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News18
a day ago
- Politics
- News18
Congress' Shashi Tharoor Slams ‘Mob Rule' In Chhattisgarh, Says Arrest The Goons, Not Nuns
Last Updated: Congress MP Tharoor criticized the arrest of two Catholic nuns in Chhattisgarh, calling it "mob rule." The incident sparked protests in Parliament and condemnation from opposition. Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Tuesday criticised the arrest of two Catholic nuns from Kerala in Chhattisgarh, calling the incident an example of 'mob rule" and demanding their immediate release. 'It seems to me that mob rule is going on, where innocent people are being thrown in jail for no fault of theirs. They should be released without any delay, and they should arrest the goons, not the nuns," Tharoor said. The two nuns, Preethi Merry and Vandana Francis, were arrested at Durg railway station on July 25, along with a third person named Sukaman Mandavi. The arrests followed a complaint from a local Bajrang Dal functionary who accused them of forcibly converting three girls from Narayanpur and trafficking them. In Parliament, United Democratic Front MPs from Kerala, including KC Venugopal, NK Premachandran and ET Mohammed Basheer, staged a protest at the Makar Dwar steps before the session began. Holding placards with slogans like 'Stop attacks on minorities," they demanded action against those responsible for the arrests. The incident has triggered a political row, especially in Kerala. While the Congress and CPI(M) condemned the arrests, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai defended the police action. In a post on X, Sai said, 'Three daughters of Narayanpur were promised nursing training followed by jobs. A person from Narayanpur handed them over to two nuns at Durg station, who were taking the daughters to Agra. An attempt was being made to convert them by human trafficking by luring them." Calling the issue serious and sensitive, he added, 'This is a matter related to the safety of women. The case is sub-judice, and the law will take its own course. Chhattisgarh is a peace-loving state where people of all religions live in harmony. It is unfortunate that the issue is being politicised." Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also weighed in, claiming that 'systematic persecution" of minorities was taking place in BJP-ruled states. 'Two Catholic nuns jailed in Chhattisgarh after being targeted for their faith—this is not justice, this is BJP-RSS mob rule," he posted on X. He demanded their release and accountability from the government. In Kerala, both the ruling Left and the opposition Congress extended support to the arrested nuns' families. Ministers P Rajeev and Roshy Augustine visited the home of nun Preethi Merry on the instruction of Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Congress leader VD Satheesan also led a UDF delegation to the family's residence. Speaking after the visit, Minister Rajeev said, 'Not only religious freedom, but even the Constitution itself is under threat. This must be seen not just as a minority issue but as a challenge to constitutional rights." He added that the government was considering legal steps to assist the nuns. The Kerala Catholic Bishops' Council (KCBC) strongly condemned the arrests, calling them a 'direct attack" on religious freedom. KCBC president Cardinal Baselios Cleemis urged the Centre to intervene and prevent such incidents, particularly in BJP-ruled states like Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh. Meanwhile, the BJP's Kerala unit responded cautiously. Vice-president Shaun George said the party had taken steps to ensure that the nuns did not face further hardship, and a team led by Anoop Antony would travel to Chhattisgarh. 'The offices of the Prime Minister and the Home Minister have intervened. We hope justice will be served," he said. Congress MP K Suresh added, 'The Bajrang Dal attacked two nuns in Chhattisgarh, and the state government is supporting them. The nuns are in jail." view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
India Today
2 days ago
- Politics
- India Today
Will quit politics if Congress loses 2026 polls: Kerala Leader of Opposition
Leader of the Opposition in Kerala, VD Satheesan has declared that he will quit politics if the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) fails to secure a landslide majority in the upcoming Kerala Assembly elections. His remarks came in response to a challenge posed by prominent Ezhava leader and SNDP Yogam General Secretary Vellappally speaking to a regional news channel, had said he would resign from his position if the UDF won 100 seats in the next assembly elections. He also asked whether Satheesan would go into 'political exile' if the UDF failed to achieve such a majority. Natesan had earlier accused Satheesan of harbouring anti-Ezhava to these comments, Satheesan told the media after visiting the family of a Kerala nun arrested in Chhattisgarh that he was not interested in competing or arguing with Natesan. However, he said Natesan had inadvertently acknowledged the UDF's potential to win big. 'He has openly told a truth: if the UDF gets 98 seats, he will resign. So he has no doubt about us getting at least 97 seats. A mature and intelligent community leader like him, who follows Kerala politics closely, has acknowledged that,' Satheesan added, 'If we get the remaining four or five seats, it will exceed a hundred. We will work hard and make it more than a hundred seats. But there is no challenge with him. He is asking if I will go into political exile if I cannot bring the UDF back to power with a good majority. If I cannot bring the UDF back to power with a good majority, I will go into political exile. You will not see me after that.''Even if UDF wins more than 100 seats, Vellappally need not resign. Let him remain in that position for life,' he said. 'There is no competition between him and me.'- EndsMust Watch IN THIS STORY#Kerala
Hans India
22-07-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Kerala Community Leader Sparks Controversy Over Religious Demographics And Birth Rates
