politics 4 - The Latremie Post

Karur stampede: Madras HC slams Vijay’s party for absconding

The Madras High Court has strongly criticized the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) party, led by actor-turned-politician Vijay, following a stampede that occurred in Karur last week.

The court’s remarks came amid investigations into the incident, which resulted in casualties and raised concerns about crowd management during political events.

This development has put the spotlight on the responsibilities of political parties in ensuring public safety during gatherings. The TVK party is expected to cooperate fully with authorities as inquiries continue.
https://www.newsbytesapp.com/news/politics/no-remorse-no-responsibility-madras-high-court-raps-tvk/story

You can’t waive a promise

While the government has temporarily halted loan recovery, this relief cannot be extended for years or indefinitely unless banks are directed to restructure loans or defer recovery for a longer period. Soon, farmers will have to start repaying their credit or risk being tagged as defaulters. This status would shut the doors to fresh loans, leaving many farmers unable to purchase seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides for the upcoming crop.

In such a dire situation, there will be no sowing, no harvest, and consequently, no income. The farming community, already struggling under a severe crisis, will be pushed further into debt and deeper trouble. This clearly indicates the urgent need for immediate relief to help farmers get back on their feet.

A loan waiver has become a survival necessity for two main reasons: first, recent rains have washed away crops; and second, the ruling Mahayuti alliance—comprising the BJP, Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, and Ajit Pawar-headed NCP—promised during the 2024 assembly campaign to wipe out all farmers’ loan books. However, over eight months after coming to power, the alliance has so far delayed implementing this loan waiver.

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and his deputies, Shinde and Pawar, repeatedly assure that the promise has not been forgotten and that the waiver will be implemented at the appropriate time—though that time has yet to arrive. Given the current crisis of “wet drought,” now would be the ideal moment to fulfill this promise.

### Is a Loan Waiver the Right Solution?

Despite the promise and urgency, many experts believe that a loan waiver may not provide immediate relief to farmers. In reality, waivers tend to benefit banks more than the farmers themselves. The waiver money goes directly to lenders, helping financial institutions recover dues, but does little to solve the underlying distress faced by farmers. It does not put fresh capital into the hands of those who desperately need funds to cultivate the upcoming crop, typically sown in winter and harvested during March and April. Without such capital, the cycle of distress is bound to continue.

### Climate Change and Farming Risks

Another major challenge is the unpredictability of weather. Due to climate change, delayed, excessive, or insufficient monsoon spells have made farming increasingly risky. State government records reveal that over the past nine years, 519 lakh hectares of farmland across Maharashtra have been damaged due to unseasonal rains. Even Chief Minister Fadnavis recently acknowledged the toll climate change is taking on the agricultural sector during his visit to flood-affected areas in Marathwada and Solapur.

### Historical Context of Loan Waivers

Loan waivers are not new to Indian politics. In 2008, the UPA government announced a nationwide loan waiver scheme which reportedly benefited 70 lakh farmers from Maharashtra. In 2017, then-CM Devendra Fadnavis implemented a ₹34,000 crore waiver aimed at bailing out around 67 lakh debt-ridden farmers. Two and a half years later, in 2020, CM Uddhav Thackeray followed up with another waiver.

Agricultural scientist M.S. Swaminathan famously warned, “If agriculture goes wrong, nothing else will have a chance to go right.” This emphasizes that farmers need not just financial support, but also policy reforms and better access to resources.

### The Need for a Well-Planned Financial Package

A well-planned, sizable financial package could make a real difference. Direct support to farmers will ensure they receive immediate assistance to regain lost ground and attempt a comeback from the current crisis. Failure by the government to meet these basic needs could trigger severe consequences, such as rising debt levels, increased prices for essential commodities, and inflation.

Additionally, inadequate support may force many farmers to migrate to cities, potentially leading to social unrest. The human cost is stark: not all, but many farmer suicides are linked to financial distress. The latest National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report shows that in 2023, 10,786 farmers and agricultural workers took their own lives, with Maharashtra accounting for nearly 39% of these tragic deaths. In 2025 alone, 767 farmers died by suicide in Maharashtra, highlighting a deepening crisis in the sector.

### Political Assurances and Immediate Relief

Aware of this gravity, Eknath Shinde, in his recent Dussehra rally speech, promised every possible governmental and party support to pull farmers out of the crisis. Besides offering assurances, Shinde even pleaded with farmers not to take extreme steps.

Currently, as interim relief, farmers are being provided with ₹10,000 in cash along with 10 kg each of rice and wheat. However, what farmers truly need is not temporary aid, but sizeable and swift relief to survive today, accompanied by comprehensive loan waiver packages to help them rebuild sustainably.

