Kamal Haasan gifts car to Coimbatore woman bus driver who quit job over ticketing DMK's Kanimozhi
Chennai, Jun 26: Actor-politician Kamal Haasan on Monday gifted a car to a Coimbatore-based woman who quit her job as a bus driver over a controversy surrounding issuing a travel ticket to DMK MP Kanimozhi last week.
The car was provided to Sharmila, Coimbatore's first woman bus driver, on behalf of the "Kamal Panbattu Maiam" (Kamal Cultural Center) to enable her become a driver-entrepreneur, the Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) chief said in a statement.
"I was anguished over the recent debate surrounding Sharmila, who was a very good example to women of her age. Sharmila should not remain a mere driver. My belief is to create many Sharmilas," he added.
She would now use the car for rental service and become an entrepreneur, he added.
Last week, barely minutes after Kanimozhi took a ride from Gandhipuram to Peelamedu in Coimbatore in the bus driven by Sharmila, the latter had said she had to give up her "dream job" allegedly after her colleague disrespected the DMK Parliamentarian and also because her management accused her of seeking publicity by inviting prominent personalities to travel in the bus.
She claimed she had intimated her management about the proposed visit of the MP but she could not digest the "disrespect" meted out to the DMK leader.
The transport firm denied being informed about Kanimozhi's visit and insisted Sharmila had left on her own accord.
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345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran return home via Armenia
New Delhi (PTI): A group of 345 Indian fishermen, who were stranded in Iran amid escalating regional tensions, returned to India via Armenia on Saturday, officials said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for assistance in return of the Indian nationals.
The Indian nationals arrived in Chennai this evening, the officials cited above said.
The circumstances that led to them being stranded in Iran were not immediately known.
"Thank FM @AraratMirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India," Jaishankar said on social media.
Over 1,500 Indian nationals have left Iran through land border crossings in Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the West Asia conflict over a month ago.
"A group of Indian fishermen, stranded in Iran, are returning home via Armenia today; their flight is expected to reach India this evening," a government statement said.
It said the Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the West Asian region, with the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community being accorded the highest priority.
It also made a mention of five Indians being injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
According to Abu Dhabi authorities, the Indian nationals were among the 12 people injured by debris from an intercepted missile.
"In an attack in Abu Dhabi, five Indian nationals were injured; four have been discharged, one remains under treatment," the Indian government's statement said.
It said the Indian mission in Abu Dhabi is extending "full" assistance and coordinating with local authorities, adding that their flight is expected to reach India this evening.
