Anti-Incumbency Grips Chennai Ahead of LS Poll
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Edition 8 Page 1_Layout 1 4/8/2019 11:54 AM Page 1 Volume No19 Issue No 8 March 22, 2019 LAB JOURNAL OF THE ASIAN COLLEGE OF JOURNALISM Parties promise Violations of HC Kallicharran back loan waivers for ban on flex banners with book on students, farmers continue in city his struggles Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Anti-incumbency grips Outrage over bid to politicise Pollachi rape Chennai ahead of LnSage as theipr biggeost issuel.“Ml etro justice,” said Dhanalakshmi (43), a of Pollachi are in shock, not NARESH SINGARAVELU NARESH SINGARAVELU water authorities are providing fruit seller. “All those involved in understanding what exactly has OMJASVIN M D water only on alternate days. CHENNAI: The horrific case of this must be given the worst happened. Both these parties Hence, we are facing a terrible the alleged sexual harassment of punishments possible,” she (DMK and AIADMK) are looking NEETHU S water shortage,” said Muthukumar over 50 women in Pollachi and its asserted. for political mileage.” R (45), an auto driver in Santhome, subsequent politicisation has left The four accused, K Meanwhile, Deputy Speaker CHENNAI: Ahead of the Lok part of Chennai South. residents of Chennai enraged. Thirunavukkarasu (27), N Jayaraman has denied allegations Sabha elections on April 18, a P.Thanigaivel, a resident of Old The issue caused widespread Sabarirajan (25) aka Rishwanth, N that his family was involved in the strong sense of anti-incumbency Washermenpet said: ‘‘The metro outrage after popular Tamil Sathish (29) and T. Vasanthakumar case. and resentment against poor water water sometimes stinks and is in magazine Nakkeeran released a (24) were arrested after an FIR was “There is no evidence for the supply are prevalent among voters yellow colour. We use that for bat - heart-wrenching video of two registered on February 24 based on allegations made against me and across the three Lok Sabha hing and cooking as well.’’ unidentified victims pleading with a complaint from a 19-year-old girl, members of my family. We help constituencies in the city, according Most residents in Washermenpet their tormentors. who was befriended by Sabarirajan those who are affected and nobody to a survey conducted by The do not have bore-well facility and The editor of the magazine, before being lured and allegedly will be affected by us,” he told The Word. government last month. Around 89 introduced it just to buy our votes.” they’re dependent on the hand- Nakkeeran Gopal, released a sexually harassed in a car on Hindu. Out of nearly 150 voters chosen percent of the respondents believed However, 19.6 percent said that pumps and the water tankers. ‘‘We separate video where he linked February 12. Further, the victim who came at random and surveyed in Chennai the scheme will not be useful. these schemes will indeed benefit have to request houses with bore- Tamil Nadu Deputy Speaker The name of a fifth accused, forward and complained to the North, Chennai South and Chennai “It is not very different from bri - poor people. wells to give us water,’’ he says. Pollachi V. Jayaraman and his sons 'Bar' Nagaraj, an AIADMK police also revealed in an interview Central constituencies in the city, bing for votes. They [AIADMK] “This government did not do In Chennai South, many resi - to the case. functionary, who was expelled by to The Lede that she had met Mr. 81.6 percent said ‘no’ when asked are selling votes,” said Dhanalaks - anything for the betterment of peo - dents complained they got water This was followed by an intense the party on 11 March, has been Jayaraman along with her brother if they were satisfied with their hmi (43), a fruit seller. ple. We want a change”, said Ara - only on alternate days. “We are fa - politicisation of the issue, with the added to the FIR. and that he had helped them file the constituency’s MP. A similar trend was seen in the vindan R (22), Alandur. cing acute shortage. Water is not Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam “Without the assistance of case. The anti-incumbency sentiment Chennai South constituency, held Poor water supply remained one coming from the borewells hence (DMK) blaming the Deputy politicians, how can these men “It is clear that it is the DMK’s was as high as 95 per cent in Chen - by the AIADMK; here 78.6 percent of the biggest civic issues.Around we are completely depend on Speaker and the latter filing cases exploit so many women for seven agenda. The party president M K nai North alone which mostly has of the respondents said they were 67 percent of respondents in the Metro water”, said Ramadevi K against Sabareesan, son-in-law