| Published on 27-06-2007 In National | | Viewed 2302 times | | Written by
Cho Ramaswamy | 
KGS Govindan, Krishnapuram
Question: What political cause will be served by the Third Front, which is being touted by Chandrababu Naidu as a group that will pursue alternative economic policies?
Answer: The Third Front will have no say in the overall political context of the nation because a bunch of outfits that have lost at the hustings have come together with the fond hope that this so-called ideal will fetch them votes during the presidential elections. [If and] when the group campaigns aggressively for its candidate, apart from betraying serious political differences within itself, it will only slow down the pace of economic reforms.
Even if one were to consider the utopian possibility of these parties complimenting each other during future elections, it is obvious that they will come a cropper because the front itself consists of regional parties that have no sphere of influence outside the states in which they exist.
It can, however, be said that this front has a sizeable number of votes that can decide the winner during the ensuing presidential elections if used properly. I do not see any other justification for the continuation of this entity.
Shobhanadasan, Nattarasankottai
Question: PMK founder Dr Ramadoss has thoughts that have the political purity one attaches to Mahatma Gandhi, says Chief Minister Kalaingar. Comment.
Answer: Kalaingar has hinted what is going on in his mind vis-à-vis Dr Ramadoss. The CM wants the PMK leader to remain aloof from [direct and indirect] political power. It would be prudent on the part of Dr Ramadoss to deduce this.
S Ramesh , Chennai 5
Question: What is your take on the final outcome of the elections in Goa?
Answer: After the drubbing in UP, BJP obviously expected a consolation prize in this Union Territory. But, now that such a possibility has been completely ruled out, it can only entertain hopes of splitting other parties in the future, provided its own unit in Goa isn't split by its own MLAs!
R Mohan, Theni
Question: "As we are the biggest power in the subcontinent, Sri Lanka should not approach China or Pakistan for its defence needs. On the contrary, they should approach us," National Security Advisor MK Narayanan has said. Comment.
Answer: When India is ready to fulfill the defence needs of Sri Lanka, stipulating that it should not approach others for the same is not a correct political approach.
K Sampath, Thirukkazhukkundram
Question: With which media organisation will Kalaingar TV compete – Sun TV or Jaya TV?
Answer: It has the possibility of ending up as competition to Win TV or Makkal TV.
M Sampath, Velayudhanpalayam
Question: Did you notice that Jayalalithaa did not offer a Rajya Sabha seat to Vaiko?
Answer: Given the thin strength of the MDMK in the TN Assembly, I do not see anything wrong with Jayalalithaa's stand in the matter.
G Balasubramanian, Sethunarayanapuram
Question: Why do you always look down upon women who have to shoulder the burden of running a family and worry about the future of their children?
Answer: I have never looked down upon women. On the contrary, let me ask you a question. Are passion, filial love, concerns about the future of children and burdens of running a family only attributes of women and not of men at all? Isn't such a depiction in literature, movies and staged debates bereft of truth? When we hail motherly love, do we mean that fathers don't have any attachment to their offspring? The fact of the matter is that only those who belittle sacrifices and strife of males in the context of family life are of the opinion that I look down upon women.
R Prakash, Ponmalai
Question: "Merely because I am the daughter of the leader [of the DMK] should I be denied the right to shine in politics?" asks Kanimozhi. Comment.
Answer: Her question is based on the presupposition that a contest was staged within the DMK to find out as to who had inherent "shining" qualities and that she qualified in the end. Does this mean that nobody else shined in the DMK? Or, on the contrary, was she selected on the basis of her birth as a "shining example?" At least, to me, her arguments do not throw enough light in the matter.
P Choodamani, Chennai 93
Question: Do you think that the Tamil Nadu government's step to abrogate the law which empowered it to initiate action against employees on the day of their retirement is right?
Answer: In my opinion, if action has to be initiated against a government employee, it ought to be done when he/she is in service.
Doing so on the day of superannuating is torture because it would entail stoppage of retirement benefits after a lifetime in harness. All these days, it did not occur to anyone, including me, that this was an abomination. Removal of this draconian measure by Kalaignar is a welcome step.
GK Balakrishnan, Gummidipoondi
Question: When asked as to whether he could outperform Dayanidhi Maran who had a good command over English, the new Union Minister for IT, Raja snapped, "what good can command over English achieve in this society?" Comment.
Answer: The minister concerned has come to the conclusion that a working knowledge in English is useless simply because it was possessed by Dayanidhi Maran. Let us suppose that some reporter asks Raja a question about Maran's practice of lending a hand to Karunanidhi during several public appearances. Will the minister be able to pass a deriding remark about it by asking as to what earthly purpose will it serve? Rather than sniping at Maran, Raja will be well advised to eschew such expressions of abhorrence.
P Ram Murugan, Sivaganga
Question: "It would have been better if I had been absent from the house when members praised me to the skies," Karunanidhi has been quoted as saying. Comment.
Answer: Poor man! I have to sympathise with his lot. Kalaignar obviously expected the gathering to point out his flaws when it had assembled during the fete to mark his golden jubilee as a legislator. Surely, he was embarrassed by the encomiums paid to him by all and sundry during a meet meant to praise him, because he did not expect them. The man warms the cockles of my heart by this touching statement!
M Bhasker, Dindigul 1
Question: DMDK is a political party that has not shied away from spending its own money on the people, and hasn't learnt the art of earning by the vocation called politics, says Vaiko. Comment.
Answer: In his attempt to praise DMDK, Vaiko has scored an own goal against the AIADMK. I only hope that this isn't noticed by Jayalalithaa.
R Prakash, Ponmalai
Question: Which side is correct on the Kodanadu Estate imbroglio?
Answer: There are indeed some doubts about the propriety of officials who tried to inspect the estate as there is some currency in the criticism of the deed by the AIADMK.
That said, I also think that the government has every right to aver that the construction in that estate was beyond the law.
But the government singling out this estate on the issue of violations of the statute causes eyebrows to be raised because there are countless such instances available all over the state.
Be that as may be, Kalaignar has provided details about Jayalalithaa's holdings in the estate and her silence in the matter only strengthens the CM's claims. But Karunanidhi has added that the failure on the part of the AIADMK leader to show the holdings in her declaration before the election commission would disqualify her from holding the post of an MLA and prevent her from contesting again. Legal experts have said with conviction that this argument is flawed. [Therefore] this only betrays the wishful thinking on the part of Karunanidhi.
G Balasubramanian, Sethunarayanapuram
Question: What is your take on the development of Islamic terrorist organisations which had only bombed places of Hindu worship in the past choosing to attack mosques as well?
Answer: It is public knowledge that these outfits are doing this only to trigger inter-religious clashes.
GS Rajan, Chennai 42
Question: Family oriented politics – is it good or bad for the country?
Answer: When political power and its succession are centred on a few families, others are unable to "earn" out of this vocation. On that count, this goes against the "socialist" principles. Else, regardless of the fact that politicians belonging to a family or a party – it is the same old story of pelf.
T Vishwanathan, Madurai 1
Question: Do you believe Karunanidhi's statement that neither he nor the minister concerned had any inkling about the notice being issued to the AIADMK headquarters demanding to show cause as to why it should not be demolished?
Answer: Probably, Karunanidhi's claim in this regard could be true. But, Jayalalithaa's assumption that it was a measure of vengeance was inevitable.
(Translated from Thuglak by TSV Hari)
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