knowledge has no horizons

“Pen is mightier than the sword” for Napolean, despite he himself being General. “I have no scepter, but I have a pen” are the words of Voltaire, when he happened to be opposite to the camp of the King Ferdinand over an interpretation of Newton. The ink from Bharathiyar’s pen ignited in people’s mind the spirit of patriotism. The fact that a pen can write a fate of a nation is evident with the writings of Karl Marx. Mahatma Gandhi, Nehru, Jinnah, Periyar, Thiru.Vi.Ka, Bharathidasan, Anna Durai and other men of prominence had all been journalists and used the media as mouth-pieces for inculcating their ideas.

Press was the option for many people of all sorts as freedom fighters, poets, politicians for propagating their ideas among the people, eventually inculcating in their minds. Vimosanam of Rajaji was started with a view to carving the ill-effects of taking toady in people’s thoughts. Mahatma Gandhi authored several magazines, like Indian Opinion, Young India, Navajeevan and Harijan; Ani Besant found for herself New India in 1916 and later founded an English weekly Common Wheel. Raja Ram Mohan Rai released for her part two magazines – Sambad Kaumadi and Mirat Al Akbar in Bengali and Persian, respectively. Media also provided platform for spreading religious ideas for people like Aravindhar and others and Karmayogi (1909) and Arya of the erstwhile are worth-mentioning.

That two reporters of Washington Post named Edward and Bernsten brought Nixon’s presidency to an end by bringing out Watergate scam in the lime light, and “visitor” Anand of Thuqlaq, a Tamil magazine, was the cause behind the resignation of Mayor of Chennai themselves speak the powers of journalists. A journalist should be social reformer at heart and should not hesitate to picture the follies and foibles of the society. Taking to his heart the point that all exist on the earth are for the sake of people, he should not fail to pinpoint the faults and shortcomings of them. Being a part of the Fourth Estate, he should not be afraid of questioning the three estates ¬– Legislative, Administrative and Judicial – when they seem to go against people’s wishes. Sensing the pulses of citizens, he should guide the government in formulating schemes. Above all, he ensures to provide an impartial, disinterested synthesis of information.

A journalist serves not only the purpose of spreading news of what is happening, but to speculate about what could be good for the general public. His role in society is inevitable. Probable having this in mind, the former Prime Minister of India, Nehru, opined that “the press is one of the vital organs of modern life, esp. in democracy. The press must be respected”.

"World has witnessed many being victimized simply for being sincere, and in this list is added the IAS officer Umashankar" is the statement that I heard my friend poetically say, who once happened to take him for a ride in a bike to a village near Melur, Madurai district, for the inspection of newly built houses for Adi Dravidas. Of course, no one with conscience would find the statement hyperbolic, as he was obviously known for the dedication to the desk, whatever it be – either his career as an additional collector in Madurai, or as the first collector in Thiruvarur (the district in which the sitting Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was born), or as the managing director of ELCOT, or as the managing director of the government-run and the “yet-coming” Tamil Nadu Cable Television Corporation or as the Director of Small Savings, and he earned a good name in all of these.

He proved himself to be a man of sincerity right from his career as an additional collector in Madurai. His bold exposing of cremation shed scam in 1995 that involved Selva Ganapathy, the ex-minister in the AIADMK regime and the current MP of Rajya Sabha representing DMK gained him a place in Karunanidhi’s heart. This, in turn, resulted in appointing him the first collector of the newly born Thiruvarur district in ….Wherever he goes, his thirst for innovations and his quest for sincerity follows. He made Thiruvarur to be the best district in India in E-Governance. After a setback for a span of five years during the AIADMK regime, he was then elevated as the Managing Director of ELCOT, where he poured a new blood implementing innovations in taking tenders, thus becoming a model for others to follow.

Besides, he was the brain behind the nine information technology parks and special economic zones (SEZs). That, thus a man known for his sincerity was suspended on the grounds of having produced a fake community certificate, which reads, the Tamil Nadu government claims, as Hindu Adidravidar instead of Christian Adidravidar caused many to raise eyebrows in surprise and shock. What acted behind such a man’s suspension, obviously as one expects, requires a flashback.

That, having appointed the Managing Director of ELCOT, he started inquiry into the causes of loss of properties worth a several hundred crores, and this was said to be disturbed the sleep of “the South” (Junior Vikatan 28-07-2010), then was he transferred to DIC; Days passed by, and there came a rivalry between Karunanidhi and his family and the Maran brothers over the issue of publishing the survey that projected M.K.Stalin as Karunanidhi’s next political heir with support from majority of people, finally claiming three innocent lives; Karunanidhi opted to be on the side of his sons, while at the same time analyzing the possibilities of putting an end to Summangali Cable Network run by Maran brothers; Coming to his mind was Umashankar IAS when he was cudgeling his brains over the issue, and then came the State Cable Corporation with Umashankar as the head of it; is the flashback to be taken into consideration.

