Gives a piece of his mind to the world PM Narendra Modi took a swipe at the Says gender equality is a crucial of the world, wondering how long will they “continue to distribute certificates to us” Compliments the military for using an indigenously developed howitzer for the first time for the ceremonial 21-gun salute at the event parameter of unity with the family as its foundation holier than thou attitude tiruchy l tuesday l august 16, 2022 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION 5-point agenda for the next 25 years Salutes children who say ‘no’ to imported toys, says Aatmanirbhar Bharat runs through their veins Hails India’s diversity, says people should be proud of every language of the country CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI ■ ■ Think big ‘No’ to slavery Rich legacy Unity, solidarity Citizens’ role Make a big resolution to become developed India by 2047 when we celebrate the 100th year of Independence. Don’t settle for anything less Slavery of hundreds of years forced us to keep our emotions tied up; developed distorted thinking in us. We must liberate ourselves from that mindset We should feel proud of our heritage and legacy. It is this rich heritage and legacy that transcends tests of tide and time. It embraces the new Ensure unity and solidarity. When there is harmony, unity becomes its strongest virtue. The Ek Bharat Shreshtha Bharat scheme is a unifying initiative Do your duty as a citizen. This virtue is going to be the vital life force if we want to achieve the dreams we have for the next 25 years Pm raps nepotism, sets Developed nation goal E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ New Delhi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday said the completion of 75 years of Independence was a time to step towards a new direction with a new resolve. Addressing the nation from Red Fort on the occasion of Independence Day, he set a series of goals for the next 25 years, adding India must be a developed nation by then. “In the coming years, we’ve to focus on Panch Pran — first, to move forward with a resolve to realise the dream of developed India; second, erase all vestiges of colonialism; third, be proud of our legacy; fourth, leverage the strength of unity, and fifth, adhere to duties.” The PM called for a fight against corruption and dynasticism, saying they are the twin evils that need to be overcome. He said nepotism is hollowing out India’s institutions and is leading to corruption. “When I talk about nepotism, people think I am talking about politics only but unfortunately , , that evil in the political field has nurtured favouritism in every institutions of India,” Modi said, adding many institutions have been affected by family rule. “It has harmed our talent and the nation’s capability and given rise to corruption. It is our effort that those who have looted the country should be made to pay back. We need to fight corruption with all our might,” he said. “We are trying to bring back those who ran away after looting banks in the previous governments. We have seized their assets. Many people have been forced to live in jails... Even the big people will not be able to esUnless we develop hatred towards the corrupt and corruption, until we relegate these people to social shaming, such mentality will not change — Narendra Modi State hikes DA by 3% for staff, pensioners E XPR E SS N E WS S E RVIC E @ Chennai CHIEF Minister MK Stalin on Monday announced a three percent hike in dearness allowance for over 16 lakh employees, pensioners, and family pensioners of the State government. This would cost the State exchequer an additional expenditure of `1,947.60 crore. Stalin announced this after hoisting the national flag on the ramparts of Fort St George. He said the hike in DA is being given, accepting the demand of government employees, despite severe financial strain. The CM also announced the monthly pension for freedom fighters would be enhanced from `18,000 to `20,000 from this Independence day The pen. sion for the families of freedom fighters as well legal heirs of Veerapandiya Kattabomman, Marudhu brothers of Sivaganga, Muthuramalinga Viyaraghunatha Sethupathi, and VO Chidambaranar would also be hiked from `9,000 to `10,000. Stating Mahatma Gandhi epitomised all lofty humanitar- Savarkar, Tipu flexes tense up Shivamogga M A RX T E JA SWI @ Shivamogga Prohibitory orders were clamped in the communally sensitive Shivamogga city in Karnataka on Monday after two groups tried to install the flexes of Hindutva icon V D Savarkar and 18th century Tipu Sultan at the same spot. While the police attempted to disperse the two groups, a 20year-old youth was stabbed in another area of the city No ar. rests have been made yet. Officials told this newspaper that it all began when a group put up a flex of Savarkar at Amir Ahmed Circle without permission from authorities. Later, police removed the flex. Later, another crowd wanted to put up the flex of Tipu Sultan but the police refused permission. When the group came close to the