Sudhakaranm, a young voter at Vallikkad. TP was found hacked at Vallikkad junction, with 57 injury marks on his body. Muralidharan began his campaign after paying tribute to TP by offering flowers at his memorial. “I am a CPI (M) person, but I believe that criminal cases against P Jayarajan would make the people vote for the Congress. But I won’t say that Jayarajan will be defeated,” a shop owner at Kainatty says. Madhavan, who runs a shop on the Nadapuram Chompala road, says that in politics, such allegations are common and he is hopeful that Jayarajan will win. “Wasn’t he attacked as well?” he asks. Jayarajan was attacked by RSS workers in 1999. He lost a finger and his right hand became paralysed in the attack. Respective strengths Jayarajan is a voter of the Vadakara constituency and hence can counter the outsider tag. He has won to the Kerala Assembly three times from Koothuparamba that falls under Vadakara. He had headed the campaign for P Sathidevi, another CPI (M) leader and his sister in 2004. Sathidevi had won with an impressive margin of 1.3 lakh votes, the highest ever majority in the constituency. The party is also pinning its hopes on the return of the Loktantrik Janata Dal (LJD), a breakaway faction of the LDF, led by MP Veerendrakumar. In 2009, a faction of the Janata Dal walked out of the LDF after Veerendrakumar was denied seat to join the UDF. The traditional stronghold of the party in Vadakara is a favourable factor for the Left. Muralidharan has represented Kozhikode, the district under which Vadakara falls, thrice in Parliament. This has enabled him to build up connections in Vadakara. He has strong support of the IUML too. Pic: K Muralidharan Facebook Page VK Sajeevan also hails from Vadakara. He was the BJP’s candidate in 2014 elections and his performance was creditable. In 2014, Mullappally secured 4,16,479 votes in Vadakara while his nearest rival CPI (M)'s AN Shamseer came second with 4,13,173 votes. VK Sajeevan had garnered 76,313 votes. Mulllappally's margin of victory had fallen to 3,306 votes in 2014. In 2009, he had won by a margin of over 50,000 votes. This time, however, Mullppally was firm that he won’t contest in the elections. The other Assembly constituencies that fall under Vadakara are Kuttiadi, Nadapuram, Perambra, Koyilandy, Thalassery and Vadakara. In the 2016 Assembly elections, the LDF had a majority in all the Assembly constituencies barring Kuttiyadi.

Body 2:

Politics

The inaugural convention of 'Thulyatha Prasthanam' will be held in Thrissur on Wednesday.

Neethu Joseph

People of Kerala wouldn’t have forgotten the long speeches and statements on equal rights and representation of women which many leaders of major political parties had made following the controversy over entry of young women into Sabarimala. But now, a few months later, in the wake of Lok Sabha polls, the candidate list of these parties has shown us exactly where they stand in the matter of equal representation of women. Realising that a consistent fight is required to ensure equal representation, a group of women in Kerala have come forward to form Thulyatha Prasthanam, a collective which will work towards this goal. Thulyatha Prasthanam will have its inaugural convention at Sahitya Akademi hall in Thrissur on Wednesday. KM Rema, one of the conveners of Thulyatha Prasthanam, tells TNM about the need for forming such a collective. “During the past few months, Kerala witnessed deep discussions on women’s rights and representation. Vanitha Mathil or women’s wall and progressive stand of many leaders has given us hope. But as usual, when matters regarding positions of power came, women were sidelined by all political parties,” Rema says. Out of the 20 Lok Sabha seats, the major political coalitions of Kerala, Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF), CPI(M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) and BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA), have given not more than two seats for women in the upcoming polls. “The candidate list of these parties has left women in the state disappointed as that was not what was expected,” says Rema. “Women’s Reservation Bill which gives 33% reservation for women in Parliament and state assemblies has been pending for the past 23 years. By now, it has become clear that the bill is not going to get passed naturally without any coercion from people. Though many had voiced for it in the past, there has been no consistent movement which could mount pressure for equal representation. We are here for that,” tells Hema Joseph, another convener of the collective. Both Congress and BJP have highlighted Women’s Reservation Bill in the 2019 Lok Sabha election manifestos. It may be noted that BJP had in the past Lok Sabha election manifesto, said that they were committed to pass the bill, but the same was forgotten when the party came to power. The members of the collective expect the participation of women from all walks of life, including those from the cultural sphere and even political parties. “We personally know a lot many women political leaders who have been sidelined by the men in their parties. Though they have not openly declared this to the media, this is a fact. During the course of the collective’s work, we believe they will also join us,” says Rema.

Body 2:

Lok Sabha 2019

According to the latest survey by Asianet News, only 47% people felt that Sabarimala will have an effect on the elections, down from 64% in its survey in February.

TNM Staff

One of the most discussed aspects regarding the Lok Sabha elections in Kerala was the arrival of Rahul Gandhi as the United Democratic Front’s (UDF) candidate from the Wayanad constituency, which led to talks about a “Rahul wave” in the state. But a survey conducted by Asianet News, along with AZ research, feels otherwise. According to a report by Asianet News, the majority of the people who took part in the survey denied the presence of any “Rahul wave”. Sixty-four percent of the people who took part in the survey said that the candidature of the Congress President from the Wayanad seat will not have an impact on the election results in the state, and many, according to the survey, also felt that there was no need for Rahul to contest from Wayanad. Other issues affecting the polls Apart from the impact that Rahul Gandhi will create, Asianet News had also done a survey on whether the Sabarimala issue will affect the way people voted in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections. As per the survey results published by Asianet in February, 64% of the people felt that Sabarimala will be a huge issue in the upcoming elections. However, in the survey published on Sunday, only 47% of the people felt that the Sabarimala controversy will have an impact. It was also found that issues such as unemployment, corruption and development will be the main focus areas based on which people will be voting this time. Another major constituency that has been grabbing eyeballs in the state is the Thiruvananthapuram constituency, where it is a triangular contest between three high-profile candidates such as UDF’s sitting MP Shashi Tharoor, BJP’s Kummanam Rajasekharan and LDF’s C Divakaran. According to the survey, Kummanam Rajasekharan is shown to have an upper hand in the polls and is projected to win by a margin of 6% to Shashi Tharoor, who is in the second position, followed by C Divakaran.

Body 2:

News

KPCC General Secretary Thampanoor Ravi told The News Minute that Shashi Tharoor has six stitches on his head.

TNM Staff

Thiruvananthapuram MP and UDF's candidate for the Lok Sabha elections Shashi Tharoor got injured during a Tulabharam ceremony on Monday. He was taking part in the ceremony on Vishu Day, at the Gandhari Amman Temple in Thiruvananthapuram. Tulabharam is a Hindu ritual in which a person is weighed against gold or grain or fruits, and the equivalent weight of that object is offered as donation. Shashi Tharoor fell when the balance scale broke and the hook support came loose. He sustained injuries on his head and leg and was first admitted at the General Hospital. KPCC General Secretary Thampanoor Ravi told The News Minute that Shashi Tharoor has six stitches on his head. He is under 24 hours observation at the Thiruvananthpuram Medical College. Pictures of Tharoor with blood spots on his kurta and bandages on his head have surfaced after the accident. Tharoor after the injury A day ago, Tharoor had tweeted a photo of his mother and two sisters, joining his campaign in Vattyoorkavu and asking the BJP to note the ‘three proud and strong Nair women’. (Nair is an upper caste Hindu community). Tharoor had got widely criticised in Kerala for trying to please the Hindu voters at a time there are surveys coming out in favour of the BJP candidate from Thiruvananthapuram, Kummanam Rajasekharan.

Body 2:

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