A prominent Kerala community leader has generated significant controversy by making provocative statements about religious demographics and their impact on the state's political landscape. Vellapally Natesan, a key figure in the Hindu Ezhava community, has drawn criticism for his remarks connecting birth rates to electoral representation and warning about potential changes in Kerala's religious composition. During a leadership gathering of the Sree Narayana Dharma Paripalana Yogam in Kottayam on Saturday, Natesan made statements that have since sparked intense debate across Kerala's political and social circles. His comments addressed what he perceives as shifting demographic patterns and their implications for political influence within the state. Natesan expressed concerns about both major political coalitions in Kerala, claiming that the ruling Left Democratic Front and opposition United Democratic Front were providing preferential treatment to the Muslim community. He argued that these political alignments necessitated greater unity among Hindu communities to maintain their influence in state governance. The SNDP leader specifically addressed members of Kerala's largest Hindu caste group, suggesting that their collective action could determine electoral outcomes. He emphasized the potential power of unified community voting, stating that coordinated efforts could significantly impact who governs the state. His remarks included criticism of what he characterized as religious considerations influencing public policy decisions. Natesan referenced a recent educational controversy where extending school hours was discussed, citing objections from religious organizations about reducing holidays for traditional festivals as evidence of growing religious influence in administrative matters. The community leader invoked previous statements by former Kerala Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan regarding potential demographic changes by 2040, suggesting that such shifts might occur sooner than anticipated. He pointed to specific examples from electoral constituencies to support his assertions about changing population patterns. Natesan drew attention to constituency delimitation changes in different districts, arguing that seat reductions in some areas contrasted with increases in others, which he attributed to varying demographic trends. He specifically mentioned Alappuzha district experiencing constituency reductions while Malappuram district gained additional seats. This recent controversy follows earlier statements by Natesan that generated criticism in April, when he made contentious remarks about Malappuram district during a convention speech. His previous comments characterized the Muslim-majority district in terms that many found divisive and inappropriate for public discourse. The leader's statements reflect ongoing tensions in Kerala's complex religious and political landscape, where community identities intersect with electoral calculations. His appeals to specific demographic groups highlight the sensitive nature of religious representation in state politics. These remarks have prompted responses from various political parties and community organizations, with critics arguing that such statements promote divisiveness rather than unity. The controversy underscores broader debates about secularism, demographic representation, and political mobilization along religious lines. The SNDP Yogam, which represents significant portions of Kerala's Hindu population, plays an important role in the state's political dynamics. Statements from its leadership often carry considerable weight in community discussions and electoral considerations. Kerala's diverse religious composition has historically been a subject of political attention, with various communities seeking to maintain their influence in governance and policy-making. The current controversy adds another dimension to ongoing discussions about representation, demographics, and political strategy in the state.
The Hindu
18-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
Local body polls: State Election Commission to hold meeting of political parties on Saturday
With the delimitation of local body wards entering the final phase in Kerala, the State Election Commission is in the process of revising the electoral rolls ahead of the crucial elections to local bodies planned towards the end of 2025. The commission, tasked with the preparation of electoral rolls and the conduct of elections to local bodies, will publish the draft rolls which is being updated by repositioning the population on the basis of the delimited wards and reorgansied polling booths, commission officials said. The commission headed by A. Shajahan is convening a meeting of political parties in Thiruvananthapuram on Saturday in connection with the revision of the rolls. The State Delimitation Commission is hoping to wind up the delimitation process by the middle of August. Launched last year, the mammoth exercise is in the third and final phase, where the wards of the district panchayats are being reorganised. The number of polling booths is also expected to see a revision following the delimitation. The Opposition Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF) has petitioned the State Election Commission to reorganise the per-booth voter numbers from 1,300 to 1,100 in panchayats and from 1,600 to 1,300 in municipalities. Through a State government notification last year, the number of wards in grama, block, district panchayats, municipalities, and corporations had been increased from 21,900 to 23,612. The 87 municipalities now have 3,241 wards, the six Corporations 421 wards, and the 941 grama panchayats 17,337 wards. In the 152 block panchayats, the number has been revised to 2,267, and in the 14 district panchayats to 346. In 2020, the elections were held to 1,199 local bodies (except Mattannur municipality) on December 8, 10, and 14. The elections were held in three phases on account of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Hindu
17-07-2025
- Health
- The Hindu
UDF Health Commission website launched
The website of the Health Commission appointed by the United Democratic Front was formally opened by Leader of the Opposition V. D. Satheesan recently. The website address is This website is envisioned as a platform for comprehensive study and analysis of the healthcare sector in Kerala. Visitors to the website will have the option of reporting any issues they have noticed in the health sector and of suggesting possible solutions. The email address to contact the commission is contact@ and the phone/WhatsApp number is +91 7306635291. The aim of the commission will be to conduct an in-depth study of the general issues in Kerala's health-care sector, especially the government health system, and the difficulties faced by the public as a result. The commission will hold detailed discussions with people from all walks of life including the general public, healthcare workers and professionals from related fields. The Commission will also hold sittings in different districts. The commission will prepare the report, 'Health Mission 2050', with the firm conviction that the people of Kerala have the right to access the highest quality healthcare services. The report will include recommendations to preserve Kerala's existing healthcare achievements and to prepare the State to effectively face emerging challenges, an official release said here.
