Page 13 - Kerala

Enforcing ban on extremist outfits will not eliminate communalism: CPI(M)

Amid reports of the Centre planning to include Popular Front of India in the list of terror outfits, Kerala's ruling CPI(M) on Monday said such a measure will not help eliminate activities of extremist organisations. Addressing a public meeting organised by the Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) at nearby Kattakkada, CPI(M) state secretary M V Govindan argued that enforcing a ban on extremist organisations will further strengthen communalism. "An extremist organisation cannot be eliminated through a ban. If action is taken against only one part of extremism, it will further strengthen communalism," he said. He alleged that both majority and minority communal outfits were targeting the ruling Left in the state. Govindan's statement comes amid growing demand for enforcing a ban on Popular Front of India (PFI) following last week's raids and arrest of the outfit leaders by multi-agency teams, spearheaded by NIA, at 93 locations in 15 states for allegedly supporting terror activities

9 arrested after Kerala police bust rave party, seize drugs from Wayanad

Kerala Police has arrested nine persons in connection with the seizure of banned drugs from a resort at Pulpally in Wayanad district. Acting on a tip-off, police late on Sunday busted a rave party and took into custody all those who were participating. Sources said narcotic drugs including hashish oil were seized from the accused, all belonging to Vadakara in Kozhikode district. They have been charged under various sections of the Narcotics Drugs and Psychotropic Substances Act, 1985. The Wayanad police had earlier also busted rave parties held in remote location resorts in the hilly district. In an incident in January, a notorious criminal was also arrested during a raid in a resort in Padinjarethara near Kalpetta.

Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra begins 19th day from Kerala's Palakkad district

The Congress party's Bharat Jodo Yatra resumed its journey on Monday from Shornur in Kerala's Palakkad district with hundreds of party workers accompanying Rahul Gandhi in the walk. The morning leg of the march, which entered its 19th day, will cover 12.3 km and halt at Pattambi. The Congress party tweeted that the yatra entered Palakkad district with "excitement and hope". "...And we can't wait to start this journey with you," it said in the tweet. Senior Congress leader K Muraleedharan and Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly V D Satheesan joined Gandhi in the morning session of the yatra. Hundreds of people waited on both sides of the road to meet Gandhi. A group of young girls presented the Congress leader with a framed drawing of himself. "Couldn't have asked for a better start to the Padyatra. The young minds are coming out in large numbers to bless @RahulGandhi Ji and all the Padtyatris. We owe them a brighter future. Towards achieving our goal. #BharatJodoYatra," the p

Bharat Jodo Yatra: Cong protests with cutouts of gas cylinders in Kerala

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday attacked the BJP and the RSS over rising fuel and cooking gas prices in the country, as the party's Bharat Jodo Yatra' completed its journey through this district and concluded at Cheruthuruthy here in Kerala. Gandhi addressed a crowd of party workers after covering around 11.5 kms. He said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) were attacking the idea of Kerala. "What is the idea of Kerala? The people. While I am walking on these streets, people are flowing like a river on both sides. There is no Hindu, Muslim or Sikh person. They are all the same. Not a single person is disrespecting another. If a Hindu woman falls down, a Muslim or Christian brother helps her up. If a Muslim child falls down, a Hindu or Christian picks him up. This is the idea of Kerala," he said. The former Congress chief said the idea of Kerala was taught by social reformer Sree Narayana Guru. "However, the RSS comes here, talks about

Corruption made its way even to Kerala CM Vijayan's office: BJP's Nadda

Nadda said that the CPI-M government in Kerala was creating a debt trap, claiming the debt has almost doubled in Kerala.

Thomas Isaac not cooperating with probe in KIIFB Masala Bonds case: ED

The Enforcement Directorate (ED) has said that former state Finance Minister T M Thomas Isaac was not cooperating with the probe into the financial transactions of the Kerala Infrastructure Investment Fund Board (KIIFB). In an affidavit submitted by the ED before the Kerala High Court on Saturday, the agency said Isaac was making baseless allegations against the agency. It said Isaac was trying to stay away from the probe and stall the investigation. The ED is probing the issuance of Masala Bonds by KIIFB which had later informed the court that permission for the issuance of the financial instruments were obtained from the Reserve Bank of India. The probe agency had earlier issued multiple notices summoning Isaac to appear before it. Isaac had also moved the High Court against the ED. It said Isaac was trying to stay away from the investigation, making baseless allegations against the ED and was trying to flee from the jurisdiction of the central agency and stall the probe. The E