of years without getting caught? Why Stalin and former Minister K fishermen, labourers, and small not satisfied with the current MP three constituencies cited inade - (22), who owns a tea shop in Alan - DMK president M K Stalin, and did AIADMK expel Bar Nagaraj?” Ponmudy have said that this case scale workers. The AIADMK won and 21.2 percent expressed satis - quate water supply or poor drai - dur. Nakkeeran Gopal, for an alleged said Shanmugam (32), a cab driver. will be beneficial for the DMK in the seat in 2014. faction with the current govern - nage as their single biggest issue. The story was similar in Chennai misinformation campaign. Dr R Mahendran, Vice President the elections,” Jayaraman told The In Chennai Central constituency, ment. As much as 78.6 percent of Almost 90 percent people in Central. “With the summer approa - Reacting to the developments, of Makkal Needhi Maiam, told The Hindu. won by the AIADMK, the anti-in - the respondents opposed the cash Chennai north said poor water sup - ching, the water problem will only residents in the city called for swift Lede, an online news portal, “This Social media users had started an cumbency rate stood at 79.2 per - assistance of Rs 2000. ply was the major problem in their increase. I can’t afford water tan - justice for the perpetrators. is an outcry from the people. No online petition calling for a judicial cent. People were especially miffed Pushpalatha(40), a teacher from constituency and 76 percent of the kers,” said Durai (52) an auto dri - “The issue has now been made political party should try to gain probe into the case, which was with the Rs. 2000 assistance Guindy, said “They are giving back respondents in Chennai South re - ver based in Egmore. into a political blame game, and the mileage out of this.” signed by 1,34,000 people at the scheme launched by the AIADMK our own money. We all know they ported either water supply or drai - victims are now left with no “ For nearly 20 days, the people time of writing. Compost bins Booths for disabled or dumping NEHA MALARA have been made for six of these ling through the media to reach out Monthly metro rail which include visually impairment, to the differently abled. They were sites? CHENNAI: A special voting booth speech or hearing disability and lo - asked to call in at a Whatsapp num - N SINDHU is to be set up at the Institute of comotor disability. This is the first ber (9445477699) to register but Mental Illness for its 200 inmates, time the Election offices at various only about 100 responded. passes find few takers CHENNAI: The Greater Chennai according to an official of the Elec - levels have been asked to identify The Election Commission of Corporation has decided to create tion Commission of India. persons with disabilities from the India had also issued guidelines to AMIR MALIK that day. small composting yards in parks and Allaying concerns that these electoral roll. provide pick and drop facilities. Ramesh, a commuter said, “the fare is high other open spaces to make the city people could be manipulated, Ba - Special ramps have been However, the officials are still CHENNAI: Chennai Metro Rail Limited has already, it will only help the upper class.” free of garbage bins and prevent laji, Deputy Collector at the Public constructed at polling booths and unclear on how to execute them. introduced a monthly pass costing Rs 2500 that Ganeshan, a Pharmacist who travels four to five rubbish from piling up on the (Elections) Office Tamil Nadu, said wheelchairs will also be provided These guidelines were released in allows commuters to travel any number of times and times a week from Ashok Nagar to Anna Nagar, said roadsides. that a survey conducted at the insti - for easy access. Currently, there are October last year but the election anywhere on the network for 30 days. The cards have if the metro reduced the fare, more passengers would However, 169 micro composting tute concluded that the inmates 913 locations in the city and one office here says that they were not a validity of 90 days and can be recharged before it come. “The metro then would not have to woo them centres which were set up across the were in a condition to vote. He wheelchair will be provided for implemented until January this expires. by giving free rides,” he added. city earlier, for processing compost pointed out that special booths had each location. However, there are year. Metro fares range between a minimum of Rs 10 Mohammed Kauser, station manager at Central from waste, have become dumping been previously set up at a blind 3754 polling booths in the city. The ECI has also set up a and a maximum of Rs 70 with the fares doubling for metro said only if a person travelled 4 to 5 times a sites.