Who Suffered from Acute Myopia & Require Glasses?

Ever since Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on April 23 recommended base price of Rs.3,622 crore for a mega hertz of spectrum at pan-India level for the auctioning of 2G spectrum, which is around 10 times higher than the price for 2G licences in 2008, which was decried by the Comptroller and Auditor General and the media as a whole and according to TRAI recommendations, a minimum of 5 MHz should be allotted which would mean that a pan-India spectrum in 1,800 MHz band will cost Rs.18,000 crore, the operators and the media started slamming the recommendations saying they are ‘arbitrary, regressive, and inconsistent’ and will hurt further investment in the sector and expansion in rural areas. The recommendation set off fears of a steep hike in mobile phone tariffs which are at present the cheapest in the world. They said that this is definitely not in the interest of the customers and the mobile operators, the digital divide is set to increase, this will only push back the competitiveness of India as whole etc., It is expected that the TRAI recommended price for 2G spectrum in the proposed auction will fetch a revenue of Rs.3 lakh crore to the exchequer in the auction of 122 licences cancelled by the Supreme Court.

There was a report in the business daily ‘The Economic Times’ on June 5 under the headline ‘Incumbents must pay new 2G price’ which read as:

“India's beleaguered mobile phone companies are set for a Rs.1,20,000-crore shocker. A Cabinet note prepared by the Telecom department proposes to make it compulsory for all operators to match the auction-determined price for their existing 2G airwaves for the remaining period of their licences.

Industry calculations show if the Cabinet approves the Telecom department's proposal, the government can garner a minimum of Rs.1,20,000 crore from existing operators such as Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, Reliance Communications and Tata Teleservices.

The proposal has been sharply criticised by AUSPI, the industry body that represents dual-technology operators, which says it will impact its members such as RCOM and Tata Teleservices far more than GSM operators such as Bharti and Vodafone.

"Our calculations show that on an average, each of the seven pan-India operators will have to shell out about Rs 15,000 crore at the Trai-prescribed base reserve price to match the auction prices. Dual-technology players such as RCOM and Tatas will have to pay a higher amount because they hold second-generation airwaves for both GSM and CDMA services," said a telecom industry executive.

The Cabinet note, which has been circulated to all ministries for their comments, says this 'one-time fee' is being imposed on all existing mobile phone companies for creating a ‘level playing field’.

While examining the implications of the Supreme Court order (quashing 122 licences issued in 2008 by former Telecom Minister A Raja), it was noted that several of the operators who have received spectrum ranging from the years 1994-2009 had paid price ranging from zero to Rs.1,658 crore on pan-India basis.

Consequently it was observed that in a situation where new players who will come in will pay for entire spectrum, there will be no level playing field between them and those who received spectrum at administrative price," the note said.

While the government plans to impose this one-time fee prospectively, the Cabinet note further said depending on the outcome of the Presidential Reference in the Supreme Court, a decision to impose this charge with retrospective effect could also be taken.

The telecom department has said the airwaves held by existing players could not be used for deploying any technology of their choice, but spectrum sold in the upcoming auctions would offer this flexibility. Paying this one-time fee will provide existing telcos 'with the same facility of liberalised usage of spectrum', said the Cabinet note, implying this would enable an operator to offer 3G services on 2G frequencies. The Cabinet note said spectrum sharing would be permitted only after telcos paid the one-time fee.

The industry body representing GSM operators said its members were awaiting clarity on the proposed policy change. "Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal and other top government officials have been meeting mobile phone companies to get their feedback on this issue. We are awaiting clarity and details on the proposal," said Rajan Mathews, director-general of the Cellular Operators Association of India.

But AUSPI slammed the proposal and said it was "not legally tenable and completely contrary to the licence conditions to which licensee and licensor were bound'.

"This new proposal puts late entrants like Reliance and Tata at a disadvantageous position vis-a-vis all those GSM operators whose licences are due for renewal between 2014 and 2016. GSM operators anyway have to get their licences renewed as per the existing contract terms during 2014 to 2016," said AUSPI.

It pointed out that 8, 10 and 9 licences of Bharti Airtel, Vodafone, and Idea Cellular, respectively, were due for renewal during 2014 to 2016 and the impact on these operators would only be for 14, 13, and 6 service areas only. "However, the new proposal is going to impact practically all the licences of our member operators," said the industry body.

The upcoming 2G auctions following the cancellation of licences by the SC will be in the 1800 MHz band. But telcos hold 2G spectrum in two different frequencies - incumbents such as Bharti, Vodafone and Idea have 2G airwaves in the 900 MHz band, considered most efficient, in about half the country.

"As per Trai's recommendations, the reserve price of 900 MHz bands shall be at two times the reserve price of 1800 MHz band. In the absence of auction price, this multiplication factor or reserve price, if available, may be applied for charging in the 900 MHz bands from the service providers," the note adds.