Congress workers protests with cutouts of gas cylinders in Thrissur

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday resumed the Bharat Jodo Yatra from Thiroor in the district accompanied by hundreds of party workers holding banners and placards against the high cooking gas prices in the country. The morning session of the 150-day-long Yatra will cover a distance of around 11 km before concluding at Wadakkanchery at around 11 AM. Senior Congress leaders including, K Muraleedharan, K C Venugopal, Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of Opposition, V D Satheesan and MPs from the district among others joined Gandhi in his walk. The Congress workers were carrying placards in the shape of gas cylinders highlighting steep cooking gas prices in the country. Gandhi had on Saturday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the rise in fuel and cooking gas prices in the country, and charged that the BJP and the RSS were spreading hate and violence to distract the people from such main issues. "A gas cylinder used to cost Rs 400 when the UPA government was

Bharat Jodo Yatra will provide oxygen to Congress: Jairam Ramesh

Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh said the party's ongoing Bharat Jodo Yatra will provide much-needed oxygen to the party

Amid Congress' Bharat Jodo Yatra, JP Nadda to visit Kerala for 2 days

BJP national President JP Nadda will in Kerala on a two-day visit starting today

PFI violence in Kerala pre-meditated, culprits will not be spared: Vijayan

Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Saturday termed the violence in the state during the hartal called by the Popular Front of India (PFI) a day ago, as a premeditated one and said the culprits will not be spared. Vijayan, while addressing a senior police officers association's event here, condemned the violence and said it resulted in destruction of public and private properties in the state. "In yesterday's hartal, led by the PFI, Kerala witnessed a pre-meditated violence. The state witnessed an organised and violent interference from their part resulting in huge loss to the state," Vijayan said. The Chief Minister said it was an attempt to destroy the peaceful atmosphere of the state and that the culprits will not be spared. In near simultaneous raids across the country, a multi-agency operation spearheaded by the NIA on September 22 led to the arrest of 106 activists of the PFI in 11 states for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country, officials had said. Th

Chasm between Kerala Guv Arif Mohammed and CM Pinarayi Vijayan set to widen

After a brief pause, the dispute between Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and Governor Arif Mohammed Khan is likely to resurf with Congress leader Jyothikumar Chamakala approaching the Court

Rs 2 crore worth of MDMA drugs seized from train in Kerala's Kannur

A total of Rs 2 crore worth of MDMA, a banned contraband in seven packets in a bag, was seized from a train in Kannur district on Saturday. The Railway Protection Force (RPF) said here that the bag, with 678 gm of MDMA, was found in the compartment of the Yesvantpur-Kannur Express when it reached here. Acting on a tip-off, a joint team of RPF personnel and State Excise sleuths unearthed the substance. It was suspected that the owner of the bag left it there and escaped after knowing that a search was being conducted. The substance was worth to the tune of about Rs two crore in the international drug market, the RPF said. RPF inspector Binoy Antory said CCTV visuals of the passengers who boarded the train from Yesvantpur in Karnataka were collected and an investigation was begun. Recently, a native of Kozhikode was nabbed with 600 gm of MDMA after coming here by the Rajdhani Express from New Delhi.

Congress will not retain its Lok Sabha seats in Kerala, says CM Vijayan

The Congress will not be able to retain the Lok Sabha seats it had won during the 2019 Parliamentary elections in the state as MPs including, Rahul Gandhi, have 'failed' to resist the BJP in the national polity, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has said. The Chief Minister also taunted the Congress party over the inclusion of V D Savarkar's photo among the 20 Indian freedom fighters in a banner erected for welcoming the ongoing 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' led by Rahul Gandhi. Addressing a massive crowd here as part of the 50th Martyrdom day of Left leader Azheekodan Raghavan, Vijayan said that people of his state have realised that electing Gandhi to Lok Sabha from Kerala was a mistake. "When Rahul Gandhi contested here, our people thought that he was going to become the Prime Minister. But the people now know that it was a mistake. That trick of the Congress will not work here again. The UDF MPs from Kerala are not even resisting the BJP at the national level. They failed to raise an

