Latest news with #Murugan
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Murugan meet: Nainar slams min
Madurai: BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran on Tuesday hit out at HR & CE minister P K Sekarbabu, saying his comment that action would be taken if any untoward incidents happen during the upcoming Murugan conference in Madurai, is highly disappointing and reflects his own mindset. "Sekarbabu is a devotional person but it is disappointing to see him make such comments suggesting untoward incidents may happen during the conference. It raises suspicion as to who really wants to create divisive incidents. Why does the minister harbour such bad thoughts," asked Nagenthran while addressing reporters. He met party cadres in Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar and Madurai on Tuesday, and also took part in a consultative meeting at Melur for the Murugan conference on June 22. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan are among those likely to take part in the conference. On the Anna University sexual assault case, the BJP leader said, "We welcome the court decision. But, the question of 'Who is that sir' remains. This case was rushed and finished in 154 days when there are sexual assault cases pending in courts for years. Reality is that law and order in Tamil Nadu is out of the control of chief minister M K Stalin," he said.
Time of India
a day ago
- General
- Time of India
Nagenthran slams minister's comment on Murugan meet
Madurai: BJP state president Nainar Nagenthran on Tuesday hit out at HR and CE minister P K Sekarbabu, saying his comment that action would be taken if any untoward incidents happen during the upcoming Murugan conference in Madurai, is highly disappointing and reflects his own mindset. "Sekarbabu is a devotional person but it is disappointing to see him make such comments suggesting untoward incidents may happen during the conference. It raises suspicion as to who really wants to create divisive incidents. Why does the minister harbour such bad thoughts," asked Nagenthran while speaking to reporters. He met party cadres in Tirunelveli, Virudhunagar and Madurai on Tuesday, and also took part in a consultative meeting at Melur for the Murugan conference on June 22. Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath and Andhra Pradesh deputy chief minister Pawan Kalyan are among those likely to take part in the conference. On the Anna University sexual assault case, the BJP leader said, "We welcome the court decision. But, the question of 'Who is that sir' remains. This case was rushed and finished in 154 days when there are sexual assault cases pending in courts for years. Reality is that law and order in Tamil Nadu is out of the control of chief minister M K Stalin," he said. Nagenthran said his focus after taking over as state president was to meet party cadres in different districts and bring them together.
IOL News
2 days ago
- Politics
- IOL News
Universities seek contingency plans amid US funding cuts
Univeristy of Cape Town. Image: File UCT and Stellenbosch University are developing contingency plans to mitigate the severe impact of the Trump administration's cuts to US grant funding, which threaten billions in research support. According to UCT Acting Deputy Vice-Chancellor for Research and Internationalisation, Professor Jeff Murugan, without intervention, they stand to lose over R437 million in research funding in the next 12 months, and R1.67 billion over the period 2025–2027 if all 'currently contracted, active US federal-funded awards are terminated'. 'On 7 February 2025, the White House issued an Executive Order signalling the termination of aid and assistance to South Africa. As an immediate consequence, grants from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) were discontinued. This abrupt action highlighted the vulnerability of UCT's US federally funded research. UCT currently holds a portfolio of 178 US federal funded awards comprising both direct awards to UCT and subawards from collaborating institutions in the US. Since February, UCT has received stop-work orders for sub-awardee grants funded by the NIH (National Institutes of Health ) which have halted 22 active projects (valued at R172 million). A further 93 multi-year projects have not received annual renewal notices (R265 million)," Murugan said last month. He said the funding cuts were significant and carried the potential of long-term consequences for researchers, patients and participants, the broader university community, as well as medical research and healthcare across the country. 'UCT's portfolio of US federal grants supports a variety of research projects, providing salaries and project running costs for hundreds of staff as well as stipends for over a hundred postgraduate students and postdoctoral fellows. A large-scale termination of US federal funding would thus have very significant consequences, directly impacting staff, fellows, students and the university's finances.' According to Murugan, the university was currently working to reduce reliance on US federal funding by identifying and securing alternative sources of support. Video Player is loading. Play Video Play Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration -:- Loaded : 0% Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:00 This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Window Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Transparency Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Dropshadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset restore all settings to the default values Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Advertisement Next Stay Close ✕ On Monday, UCT spokesperson, Elijah Moholola said: 'UCT is in engagements with the appropriate stakeholders over the US federal funding matter. These engagements are ongoing, and some decisions are pending. In light of these ongoing discussions and pending outcomes, UCT wishes to not discuss the matter further at this time. The university has issued an update on the matter, and will issue further communication as and when there are new developments.' Stellenbosch University (SU) spokesperson, Martin Viljoen said: 'SU confirms that, like other research-intensive universities in South Africa, it is also affected by the geopolitical funding policy changes. The University is still in the process of finalising its contingency plans towards optimally mitigating the associated risks. As such the University is not in a position to provide further comment at this stage." The Department of Higher Education and Training did not respond to requests for comment by deadline. A Working Group is expected to provide the Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation Dr Blade Nzimande with a final report on the implications and impact of the recent withdrawal of funding by the US government from key research and development programmes in South Africa by June 30. Cape Times
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
DMK GC resolutions are to hide its failure: Murugan
Chennai: Union minister of state for parliamentary affairs L Murugan said the DMK had passed resolutions attacking the BJP during the party's general council meeting in Madurai in a bid to hide its failures. In a statement on Monday, Murugan said the Dravidian major was adopting diversionary tactics by condemning the BJP govt at the Centre. "CM M K Stalin seems to believe that if they pass resolutions condemning the BJP govt at the Centre, the public will forget about the corruption and failures of his own regime," Murugan said. During the general council meeting on Sunday, the DMK had passed multiple resolutions criticising the BJP from bringing the Waqf Act to withholding of funds and projects to TN. Murugan alleged there was widespread corruption in DMK govt which Stalin wants to hide. "The legacy of systematic corruption evolved under the DMK regime has evolved into brazen looting," he alleged adding the real aim of the general council meeting was to reaffirm that his son and deputy CM Udhayanidhi Stalin was the heir apparent and party cadres must blindly follow him. Meanwhile, BJP Coimbatore South MLA Vanathi Srinivasan criticised Stalin for his remarks that 'No matter which Shah visits Tamil Nadu, they cannot rule us,' made at the general council meeting. "If the DMK thinks TN is behind them, why is the CM always worrying about the AIADMK-BJP alliance," she asked.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Federations seeks ban on Murugan devotees' meet in Madurai
Madurai: The Madurai Madha Nallinakka Makkal Koottamaippu (Madurai Religious Harmony People's Federation), a federation of 40 civil society organisations, submitted a petition to district collector M S Sangeetha on Monday seeking a ban on the Murugan devotees' conference scheduled for June 22 at Amma Thidal. The federation alleged that the event, organised by outfits like Hindu Munnani, promotes communal tension under the guise of spirituality. In their representation, the collective expressed concern that the conference could disturb Madurai's tradition of religious harmony and inflame communal sentiments. The petition pointed to past incidents of unrest, including those in Thiruparankundram, as examples of how such events led to tensions in the region. The federation urged authorities not to permit programmes that might incite discord in the name of faith. The federation also announced plans to organise a 'People's Unity Conference' on June 29 at Obulapathithurai. The event will focus on fostering inclusive worship, communal harmony, and interfaith understanding. The organisers also requested the district administration to ensure equal application of the law and permit their event as a peaceful counterpoint.