The telecom department has also asked the government to reject Trai's proposal to levy a spectrum transfer charge for M&As in the sector.”

Along with this report the daily has published its view ‘Focus on the voter’ which stated, “The EGoM should be clear that its primary accountability is to the people. Cheap telecom is one reform that has reached the common man. Undoing that will invite voter wrath. True, the pressure is high to treat telecom as a source of easy revenue and to be visibly fair to all telecom operators. Sense lies in resisting these pressures. Treat telecom as a great enabler and growth multiplier, which will induce added growth and revenue in other sectors. The telcos’ ability to raise money should benefit faster rollout of cheap broadband, not feed the government. Keep spectrum costs low.

Immediately after the recommendations of the TRAI were released ‘The Economic Times’ wrote an editorial on April 24 under the caption “Shoddy Job-TRAI recommendations will reduce competition, harm consumers” which stated:

“Telecom regulator Trai has come up with a set of recommendations for auctioning spectrum that will make telecom expensive and reduce competition, affecting the competitiveness of India’s economy at large. This is so, despite its two redeeming features. The foremost is the proposal to ‘liberalise’ spectrum, that is, remove restrictions on what kind of technology and use spectrum in each band can be put to. This would allow the latest technologies to be deployed in frequency bands currently used to deploy spectrum-hogging 2G technology. Further, the proposal to collect only one-third the bid amount upfront, leaving the rest to be paid over a period of 12 years, is a vast improvement over the method employed in the 3G auctions, of taking the entire bid amount upfront at one go. This would reduce the capital intensity of telecom operations. That said, the rest of the recommendations make for little sense. They do not offer a way out for the licensees whose licences stand to be cancelled by June 2, as per the Supreme Court order of February 2. The auctions are recommended to be spread over three years. In the current financial year, only 5 MHZ of spectrum would be auctioned, as per Trai. Incumbents are also free to bid. So, it is entirely possible that no single new operator would get spectrum. This would reduce the number of operators per circle, once the cancellation of the 122 licences come into force, and almost certainly jack up tariffs. Further, telcos would bid up the cost of spectrum — the high reserve prices prescribed guarantee this — and end up shovelling bank credit to the government’s coffers. The government would reduce its fiscal deficit, all right, but without effectively reducing its claim on private savings, so that private investment would remain impacted as if the fiscal deficit had not come down at all. The government’s review petition asserts its right to determine policy, but these Trai recommendations foist a high-cost telecom policy on the economy. The Competition Commission should suo motu intervene to oppose this regulatory misadventure. The government would do well to do the same thing.”

Another editorial in the same daily on June 7 under the heading ‘Give them glasses – Hon’ble empowered minister suffer from acute myopia on telecom spectrum’ which read as:

 “Nipping a burgeoning loo scam in the bud, shedding tears over petrol prices and taking mental strides across the lavish lawns of the Rashtrapati Bhavan evidently keep our hon’ble ministers preoccupied and leave them with little time to engage with something like spectrum pricing, which, after all, will only determine the future competitiveness of India’s economy. So, an empowered group of nine ministers met and blithely decided that only a fraction of the available spectrum would be put up for auction. The EGoM did not have the time to decide on the reserve price for spectrum. The consequence of auctioning only 13.5 MHz of spectrum in any circle, instead of the entire spectrum that is available, would be not just to make the cost of spectrum excessive, but also, probably, drastically reduce the degree of competition. Incumbent players are allowed to bid for 2.5 MHz each. If all the incumbents bid aggressively, the result would be to leave no spectrum for a new entrant like Uninor or Sistema Shyam to get back the licence that has been ordered cancelled by the Supreme Court. Both reduced competition and high spectrum costs would jack up the cost of telecom for consumers and delay their access to high-speed broadband. These consumers, lest the ministers forget, also double up as voters.

It would appear that our ministers take the short-sighted view that telecom should yield as much ready revenue as possible for the government. The right approach would be to see telecom as an enabler and growth multiplier, something that would greatly add to growth in a whole host of non-telecom sectors. This additional growth made possible by low-cost telecom would yield revenue far in excess of what the government can squeeze out of telecom itself, making it a high-cost activity in the process. The notion that spectrum is being held in store for future refarming purposes is untenable. More spectrum can be released, more frequency bands like 700 MHz can be brought into play and technology is changing, in any case. The EGoM should shed myopia and decide to put all available spectrum in the 1,800 MHz band up for auction and keep the reserve price low.”

This daily deserves to be complimented for coming out openly with observation on auctioning of the spectrum and its impact on the industry, economy, society and the end-user, the common man. But the rest of the media- both print and electronic, which were making a hue and cry over alleged spectrum scam/ loss to the exchequer of Rs.1,76,000 crore, have shied away from publishing editorials and columns in dailies and debate and discussions in news channels on this subject, possibly out of guilty consciousness.

