Thrissur Pooram returns with grandeur after last year's political disruption
Kerala's iconic Thrissur Pooram festival is set to take place tomorrow, following the ceremonial announcement, known as 'Pooram Vilambaram', which was held today in a grand and traditional display.The revered tusker Ernakulam Shivakumar carried the idol of Neythalakav Bhagavathy and ceremoniously opened the southern entrance (Thekke Nada) of the Vadakkumnathan temple, officially marking the commencement of the Pooram festivities. Thousands of devotees and festival enthusiasts gathered at the temple to witness the momentous event.advertisementBraving intense heat and heavy morning rain, the crowd waited patiently for hours to glimpse the ceremonial entry. Their anticipation turned to jubilant celebration as Ernakulam Shivakumar, affectionately known as Sahya Putran, majestically bore Neythalakavilamma on his forehead and opened the temple gates. The elephant then raised its trunk in a symbolic gesture, formally announcing the arrival of Pooram.
The morning downpour gave way to clear skies by midday, lifting the spirits of those assembled. The ceremonial procession, locally referred to as the 'Ezhunnallippu', began at around 8 am from Neythalakkavu and reached the grounds of the Vadakkumnathan temple by 1 pm, passing through the archways and culminating at Thekke Nada. The route was lined with elephant enthusiasts and festival-goers, while traditional percussion ensembles (melam) set the rhythm for the jubilant march.advertisementThis year's Thrissur Pooram carries added significance, following the political controversy that marred last year's edition. Held just a week before Kerala went to the polls for the Lok Sabha elections, the 2024 Pooram was disrupted in a series of incidents that triggered widespread public debate.On 19 April 2024, the day of Thrissur Pooram, police were accused of using excessive force to control crowds and of imposing unusually strict restrictions, including barricading entry points. For the first time in the festival's history, the traditional fireworks display was held during the daytime, widely seen as a form of protest against police actions.Subsequent to these events, action was taken against the Thrissur city police commissioner and assistant commissioner. An inquiry led by senior officer Ajith Kumar was submitted to the Chief Minister on September 24. However, the Opposition dismissed the report as a farce, accusing Kumar of shifting blame onto the temple board while ignoring the failures of the police.Trending Reel
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The Hindu
an hour ago
- The Hindu
Election Commission of India says absurd to defame us after electoral loss in Maharashtra
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The poll body, on December 24, 2024, wrote to the Congress explaining its position. In April also, it had rebutted similar allegations made by Gandhi in the U.S. EC sources on Saturday said that the poll body has already elaborated the procedure behind the updation of electoral rolls. Any deletion and addition in the electoral roll is strictly as per the given framework under Article 324 of the Constitution, provisions of the Representation of the People Act, 1950, and the Registration of the Electors Rules, 1960, as well as the extant instructions issued by the commission from time to time. The process was undertaken in the full glare of 1,03,727 booth-level agents appointed by the political parties, including 27,099 agents by the Indian National Congress (INC) themselves. After the finalisation of the electoral rolls during the Maharashtra election, out of the 9,77,90,752 electors, only 89 appeals were filed before the first appellate authority (District Magistrate) under Section 24(A) of the Representation of the People Act, 1951, and only one appeal was preferred before the second appellate authority (Chief Electoral Officer) under Section 24(B) of the same Act. Section 24 of the Representation of People Act, 1961, says that appeals can first be filed with the District Magistrate (DM) and then with the Chief Electoral Officer. As per Rule 27 of the Registration of Electors Rules, 1960, the first appeal to the District Magistrate can be filed within 15 days of the order of the Electoral Registration Officer, and the second appeal to the Chief Electoral Officer can be filed within 30 days of the order of DM. However, the delay in filing appeals can be condoned by the DM and/or Chief Electoral Officer as per the proviso of Rule 27. Partners should understand India's zero tolerance for terror policy, not put India and Pakistan on par, says Jaishankar India expects its partners to understand its 'policy of zero tolerance' on terrorism, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar told visiting British Foreign Secretary David Lammy, adding that the country could not 'countenance' equating 'perpetrators of evil' with their victims. The stern statement from the External Affairs Minister came at the beginning of talks during Lammy's one day visit to Delhi on Saturday, and follows a few weeks after Lammy's visit to Pakistan, where he said that the U.S. and the U.K. were working with India and Pakistan to ensure 'an enduring ceasefire', dialogue, and Confidence-Building Measures (CBMs) between India and Pakistan. 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Lammy met with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday morning, the second time he was accorded the meeting, after his previous visit in July 2024. He is also meeting Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal to take forward discussions on the India-U.K. Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that was finalised in May, and discussions over signing could be held between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the U.K. PM Keith Starmer when they meet in Canada in mid-June on the sidelines of the G7 summit, where India is a special invitee. In his opening remarks, Jaishankar also referred to the India-U.K. FTA, as a 'milestone' in ties, and the potential of other bilateral agreements, including the Technology Security Initiative (TSI) for Artificial Intelligence (AI), and the Strategic Exports and Technology Cooperation Dialogue to 'propel' ties forward. 