Chennai:

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has hinted at a cabinet reshuffle on his return from the US trip to draw investments to the state. There was intense speculation that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader would elevate his son, Udhayanidhi Stalin, as his deputy and bring in a few new faces removing a few sitting ministers before his foreign trip.

Asked by reporters if there would be a change in the council of ministers, Mr Stalin said, “Only change is unchanging. Wait and see”.

Udhayanidhi Stalin, 46, is currently Tamil Nadu’s sports and youth welfare minister. He also handles the key portfolio of special programme implementation.

Udhayanidhi Stalin’s Rise In Tamil Nadu Politics

Udhayanidhi Stalin’s elevation would be a key step in strengthening the second-rung leadership in the DMK, sources have said.

This is also being seen as a key move to counter the entry of Tamil star Vijay in the 2026 Tamil Nadu assembly polls.

The junior Stalin had handled DMK’s key campaign responsibility in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, 2021 assembly polls, and this year’s Lok Sabha election, which was swept by the party in the state, raising expectations of rewards.

To avert any rebellion, the party has already rewarded sons and daughters of senior leaders and made them MLAs, ministers, and  MPs. The list includes TRB Rajaa, Thangam Thennarasu, Tamilachi Thangapandian, Kathir Anand, Kalanidhi Veerasamy, MK Kanimozhi and Dayanidhi Maran.

MK Stalin’s US Visit

MK Stalin has embarked on a 17-day trip to the US to bring investments and high-end jobs to the state.

Mr Stalin’s first stop will be Silicon Valley, where he will meet with potential investors, including CEOs of global Fortune 500 companies in San Francisco. He will also meet non-resident Tamil communities in San Francisco and Chicago.

Speaking to NDTV, Tamil Nadu Industries Minister T R B Rajaa said, “Tamil Nadu is poised for significant growth, and we expect a lot of good news from the US on investments”.

“The Chief Minister will ensure that the state gets the best. You’d be excited about the outcome,” he added.

According to sources, Mr Stalin’s special focus is on areas like artificial intelligence, research and development in tech, and attracting global capacity centers.

With a vision to turn Tamil Nadu into a one trillion dollar economy by 2030, Mr Stalin’s US tour is seen as a crucial step in realizing the state’s vision of becoming a hub for high-end jobs and global investments.

This is his fourth overseas trip as Chief Minister to draw investments. The state government claims these visits and other initiatives have resulted in investment commitments worth Rs 9.3 lakh crore over the last three years, which is expected to generate 31 lakh direct and indirect jobs.

New Delhi:

DMK leader and Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin has criticised the raising of ‘Jai Shri Ram’ slogans to mock a Pakistan cricketer during the India-Pakistan World Cup match in Ahmedabad Saturday. Mr Stalin’s remarks have drawn a sharp response from BJP leaders, with the party’s national spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia calling him a “mosquito” out to “spread poison”. 

Videos of people raising the slogans as Pakistan’s wicketkeeper-batter Mohammad Rizwan walked to the dugout has sparked strong reactions. Many have said the sloganeering was against the spirit of cricket and amounted to harassing the cricketer.

Some voices, however, have pointed out to Mr Rizwan offering namaz on the field and expressing solidarity with the people in war-hit Gaza in an earlier match, alleging that it was the Pakistan cricketer who brought religion to the field.

India is renowned for its sportsmanship and hospitality. However, the treatment meted out to Pakistan players at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is unacceptable and a new low. Sports should be a unifying force between countries, fostering true brotherhood. Using it as a tool… pic.twitter.com/MJnPJsERyK

— Udhay (@Udhaystalin) October 14, 2023

Taking to X, Ms Stalin said India in known for its sportsmanship and hospitality, and the treatment of players from the neighbouring country was a “new low”.

“India is renowned for its sportsmanship and hospitality. However, the treatment meted out to Pakistan players at Narendra Modi Stadium in Ahmedabad is unacceptable and a new low. Sports should be a unifying force between countries, fostering true brotherhood. Using it as a tool to spread hatred is condemnable,” he posted.

Earlier, Mr Stalin had sparked a row with his remarks on Sanatana Dharma. The DMK leader, who is the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and party chief MK Stalin, had said Sanatana Dharma is against the idea of social justice and must be “eradicated”. “Sanatana is like malaria and dengue and so it must be eradicated and not opposed,” he had said in September. The comment had drawn fire from the BJP.

