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There is a subtle but an influential intersection of the debate between Tamil nationalism and Dravidian identity in Tamil Nadu politics for over a decade. There are curious and interesting dimensions to this debate with the Tamil nationalists seeking separate identity based on language, culture and politics while advocates of Dravidian identity emphasising that Tamil nationalism is intrinsic to the Dravidian politics without forfeiting language, culture and identity within the plural, multicultural and multinational state system like India. Although the polarisation appears to be real and raging yet the debate itself is a camouflage of the long drawn power rivalry and mask for political competition as a response to the century old influence and impact of Dravidian politics. At the same time, it is equally important to identify, acknowledge and classify the sources of Tamil nationalism as party and non-party movement based entities articulating their claims and rights with their definitions of Tamil identity and legitimacy for power. The Tamil nationalists argue that Tamil and Dravidian identity are mutually exclusive and therefore need not reinforce each other. There are two historical but conflicting interpretations of the term “Dravidian” with the common reference to majority of people living in Southern India (south of Vindhiyas) and the other with the location of Brahmans in the south which later became an indication at large for all including the indigenous people. In cultural-anthropological terms, the Dravidians are an ethno-linguistic family of people with a unique culture, ethnicity and history who largely live in the south Indian states and speak one of several Dravidian languages including Tamil which alone retains eighty per cent of Dravidian linguistic characteristics. Tamil, Telugu, Kannada and Malayalam are known as the great league within the Dravidian family of languages. Given the pre-colonial and post-independent history and political developments, the territorial assimilation of Madras Presidency during the British colonial administration largely retained the characteristics of classical understanding and interpretation of the Dravidian identity. It is the linguistic reorganisation of states in the post-independent period which not only provided an impetus to the surge in linguistic identity within the larger Dravidian linguistic family but also acquired a momentum for political quest among the subaltern groups within each of the linguistic members. The caste and class composition of the Indian National Congress (INC); Aryan-Dravidian divide and the language rights consciousness gave a powerful cultural-political-ideological orientation to the Dravidian movement with an inclusive worldview of Tamil-Dravidian orientation. The birth of Dravida Kazhagam (DK) and the journey of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) harmonised this historical transition with a twin edge of resistance to the north centric post-independent Indian politics while accommodating the claim for separate statehood for Andhra and territorial settlements with other neighbouring states including Kerala and Karnataka. The Tamil nationalists formed the socio-cultural and intellectual basis of the Dravidian movement in the first half (1900-1950) of the 20th century and later made a substantial contribution to the rise and role of DMK during the third-quarter (1950-1975) of the same period. A slow but gradual alienation of the Tamil nationalists from the major Dravidian parties including the DMK, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) was taking place despite the continued access and maintenance of channel of communication between the Tamil nationalists and Dravidian parties. The love and hate relationship continued with an open exhibition of dissent and cautious distance for all political purposes until the emergence of Eelam liberation struggle as a critical question in the politics of Tamil Nadu with an acute polarisation between the Dravidian parties and Tamil nationalists due to the effects of realpolitik and the Union government’s Sri Lanka policy impacting upon the role and responses of the Dravidian parties. The drift was obvious after May 2009 with an electoral defeat of the DMK in 2011 and 2016 assembly elections and the tactful harvesting of Tamil nationalists’ votes by the Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK despite her strong opposition to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). The formation of the Naam Tamizhar Katchi (NTK) on May 18, 2010, a year after the end of Eelam War-IV in Sri Lanka as a revival of SP Adithanar’s “We Tamils” (Naam Thamizhar Katchi) marked a decisive shift in the Tamil nationalists’ movement with the departure of cultural-intellectual movement to party-political orientation with the rise of Seeman exhibiting political eccentrism and theatrics. The high tide and low ebb of the Tamil nationalists’ movement crisscrossed at the same point of a capricious and opportunistic political trap laid out by Seeman. The cultural-intellectual voices of Tamil nationalism including the highly respected and eminent political leaders were either silenced or besieged by the fascist and megalomaniac traits of Seeman with the routine exhibitions of delusions of grandeur and an obsession for power. Given the courting by all and sundry in the name of Tamil nationalism and electoral networking with the AIADMK, Seeman has learnt to survive with the opposition to the DMK because of the end of his tales and waning influence among the Eelam Tamil Diaspora. It is an irony of sorts that he has found more compatibility with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu and often serves as a diving board for the BJP in launching its attacks against the DMK. Seeman and his political outfit NTK has been gripped by a sudden panic of desertions after the launch of actor Vijay’s Tamizhaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) although Vijay holds no direct threat or challenge to Seeman and his political journey. It is the fear of displacement beyond the periphery of Tamil Nadu politics that has nudged him to reach the iconic mediators to convince the BJP leadership of his services in platter. The debate between Dravidian identity and Tamil nationalism needs a genuine pause with a distinction between the mobilization of opposition to the DMK through electoral politics and the revival of reinvigorating cultural – intellectual traditions of Tamil nationalism as a counter narrative to the Dravidian identity politics. There is a yawning gap between the two roles reflecting the strength and dynamism of the Tamil society with a plural, diverse and the universal mind echoing the legendary poet Kaniyan Poongunranar who wrote 2000 years ago that “to us all places are one, all people our kin,” leaving the question ‘who is a Tamil?’ to rest in peace. Seeman is a backwater channel for the BJP in Tamil Nadu drew attention of the undecided youth and peripheral voters (Prof.Ramu Manivannan is a scholar-social activist in areas of education, human rights and sustainable development through an initiative “Multiversity.”)
