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New Indian Express
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- New Indian Express
A Gen Z makeover for ice creams
'One customer told me she'd only ever had cassata made with artificial essences,' Shriram recalls. 'When she tried ours — made with real ingredients — she said it changed how she thought about ice cream forever.' That's the brand's motto: authentic, quality ingredients sourced thoughtfully. 'We use Pollachi vanilla because it's the best in India. Belgian chocolate for real richness. Sicilian pistachios for crunch.' But the creativity doesn't stop at classics. Dare to try their Pani Puri sorbet, a tangy and playful homage to a street food favourite, or the zero-alcohol Negroni and Gin & Tonic sorbets, which pack a grown-up punch without the hangover. 'We want people to experience something new,' says Shriram. 'That's why we have flavours like smoked chocolate, black sesame, and Taro bubble tea.' The brand also caters to health-conscious dessert lovers. 'We have a Whey Protein ice cream which has 30 grams of protein per scoop,' claims Shriram. 'And our Dark Chocolate sorbet is 40% fewer calories than regular ice cream but still satisfies your sweet cravings.' The vegan sorbets and frozen yoghurts offer lighter, 'healthier' alternatives without skimping on flavour. By Gen Z, for Gen Z Scoop Dawg's voice and visuals are as important as its flavours. 'The branding is fluorescent, it's on your face,' Shriram says. 'We took input from over 20 Gen Z customers before launch for curating the flavour names, combos, everything. The Taro ice cream was their idea, and it's already a bestseller.' The team behind Scoop Dawg is also deeply involved in the local community and culture. 'We want to stay rooted when it comes to authenticity,' Shriram shares. 'That's why we source ingredients like Pollachi vanilla and Ooty strawberries. It's about respecting the local while adding an international touch.' This blend of the global and local is reflected not just in ingredients but in the brand's collaborations with Tamil illustrators who bring the packaging to life. 'It's a visual story that connects with the city's youth and their love for creativity.'
Indian Express
04-06-2025
- Business
- Indian Express
Ahead of 2026 election, how can DMK retain credibility and control the narrative?
The verdict in the Anna University sexual assault case — the Mahila Court sentenced 37-year-old biryani vendor Gnanasekaran to life imprisonment without remission for 30 years — marks a significant moment of judicial clarity. Examining forensic evidence, including mobile data that proved the accused had kept his phone on 'flight mode' for over two hours during the crime, the court dismissed speculation of multiple perpetrators. In fact, the judge found Gnanasekaran guilty under multiple provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, Information Technology (IT) Act, and the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act (1998) — a verdict arrived at without political interference or procedural delay. However, legal closure rarely halts political rumour. Even as the public prosecutor warned that continued speculation could amount to contempt of court, the phrase 'Yaar Andha Sir?' ('Who is that sir?') has already entered political discourse, largely due to insinuations by AIADMK leaders and an opportunistic digital echo chamber. The truth, it seems, is not what is proved in court but what sticks in public memory. Ironically, the DMK government, often accused of political micro-management, allowed this case to move swiftly through an autonomous legal process. In a state where past sexual assault cases, like the Pollachi scandal, were delayed or allegedly mishandled, notably under the AIADMK's watch, this is not insignificant. Nevertheless, the opposition has deftly turned the DMK's early assertion that there was only one accused into a point of political attack, calling it 'prejudgement' and 'potential cover-up'. This episode reveals the broader question facing the DMK as it heads toward the 2026 assembly elections: How does the party retain credibility and control the narrative? The DMK's record over the last four years is, in many ways, better than its predecessors. Schemes centred around school-going children, women, and the youth have received appreciation. Other schemes like Illam Thedi Kalvi, Makkalai Thedi Maruthuvam, and grievance redressal initiatives have improved state–citizen interaction, especially in rural Tamil Nadu. The government's efforts in resisting NEET, symbolically potent even if legally ineffective, have bolstered its pro-social justice image. Investments in government schools, Primary Health Centres (PHCs), and digital governance platforms also signal policy intent that is not merely rhetorical. However, the government's challenges are far from trivial. Tamil Nadu's graduate unemployment (16.78 per cent) remains uncomfortably high, and industrial job creation has failed to keep up with expectations. Chennai's chronic flooding and waste management failures have not seen systemic solutions, and the DMK's urban governance, while