The Hindu : Tamil Nadu / Chennai News : Jayalalithaa feels at home

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Friday, Feb 24, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Jayalalithaa feels at home

S. Dorairaj

A VETERAN HONOURED: Actor T.P. Muthulakshmi receiving the Kalaivanar Award 2003 from Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in Chennai on Thursday. — Photo: V. Ganesan

CHENNAI: Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was relaxed and feeling at home at the Government function here on Thursday to present the State film awards for 2003 and 2004.

Describing the film world as her ``parental home,'' which had contributed to her growth, Ms. Jayalalithaa said she felt elated to honour it. She was free from tension, Ms. Jayalalithaa remarked.

Ms. Jayalalithaa expressed her warmth and admiration for film personalities, particularly the artists of yesteryear, by referring to their role in the growth of Tamil cinema.

She came out with a few words of kindness and consolation for T.P.Muthulakshmi, recipient of the Kalaivanar Award. She gave an affectionate pat on the back of child artist Arunkumar and, with a broad smile, greeted playback singers Hariharane, Chitra and Harini for rendering film songs on the occasion.

As she did not want to lose the opportunity to convey a political message to the people, Ms. Jayalalithaa, narrated an allegorical story:

A vegetable vendor, a fruit seller, a pottery merchant and a glass dealer formed an alliance with a camel owner. They took advance from people and went to New Delhi, promising to procure them articles at cheaper rates. The consignment was loaded on the camel. On their way back, the camel ate up the perishable items while the breakable ones fell down and were smashed. The people who trusted them suffered huge losses.

Now the same merchants were approaching the people with a promise that they would supply them articles at cheaper rates procured at the ``Chennai market.'' But people knew who were their benefactors and who should be trusted. "On our part, we have forged an alliance with the people, who in turn have a tie-up with us," she said.

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