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ESTERO, Fla. (AP) — Sydney Shaw scored 20 points and made four 3-pointers, JJ Quinerly added 14 points and No. 12 West Virginia handed Boise State its first loss, 82-47 on Saturday in the Gulf Coast Showcase. West Virginia advances to the championship game on Sunday, while Boise State plays for third place. The Mountaineers have started 8-0 in back-to-back seasons after last year's 11-0 beginning. Quinerly also had three steals to help West Virginia reach double figures in that category in every game this season. The Mountaineers also forced 20-plus turnovers for the eighth straight game. Boise State was held to just six points in the first and third quarters. West Virginia went on two 10-0 runs in the first quarter to build a 16-point lead. The Mountaineers led by double figures the rest of the way. It was 45-23 at halftime then Quinerly scored four straight points to begin a 9-0 run that ended in a 32-point lead. Freshman Jordan Thomas, coming off her first career double-double, had 10 points and six rebounds for West Virginia. Elodie Lalotte scored 11 points for Boise State (7-1). Teryn Gardner addd 10. West Virginia was coming off an 89-54 victory over High Point on Friday to begin the tournament. The Mountaineers led by as many as 39 points and forced 22 turnovers in that one. ___ Get poll alerts and updates on the AP Top 25 throughout the season. Sign up here . AP women’s college basketball: https://apnews.com/hub/ap-top-25-womens-college-basketball-poll and https://apnews.com/hub/womens-college-basketball
AMESBURY, Mass. , Dec. 2, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Provident Bancorp, Inc. (the "Company") (Nasdaq:PVBC), the holding company for BankProv (the "Bank"), today announced that its Board of Directors has adopted a new stock repurchase program. Under the repurchase program, the Company may repurchase up to 883,366 shares of its common stock, or approximately five percent of the current outstanding shares. Javascript is required for you to be able to read premium content. Please enable it in your browser settings.None
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HENDERSON, Nev. (AP) — Aidan O'Connell might not be Mr. Right for the Raiders, but he is Mr. Right Now. He did enough in Friday's 19-17 loss at Kansas City to show that Las Vegas' quarterback job will be his for the rest of the season — barring, that is, another injury. O'Connell didn't look like a quarterback who hadn't played in nearly six weeks because of a broken thumb . Plus, the Raiders had a short week to prepare for the Chiefs, meaning O'Connell only went through a series of walk-through practices. Even so, he completed 23 of 35 passes for 340 yards, including touchdown passes of 33 yards to tight end Brock Bowers and 58 yards to wide receiver Tre Tucker. He didn't throw any interceptions. “Thought he competed,” coach Antonio Pierce said Saturday morning. “I thought for what we knew we were getting with Spags (Kansas City defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo) and that defense, that he stood in the pocket, made some tough throws, took some hits, took the shots down the field like we wanted. We had some opportunities to take shots down the field, he threw them. And I thought our skill guys did a hell of a job competing and making some really good plays for us.” O'Connell's performance would've shined even more if not for the Raiders' final offensive play. He led the Raiders from their 8-yard line to the Chiefs 32 with 15 seconds left. The plan was for O'Connell to take the snap and throw the ball away to run off a few more seconds, then send Daniel Carlson out for the potential winning field goal without giving Patrick Mahomes enough time to mount one of his signature comebacks. But rookie center Jackson Powers-Johnson snapped the ball before O'Connell was expecting it, and the Chiefs recovered to secure another close, last-minute victory. The Raiders were called for illegal shift, which Kansas City declined. But there was some question about whether officials intended to call a false start instead. Though that infraction would have cost Las Vegas 5 yards, the pre-snap penalty still would've given Carlson a shot at the field goal. Pierce said his team heard an official's whistle before the snap, and that will be included in the Raiders' report to the NFL. “We do that every game,” Pierce said. “Typically, anywhere from three to five questions, and then we’ll get a letter within 24 to 36 hours, and we’ll read it and learn from it.” What’s working Bowers had another sensational game. He was targeted 14 times, catching 10 passes for 140 yards. For the season, he has 84 receptions for 884 yards and four TDs, making him a strong contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year. “We’re seeing double-teams and them really shifting their zone to him, and I don’t really think it matters,” Pierce said. “I think we've got a really special player on our hand.” What needs help The Raiders need to do better on first and second downs to set up more favorable third-down conversions. They have faced 47 third downs from 7 to 10 yards, tied with the Dallas Cowboys for fifth most. Las Vegas' conversion rate on those plays is 36.2%, which actually is favorable compared to the rest of the league, but the Raiders are still creating too many of those situations. Stock up Las Vegas made life difficult for Mahomes, sacking him five times. And it wasn't just Maxx Crosby bringing the heat. Four players had at least one-half sack, including K’Lavon Chaisson, who had 1 1/2. It was a season-high total for the Raiders, and they have taken down the opposing quarterback in 30 consecutive games, the third-longest active streak. Stock down Carlson is usually money, but he missed field goals from 56, 55 and 58 yards. Hardly chip shots, but he is capable of converting from those distances. He had made 30 of 38 field goals from 50-plus yards entering the game, with a career long of 57 yards. Injuries WR DJ Turner injured his knee in the second half. Key number 12 — The Raiders are one of three teams to fall behind double digits in each of their first 12 games of a season. The others were the 1986 Indianapolis Colts and 1972 New England Patriots. Next steps The Raiders visit Tampa Bay on Dec. 8. ___ AP NFL: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl Mark Anderson, The Associated PressSilvano Fashion Group Consolidated Interim Financial Report for Q3 and 9m of 2024 (unaudited)