circle, the police resorted to a mild lathi charge. The first group, then, started a dharna. The police dispersed both the groups and placed a national flag at the circle. Schools and colleges will remain closed on Tuesday . ian principles like secularism, equality brotherhood, simplic, ity honesty and discipline, the , CM termed such ideals as urgent and necessary for the nation today “We are administer. ing the Dravidian model government which encompasses such ideals,” he said, adding development should be based on such principles and should lead to societal growth. “Though there are three different colours in our national flag, they remain together in equal proportions. Similarly, despite differences, only unity among us will save India. If we are to tackle attacks from forces from outside, we have to be united within. This is very important and to ensure this will be the true tribute to the martyrs who fought for the freedom of the country Stalin added. ,” Giving a detailed account of the contribution of Tamil Nadu to the freedom struggle of the country, the CM said an Independence Day Museum would be established in Chennai to highlight TN’s continued contributions over 260 years. P4 Despite differences, only unity among us will save India. If we are to tackle attacks from forces from outside, we have to be united - Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin @ Ahmedabad All the 11 convicts serving life sentence for the Bilks Bano gang-rape case in 2002 during the Gujarat riots case, walked free from the Godhra sub-jail on Monday after the Gujarat gover nment allowed their release under its remission policy . A special CBI court in Mumbai had on January 21, 2008 sentenced the 11 accused to life imprisonment. Later, their conviction was upheld by the Bombay High Court. The convicts had served more than 15 years in jail. Citing this reason, one of them approached the Supreme Court praying for an early release. The apex court directed the Gujarat govern- important pillar of India’s growth. But the remarks led the opposition and activists to question the government over the on-ground implementation of various policies for women. “It hurts me to say that we have witnessed a perversion in our day-to-day speaking, behaviour. We have been casually using language and words that are insulting to women. Can we not pledge to get rid of everything in our behaviour, culture and everyday life that humili- Caste bias SC panchayat chiefs hoist flag with TN govt support, fear reprisal not allowed to do it due to opposition from members of @ Pudukkottai/Chennai the dominant caste. After hoisting the flag, TamilarDESPITE 75 years of inde- asan broke down. “After 75 pendence, panchayat presi- years of Independence, a dents from SC comDalit has hoisted our munities in Tamil flag. I want people Nadu were able to from all communipeacefully hoist the ties to celebrate this tricolour in their reday together. I feel I spective villages on have become part of Monday only after history he said. ,” strict warnings from Panchayat presithe State gover n- ‘First time dents in villages, inment, visits from cluding Kunnampatin 3 yrs’ higher officials to tu, Narapakkam and A panchayat villages prone to Myilai, in Chengalcommunal tension president from pattu district, had Vilathikulam and amid police profaced minor probtection. Though hap- union, said he lems while hoisting py, many panchayat is happy about national flag on Rethe security presidents told TNIE public day, accordthey are now scared given. “Despite ing to the Tamil of reprisals and fur- being president Nadu Untouchabilither isolation of for three years, ty Eradication Front their communities this is the first (TNUEF). P Mafor raising the issue time I hoisted hadevan, president the national of caste-based of Myilai panchayat flag at the discrimination. said, “There was no panchayat In a village in chair in the panchaSenthakkudi pan- office,” he said. yat office for a long chayat in Pudukkottime. Except for one tai, reserved for the SC com- member, who also belongs to munity in the last election, the SC community, the rest panchayat president M Tam- of them maintain a distance ilarasan hoisted the nation- from me. As they know creal flag for the first time. ating problems due to caste Though he has been presi- will become a problem, they dent for two years, he was use other tactics.”  