AIADMK slams Rajini, says people will decide who is strong and weak
Chennai,Nov 14: Slamming Tamil superstar Rajinikanth for his remarks that Prime Minister Narendra Modi seemed to be a "strong" man electorally, the ruling AIADMK Wednesday said people would decide who is "strong" and "weak" during elections as they were the "reviewing authorities."
Senior AIADMK leader and state Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar was responding to Rajinikanth's statement Tuesday that Prime Minister Modi seemed to be a "strong" man electorally, which was evident from a mega alliance trying to shape up against the BJP-led NDA government at the Centre.
"Whether strong or weak, election is the answer for that. People review us....they are the reviewing authorities for every party. They will decide, not you and me," he told reporters here.
People would review the AIADMK MPs' performance in next year's Lok Sabha polls, as well as during the assembly elections in 2021, he added.
Supporters of respective parties may say good things about their party led governments, but people would "assess" their performance, especially during elections, he said.
"We may say that our children are good, but it is the teacher/headmaster who assesses their activities. The people are those teachers/headmasters," he added.
Rajinikanth's remarks had come amid speculation that opposition parties were looking at a mega coalition against the Modi government for the 2019 Lok Sabha polls.
"When 10 persons go against one person, who is stronger? Those 10 or the person they are aligning against? If 10 persons declare a war against one man, who is stronger?," he had asked when questioned on the possibility of such an opposition alliance.
Asked if Modi was "stronger" and whether this was what he implied through his statement, the actor said he "can't be more clear".
Jayakumar, responding to the political developments in neighbouring Sri Lanka, said one cannot interfere in the internal affairs of another country.
However, considering the overall welfare of minority Tamils, "our umbilical chord relations", was important, he said.
Sri Lanka's Parliament on Wednesday passed a no-confidence motion against Prime Minister Mahinda Rajapaksa who was installed by President Maithripala Sirisena in a controversial move.
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Virudhunagar firecracker unit blast: Toll climbs to 25, Rs 5.5 lakh ex gratia announced
Virudhunagar (Tamil Nadu) (PTI): With most bodies charred beyond recognition, identification remains difficult, police said on Monday, as the toll in the massive explosion at a fireworks unit near Kattanarpatti here rose to 25.
The Virudhunagar district administration has announced Rs 5.5 lakh ex gratia to the kin of deceased.
The accident is one of the deadliest industrial disasters in the region in recent years.
"Bodies were so badly charred that we were able to identify mostly with jewellery that the victims were wearing," a police official told PTI.
He said that the families have not yet claimed the bodies due to the uncertainly in the identities.
The factory owner is absconding, he added.
The accident occurred at the Vanaja firecracker unit, owned by one Muthumanickam, which functions under the Vachakarapatti police station limits.
The unit is reportedly licensed by the Petroleum and Explosives Safety Organisation (PESO), Nagpur.
Post-mortem reports have established that the 25 victims, include 22 women and three men, the police official added.
Eight workers, mostly women, are critically injured with 60 per cent burn injuries. Twelve others, including eight policemen, were injured in a second blast on Sunday evening while rescue operations were underway.
Rescue operations were severely hampered for hours, as unexploded materials continued to detonate.
A second blast at 7.20 pm, triggered as an earthmover was clearing debris, caused chaos and injured several responders, including a revenue official.
Meanwhile, sources said about 1,000 people, including the families of the victims and residents of nearby villages, are threatening a road roko, demanding the arrest of the owner of the factory.
Local eyewitnesses, including Ranganathan from the nearby Seervaikarampatti village, described hearing a massive blast that sent "thick black smoke" into the sky.
"Nothing was recognisable. We saw bodies being loaded four at a time into vehicles," he told PTI Videos.
Many of the deceased were from Seervaikarampatti village, with residents claiming that at least 20 victims belonged to their village.
Among those killed was 46-year-old Indrani, a veteran worker of 25 years.
"My mother was the sole breadwinner. My father is disabled and stays home. I have an MSc degree, but I’m working at a petrol bunk to help out, and we haven't even paid my brother's school fees yet," said Madhubala, Indrani’s daughter, while pleading for government employment assistance.
Virudhunagar Collector N O Sukhaputra confirmed that the unit was operating without permission on a rest day.
Preliminary findings suggest the blast originated in a chemical mixing shed, where nearly 40 workers were busy making crackers, a violation of safety norms that typically limit occupancy to four workers per shed.
"Had these workers followed primary safety norms, the casualties could have been minimal," a senior official stated.
Chief Minister M K Stalin has ordered a high-level probe and directed ministers to oversee relief efforts.
The tragedy follows a similar accident in Vembakottai just days earlier, which claimed four lives, intensifying calls for stricter enforcement of safety regulations in the district’s firecracker hub.
The explosion occurred at approximately 3.15 pm on Sunday. Although the fireworks industry is officially shut on Sundays, over 100 workers were reportedly engaged in production.
Later in the day, Sukhaputra said Rs 5.5 lakh ex gratia each has been finalised for the families of 25 persons killed in the explosion.
Speaking to PTI Videos, he said the ex gratia cheques are ready for immediate distribution to the legal heirs.
"Out of 25 deaths, we have finished conducting post-mortems on 22 bodies. Already we have cheques (that) are ready,” Sukhaputra said.
The announcement followed intense demands from grieving relatives for financial security and government employment.
