Frequent protests and rallies held near Rajarathinam Stadium inconvenience residents
On Saturday at 11.30 am, Bernadine Joseph, a retired English professor who stepped out from her apartment to reach a hospital for dialysis found it difficult to navigate the road in her car since a huge number of protesters were squatting on the road blocking her way. She had to navigate the stretch with the help of police personnel who regulated the crowd.
Ms. Bernadine said, 'They hold mass protests and rallies here, causing a lot of disturbance for us. Protestors use loudspeakers, shout and sometimes play music and sing. This happens even on Sundays. And now and then there are huge crowds, and they block the road. They occupy the whole road from the end of Rajaratnam stadium till the beginning. If there is a protest going on,I can't enter although my house is just a few meters away. At other times, we are held like prisoners in our own homes because the crowd is so large, we cannot take our vehicles out. This has been been going on for several years.'
Residents face hardships to commute on Mashall's road, Montieth Road, Montieth Lane as they often get choked due to protests/ fasts.
Sancta Maria, another resident, said, 'If there is a big meeting, the whole road is choked and some people who are part of the protest, even use our compound as a toilet, and garbage bin. They come inside, and throw everything - food packets, water bottles. The whole place is so messy, and they make so much noise. As residents, we are unable to bear this sort of disruptions so frequently. Every time I call 100 and inform them, and they send the police, and they ask them to reduce the volume on the speakers, but they never do. We can not even go out in a car from here. '
Sudha Anand, YouTuber, said children and college students are not able to study whenever a protest is on. 'The use of high-decibel speakers even on Sundays causes a great deal of disturbance. Many offices located in the vicinity also face a great deal of inconvenience and noise pollution. Many of our residents are senior citizens requiring regular medical treatment. '
'They block the entire road, they put chairs right across. Forget ambulances, even cars and bikes cannot go out if they're using the road,' said Samuel Fredrick. The residents requested the Greater Chennai City Police to change the venue of the meetings/ protests or restrict the permission given for protests.
However, a senior police officer said there are now only three permitted places for protests, fasts or procession- near Rajarathinam Stadium, Sivananda Salai and Langs Garden in Triplicane Police district- centre of city. 'Always when we give permission, it is with conditions such as to not use high decibel speakers. If there is a violation reported, we file cases. We will take into account the grievances of residents and will take suitable steps.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Hindustan Times
4 hours ago
- Hindustan Times
FIR against party leader over ‘A for Akhilesh, B for Babasaheb', Samajwadi Party chief hits back
After an FIR was filed against Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Farhad Alam Gada in Saharanpur district for allegedly teaching children a 'politicised' version of the English alphabet, SP national president Akhilesh Yadav accused the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of being 'anti-education.' Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has accused the BJP of bein g 'anti-education'. (HT FILE PHOTO) The complaint, filed by Main Singh of Kallarpur Gurjar village at Kotwali Dehat police station, alleged that Farhad Gada had been conducting informal lessons at a so-called 'PDA Pathshala' set up at his home in Ramnagar. The controversy erupted after a video of one such class surfaced on social media. In the footage, schoolchildren—wearing uniforms and reportedly from a private school—were seen being taught alternative alphabet associations such as: A for Akhilesh, B for Babasaheb (Ambedkar), D for Dimple (Yadav) and M for Mulayam Singh Yadav. The complaint also mentioned that comparing Babasaheb Dr BR Ambedkar to Akhilesh and Dimple was an insult to the Dalit icon. According to police officials, the content raised concerns of political indoctrination of minors, prompting the registration of a case under relevant sections, including Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita section 353(2) (statements conducing to public mischief) and section 3(2)(V) of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. Farhad Gada, who runs the PDA Pathshala—named after the SP's social justice plank 'Pichda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak' (Backward Classes, Dalits, Minorities) plank—defended the lessons. He claimed the goal was not merely to teach ABCs but to 'educate children about the great men of Samajwadi ideology' and foster political awareness from a young age. Gada also revealed his ambition to expand such schools throughout the district. Taking to the social media platform X, Akhilesh Yadav wrote, 'Even the British did not file an FIR for studying. The anti-education face of the BJP has now been exposed to the public.'