Responding to his latest remark, BJP spokesperson Gaurav Bhatia posted on X in Hindi, “This hateful dengue, malaria mosquito is out to spread poison again. You don’t have a problem when a match is paused for namaz on the field,” he said. “Our Lord Ram resides in every corner of the universe, so say Jai Shri Ram,” he added. 

नफ़रती डेंगू मलेरिया मच्छर फिर निकला है विष घोलने जब मैच रुकवा कर फील्ड पर नमाज़ पड़ी जाती है तो तुम्हें साँप सूँघ जाता है

सृष्टि के हर कन कन मे हमारे प्रभु श्री राम बसते है, तो बोलो जय श्री राम #IndiavsPakpic.twitter.com/Tm7Ikxbtqw

— Gaurav Bhatia गौरव भाटिया (@gauravbhatiabjp) October 15, 2023

Trinamool Congress MP Saket Gokhale, too, has slammed raising of the slogans to heckle the Pakistani cricketer.

PM Modi desperately wants India to host the 2036 Olympics.

But if this is what BJP has reduced our audiences to – where they heckle a Pakistani player with chants of Jai Shri Ram – massive doubts remain over whether we’re qualified & sporting enough to host ANY international… pic.twitter.com/8m4BgdAOFn

— Saket Gokhale (@SaketGokhale) October 15, 2023

“PM Modi desperately wants India to host the 2036 Olympics. But if this is what BJP has reduced our audiences to – where they heckle a Pakistani player with chants of Jai Shri Ram – massive doubts remain over whether we’re qualified & sporting enough to host ANY international sporting event,” he wrote on X.

India posted a comfortable 7-wicket win against Pakistan Saturday, in its eight straight win against the neighbouring country in the World Cup.

The Pakistan team’s visit to the World Cup and the grand welcome it has received in Hyderabad and Ahmedabad has drawn mixed responses. Many cricket fans have said political differences should not be allowed to ruin the game. Others have pointed to Pakistan’s role in cross-border terrorism and questioned how normal sports relations can be maintained despite tension on the borders.

Chennai:

Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin on Saturday announced giving financial assistance of Rs 7,500 to civil service aspirants as a stipend.

Speaking at the event, the Minister for for Youth Welfare and Sports Development said, “Union Public Service Commission (UPSC), Indian Bank service, Railways job, our Dravidian model’s aim is to get those jobs. Karunanidhi wanted first-family graduate students. Periyar Anna and Karunanidhi worked for the upliftment of youths. In the same way, our Chief Minister (MK) Stalin is also working.”

“Our Naan Mudhalvan scheme is a great one from which 13 lakh students benefited and 1.5 lakh students got jobs. Youths should get central Government jobs. This Naan Mudhalvan scheme will help fulfil the dream of youths,” he added.

The minister said that there are many facilities in Tamil Nadu provided by the state government but the participation of youths from the state has decreased.

“There are many facilities in Tamil Nadu provided by the state government but the pass percentage of our state youths in UPSC exams is very low which is shocking. Once there was 10 percent of TN youths in central government jobs but after 2016, now it has decreased to just 5 percent. That’s why we started training centres for the youths on UPSC aspirants and now we distribute financial assistance to those. Through this we are going to give Rs 7,500 to 1,000 students for 10 months,” Udhayanidhi Stalin said.
 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

The Supreme Court on Friday agreed to hear a plea seeking registration of an FIR against Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin and others over his “eradicate Sanatan Dharma” remark, which the petitioner likened to hate speech.

A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi issued notices on the petition filed by Chennai-based lawyer B Jagannath who said the Supreme Court has passed several directions, including for registration of FIR, in similar cases.

Senior advocate Dama Seshadri Naidu, appearing for the petitioner, alleged Mr Stalin asked school students to say Sanatan Dharma was not good while other religions were.

“I would understand if an individual rants against a particular community or faith of a group of people. But it causes concern when the State unleashes its machinery,” the lawyer said.

Udhayanidhi, also a well-known film actor, is the son of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and ruling DMK chief M K Stalin.

When the bench asked him why did he not approach the Madras High Court with the petition, Mr Naidu said, “This court has taken note of similar matters where individuals make such a statement against another’s faith but in this case it is a minister making the statement. Here it is the State which is telling the school students that so and so religion is wrong.” 

Mr Naidu claimed circulars have been issued asking students to speak against a particular faith. He said the question is whether a constitutional authority can make such speeches.

