Leaders of national parties are often seen rising above petty personal rivalries. Seen among the guests who attended the inauguration of newly constructed CPI (M) office in Chennai was former BJP president and Union Minister Pon. Radhakrishnan.
On May 24, former Union Minister P. Chidambaram founder of Ezhuthu, a literary organisation, will be sharing dais with senior BJP leader L. Ganesan, who is managing Potramarai, an art and cultural organisation, for the release of ‘Arputhar’, a book on Jaggi Vasudev by writer and speaker Marabin Mainthan Muthiah.
But such an attitude is hardly seen among Tamil Nadu politicians.
It is not just AIADMK cadre who are calling their party leader Jayalalithaa ‘Amma’. At a press conference in Salem, Union Minister of State for Road Transport, Highways and Shipping Pon Radhakrishnan too called her ‘Amma’.
This led to some interesting exchange of words between the Minister and reporters. While the reporters thought that it was ample proof of the BJP moving closer to the AIADMK, the Minister said there was nothing wrong in calling Jayalalithaa ‘Amma’, DMK chief M. Karunanidhi ‘Kalaignar’, Dr. S. Ramadoss ‘Dr. Ayya’, and Vijayakant ‘Captain’. He then went on give a piece of his mind about the political culture prevailing in Tamil Nadu. Leaders and cadre of some parties, he said, showed indifference towards each other. The BJP cannot stoop to such a level, he said. Mr. Radhakrishnan points out tempers run high and sparks fly during discussion on vital issues in Parliament. But, once outside, MPs forget the differences and mingle with one another.
He said Congress Rajya Sabha member E. M. Sudarsana Natchiappan was his good friend. On DMK’s Tiruchi N. Siva who was solely responsible for the “Rights of Transgender Persons Bill”, Mr. Radhakrishnan said: “As a Tamil, I am proud of him and congratulate him.”
The speed with which the government works sometimes is astounding. Health Department officials have staunchly maintained that they are hopeful that the Medical Council of India would approve of the new medical college in Omandurar Estate in Chennai but say they are yet to receive official nod for the latest addition.
Though neither the MCI nor the Health Department’s website has included the college, the new college already has a website with a message from the dean and the vice principal of the college. The website, however, does not reveal the names of the officials.
A call to the number listed on the website was attended by a person who said a woman doctor was the dean, but pleaded ignorance saying he was new to the job.
The AIADMK in Madurai city took it upon themselves to announce the acquittal of their party chief Jayalalithaa through an eight-kilometer long ‘Padayathra’ which left many pedestrians and motorists who were out on the roads early on Sunday, dazed.
It also turned out to be a show of grandeur for councillors and area wise party representatives who came in small groups to join the procession while vying with each other as they posed for photographs.
While the members of one ward came accompanied by a troupe of folk dancers performing ‘oyilattam’, another group came carrying specially designed ‘kavadis’ bearing photos of ‘Amma’.
The exercise assumed the proportions of a temple procession after party members were seen setting up temporary stalls for distributing water and cool drinks.
While this is normally a practice seen at the temple car festivals in the city, a party cadre remarked that the occasion deserved celebrations of this, if not more in proportion.
(Reporting by B. Kolappan, Syed Muthahar Saqaf, R. Sujatha and S. Poorvaja)
