At 86, this man needs to sit at home and relax. Instead the Kalaignar goes about in his specially designed lazyboy-kind-of-chair-cum-bed thingie. This DMK chief and Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu needs to take it easy. If he isn’t troubling the Chennai police by fasting in some public place, with air coolers and God-knows-how-many-wives accompanying him, he is inaugurating buildings from the comfort of his ‘special’ chair from his home.
It is ridiculous. I am not for or against this whole new concept of ‘youth in politics’. But Karunanidhi really needs to retire.
And he is actually doing a great job of setting up his ever-so-unending family. His demands from the UPA were simply outrageous. The number of cabinet berths he was demanding were increasing by the hour. And he still managed to get something for members of his family. The biggest disaster of it is Azhagiri. The biggest crook in the family and probably in Chennai. Now the new Union Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers. I may now think twice before consuming food, because god knows what he is going to do to the fertilizer industry. Azhagiri was earlier in the news with regard to the murder of a DMK minister. He even came under fire when the Dinakaran party office was attacked by his supporters in Madurai. Dinakaran is run by the Maran family, relatives of Karunanidhi.
Next comes Kanimozhi, daughter of Karunanidhi’s wife Dayaluammal. She comes across as a more sensible person and could’ve really done a decent job as a Minister.
And then Dayanidhi Maran, the nephew. Previously the IT Minister and now he got the Textile Ministry. God bless, the textile industry is not going to see the same fate as the Chemicals and Fertilizers industry.
Karunanidhi really hit the jackpot. And with trouble-maker son Azhagiri packed off to New Delhi, the path was set for M K Stalin, his brother. Karuna made all the right moves just in time to make his son the Deputy CM, clearly indicating who his choice for successor is. Stalin, by the way, is another on the list of crooks. Like brother, shall we say? Stalin has been arrested several times, the first time being under MISA.
The DMK chief has made headlines all through his life. He recently received flak for his comments about slain LTTE chief Prabhakaran, when he said “Prabhakaran is my friend”.
Then, there was the midnight arrest drama. For all of us who watched it on TV, it was thorough entertainment. On the morning of 30th June 2001, we all woke up to the scenes of Karunanidhi screaming for help! It was outrageously funny. Here you have a man, in his usual white veshti, white shirt, yellow shawl and dark glasses, screaming and shouting. The arrest was made based on a complaint lodged by the then Chennai Corporation Commissioner J C T Acharyalu about the alleged losses of Rs 12 crore in the construction of mini-flyovers in Chennai. Even as the family-owned Sun Network telecast the arrest video, people like me had doubts about it being ‘staged’. It was an unforgettable morning!
With so much drama in his life, the grand old man seems to only want more.
Why can’t he just sit at home and write poetry?
Or give some company to his gazillion wives? I’m sure he doesn’t spend much time with them, with all the action he always seems to be involved in.
The other day, NDTV showed a graphical representation of Karunanidhi and his family tree! This was real heights! But it was a nicely presented graph and gave us a clear picture of which wife is whose mother and so on.
But enough is enough.
Karuna, please take a break. Read some poetry to your wives. Give them some of your time. After all, each one must love you so much to allow you to have the two other wives.
Good read!
(do not take this seriously)But i have few questions for you lol:
1. Why have you targeted an 86 year old politician anyway???
2. Why are you asking him to sit and write poetry? i dont mind him reading it.
3. Is it required to target the targeted always? in terms of targetting him and his peers/relatives/wives. lol
4. How did you get to think of writing on this guy????
whatever it is Vaish! I just wish you all the success in whatever you are wishing for him.
Thanks, Srikanth.
1. I have ‘targeted’ him because he has been in the news way too much for everything except his work has a CM. And he is too old and I want him out of TN politics.
2. He is a writer and poet, very famous for that actually. He even used to write screenplays and dialogues for movies before. That’s why I said he should write poetry!
3. It isn’t required to target the targeted always. If that were the case, I would have written a post on Varun Gandhi as well. But me targeting him is not because everyone else is targeting, it’s because I personally feel he needs to get out.
4. Well, he has made such stupid comments and stupid stunts recently. That’s why I wrote on him. I’ve a strong hatred towards the things he does.
Hope these responses suffice
All that I hope is none of the DMK supporters read this blog! I heard some of his supporters proclaim on TV that “Kalaignar is TN’s kadavul(god)” Amma’s supporters will probably garland you for this.