### Conclusion

Without substantial and timely intervention, farmers will remain trapped in a vicious cycle of debt and distress. The future of Maharashtra’s agriculture and the livelihoods of millions depend on proactive, sustained support that goes beyond temporary fixes. The government must act decisively to translate promises into concrete actions before it is too late.
https://www.mid-day.com/news/opinion/article/you-cant-waive-a-promise-23597114

Lawsuit seeks to stop Trump’s $100,000 fee for H-1B visas

SEATTLE, Washington — In what appears to be the first major challenge to the new $100,000 fee required for H-1B visa applications, a coalition of health care providers, religious groups, university professors, and others filed a federal lawsuit on Friday to stop the plan.

The coalition argues that the new fee has “thrown employers, workers and federal agencies into chaos.” The lawsuit marks a significant pushback against the policy introduced during President Donald Trump’s administration.

https://business.inquirer.net/550756/lawsuit-seeks-to-stop-trumps-100000-fee-for-h-1b-visas

BJP hits back, says Rahul has become a flag-bearer of anti-India forces abroad

NEW DELHI: The BJP on Friday launched a scathing attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks at a seminar in Colombia, claiming he has become the flag-bearer of anti-India forces and is promoting their agenda in the country.

Party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi criticised Gandhi’s comments, saying they show that the Congress, controlled by the Nehru-Gandhi family for over a century, is now succumbing to anti-India elements.

Referring to Gandhi’s statement about India having 1,617 languages, Trivedi said, “You will now see that he will try to create a conflict over the issue of languages. Attempts have already been made in the past to create a North-South conflict.”

Trivedi called Gandhi the *jhanda bardar* (flag-bearer) of anti-India forces and appealed to the public to be wary of him and the Nehru-Gandhi family. “Today it seems that having a leader of the opposition like him is like a thorn in the heart of Indian democracy,” he said.

He added, “Those in the Congress, who are aware of the party falling into the clutches of dangerous foreign forces, are committing treason. I appeal to those who are not aware of this to show due diligence and stop such leaders.”

Trivedi also criticised the Congress leadership as immature, saying the party once had mature leaders like Indira Gandhi and P. V. Narasimha Rao, who knew how to handle the Ultra-Left. “Today, it is being used. It’s not a problem just for the Congress but a matter of concern for the country as well,” he said.

Further targeting Congress leader Udit Raj, who allegedly called Prime Minister Narendra Modi a symbol of modern Ravan, Trivedi said, “I only want to simply remind those who supported the killers of Rambhakt karsevaks did not attend the inauguration of Ram Temple in Ayodhya but visited Babar’s memorial three times to pay their obeisance.”

He added, “People know very well who the symbols of Ravan’s propensity of Lord Ram’s sanskar are.”
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Oct/04/bjp-hits-back-says-rahul-has-become-a-flag-bearer-of-anti-india-forces-abroad

Party’s response on EC final voter list soon: Chakravarty

**Congress to Issue Detailed Feedback on Bihar Voter List Amid Data Format Challenges**

NEW DELHI: Days after the Election Commission of India (EC) published the final voter list for the upcoming Bihar polls, the Congress party has announced that it will soon release a detailed feedback report. The task involves an arduous effort to download and analyze over 90,000 PDF files containing the voter list.

Praveen Chakravarty, Chairman of the AICC Data Analytics Department, informed this newspaper that the party’s data analytics team, along with EAGLE—the committee set up to monitor elections—has been rigorously working on the data.

“The final voter list is available only in PDF format, and unfortunately, these are scanned images rather than machine-readable digital text. The entire list runs into more than 90,000 pages. We have managed to download the PDFs, and the rest of the work remains,” Chakravarty said.

Opposition parties, including Congress, have criticized the Election Commission’s decision to replace the machine-readable draft voter lists with scanned image PDFs during this intensive revision exercise. Congress has been demanding access to the voter list in a machine-readable format, arguing that it would help identify and flag discrepancies more effectively.

However, citing a 2019 Supreme Court judgment, Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar stated that the voter list in machine-readable format cannot be shared with political parties due to concerns that it could be edited and misused.

The final voter list shows a reduction of nearly 47 lakh electors, bringing the total number down to 7.42 crore from 7.89 crore after the special intensive review of electoral rolls.