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They point the finger at Democrats and Hollywood celebrities, although not at Trump himself. No official source has ever confirmed that the President appears in any of the material. Trump knew and socialised with Epstein but has denied spending time on Little Saint James, the private redoubt in the US Virgin Islands where prosecutors alleged Epstein trafficked underage girls for sex. 'Terrific guy,' Trump, who was Epstein's neighbour in both Florida and New York, said in an early 2000s profile of the financier. 'He's a lot of fun to be with. It is even said that he likes beautiful women as much as I do, and many of them are on the younger side.' Just last week, Trump gave Musk a glowing send-off as he left his cost-cutting role at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). But their relationship imploded within days as Musk described as an 'abomination' a spending bill that, if passed by Congress, could define Trump's second term in office. Trump hit back in an Oval Office diatribe and from there the row detonated, leaving Washington and riveted social media users alike stunned by the blistering break-up between the world's richest person and the world's most powerful. With real political and economic risks to their row, both then appeared to inch back from the brink on Friday, but the White House denied reports they would talk. India central to key supply chains; must be part of G7 discussions: Canadian PM Carney India is the fifth largest economy in the world, and it is central to a number of critical global supply chains, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has said, arguing that the leadership of the country must be part of discussions at the upcoming G7 summit. Carney's comments came after some of his political opponents in Canada criticised him for inviting Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the G7 summit in view of a probe into allegations of Indian links to the killing of a Khalistani separatist in 2023. Prime Minister Modi accepted Carney's invitation to attend the G7 summit during a phone conversation on Friday. Canada is hosting the G7 summit in the Alberta province from June 15 to 17 in its capacity as the current chair of the grouping. To a specific question on the case of killing of pro-Khalistan separatist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in 2023, Carney told reporters that it is not appropriate for him to comment as the legal process in the case is underway. The Canadian Prime Minister said the G7 summit will deliberate on a range of key issues including energy security, digital future, critical minerals and on partnerships in building infrastructure in the emerging and developing world. Carney suggested that he extended the invitation to Modi after talking to other G7 member countries. 'There are certain countries that should be at the table for those discussions,' he said when asked why PM Modi was invited when there have been allegations of Indian links to the Nijjar case. 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However, Liberal Party leader Carney's victory in the parliamentary election in April triggered hopes for reset of the relationship. In the last few months, the security officials of India and Canada resumed contacts and both sides were looking at the possibility of appointing new high commissioners. India had accused Trudeau's government of allowing pro-Khalistani elements to operate from Canadian soil. After Trudeau's exit, New Delhi said it hoped to rebuild ties with Canada based on 'mutual trust and sensitivity'. Five Maoists gunned down in encounters in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district Five Maoists were killed in two encounters with security forces in an ongoing operation in the Indravati National Park area of Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said on Saturday. With the latest casualties, seven Maoists, including top leaders Sudhakar and Bhaskar, were neutralised in the operation in the last three days, they said. 'Security forces have recovered the bodies of seven Maoists during the ongoing anti-Naxal operations in the Indravati National Park area of the district,' a senior police official said. On Saturday, two bodies were recovered following a gunfight, while three were found after the exchange of fire on the intervening night of Friday and Saturday, he said. The official said the operation involving personnel from the state police's Special Task Force (STF) and District Reserve Guard (DRG) as well as the CRPF's specialised unit CoBRA, was launched on June 4 based on input about the presence of Maoist leader Sudhakar, Telangana State Committee member Bandi Prakash, Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) member Pappa Rao, and a few other armed cadres. 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The outlawed CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju (70), was neutralised in the Bastar region on May 21, 2025. In brief: At least 76 army personnel were on Saturday airlifted from Chaten in north Sikkim, where road connectivity has been snapped due to multiple landslides triggered by heavy rain, officials said. This marks the 'completion of coordinated evacuation efforts', which included the rescue of all stranded tourists earlier, they said. 'Altogether 76 army personnel were airlifted by three MI-17 helicopters. The air evacuation operation from Chaten has concluded today with the helicopters transporting army personnel from Chaten to Pakyong Greenfield Airport,' an official said. The state government continues to closely monitor the overall situation and remains committed to providing all necessary support in the disaster-hit region and assistance to those affected by natural calamities, another official said. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow.
