India News

Kamal Haasan launches Maiyam Whistle mobile app, will tour TN before political debut

Published

8 years ago

November 7, 2017

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]The Tamil icon says Maiyam Whistle will be a platform to reach out to people and will be used as a whistleblower tool to report incidents of wrongdoing

Junking the much anticipated plans of his mega-announcement about taking a plunge in politics, Tamil actor Kamal Haasan, on Tuesday – his birthday – announced the launch of his mobile app Maiyam Whistle and declared that he will undertake a statewide tour of Tamil Nadu which would act as the “groundwork” for his political debut.

Haasan, who has for several months been carefully planning his entry into politics, said that Maiyam Whistle will act as a “sort of whistleblower platform, will be used wherever wrong happens… will strive to achieve justice (sic).” The mobile app, the actor said, will also help him connect with his supporters and that its “aim would be to reach out to people”.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]The actor, who turned 63 on Tuesday, also inaugurated a medical camp at Avadi in Chennai earlier in the day and said that though he believes that the Tamil Nadu government “is carrying out necessary rain relief work” in the flood-ravaged state capital, “there is need to make prior arrangements for attending to people’s medical needs.”

While lakhs of his fans and supporters have eagerly been waiting for him to announce his political party, Haasan declared that “there is no need or hurry” to do so and that he would soon undertake a state-wide tour of Tamil Nadu “to understand the problems of the people”. He also asserted that his entry into politics was now a foregone conclusion, stating that “at this point the question of going back (on his promise of making a political debut) doesn’t arise”.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]JTNDYmxvY2txdW90ZSUyMGNsYXNzJTNEJTIydHdpdHRlci10d2VldCUyMiUyMGRhdGEtbGFuZyUzRCUyMmVuJTIyJTNFJTNDcCUyMGxhbmclM0QlMjJlbiUyMiUyMGRpciUzRCUyMmx0ciUyMiUzRUF0JTIwdGhpcyUyMHBvaW50JTIwcXVlc3Rpb24lMjBvZiUyMGdvaW5nJTIwYmFjayUyMGRvZXNuJTI2JTIzMzklM0J0JTIwYXJpc2UuVGhhdCUyMGlzJTIwd2h5JTIwSSUyMHNhaWQlMjBncm91bmR3b3JrJTIwYmVpbmclMjBkb25lJTNBJTNDYSUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGaGFzaHRhZyUyRkthbWFsSGFhc2FuJTNGc3JjJTNEaGFzaCUyNmFtcCUzQnJlZl9zcmMlM0R0d3NyYyUyNTVFdGZ3JTIyJTNFJTIzS2FtYWxIYWFzYW4lM0MlMkZhJTNFJTIwb24lMjBxdWVzdGlvbiUyMG9mJTIwZW50ZXJpbmclMjBwb2xpdGljcyUyMCUzQ2ElMjBocmVmJTNEJTIyaHR0cHMlM0ElMkYlMkZ0LmNvJTJGNHh6THAyQjF1ZCUyMiUzRXBpYy50d2l0dGVyLmNvbSUyRjR4ekxwMkIxdWQlM0MlMkZhJTNFJTNDJTJGcCUzRSUyNm1kYXNoJTNCJTIwQU5JJTIwJTI4JTQwQU5JJTI5JTIwJTNDYSUyMGhyZWYlM0QlMjJodHRwcyUzQSUyRiUyRnR3aXR0ZXIuY29tJTJGQU5JJTJGc3RhdHVzJTJGOTI3ODA5ODY0ODIyMTY1NTA0JTNGcmVmX3NyYyUzRHR3c3JjJTI1NUV0ZnclMjIlM0VOb3ZlbWJlciUyMDclMkMlMjAyMDE3JTNDJTJGYSUzRSUzQyUyRmJsb2NrcXVvdGUlM0UlMEElM0NzY3JpcHQlMjBhc3luYyUyMHNyYyUzRCUyMmh0dHBzJTNBJTJGJTJGcGxhdGZvcm0udHdpdHRlci5jb20lMkZ3aWRnZXRzLmpzJTIyJTIwY2hhcnNldCUzRCUyMnV0Zi04JTIyJTNFJTNDJTJGc2NyaXB0JTNF[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]“My dream is create a good Tamil Nadu…it is important to strengthen the base, before launching the party”, Haasan said.

The Tamil actor also spoke at length on the recent controversy over comments on ‘Hindu terror’ that he made in his column for the Tamil weekly, Ananda Vikatan, which led to a defamation case being filed against him in a Varanasi court and death threats being issued to him publicly by the Akhil Bharatiya Hindu Mahasabha. “I am a rationalist, not an atheist”, Haasan said, adding that he wasn’t against Hindus and has “no intention of hurting Hindu sentiments”. He added that “I cannot deny that I belong to the Brahmin community… it is nothing to be proud of” and then asserted that “I have friends and families from all communities”.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]“There was no need to wait for disaster to strike. Let us not wait for tragedy to happen. We can prevent catastrophe. Let us start today,” Haasan told his fans, who have been upset over his cancelling his birthday celebrations.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html]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[/vc_raw_html][/vc_column][/vc_row]

India News

Centre pushes states to cut levies to boost PNG adoption

The Centre has asked states to reduce local levies and streamline approvals to accelerate PNG adoption and city gas infrastructure growth.