Whatever benefits in keeping spectrum cost lesser that accrue to the industry, economy, society and common man, as listed by the daily in the editorials stated above, are those that the former Telecom Minister A.Raja had all along been  contending as result of the steps by him – teledensity increased from 30 crore mobile users to 80 crore, now reaching 100 crore mark, and the mobile tariff brought down from Rs.1.50/minute to 10-20 paise/ minute and the digital divide greatly reduced – ushering in a communication revolution, resulting in telecom serving as an enabler and growth multiplier, greatly adding to growth in a whole host of non-telecom sectors.

But all these fell on deaf ears of the people amidst the frenzied noise and din made by the media of a ‘mega scam’. So, who were suffering from acute myopia on telecom spectrum and treating telecom as a source of easily earning as much revenue as possible for the government, who require glasses? Certainly not the EoGM of the UPA government, but the CAG, and the media, with their poor cousins the CBI and courts.

Didn’t they know all along that any cost paid by the operators for getting the allocation spectrum for providing mobile services to customers (people) will be recovered from the customers (people) as mobile tariff? They are commercial firms and not charities to offer service incurring loss to them. So, had the operators been charged Rs.1,76,000 crore more for 2G spectrum as ‘desired’ by the CAG, Media and the Opposition parties, people would not have been getting cheap telecom services, there would not have been spurt in teledensity with about 100 crore having access to mobiles. They (the CAG, Media and opposition parties) had been demonstrating their ‘extraordinary’ genius and hence they were very well aware of all these consequences of upward pricing of the spectrum. Hence the media was willingly lying/ misleading the people.

Of course, as the ET view states, the primary accountability of not only the EGoM and the UPA government, but also of the media and others stated above, is to the people, who have been so far misled by the disinformation campaign. Cheap telecom is one reform that has reached the common man. Undoing that will certainly invite people’s wrath, not against the sullied but against those who sullied – all those who had been crying hoarse about a scam. People cannot be taken for granted for ever and they are wise!

Competitive Sensation Destabilize the Nation!

With the advent and mushrooming of 24x7 News Channels and the Print media, commercially to keep pace with the electronic media, creating round-the-clock and sustaining sensation by the hook or the crook has become the unwritten rule of journalism. More than enlightening and educating the people and thus serving as makers of strong public opinion, in order to increase TRP ratings and readership, competitive sensational journalism keep on confusing the people and brood cynical public opinion leading to destabilization of the nation and society.

The speech delivered by DMK President Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi on May 30 in the demonstration in Chennai, as a part of statewide agitation pressing for rollback of hike in petrol price and condemning the hike in bus fares, milk prices and power tariff by the ADMK regime, was very clear. It cannot be said that the newspersons who came to cover the news could not understand it. But if they file their reports factually (cried down as ‘bland reports’), their bosses would not accept them. After all they are paid hefty salaries to convert news into ‘sensational stories.’ Hence according to their ‘professional ethics’, all news channels, news agencies and websites of dailies and magazines (all together over 200) all over the country ‘flashed’ the report ‘Karunanidhi threatens DMK pull out from UPA government.’ (But at the same time only the website ‘The Hindu’ published the speech correctly.)

Soon after reaching Party headquarters ‘Anna Arivalayam’, on learning ‘the mischief’ played by the media, Kalaignar again clarified what he spoke earlier. He said he had only stated that the DMK, in the past, whether it was V.P.Singh-led National Front government of the BJP-led NDA, had walked out of the coalition to uphold its principles. Describing media reports as ‘mischievous’ he told the reporters that he had only talked about what had happened in the past and did not make any comment on leaving the UPA. “You cannot place the present government on a par with the government of the past. It always takes into consideration our views and respects protest. It is the government of Tamil Nadu that does not respect others.” Kalaignar said he could not put any condition ‘as desired by the media’ as the exit of the DMK from the UPA might pave way for a retrograde and communal rule.

When the reporters informed Kalaignar’s clarification to their TV channels, a daily reported that their bosses shouted at them for having attended his interview. However, invariably all the dailies (except ‘The Hindu’) and news channels in the country published and telecast the news as ‘DMK Chief does a neat u-turn’, ‘DMK does a flip flop’, ‘u-turn after threat’ etc., and continued to prickle their itch for sensational politics.

At the macro-level, the media reported the CAG report on 2G spectrum allocation of a ‘presumptive loss of revenue’ had they been auctioned instead of the prescribed policy of ‘First Come First Served’, as a huge scam of Rs.1.76 lakh, as an ultimate result of which not only the ‘Telecom revolution’ ushered in is being under threat of coming to naught but also the industry itself is paralysed, which is being bemoaned by the very same media now. Over 80 crore mobile users in the country would feel betrayed by sensational hype made by the media of a non-issue.

