Playing the name game

The DMK cadre have started following the AIADMK by calling former Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi as ``Namma Muthalvar’’

March 02, 2015 12:00 am | Updated 05:51 am IST

There is no dearth of prefixes or titles for political leaders and tinsel town artistes in our land. But our politicians are past masters in conjuring up imaginative titles to hail their leaders. To counter the AIADMK propaganda of portraying former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa as ``Makkalin Muthalvar’’ after she was forced to leave office, the DMK is aping its arch rival in portraying former Chief Minister M.Karunanidhi as ``Namma Muthalvar’’ as some of the wall paintings in Vallam proclaim. Retorting to that, the Vallam AIADMK cadre jocularly remarked that these days the DMK has been reduced to the runner-up spot in every sphere of activity, and it was following in the footsteps of the AIADMK and its leader.

Though the delay in the execution of road-over-bridge near Kalamavur on the Tiruchi-Karaikudi section has caused much distress to the people of the region, political parties are making the best use of the beams and pillars constructed for the ROB. Both the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have been using the spans for attracting the attention of the road-users through eye-catching slogans and graffiti. As the bridge is located at a vantage point on the Tiruchi-Karaikudi National Highway, the advertisements grab a lot of eyeballs.

Over the last few weeks, every Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) distributor in Tiruchi city has been facing the ‘wrath’ of the customers due to the delay in supply of refills. Supply of LPG refills to customers who have not furnished their Aadhaar Cards or Savings Bank Accounts details has been suspended.

Many customers complain that though they had submitted their Aadhaar details, they were yet to get the refills. Noisy scenes can be seen at several dealer centres as customers are visibly irked over the delays. LPG dealers, however, say that discrepancy in the name and spellings of customers in their records – gas book, bank passbook and Aadhaar Card – leads to confusion.

“Any variation in any one of these records leads to confusion, resulting in delay in the release of the subsidy,” says a LPG distributor in Karumandapam, who pleaded anonymity.

A free legal awareness camp organised by the District Legal Services Authority in Tiruchi on Sunday provided an opportunity to the judicial officers to understand the services being rendered by the advisors nominated by the State government to the unorganised workers welfare board. These advisors act as a bridge between the unorganised workers and the welfare board and ensure expeditious disbursement of relief to the workers. They also ascertain the eligibility of the beneficiaries. K.Uthirapathy, Principal District and Sessions Judge, who presided over the awareness camp, not only introduced K.Selvaraj,

State advisory committee member of the Tamil Nadu Labour Welfare Board to the audience, but also assured that the authority would utilise his services. “Although your nomination is based on political affiliation, we should work together above any political affinity as our goal is common – to uphold the rights of the needy,” the Judge said amidst cheers.

L.RENGANATHAN AND M.BALAGANESSIN

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