TN This Week: Stir in AIADMK Ahead of General Council Meeting, Inter-Caste Couple Murdered

The problem of dual leadership in the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) has resurfaced with the O Panneerselvam (coordinator) and EK Palaniswami (deputy coordinator) camps digging their heels ahead of party’s General Council meeting on June 23.

As part of the widespread agitation against the Narendra Modi government’s latest plan to recruit soldiers for a four-year term under the Agnipath scheme, hundreds of youths staged a protest in the Vellore district on June 16. Many trains originating from or going via Chennai were cancelled due to the agitation.

Fleeing the economic crisis in Sri Lanka, seven more refugees, including four children, arrived at Dhanushkodi this week, taking the total number of recent refugees in Tamil Nadu to more than 80.

A total of 589 persons tested positive for COVID-19 in the state on June 17. Exactly a week ago, the fresh caseload was 339. The highest number of cases were reported in Chennai and neighbouring Chengalpattu.

An 18-year-old COVID-positive girl with no comorbidities died at the government Thanjavur Medical College Hospital on June 14—the first death after three months.

Newsclick brings you a round-up of major news across Tamil Nadu this week.

RIFT WIDENING IN AIADMK

The dual leadership tenure between OPS and EPS has confused AIADMK MLAs, cadres and supporters. Members feel that the dual leadership has led to the deterioration of the party since J Jayalalithaa’s death in 2016 and have demanded single leadership.

After the party’s district secretaries and senior functionaries mooted “unitary leadership” at an internal meeting on Tuesday, OPS opposed the idea, news agency ANI reported.

“Everything was going smooth in AIADMK with the dual leadership but suddenly there is chaos in the party and a demand for a single leadership. There is no need for a single leadership for the party at this time,” OPS told reporters at his residence in Chennai on Thursday.

“The party should have a dual leadership and form a 14-member committee to take important decisions. I pray to god that this problem ends peacefully for the benefit of the party,” OPS added.

According to cadres, supporters, leaders and MLAs, who raised the issue several times in the past several months, the dual leadership has hindered the AIADMK’s ability to fight as a cohesive opposition party.

OPS has invited EPS supporters for a discussion ahead of the General Council meeting, which will decide the party’s course.

INTER-CASTE COUPLE MURDERED

Mohan (31) and Saranya’s (24), who belonged to the Most Backward Classes and Scheduled Castes, respectively, got married in Chennai last week. Although Sarany’s family opposed the wedding, they invited the couple for a ‘wedding feast’ in her house in Thanjavur district on June 13, where they were murdered in broad daylight by the girl’s brother and his friend. Her brother Sakthivel had opposed the wedding citing their castes and the “age difference” between them.

SCHOOLS REOPEN

Schools reopened after summer vacations on June 13. State school education minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi said that the number of absentees in the Board exams increased this year and supplementary exams will be held in July and September. He also announced that the ‘Illam Thedi Kalvi’ (Education at your doorstep), an initiative to contain the number of school dropouts due to the pandemic, will be extended for another six months. Read more

Meanwhile, more cases of attempted child marriages have been reported. Five such marriages were prevented each in Krishnagiri and Vellore districts. 

ANOTHER CUSTODIAL DEATH IN CHENNAI

S Rajasekar, a history-sheeter, died in police custody in Chennai on June 12 in the second such incident in the state capital in less than two months. The post-mortem report revealed multiple external injuries on his body.

The kin of the deceased have refused to accept the body until a case is filed against those responsible for his death and they are arrested. Five police personnel have been suspended following the death.

OPPOSITION TO PRIVATE TRAIN

Dakshin Railway Employees Union and Southern Railway Mazdoor Union staged a demonstration in Madurai against the Coimbatore–Shirdi private train service. The unions condemned the railway ministry for privatising the Railways and demanded that the government operate its own trains.

The Bharat Gaurav train service, a first of its kind in the country operated by private players using the Railways infrastructure, was inaugurated at the Coimbatore North Railway Station on June 14.

DA HIKE FOR FAIR PRICE SHOP WORKERS

Chief minister MK Stalin announced a hike in dearness allowance (DA) for employees at fair price shops of the Cooperation Department on June 16. The DA has been raised from 14% to 28% retroactively from January 1, 2022. Workers and unions had been demanding a hike in DA for long and they welcomed the move. Read more