Vaishnavi,
So you dont want to see alternate views on this?
Who are you to advice an 86 years old, for that matter any one?
why dont you write about other dynasties around the world and particularly India?
How can you assume that every tamilian has the same opinion as yours? I can safely say the majority is feeling Ok with MK and his dynasty is better than other Nasty.
Why don’t you blog the personal lives of other Tamil leaders especially Jaya’s “God-knows-how-many” if you are fair person?
You do have the right to feel good or bad about DMK. But when you present them in a public forum, be prepared for replies. Dont run away, publish it. Let every one see how hollow your views (or the replies) can be.
thanks
Kris
Vaishnavi,
Why, no response from you? I am waiting.
Ok, let me answer your blog line by line:
1. As I said earlier, it is up to the person to decide to retire. If MK has supporters he will stay. Rajaji started his own party and worked in politics till his death. Probably Cho and Subramanian Swamy would be continuing their tryst with DMK till their last, much against my wishes, but I can’t advice them. If I tend mock any one on their rights, I would too end up as a joker like you.
You have an option here, don’t vote for MK, further more, if you are stead fast in your conviction, go and stand in elections and un-seat him. More than that, why not you start a political party with an only policy of hatred against MK and convince the voters?
2. Ridiculous, is word of convenience, mostly perceptional and personal, cannot be generalized. You are with in your rights to have any type of opinions. All I can say is that it is an expression of the perverted mindset; of course it is my opinion.
3. Seat sharing and Berth fighting is a regular comedy in Indian politics, no party is an exception. Have you heard this joke, “ Dillikku povangalam, kai katturavanga than Prime ministeram, Tami nadu will decide the next PM” just before the elections? MK is a bit reasonable; he just wanted 7 small ministers. Why cant you appreciate the deft handling of the issue, TN has more ministers now.
4. Dynasty is a part of life, business, cinema, profession, education, and now it is happening in Politics too. This is some what analogous to Rajaji’s “ Kulakalvi” plan when he was CM. Like a merchant’s son picks up the trade tricks early, political heirs are also lucky to be there in the right place at the right time. It has happened to Jawaharlal Nehru, Vijayalakshmi Pandit, Indira, Rajiv, Sonia, GW Bush, Kennedy’s etc… the list is endless. For you, is Jaya’s proximity relationship with MGR more acceptable than MK family’s blood relationship?
5. You have called some of them as “Crooks” Since when you did become the chief justice? What right you have to accuse them in public? Do you know the reply options available to these ‘accused’? The legal one is that, they can sue you, hope you have heard of “defamation and punitive damages”, that is the least of the troubles. Beware that the “ungentle” options are too many around. Better you know that next time you write un-parliamentary words against any one in the internet, as there are multiple records in multiple servers in multiple zones. These blogs are traceable and legally binding, whether you are in US or Africa.
6. Ok, MK has 3 wives, my grand father had 2 legal wives, both being sisters, that was the culture in farming communities in the olden days and in my grandfather’s case, poverty was the main issue. In some cases to avoid property divisions’ men married many wives. We improved our culture and empowered women after freedom. But would you dare to comment on Muslims who are legally eligible to have 4 wives? Would you survive that backlash? Your own Kamal Hassan married many times and embraced Islam. Have you forgotten Gemini Ganesan and his multiple wives, the latest being a marriage at 65?
It was the olden days scenario. You can’t laugh at history. If people are accepting who are you? If you need more arguments, I am ready, but it would be ugly. Let us stop at this.
7. MK is doing a very thorough hand-over like a professionally trained CEO. My argument for his promotion of his family members is: In the beginning he encouraged Sampath, Nanjil Mnoharan, Nedunchezian, Vaiko, T Rajendar, Sarath Babu and many such promising leaders. But at one stage or another, when the times were bad, these persons deserted him and infact back stabbed him. All these jokers became power crazy and went behind his political opponents like MGR and later Jaya. It happened to Indira Gandhi also, she brought her reluctant son Rajiv to continue her legacy (you may call it as dynasty, I prefer to name it as Legacy). Coming to dynasty, shall we go global? What about Kennedy’s Bushes, Lee Quan Yews, Ang San Suki, Bhuttos, Kim Sungs? The Indian dynasty list can run into pages.