Published

2 hours ago

March 18, 2026

[email protected]

The Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas has urged states and Union Territories to ease local levies and procedural barriers affecting City Gas Distribution (CGD) projects, in a bid to accelerate the adoption of piped natural gas (PNG) as a cleaner fuel alternative.

In a communication sent to Chief Secretaries, Petroleum and Natural Gas Secretary Neeraj Mittal highlighted that high right-of-way charges, road cutting fees, lease rentals and other local levies imposed by urban bodies are discouraging investments in CGD infrastructure.

High costs slowing expansion

The ministry pointed out that the CGD sector, particularly PNG supply to households and commercial establishments, does not receive direct subsidies. As a result, it depends heavily on viable returns, which are being impacted by excessive and inconsistent local charges across states.

It noted that these financial and procedural hurdles are slowing down infrastructure expansion and affecting the broader adoption of natural gas.

Gap between connections and usage

According to the government, while around 12.63 crore PNG connections have been recorded, only about 1.6 crore are currently active. The ministry stressed that improving ease of doing business at state and local levels could help bridge this gap and expand the consumer base.

Officials believe that rationalising levies may initially reduce local revenues but could lead to higher long-term gains through increased gas consumption and economic activity.

LPG shortage adds urgency

The push for PNG adoption comes amid supply constraints in liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), linked to ongoing tensions in the Middle East. Oil marketing companies are currently supplying only 20 per cent of normal commercial LPG demand to states.

To address this, the ministry has proposed increasing LPG allocation to 30 per cent for states that implement reforms supporting PNG and CGD expansion.

Reform-linked incentives for states

The Centre has suggested a set of measures that states can adopt to qualify for higher LPG allocations. These include:

Setting up empowered state and district-level committees for faster approvals
Introducing single-window clearance with deemed approvals within 24 hours
Implementing a dig-and-restore model using bank guarantees instead of restoration charges
Eliminating annual rental or lease charges for CGD infrastructure

The ministry said compliance with these reforms would be verified before granting additional LPG allocations.

Industry support measures

The communication also noted that GAIL and its subsidiaries have already allocated full gas supply to the commercial PNG segment to support businesses affected by reduced LPG availability.

The government reiterated that expanding natural gas usage aligns with its broader push for cleaner and domestically sourced energy.

India News

BJP seals Assam seat-sharing pact, Modi to hold 3 rallies in April

BJP has finalised its Assam seat-sharing plan with allies and is gearing up for an intense campaign led by PM Modi and Amit Shah.

Published

2 hours ago

March 18, 2026

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The Bharatiya Janata Party has finalised its seat-sharing arrangement for the upcoming Assam Assembly elections, firming up its strategy alongside National Democratic Alliance partners as campaigning gathers pace in the state.

Under the agreement, the BJP will contest 89 seats, while its allies — Asom Gana Parishad and Bodoland People’s Front — will field candidates in 26 and 11 constituencies respectively. The distribution has been decided after internal deliberations, with the focus now shifting to candidate announcements and campaign execution.

Campaign push led by top leadership

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is expected to address three rallies in Assam during the final leg of the campaign. Tentative dates for the rallies are April 1, April 3 and April 6, with events likely to be held in key constituencies.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah is also set to spearhead an extensive campaign across the state through March, aiming to energise party workers and strengthen voter outreach.

Candidate selection underway

The party’s Central Election Committee is currently meeting to finalise candidates. Sources indicate that approvals for most constituencies are expected soon, and the BJP may release its complete list of candidates within the next two days.

Ticket distribution remains a crucial exercise, with internal discussions highlighting its potential impact on local political dynamics. Party leaders have also touched upon the proposed delimitation exercise scheduled for 2027, which is expected to have long-term implications for Assam’s electoral landscape.

Polling and counting dates

Voting for all 126 Assembly seats in Assam is scheduled for April 9, while the votes will be counted on May 4.

India News

Delhi Palam fire leaves 6 dead, massive rescue operation underway

Six people died after a fire broke out in a residential building in Delhi’s Palam. Firefighters continue rescue efforts with 30 tenders at the spot.

Published

9 hours ago

March 18, 2026

[email protected]

A tragic fire incident in southwest Delhi’s Palam area on Wednesday morning claimed the lives of six people, triggering a large-scale emergency response.

According to officials, the blaze erupted in a residential building, prompting immediate action from fire and police authorities. Around 30 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to control the flames and carry out rescue operations.

Authorities said they received a distress call at approximately 7 am reporting the fire at a house within the building. Firefighters were deployed swiftly amid concerns that several residents could be trapped inside the structure.

A fire services official stated that initial information suggested people might still be inside, leading to an intensive search and rescue effort. Emergency teams, including police personnel, reached the congested locality to assist in evacuation and crowd management.

The firefighting operation was still ongoing at the time of reporting. The exact cause of the fire has not yet been determined, and further details are awaited as authorities continue their investigation.