Umashankar continued his “usual” work, and nothing went wrong until the “parted” families became “united”. His recommendations to nationalize Sumangali Cable Corporation and to take action against the sitting central minister invited the wrath of the brothers at the time and the wrath continued fuming. Now he is under suspension, albeit on the grounds of fake certificate as the government claims.

Leave that as it is. The government came with the reasons for suspending Umashankar, and the questions that one seeks to clarify are that which state government is given with the powers of doing any such thing and under what provisions? If the fake community certificate is real concern of the government, what it did for around 20 years (he served the office from August, 1990, and the certificate was issued to him 1985), does the government want to question the credibility of UPSC (Union Public Service Commision) that granted him IAS cadre after checking with all the certificates, including his community certificate? And finally whom to satisfy the action being taken?

UPSC is provided with the power of taking action against the accused, in the case of certificate being a fake one. Everyone is sure to share with Umashankar his surprise of suspension without issuing him even a notice. Government is to guide the people a devise welfare plans for them. But preferring [Karunanidhi] people’s welfare to that of general public and the officials working for them would force one to lose faith in democracy. The man who boasts of “working” for the public cause for over a half century should have known it.

“Delayed justice is denied justice” is a saying, whereas justice itself is denied for the Bhopal-gas-leak tragedy victims. Twenty-three years of trial, 178 witnesses and 3.008 reports – all against the eight accused in the case that caused thousands to die and lakhs to get worst affected – are all for just two year imprisonment and a lakh rupees fine. No doubt, yesterday turned out to be yet another black day for the Bhopal victims.

The people of Bhopal at the night of December 2, 1984 might not have known that there would be no dawn for them. They might not have assumed the Union Carbide Plant in their area turned out their life-takers. Those that escaped with incorrigible injuries might not have thought of the worse effects to being passed on to the next generation to come. And, above all, the survivors of the tragedy might not have imagined such and inhumane judgement as and at the end.

Any government is formed for the sake of the people, and its duty is to ensure their safe livelihood. And courts in a democracy are to act as the saviours of the rights of the people. No one would contradict with this, I hope. In the case of Bhopal gas-leak tragedy, either denied to do its intended duties. The prime accused of this case, Warren Anderson, is all free in island, leading there a luxurious life. What is humiliating are the events after the tragedy. It took four days for police to arrest Anderson and a few hours for the judge to issue bail, and then no look back for him for the trial, and now is announced “absconding”. The government might have evinced the same interest as it has now shown for probing Hedley, the man assumed to be the brain behind the Mumbai attacks.

While the judgement of two-year imprisonment for the seven (the one kicked the bucket in course of the trail) shocked the survivors of the tragedy, allowing them to go on bail of Rs. 25,000 added fuel to the fire. And this frustrated many that strove for justice (!) for the victims. That imagining a trial that is conducted for almost one quarter of a century, probing the causes of thousands of deaths and lakhs of victims, knowing the culprits, with 178 people examined and cross-examined, 3008 reports produced was ended with 100 pages of judgement giving the accused just two year imprisonment and one lakh fine, and at once issuing them bail may tickle one’s funny bones.

Judgement of court should not be subject to criticism. Yet the yesterday judgement of the court of the chief judicial magistrate seemed to have failed to prove the truth behind the fact “All is equal before law”. And probably for the reason are covered the eyes. As the union law minister Veerappa Moiley said, "This is one such case where justice is delayed and practically denied. I would like to say justice is buried”. It is his “concern” that it should not to be repeated. And most of Indians share with his “concern”.

One of the surviving victims of the tragedy Hameetha Bee opines that the accused are to be hanged on, and her opinion, I think, is worth considering.

“There are still situations of cleaning of human excretion and wastages by humans themselves in Tamilnadu”, the comment by N.M. Kamble, Vice-Chairman, National Commission for Scheduled Castes and his further assertion of having photo evidence during his visit to the state on Feb.18 was sure to have disturbed the DMK supremo, K.Karunanidhi, whose government he boasts of implementing various welfare schemes for the upliftment of Adi Dravidas. And this was proved when Karunanidhi released in a hurry in a statement questioning the genuineness of Kamble’s complaints, adducing his state principle of not using human to clean the savages and excretion and his government’s buying of machines for such works. Also he assured to bring the “groundless” complaints to the notice of the Prime Minister.

Whose is true, and to find out this are conducted Surveys. Evidence, a Madurai-based NGO, conducted a survey in certain parts of the State to check the impeccability of the statements of Kamble. The results of the survey came in a horrible ways bringing to light with photos and corroborating Kamble’s complaints. And didn’t come for Karunanidhi’s rescue. What is pathetic is that of the 303 surveyed, who are doing such works, almost half of them allow their sons and daughters to come after their footprints. Also, it is cruel to know that they are often made to be subject of torment, on the basis of profession and caste.