“These are impermissible. A batch of petitions has already been admitted and I should not be asked to go to the high court now. The court has issued interim directions earlier when it came to individuals. Here, I am concerned with the State. I was compelled to approach the court as he is a minister, and when we went to register FIR, no one registered it,” the lawyer said.

Responding to a query by the bench, the senior lawyer said he is seeking a restraining order against Udhayanidhi Stalin to prevent him from making any such statement in the future, and registration of an FIR. He said the petitioner also wanted students to be kept out of the controversy.

“Although we are issuing notice, you are turning the Supreme Court into a police station by approaching it for registration of FIR. You should have gone to the high court,” the bench told the lawyer.

Mr Naidu sought tagging of the plea with the pending petitions related to hate speeches, a prayer which the court disallowed.

In his plea filed through advocate G Balaji, the petitioner has sought direction to the Tamil Nadu police chief to immediately register a First Information Report (FIR) against the organisers of the conclave and those who allegedly made “hate speeches” there including ministers Udhayanidhi Stalin, PK Sekar Babu and others.

The petitioner has also urged the court to declare as unconstitutional the participation of the state ministers in the event titled ‘Sanatana Dharma Eradication’ conference in Chennai on September 2, 2023.

He has sought a direction from the court to the higher education department of the Tamil Nadu government to ban holding of events against ‘Hindu Dharma’ at all secondary schools.

The petition said it would have been a welcome step if the conference was called to eradicate casteism and other ills plaguing a religion. It deplored that no FIR has been filed against Udhayanidhi Stalin, Sekar Babu or the organisers of the event despite the uproar caused by the remarks of the youth welfare and sports development minister which shows “bias, favouritism and discrimination”. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Chennai:

On the Sanatana Dharma row, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin should speak realising his responsibility as a state minister.

Despite witnessing insult to Lord Rama in Tamil Nadu in 1971, Sanatana Dharma did not respond with violence, she said.

Speaking to reporters here, the Finance Minister said if Udhayanidhi Stalin expects that there should not be any reaction to his Sanatana comments, then it is wrong.

“The debate on Sanatana was started by Minister Udhayanidhi, belonging to the DMK, a INDIA bloc constituent and did he initiate that debate eyeing the election (2024 Lok Sabha election)?” she wondered.

She was answering a question related to criticism of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol Thirumavalavan that the BJP was indulging in Sanatana debate considering polls. “We did not start the debate, it is you who began it.” Everyone has a right and they may express their views. However, after becoming a minister a person should speak keeping in mind his responsibilities, she said.

It is wrong to use words that may incite violence or words that have connotations of violence. Ever since the nation adopted the Constitution following independence, the onus is on avoiding use of language that may instigate violence.

Referring to Udhayanidhi’s comment that his party would talk on Sanatana Dharma for a 100 years, she said, “you may talk and only talk.” No one may however indulge in violent acts and nobody should speak that could stoke violence, she asserted.

Nirmala Sitharaman said she grew up in a Tamil Nadu where a garland of sandals was flung on Lord Rama’s portrait and a procession was taken out. Even now, she said she had anguish about it and recalled that event with pain.

“That is Sanatana Dharma. We did not do anything like an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth,” said Nirmala Sitharaman. In case some other religion had been targeted in such a manner, “you know what would have happened,” said she. The Sanatana Dharma has “described” atheists, she said, apparently hinting at space for them within the broader framework of the religion and the way of life it stood for. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

DMK leaders are speaking against Sanatan Dharma with the Congress’ “endorsement” to divert attention from the “misdeeds” of the MK Stalin-led government in Tamil Nadu and disrupt peace and harmony in the country, the BJP alleged on Wednesday.

Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy, the BJP’s co-in-charge for Tamil Nadu, alleged that the DMK and the Congress are trying to build a “narrative” against the BJP in view of the party’s “growing” popularity in Tamil Nadu and recognition of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi government’s work.

Narayana Tirupathi, the vice-president of the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit, said, “One of their ministers without portfolio is in jail and this has come as a huge setback to the DMK. The DMK is totally restless. That’s why they want to divert public attention in Tamil Nadu from their misdeeds. That’s why they are talking about Sanatan Dharma, hoping to get minority votes.” “The DMK and the Congress are communal parties that are trying to disrupt peace and (communal) harmony in Tamil Nadu and in the country,” he further alleged at a press conference at the party headquarters here, adding, “The BJP is for all religions. We are not communal. They are communal.” DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin recently caused a storm after he claimed Sanatan Dharma is against social justice and that it should be eradicated.

