I just got back to England after nearly a month in India interspersed with visits to the UAE on work. It was wonderful to be in the land of one's birth, enjoying the blessings of good food, good company and sunshine. However there were a few observations on public life in India that I could not keep from intruding on the good times..
Tamil Nadu is blessed with an alert population of literate people, who have had the benefit of some fairly advanced social movements over the last century. The infrastructure is reasonably good - ask anyone about roads in Tamil Nadu versus those in Karnataka. There are a wealth of good institutions of higher learning. In primary education, the far-sighted "noon meal scheme" of former movie star-turned-politician MGR brought many children to school. All in all, it has all the ingredients for producing much higher growth than it does today.
Yet I am appalled at how the politics of posturing and populism rules unchallenged. Caste-based politics are rife. The ruling party is neatly parcelled into interests lead by the children of the much-married octogenarian Chief Minister. The CM himself can lay claims to his literary merits and his role in using the film media to drive a message of social change as his contributions to Indian public life - he can still be a mesmerising public speaker in Tamil as Vajpayee used to be in Hindi. But his offspring are like the second generation anywhere. Blessed with the name of the Georgian leader of the Soviet Union - why, God alone knows - the heir apparent revels in populist measures that will definitely bankrupt the State. Free Colour TVs for all. Free clothes for all. Free rice for all.
Not that a responsible opposition is waiting in the wings. The former film star turned former Chief Minister has made it a point not to attend the state legislature. Instead of focussing on building a credible opposition movement based on real issues of governance, she sulks, biding her time and waiting for the world to come fall at her feet and anoint her as the next leader. Apart from the noise that usually passes for debate in the Legislature, there is no credible challenge to the government.
This is a state that has produced Nobel Laureates, economists, national level politicians, musicians, artists, sportsmen and sportswomen, writers and educators - and whose people are often held up as intellectuals in the rest of the country. Yet this is the kind of people they elect. Why talk about the antics of Mayawati or those of the former CM of Jharkhand. If this land of Tamils can only elect a lot like what inhabit the MLA hostel in Tamil Nadu, what hope do the lesser-endowed states have?
On the Road
6 years ago
6 comments:
Welcome back dada to the blogosphere. Yes TN politics is abysmal. There is a grave danger of the state splitting after the old man goes as one son is supposed to be "given" N Tamil Nadu and the other the South. The state's governance is one for all of us to be ashamed of. After all this is the state that invented institutionalised corruption with rate cards for services.
Ramesh - plan to continue to blog lead by your own inspirational effort.
Tamilnadu is like railway track. politics and economy run on seperate lines and they never meet and neither bother to influence each other either. maybe that is why the economy is still running ok.
The current father son combo have managed to quash any third front from surfacing up and hence has never left any ground for atleast a decent if not healthy political climate to surface. infact, they did not mind crippling the relatively more progressive nephew to safeguard the dominance.
But once the father falls, i think the party would fall apart. there is no lower rung which has the charisma or the political capability to run the show. a third front will soon emerge and it will be a different one. hope it is not from the existing chameleon lot who have been clinging the winning side but a fresh new party. I know this is wishful thinking but wish it comes true.
Hi Sandhya, given Tamil Nadu and its fascination with movies, I think Ajit or Vikram or any of the current chocolate-box mob will step in. I remain hopeful though..
Thanks for visiting and leaving a comment.
Do you have copy writer for so good articles? If so please give me contacts, because this really rocks! :)
I am reading this article second time today, you have to be more careful with content leakers. If I will fount it again I will send you a link
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