Articles by K A Shaji
In TN, where people who cannot afford expensive IMFL turn to bootleg alcohol
In February this year, the M K Stalin-led DMK government increased the price of IMFL available through the state-owned distribution network TASMAC.
![Relatives mourn near the mortal remains of people who died after consuming spurious liquor in Kallakurichi in Tamil Nadu on Friday. (PTI)(HT_PRINT) Relatives mourn near the mortal remains of people who died after consuming spurious liquor in Kallakurichi in Tamil Nadu on Friday. (PTI)(HT_PRINT)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/06/22/148x111/Relatives-mourn-near-the-mortal-remains-of-people-_1719080911460_1719080979091.jpg)
Divisions emerge in the Syro-Malabar Church over holy mass format
Dissenters argue that the priest should be permitted to face the congregation. However, Vatican has taken a firm stand on implementing the uniform mass format
![According to the fundamentals of Christianity, holy mass is a traditional ritual performed in memory of Jesus Christ's last supper, which involved breaking bread and distributing it among the disciples.(Shutterstock/Representative image) According to the fundamentals of Christianity, holy mass is a traditional ritual performed in memory of Jesus Christ's last supper, which involved breaking bread and distributing it among the disciples.(Shutterstock/Representative image)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/06/20/148x111/_38f45b10-8b7e-11e8-a23e-bc16ac6b2c17_1718907672021.jpg)
Published on Jun 21, 2024 08:00 AM IST
The challenges before Priyanka Gandhi in Kerala's hilly Wayanad constituency
The new Congress candidate in Wayanad will have to focus on local issues including the increasing incidence of human-animal conflict and farmers’ issues.
![Wayanad, Apr 24 (ANI): Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. (ANI Photo)(Congress X) Wayanad, Apr 24 (ANI): Priyanka Gandhi Vadra. (ANI Photo)(Congress X)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/06/19/148x111/ANI-20240424172-0_1718803737423_1718803778787.jpg)
Knives out in Tamil Nadu BJP over poll debacle
Though the BJP emerged as the runner-up in certain constituencies, even party insiders now feel that it failed to achieve the desired results of the campaign
![As far as the BJP was concerned, Annamalai remained the best choice to wrest Coimbatore (PTI) As far as the BJP was concerned, Annamalai remained the best choice to wrest Coimbatore (PTI)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/06/17/148x111/The-BJP-has-received-11-3--vote-share--its-highest_1717702696517_1718648926493.jpg)
On India's circus capital, and Sreedharan Chambad, performer-turned-chronicler
Sreedharan Chambad, 86, died on June 15 in Patyam near Thalassery
![Sreedharan Chambad, a trapeze performer who later ran his own circus company before graduating as an author-screenwriter. Sreedharan Chambad, a trapeze performer who later ran his own circus company before graduating as an author-screenwriter.](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/06/16/148x111/sreedharan_champad_1718533115796_1718533144498.jpg)
Published on Jun 16, 2024 09:29 PM IST
Kerala's fading red and the blooming lotus
In the Lok Sabha election, the BJP opened its account for the first time through actor-turned-politician Suresh Gopi, who contested from Thrissur
![Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in this file photo. Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan in this file photo.](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/06/15/148x111/Kerala-Chief-Minister-Pinarayi-Vijayan-during-the-_1717618363101_1718430194073.jpg)
Published on Jun 15, 2024 11:38 AM IST
Kerala's failure to learn from extreme weather events since 2018
Climate experts pointed out possible cloudbursts as the reason for several landslides and flash floods in the hilly regions of the state
![Monsoon clouds hover over the city skyline on a rainy day in Kochi, southern Kerala state, India, Sunday, June 2, 2024. (AP Photo/R S Iyer)(AP) Monsoon clouds hover over the city skyline on a rainy day in Kochi, southern Kerala state, India, Sunday, June 2, 2024. (AP Photo/R S Iyer)(AP)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/06/04/148x111/India-Monsoon-0_1717535743413_1717535899988.jpg)
Published on Jun 05, 2024 07:30 AM IST
How the BJP finally breached the Kerala bastion with Gopi’s Thrissur victory
The credit for Gopi's victory can be attributed to the robust support from the BJP's central leadership
![BJP candidate from Thrissur parliamentary constituency Suresh Gopi during the campaign trail on April 5. (PTI Photo)(HT_PRINT) BJP candidate from Thrissur parliamentary constituency Suresh Gopi during the campaign trail on April 5. (PTI Photo)(HT_PRINT)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/06/04/148x111/BJP-candidate-from-Thrissur-parliamentary-constitu_1717531739245_1717532118222.jpg)
Row in Kerala over liquor policy mirrors 2015 bar bribery scandal