NGT red flags football ground, building activity in Periyar Tiger Reserve

The NGT has directed the Centre and Kerala government to file a compliance report within 6 months on the construction of a mega car parking facility and a football ground inside Periyar Tiger Reserve

Biswananth Sinha new Additional Chief Secretary to the Kerala Finance Dept

/ -- Biswananth Sinha, a 1992- batch IAS officer, has been appointed as additional chief secretary of the Department of Finance. The Kerala cadre senior officer would also continue to function as additional chief secretary of the store purchase department and Chief Executive Officer of the Rebuild Kerala initiative. Sinha was Additional Chief, Planning and Economic Affairs department. Earlier, he had also served as the District Collector of Kottayam, Wayanad and Kozhikode. Mr Sinha is a native of Bihar and alumni of the Delhi School of Economics. During 30-year long career in the Indian Administrative Service, he served as Director, Textiles, Managing Director, State Cooperative Bank, Deputy Director, Secretary, Public Works Department, Sports, Additional Resident Commissioner, Kerala House, Joint Secretary, Environment, Forest and Climate Change, Principal Secretary of Personnel and General Administration, Finance and SC/ST Welfare / Social Justice & Empowerment ...

Kerala CM Pinarayi Vijayan inaugurates new software lab of IBM in Kochi

Kerala Chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan on Friday inaugurated the new software lab of IBM, a state-of-the-art global innovation centre, at Brigade World Trade Centre inside the Infopark here. The centre will focus on product engineering, design, and development of new products and solutions in the areas of data and AI and automation and collaborate with the technology eco-system in the region to co-create solutions for the global industry. Vijayan said the investment made by the IBM shows that Kerala's IT hub have the greenest IT spaces and a talent pool of IT professionals. "IBM's choice to establish its software lab at Infopark- Kochi is truly something to celebrate. This investment shows once more that Kerala's IT hubs have the greenest IT spaces, a talent pool of IT professionals, a Centre of Excellence in emerging technologies, and the economic momentum to continue to move the state forward as the country's next digital hub," Vijayan said. The chief minister also said his ...

Popular Front of India: Understanding the organisation and the controversy

Created in 2007, the organisation describes itself as the "organisation that fights for the rights of minorities, Dalits, and marginalised communities".

Kerala High Court initiates suo motu case against PFI's call for bandh

Kerala High Court on Friday initiated a suo motu case against Popular Front of India leaders who called for a strike in the state against the arrest of its members by the National Investigation Agency

PFI hartal: Kerala police warns of stern action against law breakers

Kerala police have beefed up security in the state and issued directions to the district police chiefs to ensure law and order after the radical Islamic outfit Popular Front of India (PFI) called for a state-wide hartal on Friday. The dawn-to-dusk hartal was called by the PFI to protest against the raids in the offices and residences of its leaders and their subsequent arrests on Thursday by the NIA and other agencies for allegedly supporting terror activities in the country. A statement issued by the police said stern action will be taken against those who violate the law. "All the policemen in the state will be deployed for the maintenance of law and order, " the statement said. Meanwhile, the state-run KSRTC has informed that it will operate as usual. The transport corproation said special services to hospitals, airports and railway stations will be arranged if necessary and will also seek police protection, if needed. PFI on Thursday had said a hartal will be observed in the

Rahul Gandhi resumes Bharat Jodo Yatra from Aluva UC college in Kerala

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday resumed the 'Bharat Jodo Yatra' by planting a sapling brought from Lakshadweep at the premises of the Union Christian College Aluva here. He also paid floral tribute to a mango tree planted by Mahatma Gandhi at the college on March 18, 1925. "Day 15 began at 6:20 am from UC College, Aluva with @RahulGandhi paying floral tribute at a mango tree planted by the Mahatma there on 18.03.1925. @RahulGandhi planted a sapling brought from Lakshadweep by a delegation of Athithi Yatris. This is the spirit of #BharatJodoYatra," senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh tweeted. Thousands joined Gandhi on the 15th day of the Bharat jodo Yatra, with one side of the national highway completely filled with Congress workers waving the party flag. The morning session of the Yatra will cover a distance of around 11 kms and will conclude at Karukutty Kappela Junction at Angamaly. Gandhi will be addressing the press at a convention centre here. The evening leg of t