Presumably enthused by the media hype and even judicial overreach to his ‘presumptions’, setting aside actual results worked out by his field (department) audit officials, the CAG started speculating astronomical figures as presumptive loss in everything: over Rs.10 lakh crore in ISRO- Devas deal (in which the satellite has not yet been launched), Rs.13 lakh crore in the allocation of coal blocks between 2005 and 2008 without action etc., As it happened in the 2G spectrum issue, the preliminary reports of the CAG found their way to the media, immediately resulting in a hullabaloo over ‘mega scam’ after ‘multi mega scam’. The ‘media tiger’ Team Anna and the opposition parties whimsically mudsling each and everybody in the government. A BJP MP went too far and claimed a loss of Rs.51 lakh crore in coal block allotment, even as his party took objection to the Team Anna comparing the PM to Sikhandi of Mahabharath. Reckless allegations are made by all and sundry and those in office of governance, including the Prime Minister are challenged to disprove. Most unusually the suave and reserved Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh himself lost temper and said, “I think the public in India should make up its mind whether this sort of politics should rule the roost in the country. It is unfortunate that irresponsible allegations are made relating to irregularities in the allotment of coal blocs. Even if there is an iota is proved, I will quit public life.”

In the style of Watergate, the media now is engrossed in “coalgate”, willfully misleading the people of the country covering up the truth.

By calling the Prime Minister names and asking for investigations into an alleged coal scam, based on a draft report of the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) that was leaked, Team Anna and the media have discredited themselves.

The shrillness and harshness of their tone serve only to replace reasoned, sustained pressure for institutional reform to strengthen integrity, with hysteria. The CAG allegedly says (what it actually says will be known when its report is out) that private companies made undue gains worth Rs 1.8 lakh crore, because of the way in which the government allotted them coal blocks, without auctioning them. Since the PM held the coal portfolio during the allotment of these blocks, he must own moral responsibility, says Team Anna.

In India, coal blocks have not been auctioned. Since coal was made a state monopoly through the Coal Mines Nationalisation Act of 1973, the Act was amended thrice, in 1976, 1993 and 1996, to permit allocation of coal mines for private companies to produce iron and steel, power and cement but only for captive purposes.

Talk of auction began only with the UPA government's move in 2005 to amend the Mines and Minerals (Development and Regulation) Act. The Left opposes removal of state monopoly in coal. Many state governments resisted the move to allocate coal through auctions.

Negotiating a consensus with these stakeholders to liberalise coal mining and institutionalise allocation of mineral rights will take time. But the nation desperately needs coal to produce power, steel and cement, to grow. So coal had to be allocated before auctions could be instituted. The government advertised the offer of coal blocks, invited applications and an inter-ministerial committee examined the applicants, with chief secretaries of the concerned states sitting in, to decide the allocation. This was as transparent as it could be. To convert this into a scam is grossly irresponsible.

What do the media achieve by this hysterical sensationalism, which will put off the people after a limit? In the meanwhile irresponsible damage is sought to be inflicted on the political system and order in the country, which has ensured their ‘freedom’ unlike for their counterparts in the neighbouring countries. The UPA government at the Centre is sought to be portrayed as ‘scam-ridden’ than any other regimes so far. But the truth is the media in the past was limited in numbers and more responsible and self-disciplined. But now there is mushroom growth of media competing in the market in an unhealthy manner threatening the very fibre of political system and social order. It is nothing but a cancerous growth.

P.S. If the prescription of the CAG, the ‘Adharsh Purush’ of the media, of auctioning is adopted for ‘ethics’ ‘morality’ and ‘honesty’, there may not be any bidder from the media!

Jaya’s Ad mania Obscene Illegitimate and Illegal

Product and services that are of fine quality and affordably priced find instant market among the people. Only those which are of inferior quality and exorbitantly priced require boisterous marketing to push them onto the people. So also bogus firms which vanish after defrauding people to the tune of several crores of rupees resort to hectic and enticing publicity campaign to hoodwink the gullible. Marketing itself is a thriving industry in  the present day world and more a product or service is in competitive market, the more the expenditure incurred in marketing publicity. The marketing firms produce what are called ‘Marketing Features’ and ‘Advertorial and Promotional Features’ which are scripted by expert writers who could spin rope out of sand.

Such experts in fantasies seem to have been drafted by the ADMK government to produce such ‘Marketing Features’ and ‘Advertorial and Promotional Features’ appearing in the same names as advertisements in all English newspapers in the country every day along with one full page ad of a government department. The campaign of ‘one year achievements of TN Chief Minister Puratchi Thalaivi Amma Jayalalitha’ started on May 16 with a six pages of advertisement in all dailies in Tamil/ English all over India. Till the first week of June, the ad campaign has not ended. The campaign should have cost the exchequer not less than Rs.100 crore; the exact amount can be ascertained later by filing an application under Right to Information Act.