Likening Sanatan Dharma to coronavirus, malaria and fever caused by dengue virus and mosquitoes, Udhayanidhi Stalin — the son of Chief Minister Stalin — said such things should not be opposed but destroyed.

A Raja — another DMK leader — likened Sanatan Dharma to diseases such as leprosy.

A former minister during the UPA regime, Raja also said Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remark was soft.

The BJP’s fresh attack comes on a day when the coordination committee of the opposition INDIA bloc are set to hold negotiations on the seat-sharing formula and evolving a broad outlay of campaign strategy ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

The meeting of the 14-member panel will take place at the residence of NCP leader Sharad Pawar here. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

AAP leader Raghav Chadha on Tuesday condemned DMK leader Udayanidhi Stalin’s remark on Sanatana Dharma but said statements made by some “small” leader from any party cannot be considered the official stand of the INDIA bloc.

“I am from Sanatana Dharma. I condemn and oppose such statements. Such kind of statements should not be made. One should stay away from making such remarks on any religion. We should respect all religions,” Mr Chadha told PTI In an interview.

The BJP has been attacking the INDIA alliance over the issue. On Tuesday, the BJP accused the INDIA bloc of having a hidden agenda to target Sanatana Dharma for vote-bank politics.

“Some leader from some party makes such remarks… it doesn’t mean it is the statement of the alliance. The alliance has been formed for raising big issues like price rise, unemployment facing the country. The statement made by some small leader, while standing in a district in a state, is not the official stand of the alliance,” Mr Chadha asserted.

Over two dozen Opposition parties have formed the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) to take on the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance unitedly in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.

Mr Chadha is a member of the 14-member coordination committee, which is the top decision-making body of the INDIA bloc. A meeting of the committee will be held at the residence of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar in Delhi on Wednesday.

“The meeting will see a discussion on the issues that we will raise, how will we reach out to people on them, through rallies or door-to-door campaign, public rally, along with dynamics in states. All states are different and that is how we celebrate our diversity. Electoral colour is different. We will discuss it statewise,” he said.

“Every political party will have to sacrifice three things to make this alliance successful — ambition (mahatvakanksha), difference of opinion (matbhed) and manbhed,” he added.

When asked about the names for the prime ministerial probables of the opposition alliance, he said the first thing is that the AAP not in the race.

“We are a loyal soldier in this alliance. We are not in the race to become PM. We have many able administrators in our alliance. We have many competent people. But can someone in NDA stand up and say they want Nitin Gadkari become PM or Amit Shah to become the prime minister? I just want to prove here that we have many able administrators. They don’t have anyone. They can only take the name of one leader,” he said.

Questioned further, he said, “The alliance will take a decision (on a prime ministerial name). Even the alliance formed in 1977 did not have a declared PM face, yet they won the elections against Indira Gandhi. I see a repeat of that happening.” 

DMK leader Udhayanidhi Stalin recently blamed Sanatana Dharma for promoting division and discrimination among people, and called for its eradication.

Another DMK leader A Raja likened the Sanatan Dharma to diseases like leprosy and HIV, which have social stigma attached to them.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)

Sanatana Dharma | Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks require proper response, PM Modi tells Ministers at informal meeting

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday reportedly told his Ministerial colleagues that DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s remarks on Sanatana Dharmarequired a “proper response” based on “facts of the issue” within the contemporary situation and emphasised that the Constitution does not allow for abuse of any religion. On the issue of Bharat being substituted for India in government communication in English as well, Mr. Modi reportedly said that only those authorised to speak on behalf of the government should comment on the issue.

Ready to hold polls as per legal provisions, CEC on ‘one nation, one election’

Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Rajiv Kumar on September 6 said the Election Commission of India was “ready to conduct elections as per legal provisions”. He was responding to a query whether the ECI was ready to conduct the much-discussed ‘One Nation, One Election’. The CEC was addressing a press conference in Bhopal on the preparations for the Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh due later this year. On the specific questions asked in the context of ‘One nation, One election’, Mr. Kumar said the poll commission was mandated to “deliver elections before the time” as per constitutional provisions and the RP Act (Representation of the People Act, 1951.)

‘India-Bharat’ issue being raised to mislead people: Mallikarjun Kharge

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on September 6 said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was raising irrelevant issues like changing the country’s name to Bharat because it was unnerved by the formation of the Indian National Developmental Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) coalition. “The India-Bharat issue reflects the BJP’s panic. The party is desperately trying to mislead the people,” Mr. Kharge said.

