Latest news with #Velmurugan
India Today
3 hours ago
- Politics
- India Today
DMK ally party leader slammed for vulgar remarks on girl students hugging actor Vijay
MLA Velmurugan from Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi, an ally of the ruling DMK, has come under widespread criticism for making vulgar comments about girl students who attended actor-politician Vijay's recent prize distribution event for board exam toppers in Tamil Nadu.'For 2 gm gold, the idiot has taken this girl child to the event. Doesn't he have sense? Tomorrow the girl is going to be someone's wife. In front of the media and everyone, the girl child hugs the cinema actor. Is this Tamil culture? They all say Vijay Anna. If he acts well then limit it to just praising him,' Velmurugan, in a separate speech, said about the felicitation event. advertisementThe event in question was organised by Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief Vijay on May 30 to felicitate Class 10 and 12 board exam toppers, particularly from government schools. Several students were seen embracing Vijay on stage, which Velmurugan questioned publicly, calling it contrary to Tamil culture. BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan condemned Velmurugan's comments, calling them vulgar. Shesaid, 'I condemn your vulgar speech. TVK president Thambi (Brother) Vijay organised a programme to encourage students who have passed the exams. Sometimes I have differences with the political views he expresses, but I welcome the fact that he met more students studying in government schools and encouraged them, as someone who knows their thirst for knowledge.'She further said, 'Tamil is beautiful, your (Velmuruan) mind is dirty. Children calling him 'Anna' (Brother) is only an expression of love in Tamil. This is a call beyond politics. But insulting that relationship not only hurts the hearts of those children but also the hearts of the parents who support them. What you are doing is neither displaying Tamil culture nor humanity. I strongly condemn Thiru Velmurugan's vulgar speech.'advertisementThe remarks and ensuing backlash come days after Tamilisai tacitly extended an invitation for Vijay to join the National Democratic Alliance (NDA). Her strong defence of Vijay amid the controversy has further fuelled speculation about the BJP's interest in courting Velmurugan issued a clarification in a tone some have described as threatening, claiming only a small portion of his speech is being used to attack him. He said, 'Some half-bakeds are seeking my apology instead of fully listening to my over-an-hour long speech and releasing statements and making noise. Don't do this.''I am saying this in a civilised manner. I didn't come to politics directly,' he said, adding. 'My young life started with those who sought a separate nation and fought against the extremism of the Union government. Did I say anywhere that Vijay kissed a young woman? Or behaved in an odd manner on the stage where gifts were given? I didn't say anything. Why are you taking it in such a manner?'Velmurugan went on to say Vijay should not allow 'mushrooms' to criticise his party members and suggested that if there was an objection to his speech, those concerned should hold a press meet and question him directly, rather than asking 'amateurs' to post videos on social media. 'Vijay should stop this immediately,' he said. IN THIS STORY#Tamil Nadu
India Today
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- India Today
Karnataka High Court judge acted as Kannadiga: Tamil Nadu MLA backs Kamal Haasan
Tamizhaga Vaazhvurimai Katchi (TVK) leader and Banrutti MLA T Velmurugan on Tuesday came out strongly in support of actor Kamal Haasan and criticised the Karnataka High Court for its observations during the hearing on Haasan's film Thug to Justice M Nagaprasanna's remarks criticising the actor's stance and remark, Velmurugan alleged that 'even the judge acted as a Kannadiga.' He accused the court of being partial and said that 'along with water, now justice is also denied in Karnataka.'advertisementThe MLA said that if Thug Life is banned in Karnataka, then 'no Kannada movie will be allowed to be screened in Tamil Nadu.' He also urged Tamil cinema associations to take a stand on the issue. 'Tamil cinema unions must not employ Kannada actors or technicians until the issue is resolved,' Velmurugan comments come after the Karnataka High Court criticised Haasan over his recent remark that 'Kannada language was born out of Tamil" during a film promotion event in Chennai. His remarks drew sharp criticism from pro-Kannada groups, with protests demanding an apology from the actor and a ban on the release of his court questioned Haasan's refusal to apologise and asked, 'Are you a historian? Or a linguist?' Justice Nagaprasanna observed, 'Water, land and language — Jala, Nila, Bashe — are important to citizens,' and added, 'No citizen has the right to hurt sentiments.'advertisementVelmurugan, however, accused the judiciary of failing to remain neutral in the matter and expressed full support for Life producers informed the High Court on Tuesday that the movie will not be released in Karnataka on June 5, the scheduled date for the pan-India InMust Watch
The Hindu
27-05-2025
- General
- The Hindu
Why does Delhi's local train system lie in ruins?