The question is, should a government in a democratic system require such a fanfare for celebrating the completion of one year. If the regime has a popular mandate and if at all its so-called achievements have fully and fruitfully reached the people, do they require a month-long publicity? It is ridiculous that even the sanctions and allocations of funds done in the normal course by the government/ departments are listed as ‘achievements of Amma’! In the case of some departments like ‘Information and Publicity’ and ‘Tourism’ the sum of ‘allocations’ may be lesser than the cost of full page ads in so many dailies. Even though the feature-writers had taken so much pains to ascribe all the progress made by Tamil Nadu so far under various rules, to the one-year regime of Jayalalitha, people are wise enough to understand the duplicity of the bogus claims.

All these apart, is Jayalalitha justified in spendings much public money to boost her image, purportedly at the national level to serve her larger ambitions? Is she morally and legally correct? Obviously not! This is not the contention of some layman, but of the senior most lawyer of the country and former Attorney General of India, Soli Sorabjee, who in his column in ‘The New Indian Express’ on May 27 has written the following:

“Obscene Public Expenditure: Huge amounts were spent by the Mayawati government in Uttar Pradesh on constructing statues of the former chief minister and her party icons and leaders. What is the motivation? Apparently it is to glorify Mayawati and an attempt to win the heart and minds of the people whose votes are crucial in an election. This gimmick did not work, as is evident from the recent state Assembly election results. People were not impressed by Mayawati’s grand statues. They were frustrated and angry with the dismal performance of her government. Another reason could be that statues are enduring and would be able to withstand the winds of change and thereby ensure immortality for the person commemorated. This hankering after immortality was manifested in some African states which built huge statues idolising their leaders. Many of these statues have since crumbled in the dust and ‘nothing beside remains’ as pictorially portrayed in Shelly’s sonnet, Ozymandias of Egypt.

“The crucial issue is about the morality and legality of expenditure of vast public sums from the treasury. The same issue is involved in the expenditure of vast sums of public monies in inserting advertisements in newspapers as was recently done by J Jayalalithaa, the chief minister of Tamil Nadu, supposedly at the cost of Rs 30 crore. People want to know who is paying for these advertisements, where is the money coming from, are these advertisements really required, and what purpose do they serve? A Pubic Interest Litigation (PIL) is pending in the Delhi High Court in which it is contended that spending public monies on ads is illegitimate expenditure whose burden ultimately falls on citizens. A more formidable contention in the PIL is that an offence under the Prevention of Corruption Act is committed if a public servant abuses his position and thereby obtains for himself or for any other person any valuable thing or pecuniary advantage. Obtaining goodwill through advertisements and other promotional publicity stunts could certainly be regarded as valuable and thus attract the Prevention of Corruption Act. The Delhi High Court has taken cognisance of the PIL and issued notices to the director general of the Directorate of Advertising and Visual Publicity, as also to the secretary, Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, asking them to respond to the PIL. The fate of the PIL is eagerly awaited.

“Legality apart, it seems every vestige of political morality has been jettisoned. Does it not pinch the conscience of the public functionaries that this expenditure on ads for promoting their image or that of a particular political party is obscene in light of the prevailing adverse economic condition of the people? I am afraid the question is premised on the assumption of a conscience in our political leaders.”

The PIL contends that public money is being spent on eulogizing leaders with definite linkage to political party in power. Such spending is also violating certain aspects of Prevention of Corruption Act and needs to be investigated. If seeks to prevent such spending in future by bringing it under the ambit of Comptroller and Auditor General of India. It also seeks an investigation into the role of government official who approved such expenditures.

The fate of the PIL in Delhi High Court is eagerly awaited not only in the capital but also in Chennai, based on which many PILs are likely to be filed before the Madras High Court to nail the exorbitant misuse of public money in advertisements for self glorification and promoting the image of Jayalalitha and the officials who approved such expenditures will become answerable to the court.

All these political immorality and illegality apart, Jayalalitha’s ad frenzy has boomeranged and she has become a butt of jokes and condemnation in the social media like twitter, blogs etc. – laughable and despicable in world opinion!

A Compendium of Virtues!

History is replete with multi-talented personalities and multi-faceted personalities. Some of them might have acquired some virtues with which they might have outshone contemporaries. Very very rarely do we come across a multi-talented and multi-faceted personality who is also acknowledgedly a compendium of virtues. DMK President and one of the tallest leaders of the Dravidian movement Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi, whose 89th birthday on June 3 is to be celebrated by DMK functionaries and cadre, is such a rarest of rare package of multi-talented, multi-faceted personality and a compendium of virtues.

