
Madurai Bench of Madras HC raps collector, police for inaction over caste discrimination in temple
Justice B Pugalendhi criticised authorities for keeping the temple closed since 2018 due to communal tension. 'The closure of a public temple, not for days or weeks but for years, under the guise of law and order, is a dereliction of constitutional duty,' he said. 'Stopping everyone from entering is not the way to maintain peace. The law cannot treat the oppressor and the oppressed as equals. The government must remember that peace built by denying rights is not real peace, it is surrender,' he added, slamming the collector and police for inaction.
The judge stressed that it is the duty of the HR&CE department and the state to ensure that no caste-based exclusion takes place in any temple. Citing the Kandadevi temple festival in Sivaganga, successfully conducted last year after a 17-year halt due to communal tension, he said it was possible only because the government took proactive steps, deployed adequate police force, engaged with communities, and ensured the participation of Scheduled Caste devotees.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


NDTV
2 hours ago
- NDTV
PM Modi To Surpass Indira Gandhi To Be PM With Second Longest Unbroken Stint
New Delhi: Narendra Modi is set to surpass Indira Gandhi on Friday to become the second longest serving prime minister of India in consecutive terms. PM Modi, officials noted, will complete 4,078 days in office on Friday. Gandhi was in the office in an unbroken stint for 4,077 days, from January 24, 1966 to March 24, 1977. The record for the unbroken stint is held by first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru. PM Modi has matched Nehru in leading their respective parties to victory in three consecutive Lok Sabha elections. As an elected head of a government, in state and at the Centre, Modi already enjoys the longest stint. He became Gujarat chief minister in 2001 and remained in the office before taking over as prime minister in 2014. PM Modi, the first prime minister born after Independence, is also the longest serving non-Congress PM. The officials noted that the Gujarat-born leader is also the only non-Congress leader to complete two full terms as the head of the central government. "Modi is the only leader in India, among all PMs and CMs, to win six consecutive elections as the leader of a party -- in Gujarat assembly polls in 2002, 2007 and 2012, and in the national elections in 2014, 2019, and 2024," an official said.


The Hindu
3 hours ago
- The Hindu
Amit Shah unveils National Cooperation Policy 2025
Union Home and Cooperation Minister Amit Shah unveiled the National Cooperation Policy 2025 on Thursday (July 24, 2025), aiming to connect 50 crore people with the cooperative sector. Dalits, Adivasis and women are at the core of the new cooperative policy, Mr. Shah said. This is only the second such policy for the sector since Independence, with the first being introduced in 2002 by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee's government. Expressing confidence that India will become the third largest economy by 2027, the Minister emphasised the need for the inclusive development of 130 crore people, noting that it is the cooperative sector that has the potential to change the lives of people. 'Only way to achieve aspirations' 'The 80 crore people who have got cylinders, houses by the government are wondering what to do next? Many people got electricity for the first time, they have a vaccum in their life, now they aspire for an iron [for clothes] or a Scooty... but they don't have the capital. Only the cooperative sector can help them in achieving their aspirations,' Mr. Shah said. The Minister said that the policy defines six pillars to achieve the set goals for the cooperative sector: strengthening the foundation, promoting vibrancy, preparing cooperative societies for the future, enhancing inclusivity and expanding reach, expanding into new sectors, and preparing the younger generation for cooperative development. The Ministry of Cooperation has prepared a detailed plan for sectors like tourism, taxi services, insurance, and green energy, Mr. Shah said, adding that a start will be made in the taxi and insurance sectors in a very short time. The profits generated through these units will ultimately reach the members of Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) at the rural level. He emphasised that the goal is to build a large and robust cooperative ecosystem and firmly establish the belief that cooperation can be a vital instrument for the country's development for future generations.


New Indian Express
4 hours ago
- New Indian Express
Madras HC quashes money laundering case against KN Nehru's brother Ravichandran
CHENNAI: The Madras High Court has quashed the money laundering case registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) against N Ravichandran, brother of Tamil Nadu Minister for Municipal Administration and Water Supply, KN Nehru. A division bench comprising Justices MS Ramesh and V Lakshminarayanan passed the orders on Thursday by allowing the petition filed by Ravichandran, True Value Homes (India) Private Limited, TVH Energy Resource Private Limited and others, seeking to quash the Enforcement Case Information Report (ECIR) registered by the ED on 27 September, 2024, based on a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) case over alleged diversion of loan funds. Considering the fact that the predicate offence case was quashed by a single judge of the court on the grounds that no crime was committed in the alleged diversion of funds and that no public officials were involved, the division bench ordered the quashing of the ECIR. The ED had conducted raids at several premises, including those belonging to Nehru, his son and Lok Sabha Member KN Arun Nehru, and his brother Ravichandran from 7 to 9 April, 2025, which caused ripples in political circles. The raids were based on the CBI case registered in 2021.