| Published on 11-07-2007 In National | | Viewed 1371 times | | Written by
Cho Ramaswamy | 
KGS Govindan, Krishnapuram
Question: What is your reaction to Karunanidhi's claim that the nomination of a woman candidate for the Presidential elections is in itself a start for 33% reservation for women?
Answer: Start? Startled would be more like it.
N Kalidas , Chidambaram 2
Question: Haven't the Guruvayoor temple authorities apologised for having the "purification" rites performed there for allowing the family members of Central Minister Vayalar Ravi to worship there?
Answer: The person who controls worshipping rites as per the rules of the temple is its main priest called the Thanthri. At present, Raman Namboodirippad holds that post and he hasn't apologised. To wit, he said, "I have only acted as per the prescribed traditions. However, I am willing to abide by any rules that may be introduced through legislation to change this as an obedient citizen of this nation."
N Kuppuswamy, Coimbatore 14
Question: Do you think that Sonia Gandhi knows that a party called the Congress exists in Tamil Nadu?
Answer: She certainly knows that, I am sure. But she has no chance of knowing how many there are, at this point in time.
M Zainul Abdeen, Kanyakumari
Question: What is your reaction to an opinion expressed in a science symposium in Chennai that the Adam's Bridge is only a natural barrier of sand [and rocks]?
Answer: There are several straits the world over, which have similar geographical characteristics. And none of them have the same feature. Why did the participants in the symposium fail to answer this anomaly please?
Lakshmi Sengoottuvan, Vellore (Namakkal)
Question: What is your opinion about the political reach of Kalaignar vis-à-vis the appointment of a woman as the President of India?
Answer: Frankly, I fail to see the connection at all. Right from the first name to the final candidate, every one of them was the nominee of Congress president Sonia Gandhi. How can you say that Kalaignar had any say in it?
S Ganapathy , Red Hills
Question: My friend says that everybody in the nation would be happy about the fact that a woman is becoming the President of India except Cho. Comment.
Answer: While I expect my point of view to gather mass nationally as the date of polling approaches, there is an altogether different facet to this. Last time, when the Left proposed the candidature of Lakshmi Sehgal – for the same post, everybody in question opposed it and defeated her! Would those who find fault with me for criticising Patil's nomination comment on that as well?
M Thoosimuthu, Chennai 11
Question: Don't you think that Jayalalithaa over-reached herself when she said that Kalaignar wanted to be Vice President?
Answer: As the Vice President has to preside over the proceedings in the Rajya Sabha, anybody who would expect to get elected ought to have a good working knowledge in English or Hindi. On that count, Kalaignar doesn't fit the bill and probably he knows it too. Therefore, I am unable to believe Jayalalithaa's argument in this regard.
J Benazir Sadiq, Keezhcharakkalvilai
Question: What is your take on the Supreme Court dismissing a petition against UP Chief Minister Mayawati on the basis of the fact that she is an MP?
Answer: According to the statute, anyone who becomes a minister or CM of a state has to be elected to the concerned state's Legislative Assembly/Council within 6 months. A member of parliament would seem to be "out of place" in an assembly. But that, in itself cannot be said to be a disqualification.
Sinthanai Selvan, Srivaikuntam 1
Question: Isn't it obvious to Jayalalithaa that she ought to find common cause with the BJP, which is the only alternative to the Congress at the Centre for her political survival?
Answer: I wouldn't be surprised if Jayalalithaa is sold on the idea that she may end up losing more minority votes in Tamil Nadu by aligning with the BJP, which by any stretch of imagination, doesn't have much say here. And if the BJP gets the support of the AIADMK after parliamentary elections to form the government at the Centre, I don't think either of them would object.
M Thoosimuthu, Chennai 11
Question: What do you think about Vijayakanth's allegation that Kalaignar has prevented Abdul Kalam from getting elected again?
Answer: Though Kalaignar did not support Kalam's second term, saying that the CM prevented that possibility is wrong.
The actual opposition to this was done by the Congress and the Left. Karunanidhi just went along with it.
Ampoorani S Narayanan, Palayamkottai
Question: There are allegations that Mayawati agreed to back Patil's candidature only because Sonia Gandhi agreed to fund UP's development to the tune of Rs.70,000 crores. Comment.
Answer: They are wrong. Following the UP Governor's refusal to prosecute her in the Taj corridor case, Mayawati said that she was willing to back the Congress candidate for President. That was the quid pro quo. UP's development had nothing to do with it.
Sinthanai Selvan, Srivaikuntam 1
Question: The future of the nation will be decided only by regional parties, says Vaiko. Comment.
Answer: I do not know as to why Vaiko has taken it upon himself to decimate any belief in the nation's future.
KN Balakrishnan, Kumbhakonam 1
Question: Leftists have insisted upon Somnath Chatterjee being made the next Vice President. Comment.
Answer: At least I haven't heard credible news about this possibility. But, who knows? The Left could have made it a pre-condition to support the Congress candidate!
R Pon Perumal, Ilayanainarkulam
Question: Since the Central Government acts according to the wishes of Kalaignar, why didn't he insist on the re-election of Kalam, who is not only a Tamil, but also a litterateur, scientist and a good man?
Answer: Your argument has no substance. After all, Kalam didn't turn up to praise Kalaignar's golden jubilee [minus seven years] as a legislator – either heeding Jayalalithaa's advice or on his own. So why would the CM support him?
U Shiva Shakti Vel, Chennai 96
Question: Do you think that a female president can fulfil the aspirations of reservation for women, which couldn't be realised despite Sonia's being a super-PM?
Answer: A President cannot legislate. The very fact that a female may end up being President will be used by politicians to postpone the demand for women's reservation for ages. Anyway, [Patil] hasn't become President yet.
M Sampath, Velayudhanpalayam
Question: If the BJP wins power at the Centre, the third front would end up supporting us, says L. Ganesan. Comment.
Answer: He is probably aware of the fact that the third front constituents may not have an electoral arrangement with the BJP. Therefore he has only talked about a post-election possibility.
P Choodamani, Chennai 93
Question: What is the maximum pressure that can be exerted by a President on the Central Government?
Answer: A President can advise the government on several issues and refuse to sign a bill and send it back to Parliament for reconsideration. These have happened in the past. In the likelihood of a government's stubborn refusal to heed such repeated advice, a President can resign and explain the situation to the nation. Such an event has never happened in our country.
Umari P Ganeshan, Mumbai 17
Question: Why do you think Jayalalithaa contested in four constituencies despite knowing that it is illegal?
Answer: I think that she probably didn't know about the legal consequences. But then, ignorance of law cannot be an excuse.
Lakshmi Narasimhan, Coimbatore 38
Question: Haven't you heard that there is now a tutorial for thieves and robbers in Bihar?
Answer: For that matter, there are crash courses for aspiring legislators in some places as well. Worrying about these would serve no useful purpose.
R Valayapathi, Thottakkurichi
Question: Don't you think that resurrection of old matters like filing nominations in four [assembly] constituencies against Jayalalithaa is wanton persecution?
Answer: Utilisation of a faux pas by political opponents cannot be termed as such, because it is, but, natural.
(Translated from Thuglak by TSV Hari)
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