Nobody else than his longest associate in public life and in the movement, DMK General Secretary Prof. K.Anbazhagan, can sum up the persona and relevance of Kalaignar vis-à-vis the society as a whole and Tamil race, in particular. In a statement issued by him on May 10, calling upon the Party units to celebrate Kalaignar’s birthday, Perasiriyar encapsulates the greatness and uniqueness of the leader in his inimitable style. There cannot be a greater tribute to Kalaignar than in the words of Perasiriyar, which is given below:

“Tamil Nadu derives great pleasure as coming June 3 is the 89th birthday of Kalaignar. Celebrating his birthday is the duty of Tamils. All those who are interested in the rightful life of Tamil race and progress of Tamil Nadu know that it is only our Kalaignar, who possesses wisdom and potential, clarity and courage, direct experience and determination to strive and has a history of sacrifice, to stand in support and pave way for reaching that goal.

There are none who do not know, that the only political leader who, whether the state is submerged in flood due to incessant downpour, even if the state turns into a hot area due to continuing drought, even if huts and roofs fly away due to cyclone, runs in search of places where people live in distress without food to eat and shade, to sit down, to see them and one who has realized that service to people is service to god.

In the ups and downs of the people of Tamil Nadu, in their sickness and demise, Kalaignar possesses the mind that never forgets those siblings. Today there are no other leaders who lived for Tamil race, on par with Kalaignar. At his age of 14, his public life began in raising voice against Hindi.

Listening to the speeches of Pattukottai Alagiri, reading Periyar’s ‘Kudiyarasu’ journal, realizing the writings and speeches of Arignar Anna, his public service shaped and grew in self respect movement work, rationalist camp service and in publishing handwritten magazine. Working as sub-editor in Periyar’s weekly in Erode, he grew as a writer getting the appreciation of Thanthai Periyar.

In his passion for platform speech spreading principles, he spoke in public meetings in many, many places. There were many dramas spreading reformist principles, which he himself scripted, acted, staged and continued in many places. How many types of opposition for them? He had to bear with any sort of terrible attacks. Having involved in Dravidian movement and serving for it, many a times he had to move around resolutely resolving that life is not his own.
Car journey in night and day for movement works in which he had to face many accidents and suffer pain on being admitted in hospitals in serious conditions. In a worrying condition whether eye sight could be resumed he had to undergo medical expert’s treatment for months together and also had to go to USA for eye treatment.

Accepting Anna’s wish he involved himself in the agitation demanding the name change of Kallakudi Railway Station and imprisoned for six months.

Following it were Agitation against price rise, agitation of burning the constitution struggle for protecting rights of Eelam Tamils, the peaceful struggle of Long march to Tiruchendur demanding justice, picketing, hungerfast, solitary confinement in Palayamkottai prison, injustice of Tamil Nadu government arresting and imprisoning – he conducted many such field battles, continued to raise warcry without sword and shield, to demolish varnasrama fort built with orthodox cement to root out the Aryan myth which stabilized the domination of so-called higher castes – the works carried out by Kalaignar with deligence, variety, efficiency and the sacrifices he had to undergo – cannot be measured!

Those who read his autobiographical classic ‘Nenjukku Needhi’ cannot fail to realize Kalaignar’s timely discharge of duty, his method of maneuvering political issues faced by him with his statesmanship and sharp intellect, and the efforts taken by him and his relentless work for the victory of our ideal; and to redeem democratic system of government of the country without it getting derailed.

From the beginning of the flowering of his fine touch in the field of fine arts, following Arignar Anna in the script and dialogue of films, his achievement and victory scored are great. The dialogues of films ‘Parasakthi’ and ‘Manohara’ he scripted fifty years back are still enriching even the writings of other partymen.

His film dialogues splashing radical views made many youngsters as actors in cine films and gave life to them. In the early days, the dialogues of Kalaignar, hailed as godfather of film industry, raised thespian Sivaji Ganesan  to the top of the ladder of fame. If his writings in his youth were infernos in his advanced age also his writing is sweet as fruit juice.
Kalaignar’s Kuraloviyam, Sangathamizh, Tholkappiya Poonga and Poompuhar have elevated him as an expert exponent of Three Tamils deserving honour in the world of scholars (Pulavars).

