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Yearender 2016: Top headlines from the South

From Rohith Vemula to the debate on allowing women's entry in Sabarimala, the year was quite an eventful one in the South.

By :  amita verma | dc with bureau inputs
Update: 2016-12-30 13:24 GMT
From TN Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's death to the debate on allowing women's entry in Sabarimala, 2016 was quite an eventful one in the South. Listed below is a list of the important issues that spilled over, grabbing national headlines.
Porn gate: Karnataka Education Minister, Tanveer Sait, came under fire after he was allegedly caught watching porn' on his mobile phone during a Tipu Jayanti programme. Though later reports quoted that the minister was allegedly looking at photographs of Melania Trump, wife of US President-elect Donald Trump, the damage was done.
Sabarimala women's entry: While Shani Shingnapur and Haji Ali dargah in Mahrashtra opened its door for women, in Kerala the much debated entry for women in Sabarimala was yet to see a logical conclusion
The year 2016 ended to be a year of grief for the people of Tamil Nadu as they lost their popular leader J Jayalalithaa, who had led her party to a comprehensive successive second victory in the Assembly polls only seven months ago.
Ban on Jallikattu: In a major blow to the farmers of Tamil Nadu, the Supreme Court refused to lift the ban on the bull-taming sport jallikatu, which is expected to be a big dampener in the upcoming Pongal festivities in January.
Wedding bells: While demonetisation left the nation reeling under pressure, not everyone was left in the lurch. Bellary mining baron Gali Janardhan Reddy, infamous for having been arrested in the mining scam, stunned the nation organising a multi-crore wedding for his daughter that was noted for its sheer opulence and extravagance.
Jisha rape and murder: The brutal rape and murder of Jisha, Dalit law student from Perumabvoor, Kochi, rocked Kerala, bringing back memories of the 202 Delhi gangrape case. The case was finally solved after investigations spanning a fortnight, and was one of the hotly debated issues during the May 2016 elections, giving ammunition to political parties to attack the then UDF regime for \"tardy\" progress in the investigation.
Cauvery issue: A bone of contention between Tamil Nadu and Karnataka for long, the Cauvery issue took an ugly turn after SC ordered Karnataka to release water according to the Cauvery Tribunal directions. The state had stopped releasing water stating it was in dire need of water. Violence erupted across Karnataka post the order with effigies of late TN Chief Minister Jayalalithaa being burnt. Vehicles with TN registrations plates were attacked and buses were burnt, bringing Bangalore to a stand still.
The year 2016 which saw one of the closest Assembly election races has also become a period of transition for al three states that went into polls from South India Kerala Tamil Nadu and Puducherry. While J Jayalalithaa's AIADMK won hands down in TN, Congress won power in Puducherry, and CPI(M) formed the government in Kerala.
The reservation movement by Kapu community in Andhra Pradesh took a violent turn like the Gujjar and Patidar quota agitation, with protestors setting fire to the Ratnachal Express and wreaking havoc in the state. Protestors destroyed public property, and injured scores, bringing the state to a virtual standstill.
Rohit Vemula suicide: The Dalit PhD student from HCU took his life on campus on January 17 after the university allegedly stopped his scholarship allowance and suspended him for his involvement in student politics under the Ambedkar Students Association (ASA). The incident sparked protests, accusing the elite educational institution of being casteist and a hotbed of discrimination against students of lower castes.
From Rohith Vemula to the debate on allowing women's entry in Sabarimala, the year was quite an eventful one in the South.

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