more responsive than before, lacks long-term vision. Add to this the unfolding TASMAC controversy, a potentially damaging scandal involving liquor procurement irregularities and alleged revenue manipulation. For many Tamil households, especially among the working poor, TASMAC is more than a public sector enterprise; it is a source of everyday distress. Women-led protests and growing anger around alcoholism have sharpened the moral critique of the government's alleged role in enabling addiction under the guise of revenue generation. Besides, actor-turned-politician Vijay's debut through Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam seems to have disrupted the Dravidian binary in a way few thought possible. Unlike fringe players like Seeman's NTK, Vijay carries an immense fan base and strong recall across age groups. His youth appeal and calculated distance from Hindutva politics make him formidable. Vijay has carefully crafted his messaging: anti-corruption, pro-education and socially inclusive. By not aligning with either Dravidian major or the BJP, he is attempting to occupy the unclaimed centre, a space attractive to urban, educated, and politically ambivalent first-time voters. If TVK contests all 234 seats, it may not win many outright, but it could split votes in enough constituencies to damage both DMK and AIADMK prospects. Meanwhile, the AIADMK is trying to regain lost ground under Edappadi K Palaniswami. While the party remains factionalised without a charismatic face, it still commands a sizeable rural base. Its attempts to link the Anna University case to a larger narrative of DMK complacency may not be grounded in evidence, but they are politically shrewd. In alliance with the BJP, the AIADMK hopes to capitalise on any anti-incumbency sentiment. However, this strategy remains fraught with risk: Tamil Nadu's electorate have consistently displayed a deep-rooted scepticism towards the BJP, viewing it as hostile to Tamil identity and interests, a perception that remains firmly embedded in the state's political consciousness. What must the DMK do, then? First, it must address the TASMAC issue head-on through transparency, audits, action against corruption, and a clear plan to reduce reliance on alcohol revenue. Second, the party must move beyond legacy rhetoric toward forward-looking governance. Digital skills training, green jobs, women's safety, and urban renewal should define its new language of social justice. Most crucially, it must seize control of the narrative. Though legally closed, the Anna University case remains a battle of perception. If the DMK stays reactive, allowing its record to be drowned out by slogans and suspicion, it risks ceding the larger electoral script. In Tamil Nadu, politically sharp and emotionally engaged voters expect more than performance; they demand trust, which is earned constantly. The DMK seems to have a strong chance in 2026. Stalin remains a credible leader, and the party's organisation is solid. But election results depend not just on incumbency or ideology but on timing, tone, and trust. The path to Fort St. George lies as much through governance as through the people's imagination. And in that realm, the verdict is never final. It is constantly being rewritten, tweet by tweet, poster by poster, speech by speech. The court may have ruled on Gnanasekaran. But in the court of public opinion, the DMK must still argue its case every single day, until the ballot speaks. The writer is an education consultant and political analyst based in Bengaluru
New Indian Express
30-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Pollachi sexual assault case: AIADMK MLA, son move Madras HC seeking gag order
CHENNAI: Senior AIADMK leader and MLA Pollachi V Jayaraman and his son Pravin Jayaraman have moved the Madras High Court seeking to restrain certain YouTube channels and individuals from making statements linking them with the Pollachi sexual assault case. A vacation bench of Justice Senthilkumar Ramamoorthy on Thursday adjourned the hearing by a week on a request from the petitioners' side when the petitions seeking interim injunction came up for hearing. The former deputy Speaker of Tamil Nadu Assembly (Pollachi Jayaraman) and his son have sued Nakkheeran Gopal, Editor of Nakkheeran journal, Va Pugazhendhi, an expelled leader of AIADMK, Galatta Media Private Limited, Haseef Mohamed of Aran Media Creations, IBC Tamil Private Limited, Damodharan Prakash, journalist, Jeeva Today, Jambavan TV, Pandian @ Thamizha Thamizha Pandian, The Debate and Tamil Nadu Now. They filed a civil suit and applications seeking the court to issue orders to the respondents to pay them Rs 1 crore in damages for bringing disrepute to their image before the public by making derogatory remarks and posting videos linking them with the Pollachi sexual assault case. They also prayed for orders to temporarily restrain the respondents from making further messages slandering them and remove the videos posted in the respondent YouTube channels. On May 13, a Mahila court in Coimbatore had sentenced nine accused persons to life imprisonment till death in the Pollachi sexual assault case.
