AIADMK defends Centre on security cover removal for Dy CM, Stalin; DMK mocks action
Chennai, Jan 10: The ruling AIADMK on Friday defended the Centre over the removal of VIP security cover for Tamil Nadu Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and M K Stalin while the DMK chief mocked the move.
While Panneerselvam said he didn't think there was any ulterior motive behind the Centre's decision, Stalin in a sarcastic tweet said the government can utilise the CRPF personnel to protect universities and students from those perpetrating violence in the name of religion
"As far as I am concerned, there is no ulterior motive in the removal of security. It was done since the Home Ministry felt that it was not necessary," Panneerselvam who is also the AIADMK coordinator-the top party post, said.
Responding to a question on an allegation by a senior DMK leader that the security cover removal for Stalin had ulterior motives, the deputy chief minister told reporters here he did not think so.
Stalin, also Leader of the Opposition in the state Assembly tweeted: "I wholeheartedly thank each and every one of the @crpfindia personnel for providing security cover for me over the past many years."
In a sarcasm tinged criticism, he added: "I urge the Govt to utilise CRPF personnel to protect universities and students from those perpetrating violence in the name of religion." Apparently, he was taking a swipe at the Centre over the violence at the JNU campus in New Delhi.
The security cover of the two leaders was taken off by the Union government after a review of threat assessment by central security agencies.
To a question if the removal of security cover was an endorsement of the AIADMK government's refrain that the State is a "heaven of peace," he said Tamil Nadu was a frontrunner in several parameters.
Be it maintenance of law and order or administrative efficiency, the State was a topper and the Centre recognised this, he said adding such higher benchmarks will continue to be maintained.
Congress leader Su Thirunavukkarasar also condemned the security removal. Last night, DMK MP and Stalin's sister Kanimozhi too had condemned it.
I wholeheartedly thank each and every one of the @crpfindia personnel for providing security cover for me over the past many years.
— M.K.Stalin (@mkstalin) January 10, 2020
I urge the Govt to utilize CRPF personnel to protect universities and students from those perpetrating violence in the name of religion.
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Commercial LPG hike: Delhi restaurant owners warn of higher menu rates, job losses
New Delhi (PTI) A day after a 50 per cent rise in commercial LPG cylinder prices, Delhi's food business, with restaurant owners and street vendors have warned of higher menu rates, financial strain and potential job losses if the trend persists.
The price of commercial LPG was hiked by a steep Rs 993 per 19 kg cylinder, marking the third consecutive monthly hike amid rising global energy prices linked to the West Asia conflict.
For many in the restaurant industry, the spike has been both sudden and steep.
Manpreet Singh, honorary treasurer of the National Restaurant Association of India, said that eateries are already grappling with supply challenges alongside rising costs.
"There is a huge difficulty in getting these cylinders, and black marketing is also increasing in many unregulated sectors," he said, noting that prices that were once around Rs 1,600, often dropping to nearly Rs 1,300 with discounts, have now surged to between Rs 3,000 and Rs 4,000 per cylinder.
He further added that a medium-sized restaurant typically uses between two and five cylinders daily, making the increase particularly burdensome as costs mount.
Singh further said that as costs mount, smaller establishments could struggle to stay afloat. Instead, the association has advised restaurants to shift towards piped natural gas connections through Indraprastha Gas Limited as a more sustainable alternative.
"If this problem continues, PNG is the only long-term solution," he said, adding that temporary measures like coal offer limited relief due to slower cooking times and that it can largely be used only for tandoors.
Echoing similar concerns, Kabir Suri, owner of Mamagoto in Khan Market, said the impact is already visible across the industry. "There has been almost a threefold increase in cylinder prices for restaurants," he said, adding that rising fuel and logistics costs are compounding the pressure.
"If this continues, it will become a significant financial burden, and food prices will inevitably go up. Adding to this burden, higher fuel costs are also affecting logistics and transportation, making a price rise unavoidable. The extent of the impact will vary between small eateries and large chains depending on their scale," he said.
Global oil prices have surged nearly 50 per cent following disruptions in energy supply chains due to the West Asia conflict, pushing up commercial fuel costs and transport expenses.
A West Delhi-based restaurateur said they are trying to manage rising costs while keeping their staff secure. "We are trying to ensure that our staff, from kitchen workers to waiters, are paid on time and do not face immediate hardship," the owner said.
"We are a small restaurant with seating for about 20 to 25 people at a time. But if this continues for long, we will have to take difficult calls. There is only so much we can absorb, and menu prices will have to go up. We hope this does not continue for a longer period," he said.
Another restaurant owner in North Delhi, who did not wish to be named, said operational adjustments alone may not be enough. "We are checking our costs very carefully and trying to cut wherever possible, but if fuel prices remain high, it will eventually affect how we run the business," the owner said.
"Coal helps in tandoor cooking, but it takes more time," the owner further added.
The strain is even more acute among street vendors, many of whom operate on thin margins. A vendor in Saket said he had recently expanded his business, moving from a mobile cart to a rented outlet.
"I have a family to feed and more responsibilities now. Earlier, I managed with a moving cart, but after renting the place, expenses increased," he said. "Whenever cylinders were unavailable, I had to buy them at higher rates in the black market. Now even regular supply is too expensive, and if this continues, we may have to shut down," he added.
In Laxmi Nagar, another vendor said they are struggling to keep the business running. "Sometimes we even used domestic cylinders from home when supply ran out because we had to keep the stall running," he said, adding that rising costs leave little choice but to increase prices or bear losses.
On April 1, the rates of commercial LPG cylinders were hiked by Rs 195.50 per cylinder, followed by a Rs 114.5 hike on March 1, taking the total increase over the past three months to Rs 1,303. With the latest revision, a 19 kg commercial LPG cylinder now costs Rs 3,371.5 in Delhi, up from Rs 2,078.5 earlier.
The prices of domestic LPG cylinders used for household cooking have remained unchanged. They were last increased by Rs 60 per 14.2 kg cylinder on March 7 and currently cost Rs 913 in Delhi.