The recent controversy over alleged bribes for a favourable liquor policy has parallels to the 2015 bribery case that led to the fall of the UDF government
![People queue up outside a liquor outlet in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala,(Vivek Nair/HT Photo) People queue up outside a liquor outlet in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala,(Vivek Nair/HT Photo)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/06/01/148x111/kerala-lockdown-covid-19-day-2_5f48ea2a-9913-11ea-871b-70b2176894d0_1717277373994.jpg)
Published on Jun 03, 2024 08:00 AM IST
TN, Kerala continue to feud over dam built by an Englishman 128 years ago
Tamil Nadu has requested an increase in the storage capacity of the dam's reservoir to 152 feet (46 metres) in front of the Central Water Commission and the SC
![Kerala and TN disagree over the safety of the Mullaperiyar Dam and the rights to the water it holds.(K A Shaji) Kerala and TN disagree over the safety of the Mullaperiyar Dam and the rights to the water it holds.(K A Shaji)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/05/29/148x111/M_2_1717006217514_1717006226665.jpg)
Published on May 29, 2024 11:45 PM IST
Savukku Shankar's arrest sparks debate on custodial treatment and free speech
Shankar, who gained fame on YouTube for his criticism of the MK Stalin government, was arrested for derogatory remarks against female police officers.
![Shankar being taken around Tamil Nadu as part of evidence gathering in the cases against him, accompanied by an all-women team of police personnel.(KA Shaji) Shankar being taken around Tamil Nadu as part of evidence gathering in the cases against him, accompanied by an all-women team of police personnel.(KA Shaji)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/05/26/148x111/savukkusankar_1716745731475_1716745740350.jpg)
Published on May 27, 2024 08:30 AM IST
Recurring dowry harassment cases are denting Kerala's progressive image
“The number of dowry harassment cases in the state is rising alarmingly even though the government has opened a 24-hour call centre service for victims”.
![Though anti-dowry pledges are mandatory in government offices, schools, colleges, and other socio-cultural establishments across the state, and the government observes every November 26 as dowry prohibition day, dowry deaths are frequently reported from across Kerala. (HT FILE) Though anti-dowry pledges are mandatory in government offices, schools, colleges, and other socio-cultural establishments across the state, and the government observes every November 26 as dowry prohibition day, dowry deaths are frequently reported from across Kerala. (HT FILE)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/05/22/148x111/The-police-have-arrested-a-man-and-her-mother-on-c_1690134059187_1716411976667.jpg)
Published on May 23, 2024 02:47 AM IST
How the move to revive elephant corridors has become a political problem in TN
The state has witnessed wildlife conflict involving elephants, tigers and wild boars, especially on the periphery of forests in Coimbatore, Nilgiris, and Hosur
![The Tamil Nadu government's initiative to restore all the traditional elephant corridors in the state to facilitate unrestricted movement of wildlife without running into conflict with humans has become a flashpoint with major political parties and prominent farmers' organisations objecting to the plan. (Shutterstock/Representative) The Tamil Nadu government's initiative to restore all the traditional elephant corridors in the state to facilitate unrestricted movement of wildlife without running into conflict with humans has become a flashpoint with major political parties and prominent farmers' organisations objecting to the plan. (Shutterstock/Representative)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/05/18/148x111/West-Bengal-has-the-highest-26-out-of-the-150-elep_1701410409230_1716057664180.jpg)
Published on May 19, 2024 12:19 AM IST
K A Shaji | Edited by Anish Yande
Kerala temples have enforced a blanket ban on using oleander in rituals. Why?
Experts said different oleander species contain highly poisonous chemical substances that can directly affect the heart.
![Effects of oleander toxicity include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, rashes, confusion, dizziness, an irregular heartbeat, a slow heartbeat, and, in extreme cases, death.(Unspalsh) Effects of oleander toxicity include nausea, diarrhoea, vomiting, rashes, confusion, dizziness, an irregular heartbeat, a slow heartbeat, and, in extreme cases, death.(Unspalsh)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/05/15/148x111/g93723e7dbb0720a973b75af5e4f9f59ebbfddebc28602a1db_1715309683252_1715787785859.jpg)
Published on May 15, 2024 09:17 PM IST
Southern coastal areas face the seasonal phenomenon of ‘Kallakkadal'
The word Kallakkadal means ‘a sea that comes suddenly like a thief’. The word is derived by combining two Malayalam words: ‘Kallan’ (thief) and ‘Kadal’ (sea).
