Rajinikanth hits out at AIADMK for protests against Vijay-starrer 'Sarkar'
Chennai, Nov 9: Tamil superstar Rajinikanth Friday lashed out at the ruling AIADMK in Tamil Nadu for its protests against certain scenes in actor Vijay's Diwali release 'Sarkar', questioning the rationale behind protesting against a film certified by the Censor Board.
He "strongly condemned" the demands for deletion of scenes.
"It is against the law to hold protests seeking removal of some scenes from a Censor board certified film and trying to stall the screening and damaging the banners," he tweeted.
"I strongly condemn these," he added.
The makers of 'Sarkar' had agreed to remove "objectionable" scenes and "mute" an apparent reference to the late J Jayalalithaa, an industry body said Thursday, as the movie faced a backlash from the ruling AIADMK over depiction of its welfare schemes and its leader.
The AIADMK was up in arms against 'Sarkar' with senior AIADMK ministers demanding deletion of the contentious scenes, besides threatening to initiate legal action if the film crew failed to comply.
Law Minister C Ve Shanmugam said certain scenes amounted to inciting violence and warned of action.
While a theatre owners' body announced that the edited version would be screened from Friday afternoon, sources in the 'Sarkar' crew said a "compromise" has been reached.
'Sarkar,' produced by Sun Pictures, stars Vijay and Keerthi Suresh in key roles, and was released on November 6. It is directed by AR Murugadoss and has music by Oscar winner AR Rahman.
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Metro ridership in Haryana sees over 13 pc rise in 2025-26
Chandigarh (PTI): Haryana's urban transit system witnessed a strong growth in 2025-26, with metro ridership registering a robust 13.55 per cent increase, the state government said in a statement on Thursday.
The progress was reviewed in the 64th board meeting of Haryana Mass Rapid Transport Corporation (HMRTC) chaired by Chief Secretary Anurag Rastogi.
Between April 2025 and February 2026, the metro network recorded over 1.74 crore passengers, compared to 1.53 crore in the corresponding period the previous year.
July recorded the highest monthly growth at 22.93 per cent, while all months showed consistent positive trends.
Financial performance has also remained strong, with fare revenue rising 12.64 per cent till January 2026, the statement said.
Non-fare revenue surged by 108 per cent, driven by effective monetisation of station spaces, advertisements and commercial activities, resulting in an operating surplus for Rapid Metro.
Further initiatives, including the auction of station naming rights and additional advertisement sites, are expected to strengthen HMRTC's financial position, the statement said.
Appreciating the performance, Rastogi stated that the consistent rise in ridership and revenue reflects the success of Haryana's integrated transport strategy, rising commuter confidence and a clear shift towards public transport.
HMRTC Managing Director Chander Shekhar Khare said that, alongside operational gains, the state is making steady progress on an ambitious pipeline of metro and regional transit projects.
Metro connectivity from Gurugram Sector 56 to Panchgaon is under active consideration, with Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation Limited studying the Detailed Project Report (DPR) and layout plan, and finalising a depot location in Sector 36A near Sihi village, he said.
The Gurugram-Faridabad Namo Bharat corridor has achieved a key milestone, with alignment and station locations finalised and approved by the Haryana government. The National Capital Region Transport Corporation is preparing the DPR, he added.
Similarly, the Delhi-Kundli metro extension is proposed to be placed before the Haryana Cabinet for approval.
The 136.3-kilometre Delhi-Panipat-Karnal RRTS Corridor has also progressed, with the revised DPR submitted for financial concurrence ahead of Haryana Cabinet consideration.
Within Gurugram, DPR preparation has been approved for key intra-city corridors, including the 17.09-kilometre Bhondsi-Subhash Chowk-Rajeev Chowk-Sohna Chowk Railway Station corridor, enhancing connectivity along Sohna Road, Khare said.