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Business Standard
2 hours ago
- Business Standard
Maharashtra polls: Rahul urges EC to publish rolls, share CCTV from booths
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has called upon the Election Commission to publish consolidated, digital, machine-readable voter rolls for the most recent elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas of all states, including Maharashtra, saying that "telling the truth" will protect poll panel's credibility. In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi, who is Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, referred to the ECI's response to his allegations concerning Maharashtra polls and said "releasing unsigned, evasive notes to intermediaries is not the way to respond to serious questions". "Dear EC, You are a Constitutional body. Releasing unsigned, evasive notes to intermediaries is not the way to respond to serious questions. If you have nothing to hide, answer the questions in my article and prove it by: * Publishing consolidated, digital, machine-readable voter rolls for the most recent elections to the Lok Sabha and Vidhan Sabhas of all states, including Maharashtra * Releasing all post-5 pm CCTV footage from Maharashtra polling booths. Evasion won't protect your credibility. Telling the truth will," he said in a post on X. In response, ECI described Rahul Gandhi's Maharashtra election poll rigging as "unsubstantiated allegations." "Unsubstantiated allegations raised against the Electoral Rolls of Maharashtra are affront to the rule of law. The Election Commission had brought out all these facts in its reply to the INC on 24th December 2024 itself, which is available on ECI's website. It appears that all these facts are completely being ignored while raising such issues again and again," it said. "Any misinformation being spread, by anyone, is not only a sign of disrespect towards the Law, but also brings disrepute to the thousands of representatives appointed by their own political party and demotivates lakhs of election staff who work untiringly and transparently during elections. After any unfavourable verdict by the voters, trying to defame the Election Commission by saying that it is compromised, is completely absurd," it added.
India Gazette
3 hours ago
- India Gazette
"Trying to spreading a fake narrative": Maharashtra Dy CM Shinde hits back at Rahul Gandhi over 'rigging' claim
Thane (Maharashtra) [India], June 7 (ANI): Amid political uproar following Congress MP Rahul Gandhi's recent allegation claiming the November 2024 Maharashtra assembly election was 'rigged', Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday hit back at the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, accusing him of trying to spread a 'fake narrative' about the polls. Speaking to reporters in Thane, Shinde dismissed Rahul Gandhi's claims of electoral rigging and EVM tampering as baseless, pointing out that Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, of which the Congress is a part, was silent during their Lok Sabha 2024 election wins, where they bagged 30 out of the 48 seats in the state. Shinde asserted that the people of Maharashtra were intelligent and would reject such tactics in any upcoming election. 'In the Lok Sabha elections, when Maha Vikas Aghadi won the elections in Maharashtra, they did not say anything. At that time, the EVMs and ECI were right... They are now trying to spread a fake narrative that the voting percentage has been increased, EVMs are rigged, or the EC is wrong,' the Maharashtra Deputy CM said. He added, 'But the people of Maharashtra are intelligent; they understand which government works for them and which government sits at home... The public of Maharashtra will teach them a lesson in the upcoming elections.' Earlier on Saturday, Rahul Gandhi shared an article he authored, alleging the Maharashtra Assembly elections held last year were 'rigged', and claimed that similar tactics could be repeated in the Bihar elections due later this year. 'Maharashtra assembly elections in 2024 were a blueprint for rigging democracy. My article shows how this happened, step by step,' Rahul Gandhi wrote in a post on X. In his article, he outlined a five-point process, claiming: Step 1: Rig the panel for appointing the Election Commission; Step 2: Add fake voters to the roll; Step 3: Inflate voter turnout; Step 4: Target the bogus voting exactly where the BJP needs to win; Step 5: Hide the evidence. Calling it 'match-fixing', Gandhi said that the side cheats might win the game but damage institutions and destroy public faith in the result. 'It's not hard to see why the BJP was so desperate in Maharashtra. But rigging is like match-fixing; the side that cheats might win the game, but will damage institutions and destroy public faith in the result. All concerned Indians must see the evidence. Judge for themselves. Demand answers,' he said. He warned that the 'match-fixing' of Maharashtra would come to Bihar next, where the polls are due later this year, and then 'anywhere' the BJP was losing elections. 'Match-fixed elections are a poison for any democracy,' he added. (ANI)
