Kalanithi Maran’s ‘man Friday’ Hansraj Saxena turns against him

Having switched sides after his arrest last year, Hansraj Saxena, who was the man Friday of media mogul Kalanithi Maran, has decided to take on his former boss. The former Sun Pictures‘ chief operating officer (COO) visited the Chennai police commissioner’s office along with an accomplice who lodged a complaint of cheating against the senior Maran.

Though it was R. Ayyappan, also a former hand at Sun Pictures, who filed the complaint, Saxena said he too would come up with one.

Interestingly, this comes a day after Saxena was granted audience by Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa. It also comes close on the heels of Maran securing an anticipatory bail last week after film producer Sakthi Chidambaram filed a police complaint charging the media czar of cheating and threatening him.

M.C.Rajan

It’s SRILANKAN TURN

Sri Lanka govt issues advisory to its citizens against visiting Tamil Nadu

As Cheif Minister Jayalalithaa toughens her anti-Sri Lanka stance, the Sri Lankan government has now issued a travel advisory to all its citizens cautioning them from visiting Tamil Nadu.

The travel advisory comes in the backdrop of an attack on Sri Lankan pilgrims who were assaulted while on a trip to a church in Thanjavur in Tamil Nadu. Following the incident about 180 Sri Lankan pilgrims have returned home.

The move by the Sri Lnakan government comes barely a day after reinforcing her anti-Sri Lankan stance, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa ordered the return of two football teams from the island nation that are in the city to play friendly matches.

Jayalalithaa also cancelled all football matches involving Sri Lankan players in the state.

She also ordered the suspension of the stadium officer at the Nehru Stadium here for allowing the football team from Royal College of Colombo to play a friendly match against the Chennai Customs football team Friday.

Condemning the central government for permitting Sri Lankan football teams to come to India to enhance their skills, Jayalalithaa said: “Such an action is an insult to the people of Tamil Nadu.”

According to her, the management of Royal College of Colombo (RCC) contacted an official of Reserve Bank of India (RBI) here to organise a friendly football match with the teams here.

The RBI official facilitated such a match and the Sri Lankan team came here Thursday and played the match Friday at the Nehru stadium.

She said the stadium officer permitted the match on an oral request from the RBI official.

“The stadium officer has no power to permit any match at the Nehru Stadium. Only the Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu has such a power. The stadium officer has demeaned the sentiments of the Tamil people by exercising an authority that he does not have,” Jayalaltihaa said.

The other football team from Sri Lanka is from Hilborn International School comprising of eight players and a coach who are here to play a match against Velammal International School.

The Sri Lankan government has advised its citizens not to travel to Tamil Nadu after Lankan pilgrims, visiting a church in Thanjavur in the state, were allegedly harassed. Around 180 pilgrims have returned to Sri Lanka.

– With IANS inputs