In response, CPI (ML) General Secretary Dipankar Bhattacharya said on Friday that the Opposition may approach the Supreme Court if the Election Commission fails to address the alleged discrepancies in the final voter list.
https://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/2025/Oct/04/partys-response-on-ec-final-voter-list-soon-chakravarty

Mumbai: Businessman Files Police Complaint Against Kurla’s Fauziya Hospital For Alleged Negligence Toward Elderly Mother

**Businessman Files Complaint Against Kurla’s Fauziya Hospital Over Alleged Negligence**

Haji Arafat Alamgir Shaikh, a businessman, former Chairman of the Maharashtra State Minority Commission, and BJP Transport Cell President, has lodged a police complaint against Kurla’s Fauziya Hospital. The complaint accuses the hospital management and staff of gross negligence and mistreatment of his 71-year-old mother, Shama Shaikh, who was admitted for treatment.

**Background of the Case**

According to the complaint filed at VB Road Police Station, Shama Shaikh has been suffering from diabetes for five years and had previously experienced a paralysis attack. She was admitted to Fauziya Hospital on September 15 following complaints of vomiting.

**Alleged Fall Due to Safety Lapses**

On September 16, while asleep on her hospital bed, Shama Shaikh allegedly fell to the floor because the bed lacked safety railings. She sustained injuries to her face, eyes, stomach, legs, and knees. Haji Arafat claims that although a domestic aide sounded an alarm, no nurse or ward boy attended to her for nearly 20 minutes.

When the hospital staff finally did respond, the night doctor reportedly dismissed the incident saying, “These small things happen in hospitals. Shift the old woman, we’ll see in the morning.”

**Delayed Medical Attention**

Despite her injuries, Shaikh’s mother reportedly received no medical treatment for over 12 hours. No doctor attended to her until 10 a.m. the following day, by which time swelling and black marks had appeared on her face and under her eyes due to internal bleeding.

Haji Arafat further alleged that it was only after his family doctor, Sohail Khan, visited and insisted on immediate treatment that medical procedures were initiated.

**Accusations Against Hospital Staff**

The complaint names hospital director Dr. Anjum Deshmukh, administrator Usman Shaikh, and duty nurses Amisha Mali and Pratima Gupta as responsible for the negligence. Additionally, Riyaz Shaikh, a hospital staff member who arrived to conduct an X-ray 24 hours later, allegedly behaved rudely towards the elderly patient, reportedly saying in an insulting tone: “Eat later, don’t you understand? I don’t have time for this now.”

**Police Action**

Citing neglect, irresponsibility, and inhumane behavior, Haji Arafat filed a formal complaint at VB Road Police Station. Based on his statement, a case has been registered against the hospital’s directors and staff. The V. B. Marg Police have initiated further investigation into the matter.

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This incident raises concerns about patient safety and the quality of care in healthcare institutions, underscoring the importance of strict adherence to medical protocols and compassionate treatment of elderly patients.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/mumbai/mumbai-businessman-files-police-complaint-against-kurlas-fauziya-hospital-for-alleged-negligence-toward-elderly-mother

Karur stampede: Madras HC forms SIT, denies pre-arrest bail to TVK leaders

The court has rejected the anticipatory bail petitions of two senior Tamil Vikatan Katchi (TVK) leaders and criticised both the party and the police over the recent mishap. Additionally, a plea by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the incident was dismissed. The bench directed her to approach the Madurai court instead, according to PTI reports.

Chief Minister MK Stalin and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) launched political attacks, blaming the BJP and TVK respectively. Stalin accused the BJP of attempting to exploit the tragedy for political gains. Meanwhile, the DMK slammed actor Vijay for his arrogance, hunger for money, publicity mania, and desire for power. The party stated that Vijay’s challenge to the state government to arrest him was merely an attempt to divert attention from the deaths of 41 people.

In response to the tragedy, a Special Investigation Team (SIT) has been formed under senior Indian Police Service (IPS) officer and Inspector General, North Zone, Asra Garg, PTI reported.

The High Court also held the TVK event organisers, party leadership, and police responsible for lapses that contributed to the stampede, which claimed the lives of several children.

The anticipatory bail pleas of TVK state General Secretary Bussy N Anand and Deputy General Secretary CTR Nirmal Kumar were dismissed. Both have been named in the first information report (FIR), along with a local party leader who has since been arrested. They face charges under sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 125 (endangering life of others), and 223 (disobedience to order) of the Indian Penal Code.

Furthermore, the court rejected the anticipatory bail petition of TVK Namakkal district secretary Sathish Kumar, who was linked to an attack on a private hospital during Vijay’s public meeting in Namakkal.

