Chennai Corner

A Chip of the Old Block
At 85, M Karunanidhi hascome through spine surgery with flying colours, but it's his grandchildren whoare making news. And who better than granddaughter Kayalvizhi, who happens to beMadurai-based M K Azhagiri's daughter, to affirm that her grandfather is theultimate protector of Tamils. Kayalvizhi, who was introduced to the DMK cadre atthe women's conference in Cudddalore last June, took on AIADMK supremoJayalalitha, like her aunt M Kanimozhi, except this 30-something seems to havemore of her father and grandfather's traits in her. Incidentally, she is a poetand has already earned praise from the poet laureate in her clan, Karunanidhi.

She thundered, at afunction to celebrate her dad's 58^th birthday: "Those who accusehim (Karunanidhi) of betraying Tamils are ignorant of history." Shedescribed Jayalalitha's rule as being that of a chariot without a wheel. Herspeech was typical of a politician, much fire and brimstone and no content. Butwith little brother Durai Dayanidhi getting busy as a producer (he came in lastminute in Vaarnam Aayiramam, the Surya film which was a hit, and isproducing another film), she's going to wear the political hat in this family,apparently. For now, at least.

Incidentally, her cousin, MArivunidhi (son of M K Muthu)  has officially started life as a playbacksinger now that Perumal has been released. "It is a matter ofspecial significance for my grandson Arivunidhi as it marks the start of hissinging career in films," his fond grandfather, Karunanidhi, had said whilelaunching the music of Perumal last July. Arivunidhi has sung a songwhich is a remix of an earlier Tamil hit number sung for the K. Bhagyaraj film Suvar Illatha Sithirangal(1979).

Incidentally, his fatherMuthu, who was propped up by Karunanidhi, to take on MGR had proved to be agreat disappointment to his father. Muthu did not come up to scratch and MGR wentonto become a phenomenon not only as a film star but also a politician.

Maran edges out Kanimozhi?
Talking of disappointment,has Kanimozhi not come up to scratch?

From the most photographedpolitician, Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi has virtually disappeared off the mediasince the reunion with the Marans in December, except the week of the ChennaiSanghamam, which she organized last month. And it looks like Dayanidhi Maran hasreplaced her as CM M Karunanidhi's eyes and ears in Delhi. When the CM wanted tolobby with Congress President Sonia Gandhi on the Sri Lankan issue, it isDayanidhi that he sent. Maran kept a low profile – as opposed to Kanimozhi'spenchant to look for a photo-op – in Delhi but got the job done. He has alsobeen present prominently at Karunanidhi's bedside in hospital.

While it is still too earlyto write off Kanimozhi, Karunanidhi relying on Maran suggests, as a politicalobserver puts it, that the CM's daughter "has a long learning curve."So to borrow the tagline of a cigarette ad and amend it: "You've got along way to go, baby."

Following the rift with theMarans in May 2007, Karunanidhi seemed to lean on Kanimozhi to be hispointperson in Delhi. So, does his going back to Dayanidhi Maran suggest a voteof no-confidence in Kanimozhi? After all, while her brothers, Azhagiri andStalin, actively worked to bring back the Marans into the family field, herconspicuous absence from the happy family portrait suggested she was not exactlycheering for the reunion. Well, maybe she had good reason to because DayanidhiMaran seems to have already replaced her.

Bad Counsel
The Sri Lankan Tamil issuehas exercised political parties since last October, even if none of them hasbeen able to make any difference to the hapless civilians caught between theTamil Tigers and the Sri Lankan army. In the same category would be theadvocates of the Madras high court who have struck work for the Sri Lankan causeand as a result only worked nine days so far this year. Till February 18, whenthey promised to come back to work, advocates had not put in a single day's workthis month.  With the court scheduled to work 210 days this year, that's alot of non-working days to compensate for.

The high court is alreadyreeling under a backlog of over 4.5 lakh cases.  That is 43,000 cases morethan what was pending when 2007 began. By the end of 2007, the number of pendingcases was 4,28,832. It's just been piling up since then. The problem has beenthat even advocates who want to work have not been allowed to. Last month thecourt was witness to seniors being pulled out of court rooms, in front of judges,and compelled to join the strike. At least 57 advocates have been charged forvarious protests including an attack on  the Bank of Ceylon.

Some years ago, when thenchief justice A P Shah, responding to an advisory issued by the Supreme Court,increased the working days from 210 to 220 and cut the summer recess by a week,there was resistance from the advocates. The move was revoked and advocatesinstead offered to work 15 minutes extra every day, which is why the court nowsits till 4.45 pm.

Different Strokes forDifferent Folks
Recently we readabout Sachin Tendulkar and other sports stars signing a contract for 220 millionpounds with the Royal Bank of Scotland, days before the bank was bailed out bythe British government. Now the news is that the Bank will still honour thecontracts despite the million pound handout by the government. But that's thehappy ending for big stars. Smaller ones like 23-year-old Carrom champIlavazhagi don't have it so good despite the struggles they endure to get to thetop and lucrative endorsement deals are only something they can dream about.

Recently, Illavazhgi, whowon the World Senior Carrom Championship conducted in France in 2008, had toapproach the city police commissioner seeking legal action against a private television channel and a private beverage manufacturer for telecastingadvertisements featuring her without seeking her permission.

She said, "Early lastyear, a crew from a private television channel approached me and asked me togive an interview for International Women's Day. They promised that theinterview would be telecast on March 8, 2008," However, the interview nevercame on air. She later saw advertisement clippings featuring her telecast by aTV channel in September and October 2008. "I did not give my approval toanyone for using my clippings in an advertisement for a soft drinkcommercial," Ilavazhagi said.

She assumes that thetelevision channel that had taken her pictures for the interview might havepassed on the clippings to the beverage company for use in the advertisementwithout her permission.

Ilavazhagi sought policeintervention and legal action against the beverage company as well as thetelevision channel.