8. And you are laughing at the mid night arrest suffering of an old man as drama? Do you have any heart? Don’t you have grand fathers at all? You are laughing at the victim rather than the perpetrator Jaya, who did a perverted attempt. She should have him arrested in day light with proper respect for an ex CM. On this I have my view, I am ready say it and face the replies. Her crook and ugly mindset was reflected in this single cowardly act.
9. In your second post, you have mentioned that you have a strong hatred on MK. I see this mindset in many of my elite friends’ circle (9 out of 10). So I categorize this as “genetically disordered mindset” These patients will never be happy any time with whatever MK does. I don’t see any cure for this disease, it will continue for a few generations to remise. You are not the only one to have this mental issue, there are many around, you got company, be happy.
10. Finally, it is not my work to argue for MK, I too disagree with some of his actions. Honestly I can say, that if a poor marginal farmer’s sons (that is me & my brothers, my grand father left us 1.06 acres) could academically rise up to match any one, and uplifted ourselves mostly due to the affirmative programs by the DMK.
Most importantly the self confidence imparted by Dravidian leaders made us to face up the career and life’s challenges. I owe this gratefully to DMK, and I sincerely believe but for MK, tamil nadu would have gone to the worst kind of dominations. When ever I see a dark skinned tamlian on the streets of Santa clara or Singapore, or Melbourne or Kawasaki, it reminds me of the Great Awakening imparted to us those days. Ok, that is a story reserved for another free day.
Until then, Bye and best wishes to you for a faster cure.
Thanks
Kris
Dear Kris
Thank you so much for reading my blog and commenting on the same.
I had e-mailed a response to your first comment. But it looks like you haven’t received it. So I’m posting it here.
Your responses are completely valid as per your opinion, there is no doubt in that.
I am no one to advice an 86-year-old and my blog wasn’t a means to do that. It was an expression of my opinion about a politician who I think desperately needs to retire.
There are other dynasties around the world and in India as well. Well, I don’t know every dynasty that has ever existed and I definitely don’t consider Karunanidhi’s family to be a sort of dynasty.
I most definitely don’t assume that every Tamiliam has the same opinion as me. For starters, nobody has to have the same opinion as me. And I wouldn’t want to segregate people by the native language they speak. That would be most demeaning in a democracy like ours. Let a majority of people be ok with Karunanidhi, I have no problems with that. All I have done in my blog is state my personal opinion about him (blogs are nothing but opinions and personal stories).
Thanks for stating that I do have the right to feel good or bad about DMK. I certainly don’t feel one bit good about the party. I cannot write anything about some other person unless I know enough to write and unless I actually have an opinion of my own about that person. In this case, I do have an opinion about Karunanidhi and I wanted to present it on a public forum, and so I did.
I am prepared for responses, replies, bouquets and brickbats. I haven’t published it an run away anywhere. I’m very much here.
Whether my views/replies are hollow or otherwise, is for you to decide, by ‘you’ I mean the reader. If you consider them to be hollow, you are entitled to feel so. I can’t breathe down your neck and make you agree with what I have written.
Better still, why don’t you write about one of these so-called dynasties that you seem to want me to write about and then we’ll talk about it?
I shall respond to your second comment after reading it completely.
Good luck.
Regards
Vaishnavi Vittal
Once again, Kris, I thank you for visiting my humble blog again.
Here are my thoughts on your second comment, numbered according to the numbers on your comment.
1. It looks like MK won’t retire in the near future, what with supporters as yourself. I will nevertheless continue to have my opinions about him because they are just that – opinions. I’m not hoping to bring about any kind of revolution in TN politics. Why should anyone, including myself, start a political party with a policy to hate someone? For the record, I am not interested in starting any party. And I am not voting for MK.
2. The word ‘ridiculous’ was intended to be perceptional and personal. That’s the idea of me writing this blog, Mr Kris, that’s the idea. I’m not here to remain objective. This isn’t journalism. Of course, you can assume that I have a perverted mindset after reading a blog of mine, that’s completely allowed
3. MK is reasonable in asking for just 7 small ministers? Wow. Looks like MK is getting a lot of lobbying. As long as I am in my senses or as long as any one is in the right frame of mind, they wouldn’t refer to that as ‘deft handling of the issue’. But I must say, I do admire your choice of words.
TN has more ministers now. Should I stand up and salute them for that? It most certainly doesn’t mean anything to me. Let them prove what they do with their ministries and then we can talk about that.