Chief Minister Stalin also alleged that the BJP and the Union government show no genuine concern over the stampede and are attempting to capitalise on the tragedy ahead of the 2026 Assembly Elections. He questioned, “Why was a delegation of NDA MPs sent to Karur urgently, while no teams were dispatched for the Manipur riots, Morbi bridge collapse, or Kumbh Mela stampede?”

The DMK continued its criticism of Vijay through its party organ, Murasoli, stating, “Vijay’s arrogance, responsible for the deaths of 41 persons, and his hunger for money, publicity mania, and desire for power, has not subsided yet.” The publication further claimed that his Rs 20 lakh solatium announcement for victims’ families was prompted by pressure. Adding, “By mounting a challenge to arrest him, he is trying to divert attention from the deaths of 41 persons.”

The government has already disbursed solatium to the victims’ families. Meanwhile, the DMK also criticised TVK leaders for arriving late to designated campaign spots, leaving supporters exhausted.
https://www.mid-day.com/news/india-news/article/sit-to-investigate-karur-stampede-says-hc-denies-anticipatory-bail-to-tvk-leaders-23597089

“We agreed to disagree”: Cowboys HC Brian Schottenheimer makes stance clear after Trevon Diggs speaks out on Week 4 benching

Last week, the Dallas Cowboys made the surprising decision to bench Trevon Diggs for their clash against the Green Bay Packers.

The game proved to be an intense battle, ultimately ending in a 40-40 overtime tie. Both teams had multiple opportunities to secure the win, making it a closely contested matchup that could have easily gone in either direction.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/nfl/news-https-x-com-jonmachota-status-19741552172108350

Madras High Court Orders SIT Probe Into Vijay’s TVK Rally Stampede

**Madras High Court Orders SIT Probe Into Karur Stampede at Vijay’s TVK Rally**

Chennai: Days after a tragic stampede at actor Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) rally in Karur claimed 41 lives, the Madras High Court (principal seat in Chennai) on Friday ordered the constitution of a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe the incident. The SIT will be headed by Inspector General of Police Asr Garg.

The court strongly condemned the TVK leaders for “abandoning” the innocent people who had gathered to watch Vijay but tragically lost their lives. In addition, the court directed the police to take action against the party’s office bearer, Aadhav Arjuna, for deleting a social media post that called for a Nepal-like Gen Z revolt.

In a related development, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court declined to order a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe, noting that the police investigation was still at a nascent stage. However, the bench instructed the State government not to grant permission for political rallies on highways until a Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) is established.

Separately, the court dismissed anticipatory bail petitions filed by TVK party general secretary ‘Bussy’ Anand and another office bearer, CTR Nirmal Kumar, both named in the FIR related to the stampede.

Justice N Senthilkumar, presiding over the main case in Chennai, directed the Karur police to hand over all documents related to the FIR to the SIT. The judge expressed concern that the State appeared lenient towards the accused, highlighting that several party leaders fled the scene after many women and children died.

Regretting the lack of remorse from the party leadership, Justice Senthilkumar commented that this attitude reflected their “mental state.” He added, “The court, however, cannot close its eyes. The court cannot be a mute spectator. The court cannot shirk its responsibilities. The entire world has witnessed the sequences as well as consequences of the event.”

Describing the tragedy as a man-made disaster, the judge noted that even the President and Prime Minister had expressed condolences and extended support to the victims and their families.

The judge also took note of a petition mentioning that Vijay was named in the FIR. Citing video footage showing two-wheeler riders getting injured after falling near Vijay’s caravan, Justice Senthilkumar questioned why no hit-and-run case had been registered. He urged the police to suo motu file an FIR based on the available video evidence to ensure a thorough investigation.
https://www.freepressjournal.in/india/madras-high-court-orders-sit-probe-into-vijays-tvk-rally-stampede

Former Kata’ib Hezbollah hostage Elizabeth Tsurkov issues first statement since release

Former Kata’ib Hezbollah Hostage Elizabeth Tsurkov Issues First Statement Since Release

Elizabeth Tsurkov, an Israeli-Russian hostage formerly held by Kata’ib Hezbollah, has issued her first public statement since her release. Writing on her X (formerly Twitter) account in English, Arabic, and Hebrew, Tsurkov expressed her heartfelt gratitude to everyone who played a role in securing her freedom.

Her message resonated widely across different linguistic communities, highlighting the collaborative efforts behind her release.

[Image description: Elizabeth Tsurkov stands against a backdrop featuring the Iraqi and Israeli flags. (Photo credit: Canva, Elizabeth Tsurkov, Shutterstock)]

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By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-869344