New Indian Express
26-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Off the cuff: Pollachi verdict sparks political war as DMK, AIADMK trade sexual assault blame
Justice or just drama? Last week, the Pollachi sexual assault verdict finally dropped, and as expected, the DMK wasted no time reminding the public that the horrors unfolded under AIADMK's watch. Political popcorn it is. Not to be outdone, the Arakkonam AIADMK rushed to flip the narrative. Their weapon? A domestic violence case involving Deivaseyal, a DMK youth wing member, accused of threatening a college girl to 'engage sexually' with party men. The girl's complaint even mentioned 20 other women allegedly facing similar exploitation. The police, however, called it a 'family issue.' Turns out, Deivaseyal had allegedly married (and deceived) multiple women. Not 20. Not even close. But the AIADMK didn't wait for fact-checks. They took the girl to the streets in protest—literally. She missed her college exam that day. Noble sacrifice or political stunt? Ironically, not even the Arakkonam AIADMK cadres showed up for their own show. Let's be clear: victim blaming is vile. But so is victim branding and weaponising a woman's trauma, just to score a few brownie points on election eve. -Rajalakshmi Sampath Calculated goof-up? The state recently dropped a press release in the tone of an Oscar-winning reveal: Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare schools scored a record 96% in Class 12. 'A first in 60 years,' they beamed. Cue the confetti cannons. But, hold the applause. The math was even more puzzling than Schrodinger's cat. Tribal Welfare schools recorded 95.5% pass, while Adi Dravidar Welfare schools stood at 91.85%, with the latter having over three times the number of students than the former. Unless someone bribed the calculator with extra marks, this round-up is a bit exaggerated. -Subashini Vijayakumar
News18
20-05-2025
- Politics
- News18
DMK Worker's Wife Accuses Him Of Torture, 'Grooming' Girls For Politicians; AIADMK Flags FIR Delay
Last Updated: The ruling DMK said that the police will take action against those found responsible, and the party will decide on internal measures based on the outcome of the investigation. A young woman stoked a massive political row in Tamil Nadu after accusing her husband, a DMK functionary from Arakkonam in Ranipet district, of torture and sexual harassment. She further alleged that her husband 'groomed" and coerced other 20-year-old girls into 'sleeping with politicians," and claimed that his abuse drove her to attempt suicide. 'He assaulted me on the way to college… injured me and broke my phone. And he would say, 'if you complain nothing will happen as the police will support me'. Because of him I tried to take poison," she said in a statement that was highlighted by the main opposition party, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK). The woman, a 20-year-old college student from Arakkonam district, also alleged that her husband, identified as Deivaseyal—who claimed to be the Deputy Secretary of the DMK's youth wing—threatened to set her family members on fire if she ever approached the police. 'His job is to torture 20-year-old girls to sleep with politicians… no action is ever taken against him. When I complain he threatens to cut me into pieces. He tortured me in the car and told me to sleep with the men he pointed to… I can't even leave my home. I couldn't take my exams," the woman said. AIADMK Flags FIR Delay The allegations led the AIADMK to accuse the DMK of protecting the accused, Deivaseyal, alleging that the police initially delayed filing an FIR because of his connections with senior leaders of the ruling party. The police have now filed the case, with the woman also claiming links between her husband and the Tamil Nadu School Education Minister, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, in the complaint. 'In this case, the police under the Stalin-model government delayed filing the FIR, which was only registered after the student complained to the Arakkonam constituency MLA, Mr. S. Ravi of the AIADMK," Palaniswami said in an X post. சேலம் சூரமங்கலம் அருகே உள்ள நரசோதிப்பட்டி பகுதியைச் சேர்ந்த மாணவர் கௌதம், நீட் தேர்வு அச்சத்தால் தன் இன்னுயிரை மாய்த்துக்கொண்டதாக வரும் செய்தி அதிர்ச்சியளிக்கிறது.ஸ்டாலின் மாடல் திமுக ஆட்சி பொறுப்பேற்றதில் இருந்து 24-வது மாணவர் நீட் தேர்வால் உயிரிழப்பு! ஒரு பொய்யின் விளைவு… — Edappadi K Palaniswami-SayYEStoWomenSafety&AIADMK (@EPSTamilNadu) May 20, 2025 Mounting the attack against the DMK, Palaniswami compared the current case to the horrific 2019 Pollachi sex abuse scandal, where a gang of nine men assaulted multiple women between 2016 and 2018, recording the attacks and using the footage to extort money. 'For (DMK boss and Chief Minister MK) Stalin, who often cites Pollachi… Arakkonam is a sample of your chaotic rule. I transferred the Pollachi case to the CBI, but Stalin did everything to dilute this. Will this 'dummy dad' government act against the DMK functionary?" he wrote in Tamil. 'I not, the AIADMK will lead massive protests," Palaniswami warned. Meanwhile, the ruling DMK stated that the police will take action against those found responsible, and the party will decide on internal measures based on the outcome of the investigation. First Published: May 20, 2025, 14:40 IST