4. My blog only referred to MK and his family. Why are you constantly trying to pull in J Jayalalithaa or the Gandhi family in this? Making an argument by comparisons is like taking the easy way out. I have nothing for/against Jaya or the Gandhi family. I only have these opinions about MK’s family and that’s what I have spoken about here. Look’s like you have a lot to say about Jaya just as I have for MK. If I have something to say about Jaya, I’ll write about it. I have no qualms about that.
5. I am no Chief Justice and it’s not the Chief’s Justice’s job to sit and identify the ‘crooks’. I called Azhagiri a ‘crook’ based on his criminal record. Again, it’s my opinion. An opinion is different from a fact. Just because I call him a crook, does he become one? I may refer to a friend as a canine, so does that make him one? It’s that simple.
So can be charged for defamation and punitive damages? Looks like I’m not the only one who’s trying to pretend to be the Chief Justice. And what may I ask are the ‘ungentle options’ you are referring to? These smooth statements of consequences to what I have written will not deter me from writing again. Like I said, this blog states my personal opinion. I’m not in parliament to not use unparliamentary words.
6. If I can be sued for defamation, so can MK for polygamy. It is utterly nonsensical to make this argument communal and I have no intention to do so. Polygamy is illegal in India, whether you are Hindu or Muslim, black or white, my grandfather or yours. Like I said, I am only talking about MK’s family in this blog and I was referring to his ‘big’ family. And how did Kamal Hassan become ‘my(your) own’? I haven’t forgotten Gemini Ganesan, it’s just that when I was speaking about MK, I didn’t see any reason to pull the late actor into this.
And why will I laugh at history? I am only laughing at MK. Why should anyone accept or not accept MK’s three wives? I don’t mind more arguments, we have anyways come this far. And looks like you wouldn’t stop till I start using parliamentary words about MK.
7. I have no thoughts on this. But I really wouldn’t call him a professionally trained CEO.
8. I was laughing at the midnight arrest because from what I saw on TV, it was hilarious. I think it was a drama. Mr Kris, you don’t have to think it was one. Again, noone knows who the victim was and who the perpetrator, but it looks like you have your opinions and answers firm and in place. Good for you! “Her crook and ugly mindset was reflected in this single cowardly act”, I respect unparliamentary words towards Jaya. Just as you think of her mindset to be crooked, I think of the ‘Sun’ family to be one.
9. I don’t recall mentioning ‘strong hatred’ for MK. And Mr Kris, let me correct you, I am not in the least ‘elite’, what with the perverted mindset, usage of unparliamentary words and law suits against me. Mental issues are a question of perception. The mad man always thinks he isn’t mad. Why do you want us, ‘genetically disordered mindset’ ‘elite’st beings, to be happy with what MK does? Why should we not like what he is doing? But I am happy, Sir, happy that I am not alone with regard to these “mental issues”, it’s always good to have company, like yourself especially. It makes the journey that much more interesting.
10. At the end of your comment, you say that it is not your work to argue for MK? Wow! But better late than never. If the DMK has helped your family, then you can hail them. It isn’t my job to do so. If I have written about wanting to retire, why don’t you write about how the DMK has helped you and your family? Why just post a comment on a blog of a person with ‘mental issues’?
In conclusion, I don’t want any wishes for a faster cure. Because, in life, it’s always good to be a little mad
Thanks again, for your time and comments.
Regards
Vaishnavi Vittal
Hi Vaishnavi,
Ok, Madam, you have your personal views, personal pages, personal rights etc etc. My intention of entering into your blog was not to create an acrimonious debate which would end up useless for both of us. It was an effort to bring an alternate view point and tried to say that even a devil is due its rightful share. I also brought many persons names and examples to show that whatever the wrong things pointed, had happened elsewhere to others and it is a sort of unfair to target only MK. My apologies to those persons I have named.
Once the undercurrent is known, I do not see any utility is continuing this debate. As you have said, it is your personal blog, you have a right to have your view. Who am I to reason with you? Why should I? If the end result is already known, there is no fun in any sport.
Finally thanks for your idea of publishing my own blog to hail the DMK or MK, I am doing better than that. I am voting for them!
Best wishes and good bye.
Kris
Ref: If you have time…read this,
http://www.hindu.com/2009/06/22/stories/2009062250931400.htm
Dear Mr Kris
Thank you for your time and comments. The debate did not end up useless for me. It’s always good to hear out another person’s views on matters such as this.
Am sure the DMK is going to be glad to hear that they have your vote for sure
Regards
Vaishnavi Vittal