SDPI joins TVK protest against Waqf Bill; Speculation rises over AIADMK alliance
TIRUCHY: The Social Democratic Party of India (SDPI) joined hands with the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) in a state-wide protest on Friday against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill, fuelling speculation over a possible shift in the SDPI’s alliance with the AIADMK. The protest, held in Tiruchy, marked the first time SDPI, known for its Muslim voter base, publicly participated in a demonstration led by the TVK, which is positioning itself as a pro-minority force.
Despite the timing and political undercurrents, SDPI state president VMS Mohammed Mubarak, also known as Nellai Mubarak, downplayed the speculation. “The protest was issue-based. Whoever opposes the Waqf Bill, we consider them a democratic force. Our participation was in response to the TVK’s call,” he told TNIE.
On the party’s existing alliance with the AIADMK, Mubarak maintained a cautious tone, stating, “We will join hands with whoever is against the Waqf (Amendment) Bill.” However, a senior SDPI member, speaking on condition of anonymity, expressed discomfort with the AIADMK’s perceived ambiguity regarding its ties with the BJP.
“We no longer trust the AIADMK to firmly oppose the BJP. Their position is inconsistent, one day they oppose the BJP, the next they keep the door open. Such ambiguity is dangerous for the community,” the member said, pointing to Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s recent claim that talks with the AIADMK were “ongoing and positive.”
The lack of a clear response from AIADMK leadership to Shah’s remarks has reportedly deepened concerns within SDPI ranks. However, senior AIADMK leader and former minister D Jayakumar dismissed talks of a rift. “We are still in alliance. The SDPI may have joined the TVK protest for a common cause, but nothing has changed officially,” he said.
In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the AIADMK had allotted the Dindigul seat to SDPI, which played a role in reaching out to Muslim voters. Despite that, scepticism remained among sections of the Muslim community, especially in areas like Tiruchy, over the AIADMK’s past alliance with the BJP.
Commenting on the development, writer and political observer Nagore Rizwan noted that TVK’s early opposition to the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) helped the party project itself as a pro-minority alternative. “The DMK can no longer brand the TVK as the BJP’s B-team. The AIADMK failed to win minority support despite opposing the Waqf Bill. Now, with the TVK demanding a share in power, its bargaining power has grown,” he said.
Rizwan added that while Muslim political groups had largely consolidated behind the DMK after the demise of Jayalalithaa, TVK’s rise could disrupt the traditional minority support base of both the DMK and the AIADMK.
Meanwhile, a faction of the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi (MJK) also participated in the protest. While the party’s founder Tamimun Ansari, currently aligned with the DMK, remains critical of both the TVK and AIADMK, sources say a section within the MJK is leaning towards the TVK for its vocal stance on minority rights.
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
60 Indians forced into ʼcyber slavery' rescued from Myanmar, five arrested
Mumbai(PTI): The cyber wing of Maharashtra Police has rescued more than 60 Indian nationals who had been forced into cyber slavery in Myanmar and arrested five agents including a foreign national, an official said here on Friday.
Maharashtra Cyber has registered three First Information Reports in this regard, he said.
The racketeers contacted the victims through social media platforms and offered them high-paying jobs in Thailand and other East Asian countries, he said.
The agents arranged passports and flight tickets for the victims and sent them to Thailand on tourist visas. After landing in the country, they were sent to the Myanmar border where they were made to cross a river in small boats.
On entering Myanmar, the victims were taken to guarded compounds controlled by armed rebel groups where they were forced to commit cyber frauds ranging from `digital arrest' scams to fake investment schemes on an industrial scale.
Maharashtra Cyber along with other agencies recued the victims, the official said, without giving details as to whether the operation was carried out inside Myanmar.
Questioning of the victims threw light on a network of agents and fraudulent call center companies which lured job aspirants from India, he said.
Some of these companies operated under the garb of employment agency.
Manish Grey alias Maddy, Taisan alias Aaditya Ravi Chandran, Rupnarayan Ramdhar Gupta, Jensi Rani D and Chinese-Kazakhstani national Talaniti Nulaxi were arrested for allegedly acting as recruitment agents.
Manish Grey alias Maddy is a professional actor who has appeared in web series and television shows, the official said.
Along with others, Grey allegedly recruited unsuspecting individuals and facilitated their trafficking to Myanmar, he added.
Talaniti Nulaxi was allegedly planning to set up a unit in India to commit cyber crimes, he said, adding that further probe was on.