Kalaignar’s creative literature got the appreciation of Arignar Anna. Kalaignar’s penchant for principle got the appreciation of Thanthai Periyar. Kalaignar’s honesty of keeping assurance was hailed by Tmt. Indira Gandhi. Kalaignar’s integrity was praised by MGR. That he rendered justice and security to minority Muslims was acclaimed by Quaid-e-Milleth Ismail Sahib. As Emergency was declared during Indira Gandhi’s regime, when democratic rights were denied, E.M.S.Namboodripad hailed that democratic wind could be smelt only in Kalaignar-ruled Tamil Nadu.
Sarvodaya leader Jayaprakash Narayan said, only in the rule of Kalaignar Karunanidhi, belonging to a non-Congress party, was Mahatma Gandhi’s principle followed by constructing flats for slum dwellers.
When the order for granting ownership pattas for house sites on which agricultural workers had put up huts, Com. Manali Kandasamy greeted Kalaignar saying that he accomplished with a drop of ink what could not be achieved by struggles shedding blood.
When former Prime Minister V.P.Singh announced the order for reservation for OBCs in Central government jobs, accepting the recommendations of Mandal commission, he hailed and thanked Kalaignar for being his motivator to make the announcement.
Congress leader late C.Subramaniam approvingly said communalism and Hindutva could not enter Tamil Nadu and religious fanaticism could not rear its head in whichever coalition Kalaignar finds place.
Senior Congress leader and former Chief Minister M.Bhakthavatchalam praised Kalaignar as a best administrator.
Kalaignar shines as
an orator;
writer;
daily editor;
dramatist;
actor;
film artist;
literary giant;
veteran poet;
political wizard;
best administrator;
statesman; and above all
a  humanist.
In keeping with the statement of admiration of Dr. M.Varadarajan (Mu.Va.) that Kalaignar is the only political leader who is
- the President of a Party for over forty years
- underwent imprisonment for over nine times
- a member of the legislature for over 50 years
- five times the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu
- wrote script and dialogue for over 75 films
and remains as a poet and patron, it can be said that only Kalaignar has the glory of having donated Rs.One crore for felicitating awards every year for best writers by the Book Publishers and Sellers Association of South India (BAPASI).
- To protect the rightful living of seven crore Tamils who have forgotten racial consciousness;
- To make classical language Tamil as the administrative language in all fields of Tamil Nadu government
- To ensure release of water resource of rivers passing through Tamil Nadu for ages, without obstruction by other states;
- To foster and develop relations, friendship, cooperation and racial attachment among Tamil Diaspora living throughout the world;
- To establish that the moral norms of Tirukural given by Tiruvalluvar as the moral way of life protecting Dravidian social justice;
- To resonate Tamil hymns by doing away with Aryan vedamantras in temples raised by Tamils;
- To create natural environment for men and women living on equal footing
- For the prospering of the principle of self-respect;
- For spreading rationalistic norm;
- To get rid of caste;
- For doing away with religious fanaticism;
-  For establishment of social justice;
- For the state to march on the path of Periyar and Anna
In the absence of Thanthai Periyar and Arignar Anna, the only person capable of accomplishing all these lofty basic ideals of the Dravidian Movement is Kalaignar and Kalaignar alone!            r

One year of Disaster: Why spare Jaya while unsparing of Mamata?

There are four English newspapers published from Chennai and other centres in Tamil Nadu, of which two were founded and thriving for several decades and the other two set their feet some years ago to cover the people of the state in their readership. Of these dailies, one has vowed to promote the cause of the present ruling party and the ego of its supremo, many a times even humbling the ADMK organ in sycophancy; and another daily trying to compete with it as and when even a slightest opportunity opened up. However there is one aspect in common for all these four ‘well-informed and intellectual’ dailies.

For instance, on May 20, the most important political news published in the Chennai editions of all these dailies was ‘West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee walking off the stage where a discussion hosted by television channel CNN-IBN on May 18 evening being recorded, angered by questions from the participant university students, on the increasing attack on women in the state, the infringement of  democratic rights by the authorities and the police action following the recently circulated e-mail by a Jadavpur Professor with graphics directed at her.’ In one daily that was the lead headline news with photograph of the incident, on the first page.

The news channel had arranged that programme on the eve of Mamata Banerjee’s rule in the state completing one year in office, with the announcement that it was a face-to-face with the Chief Minister for students of universities whomsoever, of  course with prior enrolment with the channel, and that the participants could pose any questions to the Chief Minister and the programme would be moderated by the CNN-IBN channel’s deputy editor Sagarika Ghose. During the course of the programme losing patience at one point due to intrusive questions of the enlightened students, mostly post-graduate and research students, she staged a walk-out in a huff.

That was enough for these dailies to take on Mamata Banerjee, their favourite target for criticism, condemnation, ridicule and unsolicited advices and suggestions for some months now, and there were columns and columns of reports on pages after pages. Expectedly from the next day there were splashes of editorials, news analyses, columns by their enlightened columnists, sarcastic articles, cartoons etc., in these dailies taking a dig at her and condemning her ‘intolerant attitude’, ‘anti-democratic’ action etc., So many highly critical columns and editorials, sarcastic commentaries etc., are published regularly on the reckless and irresponsible blabberings of West Bengal TMC ministers.