NDTV
7 hours ago
- NDTV
Election Commission Uses India's 6-Run Win Against England To Encourage Voting
Thirteen months ago, when India beat South Africa in the final of the ICC World T20, Mohammad Siraj, in an after-match interview, said: "I only believe in Jassi bhai". On Monday, when he walked onto The Oval, England needed 35 runs to win, and they had four wickets in hand. Siraj, who didn't play that final against the Proteas in June 2024, didn't have Jasprit Bumrah with him today. And he told himself: "Believe in yourself." He picked up a fifer and India beat England by six runs to win the fifth and final Test of the series. What looked like a sure-shot English victory on day four turned into a dramatic collapse as Siraj led India to one of the most thrilling comebacks in recent memory. With this win, India levelled the five-match series 2-2, capping off an unforgettable contest. And much like the fans, the Election Commission has tapped into the excitement surrounding the win to promote democratic participation, comparing the win to voting. "Team India wins the 5th Test by just 6 runs! Edge-of-the-seat stuff, because every run is a game-changer. In a democracy, every vote counts just as much. Every eligible elector must enrol in the electoral roll!" they wrote on X. ???? Team India wins the 5th Test by just 6 runs! Edge-of-the-seat stuff, because every run is a game-changer. In a democracy, every vote counts just as much. ✅ Every Eligible Elector must Enroll in the Electoral Roll! ???? @BCCI #INDvsENGTest #OvalTest #TeamIndia #SIR #Bihar — Election Commission of India (@ECISVEEP) August 4, 2025 Enrolling in the electoral roll means registering yourself as a voter in the country's official list of eligible voters. The Commission's message comes as it carries out a Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of the voter list in Bihar, ahead of state assembly elections due later this year. The drive, which saw a 99.8 per cent participation, collected around 7.24 crore registration forms. The revision led to the removal of approximately 65.6 lakh names from the rolls, mainly classified as dead, duplicate, migrated, or untraceable, leaving 7.24 crore electors in the draft list released on August 1. Opposition parties have slammed the exclusion of Aadhaar, Voter ID (EPIC), and ration cards as valid documents in the voter roll revision process. The Supreme Court is currently hearing the case and has warned it will intervene if it detects large-scale removal of eligible voters. Earlier, the Court directed the Election Commission to accept these commonly used IDs during the SIR. Coming back to the match, the fifth Test match delivered high drama as England, chasing a formidable target of 374, were in cruise control mode. With tons from Joe Root and Harry Brook, the hosts crossed the 300-run mark and seemed well on course for a memorable win. A stunning reversal followed. Mohammed Siraj delivered a fiery spell, tightening the screws when it mattered most. England's batting order crumbled under pressure, losing their last seven wickets for only 66 runs. Finishing the match, India bowled them out for 367, securing victory by a razor-thin margin of six runs, their narrowest in red ball cricket. AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi also celebrated Mohammed Siraj's stellar performance with a tweet in Hyderabadi slang, " Poora khol diye Pasha," meaning Siraj was at his absolute best. The fast bowler, who took 23 wickets in the five-match series and five in the final innings, was named Man of the Match.
The Print
10 hours ago
- The Print
What's in Delhi govt's new private school fee regulation bill & why are parents concerned
The new bill aims to ensure uniform fee regulation for all private unaided schools, including minority institutes, as well as those not allotted any government land. Till now, fee regulation in Delhi has applied only to private schools operating on land allotted by the Delhi Development Authority. The bill also prohibits schools from harassing students over unpaid or delayed fees, including measures such as striking off names, withholding results, denying access to classes, or public humiliation. On Monday, Chief Minister Rekha Gupta and Education Minister Ashish Sood introduced the Delhi School Education (Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees) Act, 2025. The move comes three months after they first announced the bill amid a wave of protests by parents over fee hikes by several private schools at the start of the academic session in April. New Delhi: Calling its bill to regulate fees in private schools 'historic', the Delhi government Monday introduced the much-awaited draft legislation in the assembly as parents raised concerns over several of its provisions, including the requirement of at least 15 percent of parents uniting to challenge any fee hike by private schools, terming the condition as 'impractical'. Speaking to the media, ahead of the assembly session, Sood said, 'Today marks a golden day in the history of Delhi's education system. For the first time in 27 years, a historic bill will be introduced in the assembly under the leadership of Chief Minister Rekha Gupta.' The bill was 'aimed at ending the exploitation, pressure, and mental harassment faced by parents over school fees', added Sood. ThePrint explains what the draft bill is and why parents remain unconvinced that it will resolve the issue. How will fee approvals work now? According to the bill, each private school will need to form a School-Level Fee Regulation Committee annually. Constituted by 15 July of every academic year, the committee will include five parents from the Parent-Teacher Association (PTA), as selected in a draw of lots. It must also