People celebrate the fictionalised fiery student movements in #Parasakthi, reliving 1960s anti-Hindi agitations on screen.
As an alumnus of age-old TN state university, I pity the ignorant: they cheer the fire while ignoring today's zero space for real movements in public institutions! 1/8
In 1965, students marched, protested & sacrificed lives to defend #Tamil pride against #Hindi imposition, igniting a political revolution that propelled the #DMK to power on student idealism.
Yet fans glorify this fictionalised fire on screen, leaving behind the reality where rapid growth of deemed-to-be & private universities sidelines public ones, snuffing out that spirit of student movement.
The irony is painful! 2/8
Look at this raw energy from the 1960s: students not just studying, but forging history.
Today, moviegoers celebrate that fictionalised passion on screen, but abandon the grim truth of decreasing research quality in state universities starving innovation, with no room for students to rise up.
The irony is painful! 3/8
The #DMK, born from those campus fires, now rules.
But in over 170 government arts, science, medical & engineering colleges, plus most universities: no directly elected student unions for two decades.
Supreme Court nudges ignored, blamed on violence and castes, but truly to crush dissent amid mismanagements inflating fees.
Crowds applaud the screen's fire, yet ignore this silenced reality.
The irony is painful! 4/8
Thanks to @Sidzepp for highlighting this.
Today's harsh reality: protests crushed, students detained for demanding basics.
No democratic voice to fight exponential financial burdens from leadership failures, as private unis boom and public ones decay.
People rave about fictionalised movements on screen, but leave the real higher education crisis behind.
The irony is painful! 5/8
#Parasakthi glorifies the student power that furthered Dravidian politics. But the party from that blaze now oversees campuses where the fire is snuffed out, research quality plummets in state unis & private ones explode unchecked.
Fans celebrate the fictionalised heat on screen, abandoning the cold suppression in reality.
The irony is painful! 6/8
We cheer on-screen heroes battling injustice in #Parasakthi. In real TN colleges, that fight ends in detention, not change, while students bear mismanagement's weight and watch private institutions rise as public research crumbles.
Audiences ignite over fictional fire, but forget the extinguished reality of student movements.
The irony is painful! 7/8
Pity those ignited by the movie's fictionalised fire but blind to the cold truth: celebrating screen revolutions while leaving behind the dire state of higher education means no true tribute to 1965.
Demand vibrant student politics to tackle these burdens, private dominance & research decline - or the irony remains painfully ignored. 8/8
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Albert Einstein in 1949: “Is it OK for a non-economist like me to speak on socialism?” Yes, because economic “laws” are mixed with conquest, class and priesthood, not pure science. Today’s economics still reflects humanity’s predatory phase. 1/10
Current economic science tells us little about a future socialist society. Socialism aims to overcome the predatory stage of human development that Veblen described. Today’s “laws” only apply inside that stage. 2/10 monthlyreview.org/articles/why-s…
Socialism is first of all an ethical goal. Science can supply means, not ends. Ends come from people with high moral ideals and the masses who adopt them. Experts do not own the right to decide how society should be organised. 3/10
US investigators solve 8-year-old double murder of Indian mother & son through DNA from suspect's laptop. Nazeer Hameed charged after years of refusing DNA samples. This case exemplifies investigative persistence & scientific rigor. 1/9 ndtv.com/world-news/201…
The victim, Sasikala Narra (38) from Vijayawada & her 6-year-old son Anish, were brutally murdered in New Jersey in 2017. The suspect, a colleague of the victim's husband, fled to India immediately after. But justice has a long memory. 2/9
Key breakthrough: When Hameed refused DNA samples repeatedly, US investigators obtained court order to seize his company laptop. DNA extracted from it matched blood at crime scene. Locard's principle proven again: "Every contact leaves a trace." 3/9
Tamil Nadu’s withdrawal of general consent to CBI restricts Union’s interference in regular matters, but it doesn’t curtail constitutional oversight. The higher judiciary, under Articles 32 and 142, remains empowered to act when justice and citizen rights demand intervention. (1/15)
Labeling this as “judge-made law” misconstrues constitutional tradition. Judicial review is part of India’s basic structure. Courts interpret where statutes fall silent, bridging legislative gaps to preserve liberty. That’s constitutional guardianship, not judicial overreach. (2/15)
If courts lacked authority to intervene when state investigations risk bias, fundamental rights would become ornamental. The judiciary exists to correct structural inequities. Supervising or transferring an investigation protects justice, not disrupts federal balance. (3/15)
The Hindu’s “Flawed Order” editorial misreads what the SC actually said about the #KarurStampede probe. Let’s look at how the SC’s observations have been twisted into claims the Court never made. 🧵1/10
❗️Before reading this 🧵, YOU SHOULD READ @the_hindu’s editorial 👇🏽
The editorial calls SC’s reasoning amounts a “gag order” on officials. FALSE.
The Court never barred statements, it said cops’ & senior officials’ media remarks could create doubt about probe fairness. That’s caution, not censorship.
Anyone familiar with how justice works knows that conclusive public remarks by a senior police officer can compromise the integrity of an ongoing investigation. 2/10
The Court cited West Bengal v. CPDR (2010) but used its “extraordinary power” because of high political sensitivity, procedural confusion, and cries for credibility. This fits exceptions, not routine transfers. SC acted to restore consistency in conflicting orders from MHC.
Therefore, this editorial's reference to the above ruling is irrelevant and misleading. 3/10
Govt knew the risks but failed in their diligence. Police saw violations in past Vijay rallies - no helmets, triple riding, rash driving (all documented). If they'd issued challans for 80% of cases, crowds would've reduced. Without enforcement, advisories are just paper tigers. 1/6
Govt should've used Disaster Management Dept to discourage people from attending, especially vulnerable groups. Run visual campaigns on social media showing dangers of overcrowding. Their job includes man-made disasters too. 2/6
Send targeted warnings to vulnerable groups: "Your safety matters more than a glimpse" with real footage from Sabarimala 2011, Elphinstone 2017, Kumbh Mela incidents. These campaigns could've convinced many families to stay home. 3/6
41 people died in Karur. 19 women, 14 men, 8 children including a 2-year-old. Many blame attendees (the usual victim blaming) for ignoring advisories. But this fundamentally misunderstands the social contract between citizens and the state. 1/9
#KarurTragedy
Under social contract, citizens surrender certain freedoms and rights to the state in exchange for protection, security and order. We cannot individually ensure our safety at mass gatherings. We delegate that responsibility to government. That's the foundational bargain. 2/9
When government grants permission for such events, it is not merely administrative. It signals legitimacy and creates expectation of safety. Citizens attending have no alternative but to trust that government has ensured adequate safety measures. This trust was violated. 3/9