1. Couple Marries in Chennai's Shaheen Bagh With Preamble in Hand
Love in the time of protests? Well, Shaheenpet, or Washermanpet which has turned into a Shaheen Bagh-like protest site in Chennai, was witness to a one-of-a-kind wedding. Twenty-two-year-old groom Shaheen Shah was dressed in a maroon velvet coat and was sitting among protesters with a copy of the preamble of the Constitution. Twenty-year-old bride Sumiah was dressed in a red and golden saree.
The couple decided to make a vow for a lifetime of togetherness on the stage in front of hundreds of people amidst the anti-CAA protests at 12 pm on Monday. Today, 17 February, was the fourth consecutive day of the protest at Lala Gunda area in Old Washermanpet in Chennai. The couple M Shahensha and S Sumaya were already engaged.
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2. Incidents in Washermenpet Were Instigated, Says CM
Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Monday alleged that “some forces deliberately instigated” the untoward incidents in Washermenpet in Chennai, where a group of Muslims had organised a protest against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on Friday last.
“Tamil Nadu has witnessed similar protests, demonstrations and rallies in the past, during which the police officers provided security and no untoward incidents were witnessed. This time, some forces had instigated the incidents,” he alleged in the Assembly while responding to DMK leader M K Stalin, who had raised the issue of police action against the protesters in Washermenpet.
(Source: The Hindu)
3. DMK MP Likens Journalists to Those in Mumbai's Red Light Area
DMK MP RS Bharathi has waded into a controversy by comparing TV media houses and journalists to those in "Mumbai red light area" alleging money was their primary concern. The Chennai Press Club strongly criticised the senior DMK leader's remarks and demanded an apology from him.
In a video that went viral on Monday, the DMK Rajya Sabha MP is heard questioning why the media had made a matter of debate, the DMK employing political strategist Prashant Kishor and purportedly questions the rationale behind it discussing party chief M K Stalin and his family's visits to religious places.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
4. TNPSC Exam Scam Echoes in Assembly
The AIADMK and the DMK engaged in a heated debate in the Assembly on Monday over the malpractices in the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission (TNPSC) examinations that occurred under their respective governments.
During the debate, Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami asked whether the DMK was willing to withdraw the cases on the basis of which orders were given by the court staying investigation into such malpractices during the last DMK regime between 2006 and 2011. He insisted that there was material evidence in the case. The TNPSC scam was raised in the House by DMK MLA S. Sudharsanam, against the backdrop of the arrest of those involved in the Group IV and II examinations.
(Source: The Hindu)
5. 336 Touts Held for Illegal Ticket Sales
The Railway Protection Force (RPF) has apprehended around 336 touts and travel agents for illegal ticket sale in Southern Railway last year. “The arrested agents were prosecuted under Railways Act with fine of Rs 4.77 lakh, between January 1 and December 31. In total, 95,674 defaulters were arrested for various violations and Rs 3.11 crore collected towards penalties in 2019,” said a statement.
Similarly, in wake of the accident at St Thomas Mount in 2018 which claimed the lives of five, RPF conducted a special drive against footboard travel. “As many as 9,512 persons who travelled on footboard, were apprehended and prosecuted with fine of Rs 32.27 lakh,” added the statement.
(Source: The New Indian Express)
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