P4 N acc h i na r kk i n i yan M & S u ba s h i n i V i jayak u ma r CM Stalin delivers the independence day address in Chennai on Monday | PTI CM presents State awards to achievers Nallakannu’s gesture moves Stalin Chief Minister MK Stalin presented State awards to achievers, best-performing government departments and individuals who have contributed to the society. CM Stalin was moved when to nonagenarian CPI leader R Nallakannu, recipient of Thagaisal Thamizhar award, donated the prize money of `10.05 lakh along with `5,000 to CM’s Relief Fund. All 11 Bilkis Bano rape convicts walk out of jail D i l i p S i n g h Ks h at r i ya cape,” Modi pointed out. “Corruption is eating the country like termites.... This mindset is not going to change unless there is a feeling of nafrat (hatred) for corruption and the corrupt and people are forced to look down upon them socially he added. ,” Hailing India as the mother of democracy Modi also sought , an immediate check on the growing tendency of misogyny and disrespect towards women. He said respect for women is an ment to look into the issue of remission of his sentence, following which the government formed a committee. Panchmahals Collector Sujal Mayatra, who headed the panel, said the committee took a unanimous decision in favour of remission of all the 11 convicts in the case. “We received the order for their release letter from the government yesterday (Sunday) and, accordingly, they have been released,” he added. The 11 released convicts are Jaswant Nai, Govind Nai, Shailesh Bhatt, Radhyesham Bhagwan Das Shah, Bipin Chandra Joshi, Kesarbhai Vohania, Pradeep Mordhiya, Bakabhai Vohania, Rajubhai Soni, Mitesh Bhatt and Ramesh Chandana. Convicted for gangrape, murder of seven persons Bilkis Bano’s family was attacked by a mob at Randhikpur village in the Dahod district of Gujarat during the post-Godhra riots on March 3, 2002. Bilkis Bano, who was five months pregnant at that time, was gang-raped and seven members of her family were killed. Six other members managed to run away express read Rainy weather hit Kovai, Nilgiris till August 18 Chennai: After a brief dry spell, the rains are likely to return to Nilgiris and Coimbatore region for three days till August 18. The regional meteorological centre forecasted heavy rain during this period over Erode, Krishnagiri, Dharmapuri, Salem, Namakkal, Cuddalore, Ariyalur and Mayiladuthurai | P2 ates and demeans women?” Modi asked. The PM said he could foresee a manifold increase in the stake of women in public life in the next 25 years, adding their potential was beyond assessment. “If the efforts of our nari shakti are added to the hard work that is required to fulfil the dreams in this Amrit Kaal, then it will accelerate our growth. Our dreams will be more intense, vivacious and resplendent,” he said. Don’t trivialise sacrifices of our freedom fighters: Sonia E x p r e ss N e ws Se r v i c e @ New Delhi Congress chief Sonia Gandhi on Monday hit out at the “self-obsessed” Narendra Modi government for “trivialising” the sacrifices of freedom fighters. “We have achieved a lot over the past 75 years but what can never be accepted is that the current self-obsessed government is hell-bent on trivialising the great sacrifices of our freedom fighters and the country’s glorious achievements,” she said. The sharp reaction came a day after the BJP released a video carrying its version of the partition of India, for which it blamed the then Congress leadership. Sonia said her party will strongly oppose any misrepresentation of history for political gains by putting icons of the Independence movement on the dock by peddling lies. “Under the leadership of its visionary leaders, India established an independent, fair and transparent electoral system. It also strengthened democratic and constitutional institutions. Side by side, India made an identity for itself for always living up to the ideals of plurality of languages, religions and communities,” she added. Indigo flight Flutter in plane after ‘bomber’ text message E x p r e s s N e w s Se r v i c e @ Mangaluru A seemingly innocuous exchange of WhatsApp messages between a woman and a man forced airport security to stop a flight from taking off at the Mangalore International Airport (MIA). It occurred on Sunday when the man, who was on the Mumbai-bound 6E-5237 Indigo flight and the woman who was at the airport exchanged the loaded text messages. Both were taken into custody by the police on Sunday and let off on Monday asking them to , appear on a later date. They told the police the text messages were a joke. K P Bhopanna, who works as a manager at MIA, lodged a complaint with Bajpe police on Sunday night that he received information from the airport staff that a person had received a suspicious text which read, “among all the Muslims, you are the bomber”. The man replied, saying, “Can you see me. Did you see the salute. So cute, have a safe flight.” “I immediately alerted the CISF. Personnel from CISF, BDDS, Indigo Security and technical staff took the flight to the isolation bay and passen- gers were deplaned,” Bhopanna said in his complaint. A co-passenger happened to peep into the WhatsApp mes- sage the man received, noticed the word ‘bomber’, and alerted an airhostess, who shared it with the pilot. The pilot then radioed ATC and the flight was stopped from taking off. Later, the passengers and their luggage were checked but no suspicious item was found. The 11 am flight finally took off six hours later. A case has been registered against the duo under Sections 505 (1) (b) of the IPC (intent to cause, or which is likely to cause, fear or alarm to the public). The man works in a company in Gujarat and the woman is pursuing her studies.