Blocking blacklisting of terrorists smacks of doublespeak: India

India has told the UN Security Council that blocking evidence-based proposals to blacklist globally sanctioned terrorists without providing justifications is uncalled for and “smacks of doublespeak”. “The working methods of the UNSC Sanctions Committees continue to dent the credibility of the UN Security Council,” India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Ruchira Kamboj said here on Tuesday.

40 injured in protest over Army barricade in Manipur

More than 40 people were injured in a stampede at Manipur’s Bishnupur district on Wednesday as security forces fired tear gas shells to disperse over 10,000 people who had converged to demand the removal of an Army barricade. A defence source said the stand-off continued through the day. Armed miscreants fired at the Central security forces and a mob threw stones at them. Three personnel of the Rapid Action Force (RAF), a specialised anti-riot force, were injured in the incident. 

Won’t let INDIA bloc seat-sharing talks become media spectacle: SP leader 

The Samajwadi Party (SP) won’t allow seat-sharing negotiations in Uttar Pradesh to become a media spectacle, said party leader Javed Ali Khan, who is part of the INDIA bloc’s 14-member coordination committee. In an interview to The Hindu, he also junked suggestions that the Congress and the Rashtriya Lok Dal (RLD) are pretending to be cosying up to the Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) as a tactic to get more seats for themselves in the State.

Shah, Meghwal meet Kovind days after he was appointed head of ‘one nation, one election’ panel

Home Minister Amit Shah and Law Minister Arjun Ram Meghwal on September 6 met former president Ram Nath Kovind who heads the committee on simultaneous polls in New Delhi, days after the government notified the panel, sources said. They described the nearly hour-long meeting as a “courtesy call”. Efforts are on to hold the first meeting of the high-level committee in the coming days and a venue is being finalised.

Punjab AAP Minister says there is no alliance with Congress 

The cracks between the Congress and the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP), partners in the newly formed Indian National Developmental, Inclusive Alliance (INDIA) were on display on September 6 after a Cabinet Minister in Punjab, where the AAP is in power, ruled out any alliance with the Congress. Punjab Tourism Minister Anmol Gagan Maan at a press conference in Chandigarh said there would be no alliance of the AAP with the Congress party in Punjab.

China warns against ‘new Cold War’ at ASEAN summit

Chinese Premier Li Qiang said on September 6 it is important to avoid a “new Cold War” when dealing with conflicts between countries as world leaders gathered in Indonesia amid sharpening geopolitical rivalries across the Indo-Pacific region. Speaking at an annual summit involving members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and China, Japan and South Korea, Mr. Li said countries needed to “appropriately handle differences and disputes”.

Not the joint statement but Ukraine will be EU’s priority at G-20 summit: EU official

Ukraine will be the topmost item on the agenda of the European Union at the G-20 Summit, a senior EU official said on Wednesday. Clarifying the Western expectation about the upcoming summit that will be held here during the weekend, the official expressed confidence about forming consensus about the Global South and placed it on record that the EU “wished” to have the participation of President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the G-20 summit in New Delhi. He also indicated that Ursula von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission is unlikely to travel to Delhi for the summit and said India’s text for negotiating an outcome document is “not sufficient”. 

Ahead of Joe Biden visit, India drops tariff hikes on U.S. almonds, lentils

Two days before U.S. President Joe Biden arrives in New Delhi for a bilateral meeting as well as the G-20 Summit, India has dropped the retaliatory customs tariffs it had imposed on imports of some American goods like almonds and lentils, effective September 6, 2023. India had raised import duties on 28 American products in June 2019, after the United States had hiked its customs duties on certain steel and aluminium products. In a notification issued on September 5, the Finance Ministry dropped some of these tariff hikes “on being satisfied that it is necessary in the public interest so to do”.

Sri Lanka will investigate allegations of intelligence complicity in 2019 Easter bombings

Sri Lanka’s government will appoint a parliamentary committee to investigate allegations made in a British television report that Sri Lankan intelligence had complicity in the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings that killed 269 people. A man interviewed in the Channel 4 videos released on Tuesday said he arranged a meeting between a local Islamic State-inspired group and a top state intelligence official to hatch a plot to create insecurity in Sri Lanka and enable Gotabaya Rajapaksa to win the presidential election later that year.

