The most transparent and responsive government that Tamil Nadu ever had was the previous one of the DMK led by Kalaignar. Even the massive scheme of distribution of free colour television sets was implemented with the participation of representatives of all parties in the Assembly at all stages from opening of tenders to procurement and distribution. Every statement of political parties on any irregularity or administrative inaction or laxity were immediately clarified by the Chief Minister or Minister concerned. All such reports in dailies and periodicals, even those which were hostile by their policy and practice, were immediately attended to or clarifications were given. For instance, the pro-Jayalalitha Tamil daily ‘Dinamani’ published a report on the improper maintenance of the statue of a freedom fighter in a mini-park in Madurai. Immediately the CM contacted Madurai Corporation and got it rectified and the daily reported about it the very next day. ADMK leader Jayalalitha was accustomed to issue vague statements everyday criticising the government or announcing their demonstration in various cities and towns on issues as trivial as sewerage blocks, which were however responded mostly by Chief Minister Kalaignar.
In quite contrast now Tamil Nadu is witnessing a most concealed, inconspicuous and irresponsive government presided over by Jayalalitha. Now no information on the government is coming forth from any Minister or Chief Secretary or Secretaries of departments and only the Chief Minister is ‘empowered’ to issue any statement of information or clarification. But her statements will invariably be announcements (however bogus they are) or critical of the Central government. The media, which was very active and vocal earlier, keeps very subtle now and rarely brings out some shortcoming of the State government which are responded by the ADMK regime with defamation cases. All opposition parties, including the Left, keep low profile for reasons only known to them. The only Opposition leader who reacts almost every day to developments in the State now is DMK President Kalaignar and by and large the media, both print and electronic, dutifully blackout his statements in order not to antagonise the regime. None of his statements highly critical of the government and the Chief Minister are never responded.
But unusually, Jayalalitha responded to the statement of Kalaignar criticising her decision to buy the NLC shares disinvested by the Centre, missing the opportunity to force the Centre withdraw its move as it did in 2006 during DMK rule. It is a different matter that Kalaignar debunked her claims. The point is Jayalalitha’s unusual immediate response to Kalaignar’s statement only implies that she has no answers for and hence admitted all other allegations and charges levelled by Kalaignar so far in his statements.
There are hundreds of allegations made against her and her regime by Kalaignar during the past two years and to mention a few in the last two months of June and July are:
-the ADMK regime either do not act at all when important developments/events take place or act very late, for instance on fishermen languishing in prison in Iran for the past six months and on the Union Health Minister’s statement on SC verdict on NEET for medical courses.
-people being duped by repeating same announcements as new ones
-continuing caste atrocities
- Rs.1,800 crore Chennai port-Maduravoyal Elevated Expressway hampered due to political animosity of the CM
-Jayalalitha’s claims of being pioneer in India and on Cauvery water debunked
-opportunistic and politically malicious stand of Jayalalitha on Sethusamudram project
-against introduction of English medium in government schools
-failure to increase industrial investments
-chaos in TNPSC after ADMK assumed power
- frequent changes in ministry that all ADMK MLAs will become ministers before the end of tenure
- In two years since the ADMK returned to power, the CM had read out over 100 announcements under rule 110 in the Assembly not leaving even one or two to any other minister. Then why should there be those ministers?
-She had said that she was making those announcements after consulting officials on the demands raised by members during debates on demands for grants. But he gave instances where announcements were made for which no such demands were raised by any member, and what was her reply?
-The Chief Minister announced on 8.9.2011 that a satellite city would be set up at an estimate of Rs.2,160 crore at Thirumullaivasal; on 3.5.2012 that 36,000 houses would be constructed for police constables under ‘Own Your House’ scheme; on 7.5.2012, Rs. 1,500 crore project for storing flood waters in Cauvery delta region; on 9.5.2012, Rs.1,420 crore project for linking Mamallapuram with Ennore port. What happened to those projects announced by her?
-what is the reply of Jayalalitha to the statements of Sasikala’s husband M.Natarajan?
-regime shielding accused Minister of Karur.
By her selective rejoinder to Kalaignar’s statement on NLC disinvestment issue in the absence of response to all other statements of the DMK President, Jayalalitha has willy-nilly admitted all other allegations and charges against her and her regime.
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