Chennai Corner

Not So Hard to Say Sorry

Reunions and mea culpas are a recurrent theme in Tamil Nadu’s political theatre. The Maran saga, where the DMK patriarch banished the Maran brothers in May 2007 and 18 months later, a tear- jerker unfolded, when he took the errant brothers back into the family fold, is history. Now Sasikala Natarajan, who was turfed out 100 days ago, seems poised for her long way back to Poes Garden after her lachrymose statement appealing to her 'akka' to bury the past and take her back.

“From the day I met her for the first time (back in 1984) , I have always thought of the well being of ‘akka' and have not even in my dreams thought of betraying her,” Sasikala said.

And if Jayalalitha still doubts her sincerity, here’s Sasikala’s testimony, “I would like to be a true ‘thangai' (younger sister) to ‘akka'. I have already dedicated my life to ‘akka'. Hereafter, I do not want to lead a life for myself but would like to be of help to ‘akka' to the extent possible.”

Incidentally, this is the first time anyone has dared to call Jayalalitha 'akka' publicly. Partymen have never “defiled” Jayalalitha by addressing her directly. She is either referred to as the “Puratchi Thalaivi” (revolutionary leader) or “amma.”

But Will Amma Forgive This Time?

The big question is whether Jayalalitha will forget and forgive this time like she did in 1996 (“I cannot severe a friendship that dates back many years”) when she threw Sasikala out and distanced herself from the “Mannargudi mafia” after the AIADMK was voted out by a people outraged at the brazen corruption that unfolded in her first stint as CM between 1991-96. Then, as now, Jayalalitha’s move had much applause and approval from a cadre who were chafing at Chinamma’s (as Sasikala is called) clout. The cadre is believed to be unhappy at the latest turn of events. The timing of the statement is strange considering the budget session of the legislative assembly is on and the CM is vulnerable to cracks from the opposition, even her MLAs will pretend the statement never happened

Jayalalitha is not known for her forgiving nature but in recent weeks a sense of her loneliness and her missing of a family bond is coming through with recent statements like her regret that senior citizens are being abandoned by children in old age homes and her advice on how to work through issues in marital relationships. Her closeness to Sasikala had come across on several occasions including when she turned 60 in 2008 and she got her “thangai” to garland her when she celebrated her sashtiabdipoorthi at the Amirtha Gateshwara temple in Thirukkadaiyur.

Gullible? Nah

Also in her present frame of mind is she going to accept Sasikala’s claim that she was oblivious of the intrigues of the Mannargudi mafia. “What is true is that they (all the activities of her family including husband, brothers and nephews) all happened without my knowledge.” She claims that the extent of her relatives’ perfidy is something she learned of outside her cocooned existence at Poes Garden and it “shocked” her.

It’s too much to believe but is Jayalalitha so gullible? In her two-page statement that was first flashed significantly on ‘Jaya Plus' TV channel (the news channel of Jaya TV) , she announced that she had snapped ties with all those who had indulged in activities against Jayalalithaa. “What those who claimed to be my relatives and friends have done against ‘akka' (elder sister) is an unforgivable betrayal. Irrespective of who they are, such persons are unwanted people to me too,” she said, adding that they “cannot be forgiven”.

Will Jayalalitha take this latest mea culpa along with Sasikala’s testimony before the Bangalore court hearing the disproportionate assets case that the CM was framed or was “a dormant partner” and hence was not in the know of things? Will she believe that the chinnamma had no political desires although even a child here will tell you that Sasikala was an extra-constitutional authority who gave orders to the cadre and officers and whose hand was seen in transfers and ticket distribution?

The statement appears to be a sequel to phone conversations between Jayalalitha and Sasikala over the past week. But one thing seems to be clear— that Jayalalitha might relent and take her back to run her house as Sasikala has been doing for the last 24 years, but will insist that her estranged fiend dump her family baggage. That Jayalalitha is out to punish the Sasikala group is evident from this: five criminal cases against Natarajan (Sasikala’s husband) since his arrest on February 18, six cases against V K Divakaran (Sasikala’s brother) and eight cases against M R Ravanan (Sasikala’s cousin’s husband). All the above are among nearly 20 relatives of Sasikala who were expelled by Jayalalitha since December 19 last year, the day she threw Sasikala out.