Ukraine’s Parliament approves ex-lawmaker Rustem Umerov as Defence Minister

Ukraine’s parliament approved the appointment of former lawmaker Rustem Umerov as Defence Minister on September 6, in the biggest shake-up of the defence establishment since Russia’s invasion 18 months ago. Mr. Umerov (41) replaces Oleksii Reznikov, who helped secure billions of dollars of Western military aid as Defence Minister but was dogged by media allegations of corruption at the Ministry and sacked by President Volodymyr Zelensky on Sunday.

This summer was a global record breaker for the highest heat ever measured, meteorologists say

Earth has sweltered through its hottest Northern Hemisphere summer ever measured, with a record warm August capping a season of brutal and deadly temperatures, according to the World Meteorological Organization. Last month was not only the hottest August scientists ever recorded by far with modern equipment, it was also the second hottest month measured, behind only July 2023, WMO and the European climate service Copernicus announced Wednesday.

Asia Cup | Pakistan pace trio too hot to handle as Bangladesh bowled out for 193

Haris Rauf proved to be too quick for the Bangladeshi batters, who were also troubled relentlessly by Naseem Shah as the Shakib Al Hasan-led side was bundled out for a paltry 193, well inside 40 overs in an Asia Cup Super 4 match against Pakistan in Lahore on September 6. Despite a 100-run stand and twin half-centuries by skipper Shakib (53 off 57 balls) and former captain Mushfiqur Rahim (64 off 87 balls), Bangladesh suffered twin batting collapse on either side of the fifth wicket partnership.

Ballon d’Or | Messi, Haaland, Mbappe in shortlist; Ronaldo left out for first time in 20 years

Argentina forward Lionel Messi was among the nominees for the men’s Ballon d’Or trophy announced by organisers France Football magazine on Wednesday. Seven-times winner Messi, who plays for Inter Miami, led Argentina to World Cup glory in Qatar in December, their first triumph since 1986. Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo, who has won the award five times, did not receive a nomination for the first time in 20 years.

Madurai:

Droupadi Murmu, who belongs to a tribal community, was made the President and first citizen of the country and that is Sanatan Dharma, the Tamil Nadu BJP said on Wednesday.

Seeking to rebut DMK leader and Tamil Nadu Youth Welfare Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin’s accusation that Ms Murmu had not been invited to the new Parliament building’s recent inauguration and that showed Sanatan’s “discriminatory” practice, state BJP president K Annamalai wondered why the DMK did not vote for her.

“Why the DMK did not vote in support of her in the Presidential election?” he questioned.

Asserting that all castes are equal, he said, to counter the DMK and for the sake of argument, he was asking Tamil Nadu’s ruling party about the candidate it supported.

“You (DMK) voted for Yashwant Sinha (against Murmu); to which community does he belong?” Annamalai asked during his interaction with reporters at Srivilliputhur near here.

“We the people of the country made her the President and that is Sanatan Dharma; why did you not vote in her favour?” he said.

The BJP leader also questioned if the DMK voted in favour of Ram Nath Kovind from the Scheduled Castes community.

“We, the believers of Sanatan Dharma, voted for him as we believe that all are equal. Learn about Sanatan Dharma from us and Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he added.

On Tuesday, Udhayanidhi Stalin, asked by reporters to give an “example” to Sanatan’s discriminatory practices that he opposed, said the “best example is Droupadi Murmu not being invited to the inauguration of the new Parliament building, that is the best current example”.

Even if Udhayanidhi had spoken about “eradicating” any other religion, his party’s would have been the first voice against it, Mr Annamalai said. Similarly, he was opposing Udhayanidhi’s comment against Sanatan Dharma, he added.

The BJP leader said for decades, the DMK has been levelling the very same allegations and making foolish accusations.

(This story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)

New Delhi:

Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in his first reaction to the Sanatana Dharma controversy, has said the remarks of Tamil Nadu minister Udhayanidhi Stalin “needs proper response”.  His response came a day after Udhayanidhi Stalin cited the Central government’s omission of an invite to President Droupadi Murmu for the inauguration of the new parliament as an example of discrimination by practitioners of Sanatana dharma.

The minister, the son of Chief Minister MK Stalin, has refused to apologise for his comment that Sanatana Dharma is akin to a disease and “should be eradicated”.

He has repeatedly said he is ready to face any legal action for his comments. There are reports that attempts are being made to get the Tamil Nadu Governor’s sanction to initiate action against him.