All that are well! Because they are the patrons and protectors of freedom of speech and opinion, democracy, healthy public debates, cultured political discourse and all other values!

But, should not these dailies, which publish their issues from Chennai and other cities for the ‘benefit’ and ‘enlightenment’ of the people of Tamil Nadu, show some of the concern shown for the people of West Bengal and to people Tamil Nadu render justice atleast for their readers?

The Chief Minister here has also completed one year in office and celebrating her ‘achievements’. These dailies are reaping the ‘benefits’ of the mega celebration in the forms of one first page ad and five more full page ads in inner pages on May 16, and everyday so far 2-3 pages of advertisements – one of a government department and the others as ‘Advertorial and Promotional Features’ and ‘Marketing Features’. We don’t know for how many more days these ads will be released!

Will any of the 100 plus television channels in India come forward to arrange an ‘Open House’ programme in which anyone can participate and pose any question, with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister as the Chief Guest? Even if any channel dare to come forward, will the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister agree to participate?

Why do these super-scholarly English dailies, publishing so many news reports and critical columns about the speeches and actions of Mamata Banerjee and her Cabinet colleagues in West Bengal, voluntarily close their eyes and ears to the arrogance, atrocities, megalomania, vindictiveness, whimsicality, authoritarian attitude etc., of Jayalalitha, the absurdities of her minion ministers, thousands of crores of rupees of people’s tax money drained for the whims and fancies of an individual, the education of over one crore school children devastated, over 13,000 families left is lurch, Tamil Nadu facing unprecedented judicial strictures by any state in the history of Independent India, courts disposing all that the Chief Minister proposes, the prestigious Tamil Nadu Assembly being turned into Bhajan Mutt and democracy trampled, the bureaucracy and police and ministers, shuffled and reshuffled so frequently that everyone in the government feel insecure resulting in administrative paralysis, investors reluctant to deal with this one-person government/ administration… the list of Tamil Nadu’s woes go on.

But these English dailies not only spare Jayalalitha of even any slightest criticism but for reasons best known to them try to project her for most undeserving capacities. Conveniently forgetting their blistering attack on her role during those 13 fateful months in 1998 and 1999 when she held the NDA government led by A.B.Vajpayee, for ransom and brought it down for not obliging to her personal demands and thrusting an election on the country, they are now unashamedly projecting Jayalalitha for a national role and for, what people would shudder even to think, Prime Ministership!

Just days prior to the anniversary fete when a reporter pointed out increasing incidents of illegal sand mining and loot, and asked what the government proposed to do, without any sense of responsibility, she coolly said she had no information. After two days she issued a statement vouching that illegal sand mining would be dealt with iron hand and that it was rampant during the DMK rule and on her assuming charge she directed officials to take severe action against the sand mafia. Her statement was dutifully published prominently by these dailies without any comment. If only they go through their records of the past one year, they can find out how many incidents of sand lootings and killings had taken place. If the people wonder whether such a person was fit to continue as CM, they won’t be wrong.

What is happening in the State Assembly? Can any sensible person sit through and listen to the entire proceedings on all the days of its session, and honestly vouch for the dignity and decorum of the House. Let them not publish commentaries on the proceedings or the portions expunged by the Speaker. It would be sufficient if they publish ad verbatim the speeches of ADMK ministers and members, members of fraternal parties and the Speaker, which the Chief Minister enjoy listening. People will understand what is happening in the Assembly and the standard of the Chief Minister! Why those dailies like ‘Daily Thanthi’ which publish Jayalalitha’s statements/ announcements under Rule No. 110 without omitting even a letter, do not publish the following speeches of her ministers and members, allies and the Speaker paying encomiums to her? Are they ashamed? Does civilized culture prevent them?

Some senior and sensible journalists working in these dailies resent that news analyses, reviews of Assembly proceedings, investigative reports filed by their district reporters and even columns by regular columnists are not published as a whole or mostly edited and castrated versions only are published.

What is the need for protecting Jaya regime like that? If it is only for the sake of getting government advertisements, can these newspapers that complain of commercialization of education, commercialise journalistic ethics and freedom of the press?  Is there undeclared state of Emergency in Tamil Nadu? During the DMK rule also, they were getting all government ads, but still they were publishing all sorts of false, baseless and unfounded reports about the government and the then Chief Minister Kalaignar also untiringly issuing refutals and clarifications!

So, what has happened to these dailies? Are they frightened by the ‘rehearsal’ carried out on the office of Tamil journal ‘Nakkeeran’ and against its editor, reminiscent of the events of 1991-96 and 2001-06 periods? Is fear the only reason for unduly protecting and projecting Jayalalitha, or something else?