Chennai Corner

Prices And Politicians
Most people believe politicians are out to loot them and that while they sufferthrough inflation and the hike in fuel prices, most politicians would be livinga life of luxury. There's a lot of truth in the saying that politics is the lastrefuge of scoundrels. My maid says it's been a while since vegetables have beenbought in her house that includes her son, daughter-in-law and their twochildren. It's unaffordable, she says and they settle for one drumstick (whichcosts four rupees as against one rupee earlier) so the sambar at least has someflavour. "It's not just me, there are thousands like me," she says. Itmust surely be galling for people like her that TN MLAs have got a hike of Rs5000 per month from their earlier salary of Rs 25,000. The generous financeminister K Anbazhagan even announced hikes in pension to former legislators.Then CM Karunanidhi satisfied another wish list and increased the MLAsConstituency Development Fund from the present Rs 1.2 crore to Rs 1.5 crore andadded that jeeps would be provided to all MLAs at a total cost of Rs 12 crore.At least nobody listened when Congress MLA C Gnanasekaran asked for a salary ofRs 63,000 and two grounds of land for each member.

Politicians Have Deep Pockets?
It's something one has always sniggered about. When politicians are robbed --and many have had their wallets and watches stolen in the thick of crowds -- ithardly ever evokes sympathy. Just the other day, Paramasivan, former unionsecretary of the DMK from Namakkal, went to wish party chief Karunanidhi for hisbirthday and came back Rs 20,000 lighter.

Karunanidhi planting a sapling on his 85th birthday

The Kalaignar attracted humungous crowds at his Gopalapuram, CIT colony residences and at Anna Arivalayam, the DMKheadquarters. And in the melee, the light-fingered made merry. The Royapettahpolice received a bunch of complaints that day and one of them was fromParamasivan. Before you ask "what was he thinking?" let me assure youthat Paramasivan had no intention of taking so much moolah (which apparently wasactually meant to be returned to a friend he had borrowed it from) to thebirthday bash. But party cadre from Namakkal dragged him along -- after all it'simportant to be seen even if you lose an arm and a leg. So Paramasivan wentinside and when he came out, his dhoti was torn and his money gone.

As someone said, never has there been such a queue of IAS and IPS officers towish the CM. There was Chennai's efficient municipal commissioner, RajeshLakhoni, who went in with two mobile phones clutched in his hand. When he cameout, he had only one. In his complaint to the police, Lakhoni said the stolenmobile cost Rs 16,000. Pick-pockets are great levelers!

Goodies On A platter

DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi may not have got three cheers from his sonsStalin and Azhagiri on his 85th birthday as their feud burst out into the open.But he got many rounds of applause for the gift he handed out literally on aplatter on his birthday. Perennial breakfast favourites like idlis, dosais,vadais, pongal and coffee/tea have been ordered to sell for 10-15 per cent less.And a meal will now cost Rs 20 after food minister A V Velu arm-twisted theTamil Nadu Hotel Owners' Association so that the DMK can puff up its chest whengeneral elections come next year. The good news is that for the moment at leastidlis, dosai, etc continued to be as big and neither has the taste beencompromised. But for all the rah rah from the DMK camp, the common folks are nothappy. "What is being offered as a low priced meal is actually a low weightmeal," griped a customer upset that he did not get second helpings ofporiyal (vegetables) and kootu (a kind of dal). Ah well, you can't win them all.

Taliban Vadai Anyone?
Naming an idli after former reigning goddess in Kollywood Khushboo (because itwas puffy and soft) or a dosai after current reigning queen Shreya (because itis crispy and crunchy) may not be politically correct but it was meant toflatter. But what does one make of Taliban Vadai which apparently looks like abonda and has pointed ends all over its body that makes it resemble Osama BinLaden's beard? Wouldn't George Bush love to make a meal of this?

All Set For Dasavatharam
To ensure that no more legal hurdles hit his Rs 60 crore Dasavatharam,which releases on June 13, Producer Ravichandran has filed a caveat before theSupreme Court. By filing the caveat, the producer has ensured that theInternational Sri Vaishnava Dharma Samrakshana Society and Kalyana Suba Society,whose PILs were rejected last week by the Madras High Court, don't approach theApex Court in appeal. The Vaishnav Society had opposed the release of the filmon the ground that it portrayed saint Ramanujam in poor light and that itincorrectly detailed violent clashes between Saivites and Vaishnavites. TheKalyana Society wanted the censor certificate revoked saying the title Dasavatharam-- which refers to the ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu -- would hurt religioussentiments. Producer Ravichandran had told the court that the film had no sceneof clashes between the two groups. On the use of the title, the judges said,"Nobody can have any objection for the use of the title as there is nointellectual property or copyright over the title."

Jackie Chan came for the audio release and it looks like even US PresidentGeorge Bush will get to see the film. As Ravichandran of Aascar (he had tochange it from Oscar) says, "As Kamal Hassan plays the role of George Bush,we thought it would be appropriate to show him the movie." They'veapproached Lousiana governor Bobby Jindal to do the needful. A Tamil film in theWhite House? Kamal Hassan sure goes places.