![Rough sea near Vizhinjam coast in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. (Vivek Nair) Rough sea near Vizhinjam coast in Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala. (Vivek Nair)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/05/11/148x111/_1f3e6d56-d679-11e7-ad30-e18a56154311_1715456509016.jpg)
Published on May 12, 2024 01:18 AM IST
The doctor-activist who fought elections against Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi
Dr Paramananda found it his duty to contest in Rae Bareli against the then PM, who, according to him, had curtailed civil liberties in the name of the Emergency
![Dr. Nalla Thampi Thera Paramananda(KA Shaji) Dr. Nalla Thampi Thera Paramananda(KA Shaji)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/05/06/148x111/IMG_4674_1715020229071_1715020271431.jpg)
Published on May 07, 2024 12:08 AM IST
How a Kerala doctor spearheaded the campaign against misleading Patanjali claims
KV Babu’s initiatives have had a lasting impact on the fight against misleading medical claims, especially claims about curing serious diseases.
![Dr K V Babu(K A Shaji) Dr K V Babu(K A Shaji)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/05/03/148x111/df74ba1f-deb0-4e27-b2ac-ad359726e9da_1714757478282_1714757520122.jpg)
Published on May 03, 2024 11:15 PM IST
Why Kerala’s Alappuzha experiences yearly outbreaks of avian influenza
Facilities to test and confirm the virus locally are needed in Alapuzha because the pandemic has become an annual occurrence.
![Alappuzha: Ducks being killed en masse by the Animal Husbandry Department, following detection of avian influenza among ducks at four places, in Alappuzha district of Kerala, Friday, April 19, 2024. PTI Photo) (PTI04_19_2024_000485B)(PTI) Alappuzha: Ducks being killed en masse by the Animal Husbandry Department, following detection of avian influenza among ducks at four places, in Alappuzha district of Kerala, Friday, April 19, 2024. PTI Photo) (PTI04_19_2024_000485B)(PTI)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/04/26/148x111/PTI04-19-2024-000485B-0_1714152061856_1714152120989.jpg)
Published on Apr 26, 2024 11:07 PM IST
Kerala’s Congress-Left political paradox: Nationally aligned, locally sparring
As CM Vijayan faces a strong anti-incumbency factor in the state, he has few options but to go strong against Congress, setting aside electoral compulsions.
![Pinarayi Vijayan and Rahul Gandhi have been at loggerheads for many weeks now though the Left is part of the Congress-led INDIA bloc. Pinarayi Vijayan and Rahul Gandhi have been at loggerheads for many weeks now though the Left is part of the Congress-led INDIA bloc.](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/04/24/148x111/Pinarayi_vijayan_rahul_gandhi_1713532974316_1713971343660.jpg)
Published on Apr 24, 2024 08:46 PM IST
Sulthan Battery, Ganapathivattom, or Hennared Veedhi: What's in a name?
The BJP wants to rename a town in Wayanad that it says was renamed by Tipu Sultan. We speak to historians to find out the town's ancient past
![Jain Temple at Sultan Bathery, Wayanad, Kerala, India(Joseph Lazer/Wikimedia Commons) Jain Temple at Sultan Bathery, Wayanad, Kerala, India(Joseph Lazer/Wikimedia Commons)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/04/18/148x111/Jain_temple_1713453764461_1713453772355.jpg)
The enduring appeal of Tamil Nadu's moral compass, Thiruvalluvar
BJP manifesto's promise to build Thiruvalluvar Cultural Centres reopens the debate over the Tamil poet-saint, his political beliefs and his stance on Hinduism
![The Thiruvalluvar Statue, located 400 meters from the coastline of Kanyakumari(Darisi sumanth/Wikimedia Commons) The Thiruvalluvar Statue, located 400 meters from the coastline of Kanyakumari(Darisi sumanth/Wikimedia Commons)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/04/16/148x111/Thiruvalluvar_1713281029659_1713281037285.jpg)
Published on Apr 16, 2024 09:05 PM IST
In Kanniyakumari, Wadge Bank is the election issue residents want to talk about
Residents of this district are more concerned with the Centre’s decision to allow exploration of oil and gas blocks in the biodiversity-rich ocean region
![Kanniyakumari is the southernmost district in Tamil Nadu(Unsplash) Kanniyakumari is the southernmost district in Tamil Nadu(Unsplash)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/04/14/148x111/raimond-klavins-dtMxmra_jao-unsplash_1704088457244_1713111080246.jpg)
Crude country bombs of Kerala's Kannur and their unintended targets
In volatile Kannur, political cadres target each other with weapons and bystanders and non-actors get hurt in the process. This has been happening since the 70s
![A crude bomb attack at the RSS office in Kerala's Kannur district in July 2022( ANI) A crude bomb attack at the RSS office in Kerala's Kannur district in July 2022( ANI)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/04/14/148x111/kerala_rss_office_bomb_1657609973869_1713101181128.jpg)
Modi govt’s attempt to explore gas in Wadge Bank roils Kanniyakumari LS poll
Local activists say oil and gas exploration in Wadge Bank could destroy fish workers’ livelihoods and have a detrimental effect on the region’s ecosystem.
