MPs should vote in favour of the Waqf Amendment Bill; The people of Munambam want justice, says KCBC. The Kerala Catholic Bishops’ Council (KCBC) has called for MPs from Kerala to support the Waqf Amendment Bill being introduced by the Central Govt. It stated that passing the Waqf Amendment Bill is essential to ensure justice for the people of Munambam. With the budget session nearing its end, the central government has intensified efforts to pass the Waqf Bill in Parliament, prompting KCBC to express its stance. MPs from both LDF and UDF parties in Kerala have opposed the Waqf Bill.
Anganwadi workers end stir after government assurance in Kerala: A two-week agitation by a section of Anganwadi workers in front of the Secretariat has been withdrawn after talks held with the state government reached a consensus. The decision comes after the government assured that their demands—including an increase in honorarium, pension, and festival allowance—would be considered.
CM Pinarayi and Congress Support Empuran. Mohan Lal apologises. Kerala BJP chief ‘disappointed with Empuraan, won’t watch it’: According to the spokesperson of the film, the producers have decided to cut a few scenes and mute some dialogues of the film. “The decision was made by the producers. As the director also nodded to the decision, the filmmakers went for editing and re-censoring. There will only be minute changes that do not affect the content of the film,” said the spokesperson. There will be 17 cuts and scenes, including violence against women and riots, which will be removed from the three-hour-long film. Earlier, on Saturday, the producer of the film, Gokulam Gopalan had said that corrective steps will be taken if the film has hurt anyone’s sentiments. Continuing its attack on the makers of ‘Empuraan’ film, Organiser, the RSS mouthpiece, on Sunday, said the film is “anti-Bharat and anti-Hindu” as it “undermines Bharat’s nationhood, culture, constitution and democratic institutions.” The article titled ‘Unmasking the anti-Hindu and anti-Bharat narrative in Malayalam film ‘Empuraan’ in the Organiser also specifically targeted Prithviraj Sukumaran saying through his directorial choices the actor-turned-director “appears to use cinema as a medium of subversion”.
“The first part, ‘Lucifer’, subtly introduced the idea that political parties in Bharat are mere puppets controlled by unseen foreign entities. The second part, ‘Empuraan’, takes this further by targeting India’s investigative agencies, law enforcement, and judiciary — institutions crucial to the nation’s democratic framework. The message is clear: the audience is meant to distrust those entrusted with upholding justice,” said the article. “Empuraan continues this trend, reinforcing the belief that the system is beyond redemption,” the article reads.
ADM death case: Chargesheet filed in Thalassery court; Divya sole accused:
The police on Saturday filed a chargesheet in the suicide case of former Kannur ADM Naveen Babu at the Thalassery First Class Magistrate Court.
It states that former district panchayat president P P Divya’s impulsive remarks against Naveen Babu stemmed from an ego clash. Divya was upset upon learning that Naveen had given a no-objection certificate (NOC) for a petrol pump following the intervention of applicant T V Prashanthan-an approval she had repeatedly sought but was denied.
The probe suggests that this perceived slight led to Divya’s outburst during Naveen’s farewell party. The chargesheet filed by investigation officer Sreejith Koderi consists of over 400 pages in three volumes. A total of 97 statements were recorded, with Prashanthan listed as the 43rd witness among 79 in the case.
“Divya barged into the farewell party with the aim of publicly humiliating Naveen Babu,” a source from the investigation team said.
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Kerala High Court rejects Congress MLA’s plea for probe against Pinarayi Vijayan. The Kerala High Court dismissed Congress MLA Mathew Kuzhalnadan’s plea seeking a probe into alleged financial transactions between the IT firm owned by Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan’s daughter and a private mining company. Kuzhalnadan had approached the High Court after a vigilance court rejected his request for a probe into the alleged financial dealings between Cochin Minerals and Rutile Ltd (CMRL) and Exalogic, an IT firm owned by Vijayan’s daughter, T Veena. According to Veena’s company contract with CMRL, she was supposed to be paid Rs 5 lakh per month, and Exalogic was to receive Rs 3 lakh per month. Although the payments were made regularly, no services were provided to CMRL, which is a public limited company involved in the manufacture of synthetic Rutile.
Kerala to kick off anti-drug campaign with strict enforcement in April. The Kerala government is set to launch a large-scale anti-drug campaign from April, uniting various departments, institutions, and the public to combat drug abuse, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan announced on Monday. A committee led by the Chief Secretary will be established to draft an anti-drug blueprint. The Chief Minister emphasised that awareness programs should begin from lower primary school levels and suggested promoting sports to engage children productively.
He also directed authorities to ensure hostels and public spaces remain drug-free through intensified inspections and strict enforcement by the police and excise departments. The local government department has been tasked with shutting down shops selling drugs, while modern detection equipment and additional sniffer dogs will be deployed to aid enforcement. Vijayan also highlighted the need for collaboration with police forces from other states if required and announced steps to curb online drug transactions. Security measures will be tightened at airports, railway stations, and ports, with increased border checks on vehicles entering Kerala, including couriers, parcels, and tourist vehicles. Ministers at the meeting provided updates on ongoing anti-drug initiatives within their respective departments.