No Inspiration, Only Perspiration

For all his political acumen and agility, DMK chief Karunanidhi sometimes does not get the timing right. When he was desperate that his “protector of Tamils” tag had lost most of its sheen, Karunanidhi went on a breakfast to lunch “fast” that pro-Tamil groups laughed at and dubbed as “drama” because it was felt as CM and a crucial member of the UPA 2 coalition, he could have done much more. And recently he threatened “self immolation” if the Anna Centenary Library, that Jayalalitha wants to convert into a paediatric hospital, goes through. The fact that he issued this threat while campaigning recently for Shankarankoil assembly bypoll seemed over the top.

Is it because he seems so out of touch with the needs of the people whose current problems centre around the regular power cut- offs when the summer sun is blazing, that his candidate lost his deposit while Muthuselvi of the AIADMK sprinted to victory or is it because people are still in the mood to punish the DMK almost a year after it got virtually rubbed out in the assembly elections? Or do they believe Jayalalitha when she repeatedly blames the DMK for the current power crisis?

Incidentally, the bad news came via a trial balloon that was floated by her government. Chennai city which already has two hours of load shedding might be looking at a four hour power cut every day from April 1. Talk of April Fools Day . Anyway, an SMS doing the rounds reveals what people are more concerned about: " True general knowledge: no trees in Antarctica, no theatres in Bhutan, no snakes in Hawaii, no mosquitoes in France, now no electricity in Tamil Nadu." Phew!

The Dramati(c)s Personae

For a brief while both CM Jayalalitha and her predecessor held their fire against each other but now they are back to accusing each other of “drama” and taking credit. “The same Jayalalithaa who criticised the Prime Minister saying he had made a non-committal reply (on India supporting the resolution against Sri Lanka for alleged war crimes at the UNHRC meeting in Geneva on March 23) and that it was regrettable, has now thanked the Prime Minister,” he said last week.

Why is she taking credit now when as CM in April 2002 she got the assembly to pass a resolution seeking the extradition of slain LTTE leader Vellupilai Prabhakaran? he wondered. Besides, did she not arrest LTTE supporters under the then POTA act? MDMK’s Vaiko will definitely put his hand up to that question. He also recalled that Jayalalitha had dismissed as collateral damage the civilian casualties that is the world community says was the genocide of Sri Lankan Tamils. So if she dismisses as “drama” his party’s exertions over the UNHRC resolution, he asks, “Isn’t it a drama to conceal all those (facts) and now write letters and issue statements seeking India’s support for the resolution?” She has not replied yet.

Conservative Chennaiites

In a week when the army chief revealed he was offered a Rs 14 crore bribe, the good news is that Chennaites are not so giving. A small consolation for Anna Hazare who launched yet another campaign against corruption this week.

In its 'Market Price of Corruption' ipaidabribe.com listed posts from people in different cities and found Chennaiites paid nearly Rs 2 crore in 999 incidents of bribery. Bangaloreans topped the list giving Rs 12 crore in 4,353 incidents, while Delhiites paid Rs 4.8 crore in 697 incidents, Mumbaikars Rs 4.5 crore in 1123 incidents and Hyderabad residents gave Rs 2.7 crore in 1,304 incidents.

But when it comes to a passport, Chennaiites are willing to go against their parsimonious nature to get their work done. While other city residents were generous, still they gave Rs 508 as bribe, as opposed to Delhiites who gave Rs 1,500, Bangaloreans Rs 430,Hyderabadis Rs 836, Mumbaikars Rs 570 and Puneites Rs 500. Most bribes were given by people applying for tatkal passports.

Whether it’s a reflection on Chennai cops looking the other way at traffic-related offences is not clear but were given Rs 214 only as fine as opposed to Bangaloreans , who paid, on an average , Rs 380 , Delhiites Rs 350, Mumbaikars Rs 320 and Hyderabad-residents Rs 250. Not surprisingly, most of the bribes were to cops.