![Wadge Bank is an ocean region in the far south that spans 10,000 square kilometres and is considered the country’s most abundant fisheries resource.(K A Shaji) Wadge Bank is an ocean region in the far south that spans 10,000 square kilometres and is considered the country’s most abundant fisheries resource.(K A Shaji)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/04/11/148x111/2023-06-02_Original_1712849520532_1712849525170.jpg)
Published on Apr 11, 2024 09:06 PM IST
After Congress shut its door in Kerala, SDPI gets AIADMK backing in TN
A close partner of the BJP at the national level up until this point, the AIADMK was extremely critical of the SDPI
![AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami with SDPI Tamil Nadu president Nellie Mubarak in Chennai. (Photo from X) AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami with SDPI Tamil Nadu president Nellie Mubarak in Chennai. (Photo from X)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/04/11/150x84/AIADMK-general-secretary-Edappadi-K--Palaniswami-w_1712811362625.jpg)
Updated on Apr 11, 2024 10:26 AM IST
K A Shaji, Dindigul
The saga of Kerala's rare mineral sand, corruption and coast deterioration
Locals in coastal villages where mineral sand mining continues are hoping that this will be a potent issue in the Lok Sabha election campaign
![Mining in progress at Thottappally Pozhi. (Photos: K A Shaji) Mining in progress at Thottappally Pozhi. (Photos: K A Shaji)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/04/10/148x111/KARIMANAL_-_11_1712761511364_1712761518237.jpg)
Published on Apr 10, 2024 08:37 PM IST
When engineering comes to the rescue of captive elephants
An increasing trend in South India's temple festivals is to use robotic elephants instead of captive ones. This will help end cruelty towards the pachyderms
![Shankara Hariharan, the robotic elephant gifted by Sangita Iyer, a Canadian citizen of Indian descent and staunch advocate for Asian elephants, to the new temple in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu.(K A Shaji) Shankara Hariharan, the robotic elephant gifted by Sangita Iyer, a Canadian citizen of Indian descent and staunch advocate for Asian elephants, to the new temple in Nilgiris, Tamil Nadu.(K A Shaji)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/04/05/148x111/elephant_1712339682957_1712339688861.jpg)
Published on Apr 05, 2024 11:28 PM IST
Trouble over an island with a shrine dedicated to St Anthony
The political decisions over Katchatheevu island have become an election talking point, but the uninhabited island has a long cultural history
![Katchatheevu island, Sri Lanka (Image: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sri Lanka) Katchatheevu island, Sri Lanka (Image: Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sri Lanka)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/04/02/148x111/Screenshot_2024-03-31_114333_1711865650674_1711865656495_1712078784779.png)
Published on Apr 02, 2024 11:40 PM IST
BJP respects minorities and welcomes Muslim leaders, says party candidate from Kerala
Academic turned politician M Abdul Salam is the lone Muslim candidate announced by the BJP for the Lok Sabha polls
![BJP’s Salam is set to contest from Mallapuram district in Kerala. (HT photo) BJP’s Salam is set to contest from Mallapuram district in Kerala. (HT photo)](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/03/26/150x84/BJP-s-Salam-is-set-to-contest-from-Mallapuram-dist_1711481845915.jpg)
Updated on Mar 27, 2024 08:40 AM IST
Mohiniyattam exponent’s slur raises questions of caste gate-keeping in the arts
After Sathyabhama's comments over Ramakrishnan's skin colour sparked outrage, artistes from marginalised communities are seeking reckoning over discrimination
![A Mohiniyattam group dance performance A Mohiniyattam group dance performance](https://www.hindustantimes.com/ht-img/img/2024/03/23/148x111/_1050ae24-c4ae-11e9-8b78-a387d3830b78_1711220120540.jpg)
Published on Mar 24, 2024 08:16 AM IST
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