The story so far: While the Delhi metro has recently announced a facility to buy QR tickets on 11 different apps, the Delhi suburban Railway, often referred to as the Delhi local, lies derelict. When did the system start? Delhi got its local train service in the first decade after Independence. On January 2, 1955, Delhi's first local train ran from New Delhi station to Sarojini Nagar, then known as Vinay Nagar. The network then gradually expanded to connect Delhi with its neighbouring cities. Today, the suburban system links seven key hubs across the National Capital Region (NCR) — from Sonipat, Bhiwani, Rewari and Palwal in Haryana to Meerut, Ghaziabad, and Aligarh in Uttar Pradesh — with Delhi at its centre. What is its current state? Built to serve suburban commuters, this network was meant to ease traffic and support daily travel. But in reality, it's overcrowded, unreliable, and neglected. According to Dr. Velmurugan Senathipati of the Central Road Research Institute, despite its wide reach — especially in NCR's rural areas — the Delhi local carries just 0.5% to 3% of commuter traffic, far below the ideal 6-7%. Passengers report waiting over an hour, 15 times longer than the metro, only to board jam-packed coaches. Sarita Sethi, a government employee commuting from New Town, Faridabad to Okhla, states, 'My commute should ideally be 25 minutes but it's always nearly an hour long due to unscheduled halts as express trains are prioritised.' Nikhil, a railway employee, says, 'There are too many passengers and too few trains. Forget about sitting, during evenings, you can't even stand in the train.' Unlike the Metro, enforcement of women-only coaches is lax in the local. Mrs. Sethi says, 'Men often enter the ladies coach brazenly. Safety and theft are constant concerns. When the train's late in the evenings, the journey from the station to home can easily become a nightmare.' Dr. Velmurugan's study confirms this insecurity, as women make up just 14.6% of local train passengers. Is the metro a better alternative? The local train service in Delhi is much more affordable than the metro. Dr. Velmurugan's research shows that nearly 40% of suburban rail passengers earn less than ₹5,000 a month. For them, the local train is not just a choice, it's the only option they can afford. A local train ride from Greater Noida to Delhi costs just ₹15, compared to ₹90 by metro or ₹69 through a bus-metro combo, excluding last mile connection fares. Over a month, that's ₹750 by the local versus a staggering ₹4,500 by metro. Moreover, a Monthly Season Ticket (MST) brings costs down to just ₹270 a month or ₹9 a day. Additionally, local trains have a dedicated vendors' bogey, widely used by dairy farmers to transport produce to markets like Sadar Bazaar and Chandni Chowk. But even this advantage is fading. Amit, a dairy farmer from Ajayabpur village in Greater Noida, says, 'We had to stop using the local because delays were spoiling the produce. My friends now either rely on road transport or have quit the trade altogether, it just isn't profitable anymore.' These concerns have driven passengers to explore more reliable — though far costlier — alternatives, such as private buses or personal vehicles. Railway officials have noted a sharp decline in the issuance of MSTs, a clear sign that even loyal users are abandoning the system. What should be done? Dr. Velmurugan states, 'the local isn't a replacement for the Metro, it should complement it. It can act as a feeder service across NCR's rural areas where the Metro can't go. Plus, it's cheaper to build. There needs to be resonance, not a race,' he explains. Dr. Velmurugan suggests better scheduling, increased frequency, newer train sets, and most importantly, dedicated tracks. These changes, he says, could revive the system. But there are no such official modernisation or renovation plans in the offing as of now.