include at least two women and at least one other member from the Scheduled Castes, Scheduled Tribes, or socially and educationally backwards classes. Additionally, a representative from the Directorate of Education (DoE) will be part of the committee. The chairperson will be a representative of the school management. Once the committee is in place, the school management should submit the proposed fee structure and all other relevant records, considering 31 July as the deadline to do so. For the next three academic years, the fee structure will stay fixed. The committee will have the authority to review and approve the fees, but cannot approve an amount higher than the one proposed by management. It may revise the amount downward. The committee must decide on the fee within 30 days of receiving the proposal. Once approved, the fee structure will be on the school notice board in Hindi, English, and the medium of instruction. If the school has a website, the approved fee must also be published there. What the School-Level Fee Regulation Committee approves will be binding on the school for the next three academic years. The committee will also specify the various heads under which private schools can charge fees. Also Read: Two realities of NEP: Sensory classrooms & hi-tech labs, to kids sitting on floor & no teachers What happens if parents aren't satisfied? The bill mandates that any challenge to the decision of the School-Level Fee Regulation Committee must come from an 'Aggrieved Parents Group', comprising at least 15 percent of the total number of parents in the school. Only when supported by at least 15 percent of the parent body, a fee-related grievance will be considered. When it wishes to challenge the School-Level Fee Regulation Committee, the 'Aggrieved Parents Group' can approach the District Fee Appellate Committee—constituted by the Director of Education, chaired by the district Deputy Director of Education, and including representatives from the school management and the parent-teacher association, and a chartered accountant. The District Fee Appellate Committee must communicate its decision on any fee dispute within 30 days of receiving the appeal, and no later than 45 days within the same academic year. If it fails to do so, the matter will automatically be referred to the Revision Committee, as specified in the Act. If the 'Aggrieved Parents Group' or school management is dissatisfied with the decision, they could file an appeal before the Revision Committee within 30 days. The Revision Committee will be notified by the government and chaired by an eminent person with notable contributions in the field of education. It will also have representatives from the parents and the school. The bill proposes strict penalties for non-compliance, with fines ranging from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 10 lakh. In cases of non-payment, the government can seize and sell the movable or immovable property of the school management, appoint a receiver to manage assets, or take any other recovery action, as prescribed in the bill. However, it will not impose a penalty without hearing both parties and giving adequate time. Sudha Acharya, principal of ITL public school, said the school has already constituted the school level committee. 'We will try to take parents on board right from the beginning so that there is no need to go to the district committee. It's too early to comment on the bill. Let it first be pass and come into effect,' she said. Why are parents raising concerns? Among the various concerns parents are raising over the proposed bill, the most important is how the bill defines 'aggrieved parents'. It would deprive individual parents of their right to raise a complaint, they argue. 'Requiring a minimum of 15 percent of a school's parents to challenge the school-level Fee Regulatory Committee's decision before the district committee is nearly impossible. It effectively denies parents the right to contest arbitrary fee hikes,' said Ashok Agarwal, chairperson of All India Parents Association. Parents are also raising concerns over the selection process for parent representatives in the school-level committee. 'Why cannot there be elections instead? Who will ensure the draw of lots is fair and free from discrepancies? How do you guarantee transparency?' asked Shikha Bhagga, a lawyer and member of the Forum of Indian Parents. Bhagga also questioned the criteria to determine fees. 'Infrastructure should not be a factor in deciding the fee—it is the school's asset, not the responsibility of the students. Both the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court have held in several cases that infrastructure has no direct bearing on fees,' she said. Moreover, parents are showing concern over one of the clauses—the fees, which schools will charge, starting 1 April 2025, will be the proposed fee for the 2025–26 academic year. 'Many schools hiked fees illegally this year without any approval, and they continue to charge them. The bill not only allows that but effectively legitimises it,' Bhagga added. Questioning the bill, AAP's Atishi called it a deliberate attempt by the BJP government to protect the interests of private schools, rather than those of the students and parents. 'The government intentionally delayed the bill from April to July, allowing schools to hike fees unchecked and extort money from parents. The biggest concern is that the bill includes no provision to roll back these fee hikes, effectively legitimising them. This bill serves private school owners, not the public,' she said in a press conference. (Edited by Madhurita Goswami) Also Read: 'Honest history, not ideology'—NCERT social science panel chief on changes in Class 8 textbook