A real upliftment of a community starts with the societal change. That, in a world of scientific advancements and technological developments, scenes such as cleaning of human excretion and savage water by humans themselves remain unchanged is really a hard-to-digest fact. Will Karunanidhi, who calls himself a relative of Dalit (தலித்களின் சம்பந்தி) consider this?

One who has committed a mistake and does not correct it is committing another mistake: this is quite applicable to the AIADMK supreme Jeyalalitha. Being the main opposition party leader and the two-time chief minister of the state, she continues to fail to feel the pulse of the people, who are the real rulers of the democracy(!)

The history of TN assembly has never seen such a long list of by-elections, totaling 11, that started with the demise of P.T.R. Palanivelrajan in Madurai (centre) to that of Periyannan in Pennagaram, and DMK and Congress proved to be the best alliance in all the 11 constituencies – Madurai (centre), Madurai (East), Thirumangalam, Thondamuthur, Kambam, Sri Vaigundam, Ilaiyankudi, Vanthavasi, Trichendur, Pargur and Pennagaram. Ever since the inauguration of the party in 1971 and in its history of contesting in election, the AIADMK has never ever seen such a serious setback in any by-election, albeit the party lost deposit in Hosur and Killiyur by-elections. The results of the Pennagaram by-election has, no doubt, sent shock waves to AIADMK party men, and is, no wonder, for the public. It is pathetic for the primary opposition party to lose deposit, failing to get just a sixth of the total votes polled. And what caused this?

Despite the fact that AIADMK lost deposits in certain constituencies as Thiruvattaru and Vilavanggadu in Kanyakumari in general elections in 2006, Pennagaram asked for much attention, as the party itself considered the election an option for evincing the second biggest party after DMK. The past recorded the winning of the opposition party at rare occasions, as Maya Thevar in 1973 parliamentary by-election.


It is better to discuss not with particular reference to Pennagaram and other constituencies that witnessed by-election in the recent four years, but with the Dos and Don’ts in general that Jeyalalitha takes to heart and remember to face her arch-rival, Karunanidhi. At a time when she is to prove to be the unassailable opposition leader, as the assembly general election is approaching, she risks her political future with her visits to Kodanadu and Siruthavur. Is she aware of ignoring the importance of visiting the assembly and taking part in its session? Does she deny for herself the focus given by the media and the warm response from the people of Tamilnadu, when visiting the assembly alone to question the schemes and projects of the DMK government while all the MLAs of her party were under suspension? For, she has also to project herself the responsible and dutiful opposition leader that evinces interest in the interests and welfare of the people.

It is also important for her to shed the image of “luxurious” leader, the stamp that was borne on her even at her first term as chief minister. It is hard for the voters to digest the comings on helicopter to garner the votes and easy for them to compare it with deputy chief minister’s garnering of votes.

One with average mind can easily comprehend the fact that literature (word play) and cinema interchangeably ruled and is ruling the state, after the independence. That coming from the background of cinema and her closeness to MGR were the real blessings for her and needed no introduction to the people were the past. But the present needs her to present herself an effective opposition leader and orator that puts forth the shortcomings of the government to the public lucidly. Her campaign in Pennagaram is an exquisite example for how a leader should not campaign, which eventually did not attract any attention of the public. Her campaign accusing the ruling party of not implementing the Ohanekkal project, while it is under progress shows her to be oblivion and oblivious of what is going on in the state. Also she should avoid being with Sasikala in election campaigns.

Alliance is formed with parties that share certain aims and common goals and interests in general, anywhere, and it is good for any political party, particularly the alliance formed by the opposition parties, to maintain it (and also respect it) until the common goal is achieved. Any agitation or campaign without seeking the support of the parties in alliance fails to present its strength, however bigger the party be. She left PMK in the lurch, does not respect MDMK and is not sure of herself of the Left parties, whether in alliance. She might be aware of the maxim: united we stand; divided we fall.

The pillars of any party is the party men, who sweat on the field for the party to win. Lending ears to complaints or grievances, giving respect to the ideas of members and fulfilling their needs are the responsibilities of a leader, thus keeping them within the party and making them work for it. R.M.Veerappan, Thamaraikkani (Sri Villiputhur), Liyakath Alikhan, Indhira Kumari, M.C.Thamodharan, Ragupathy (Pudukkottai), Karupasamy Pandian (Trinelveli), Selva Ganapathy (Salem), Anitha Radhakrishnan (Trichendur), Sedapatti Mutthaih (Chozhavanthan), K.K.S.S.R (Viruthunagar), Sathyamoorthy (Trinelveli) all quit or made to quit the party, damaging the vote bank of their respective areas. Ku.Ba.Krishnan and Kannappan were also in the above list, though they are back to the party. It is also to be noted here that some of them in the above list is made to be ministers in the present DM government and others are given a respectable position, which one cannot expect in AIADMK. The two MLAs’ – Radhakrishnan from Kovilpatty and Rajendran from Jayamgondam constituencies representing her party in the assembly – meeting with Azhagiri and Karunanidhi is an indication of her inability to have her men under her control.