New Indian Express
04-05-2025
- New Indian Express
Chargesheet filed in HAL case only for namesake: CBI court
BENGALURU: It appears that based only on the departmental inquiry report, an investigation officer (IO) filed the final chargesheet without conducting his own proper investigation. The IO neither opted to collect the required available documents nor examined and recorded statements of material witnesses. Also, the chargesheet was filed without a proper investigation to unearth the truth, observed the Special Court for CBI Cases, acquitting S Velmurugan, then Deputy General Manager, HR Rotary Wing Research and Design Centre (RWRDC), Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) and one Binish Thomas, who were chargesheeted by the CBI in a corruption case. It was alleged that Velmurugan, between 2015 and 2018, abused his official position and unauthorisedly promised KC Samuel, chairman of Evehans Academy to lease HAL land of 6.5 acres at Doddanekkundi, opposite ISRO complex, in favour of the Academy, which was looking for land to set up a training institute in aerospace and other engineering courses. He allegedly did it without the approval of competent authorities. He also allegedly made Samuel pay him and Binish Rs 1.30 crore as 'due deposit' for leasing the land by committing the offence under provisions of IPC and Section 13(1)(d) of the Prevention of Corruption Act. HAL filed the complaint with the CBI, Bengaluru on August 17, 2020. Shridhar Gopalakrishna Bhat, Principal Special Judge for CBI cases, said the prosecution failed to prove with convincing, cogent and acceptable evidence the fraudulent and dishonest inducement of Samuel. It is clear that the IO has not conducted the investigation as required. Viewed from any angle, it cannot be said the prosecution has proved the ingredients of the offence of cheating against the accused beyond reasonable doubt, the judge added. The departmental inquiry was held against Velmurugan for the abuse of official position and misusing the letterhead of RWRDC, HAL, for leasing the HAL property. The inquiry proved charges against him and he was demoted to the Senior Manager Grade from Deputy Manager Grade VII. The accused, however, told the court that it was challenged before the high court. The court observed that in the departmental enquiry, the standard of proof is only preponderance of probability and whereas, in the criminal prosecution, it is beyond reasonable doubt. Therefore, in criminal prosecution, the prosecution has to prove the case against the accused persons beyond all reasonable doubt. But the prosecution failed to prove the payment of Rs 1.30 crore against accused No. 1 and 2, the court said.
Time of India
30-04-2025
- Time of India
Marriage with minor will not undo rape; HC awards 10-year to man though his wife turned hostile
Cleared - mani Chennai: A 21-year-old man, who eloped with a minor girl aged 17 years, and later married her, has been found guilty of rape and sentenced to undergo imprisonment for 10 years. The girl, now pregnant and 22-years-old, turned hostile and did not support the prosecution's rape charges. As a result, in Nov 2022, the Nilgiris sessions court sentenced him to one-year jail term for kidnap and unlawful confinement. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai On Tuesday, however, Justice P Velmurugan of Madras high court found him guilty of rape and imposed 10-year jail term on the man saying: "Once the girl was a child at the time of occurrence, there is no question of elopement and consent." Rejecting the defence that later marriage nullified the Pocso offence, the court ruled that the offence was against the society, not just the individual concerned. Justice Velmurugan held that accepting such a defence would defeat the object of the Pocso Act and would lead to "disastrous consequences." The accused, who was aged 22 years at the time of the incident, and later married the girl, claimed that the girl had left her home fearing a marriage arranged by her parents and had voluntarily come to him. He argued that he merely took her to his relatives' house and stayed briefly before returning. The defence maintained there was no allegation of sexual contact before the police or the Magistrate under Section 164 CrPC, and the medical report did not conclusively indicate sexual assault. The girl, when examined, did not support the prosecution and was declared hostile. It was the prosecution case the girl went with the accused to Mysore, stayed in his relatives' house, and "they had a physical relationship." Medical evidence showed her hymen was not intact. The sessions court convicted the man for kidnap and illegal confinement, but acquitted him for offences under the Pocso Act. The case originated from a missing complaint filed by the girl's father. The present appeal was filed by the State govt. Justice Velmurugan, after reviewing the evidence, held that even if the girl approached the accused, he knew she was underage and failed to alert the authorities. The court noted that in her statement to a male magistrate, the girl said "they were together," which, the court held, indirectly pointed to a physical relationship. It accepted the prosecution's view that the girl may have avoided explicit terms due to shyness. The trial court, it said, erred in not giving proper weight to this and the medical findings. During sentencing, the man pleaded with the court that he cared for his wife and mother, and that his wife was pregnant. He sought leniency, claiming ignorance of the law's seriousness. But the court noted that under Pocso, the minimum punishment is 10 years, which cannot be reduced. Besides the jail term, the court iposed a fine of ₹1,000 on him. The trial court's earlier sentence for kidnap and wrongful confinement will run concurrently with the present sentence. MSID:: 120770588 413 |