Making the impression of being belonged to a particular caste and family is sure to have ill-effects in the elections to come. According to a survey, 18 out of every 100 are Dalits, and concentrating also on them yields better results. And, above all, she is to realize that Kodanad is in Tamilnadu, and not Tamilnadu itself.

26 of January is sure to be a day of much anticipation for the world, particularly for the Tamils living across the world, as this is the day that decides the destiny of the leadership of the island nation, Sri Lanka, and that, in turn, of the Tamils. Of the 22 candidates fighting for the presidential chair, the two from the Ambalangkoda district and the "friends-turned-enemies" – Rajapakse and Sarath Fonseka – are the foremost to note, as the presidential election primarily revolves around these two. Added to them, worth mentioning is the Tamil MP, Sivajilingam

2011 presidential election is set to conduct this year over the expectation of Rajapakse that the victory(!) against the Liberation Tigers (LTTE) would bring him yet another chance to rule the island nation for the second term. He was able to feel the pulse of the Singhalese and was correct in his decision of conducting the election a year before, until Sarath Fonseka's announcement of his entry into politics. The same man who surprised Rajapakse with his war strategies and victory(!) against the LTTEs as the general shocked him as the opponent candidate. Perhaps, Rajapakse would not have expected this!

Sri Lanka being a nation with about 70 percent Singhalese, 17 percent Tamil and 8 percent Mulsim population living, it never failed to establish itself a nation of and for Buddhists. (Past has shown us a Buddhist monk, Talduwe Somarama Thero, shooting the prime minister, Solomon Pandara Naiake, for not completely yielding to the order of Buddhist monks to announce Sri Lanka a Buddhist country). Though Singhalese form the majority of the population of the island, Tamils prove to be deciding factor of winning the presidential elections, either participating in the election or boycotting it. 2005 election made Rajapakse the President with just around a plus of 1, 50,000 votes than Ranil Vikramasinge, in which Tamils refused to poll their votes.

This is going to be the first election for the Tamils without Liberation Tigers since 37 years. While Rajapakse, the President, is trying to wipe out the Tamils from the island, Rajapakse, the politician, put on all make-ups as the friend of Tamils to win their votes. His alliance with small, regional Tamil parties might prove futile for him. Whereas the support from the Tamil National Party, the biggest Tamil party with 22 MPs, to Sarath Fonseka on the condition of implementing his assurance of looking into the long-lasting Tamil issues might turn Tamil Votes to Sarath Fonseka's side.

Sivajilingam, an MP of Tamil National party, may be made feel sorry for his independent nomination in the presidential election. His dream of garnering good number of votes from Tamils may go against his expectations. Tamils and Muslims do not seem to waste their votes polling to Sivajilingam. Sarath Fonseka is already all the way to attract votes from the both – Tamils and Muslim. Tamils may go in favour of Sarath Fonseka, as the biggest Tamil party Tamil National party tenders its support to him. Also, there are chances for Tamils to see Sarath Fonseka as just a puppet dancing to the tunes of Rajapakse during his tenure as a general. Also, there are also opinions that Sivajilingam's entry into the electoral battle is just a trick of Rajapakse to divide the Tamils votes and to stop going in favour of Sarath Fonseka.

Muslims may not want the country to be announced as the Buddhist one. They might see Sarath Fonseka as the lesser harmful than that of his counterpart, Rajapakse. Also, Rajapakse's seeking of support from Buddhist leaders directly to counter Sarath Fonseka might add fuel to the fire. Political parties representing Muslim population, too, provide their unconditional support to Sarath Fonseka, which in turn would corroborate him in the electoral battle.

No doubt, Sarath Fonseka is capable of attracting young and educated voters of the country. His taking of heir politics of Rajapakse to the voters during his election campaign has turned positive, as the opposition parties expected. The former President Chandrika Kumarathunga’s meeting with the ex-general and her open support to him is yet another good sign for Sarath Fonseka. Winning the war against the LTTEs is not alone the winning factor for Rajapakse, while there are other problems hikes in the price of commodities that really torment the middle-class population, law-and-order problem in the country, heir politics, etc. for which Pakse has no answer.

In short and in fact, Sarath Fonseka seems to dominate the presidential election.