Kumar Chellappan presents a lucid account of the present state of politics in Tamil Nadu and Sri Lanka.
Maritime activities of fishermen and drug trafficking are political dramas that get politicos worked up in Tamil Nadu given the background of the victory against LTTE terror achieved under Rajapaksa's leadership of Sri Lanka.
Dravida politics plays the LTTE card as a surrogate for the earlier separatist politics which gave legitimacy to 'Dravida' politicians who have been ruling Tamil Nadu creating a Congress-mukt Tamil Nadu for nearly 40 years. Tami Nadu Congress woes are the woes of a truncated national party with little political presence in Tamil Nadu.
The identity politics of Tamil Nadu centre around 'dravida' mirage as identity distinct from national bharatiya identity; film stars' identity as saviours of the downtrodden poor providing for leaders like MGR or MGR allotrope JJ as saviour-identity traps.
Modi charisma may not be adequate to overcome the 'dravida' idiom which dominates political discourse in the Tamil media and political platforms often drummed up as Tamil identity linked with the demands for separate Eelam as a surrogate demand to replace separate Dravida within Bharatam. The identity traps continue with political splinters based on vague caste formations while presenting mirages of Tamil identity of Tamil-speaking people of Sri Lanka mixed up with Dravida identity. Kumar Chellappan's report on Wigneswaran's views clearly indicates that Sri Lanka Tamils are not enamoured by the Dravida-Tamil duets which are the stock-in-trade of many parties which have found it necessary to tag 'Dravida' in their party names.
It is a pity that BJP does not have such a 'Dravida' tag in that party's name. It does not even have the 'Hindu' tag. NaMo seeks to change the idiom by talking of development and upliftment of the poor as a political plank which steers clear of the muddled-up identity politics of Tamil Nadu.
I am a novice in politics and I have no clue as to how BJP can make its presence felt in Tamil Nadu in any meaningful way. Maybe, Kumar Chellappan is right that BJP should find a way to establish its presence in every village Panchayat as an alterntive political option to the muddled-up identity traps which have been the bane of Tamil Nadu politics.
I am sure political pundits will find ways to reach out the Hindi message of NaMo in Tamil to every village Panchayat.
Dravida maayaa (mirage) has to find a ray of sunshine as an effulgent developmental path gets chalked out by NaMo to create an Indian Ocean Community which may evoke the memories of Rajaraja Chola establishing links with Kedaram and getting the present of a golden chariot which now adorns the Kalachakra Maritime Museum in Singapore.Kalachakra Museum, Singapore. Model of a golden chariot which a Khmer king had given to King Karikala to celebrate the Chola-Khmer alliance. Khmer influence in Thai-Malay peninsula during 12th century CE is recorded by the French epigraphist George Coedes. Some historians interpret that the gift of the Khmer chariot was from Suryavarman to Rajendra Chola. Karikala built a temple replica of the Brihadisvara temple in a place called Gangaikondacolapuram. This Gangaikonda commemorates Karikala bringing pots of water from river Ganga-Sarasvati to sanctify the waters of the temple tank. Hence, that tank is called Cholaganga.
Good news for NaMo and BJP is that the word Bharatam Janam is a widely accepted Tamil idiom thanks to the national poet Bharatiyar's powerful Tamil voice which resonated during the Freedom Struggle. This phrase Bharatam Janam is as old as the Rigveda and refers to the people of the nation of Bharata. This may be an effective substitute to the Dravida maayaa falsifying identity-traps which govern the murky politics of Tamil Nadu and adversely affect the imperative of Tamil speaking population of Sri Lanka who cherish the memories of Dharma-Dhamma continuum as Bharatam-Sri Lanka continuum as partners in making Indian Ocean Community, Hindumahasagar Parivaar a reality. NaMo should convey this message, together with Vikas message to create a Dravida-mukt Tamil Nadu. NaMo and BJP need to build up a team of young men and women who will have the zeal to take the message to every Village Panchayat of Tamil Nadu and also to every precinct in Sri Lanka's Tamil speaking Bharatiya diaspora. Sri Lanka and Bharatam should spearhead the creation of Indian Ocean Community to celebrate Dharma-Dhamma continuum to transform the region as an engine of growth for over 2 billion people.
This Bharatam Janam identity will be an answer to the identity-traps which trip up Tamil Nadu politics again and again, often interfered with Missionary-Mullah evangelical combines combating against a united Bharatam. The key is to be aware of the dangers of an East Timor surfacing in Eelam identity or Coromandel Coastline by a Developmental tsunami to counter the Sethusamudram waters which are kaarasthan (conspiratorial place) because of the turbulent waters of the Indian Ocean with clock-wise and anti-clock-wise ocean currents creating deposits of monazite placer sands along the Bharatiya coastline, making this coastline the richest reserve of atomic mineral thorium and other atomic mineral placer sands of the globe.
Sri Lanka Bharatam links should be such a celebration that Indian Ocean community should emerge as a counterpoise to European Community affording a new plank of multiplier effect in socio-economic imperative of the coastal peoples of the Indian Ocean with a United Indian Ocean States of 59 states stretching from Madagascar to Tasmania in Indian Ocean, upto the shores of the Pacific Ocean.
Kalyanaraman
DRAVIDA LAND POLITICS HOTS UP
Monday, 10 November 2014 | Kumar Chellappan | in Oped
There is nothing for the principal Opposition, the DMK, to be overjoyed over the misfortune which has fell on Jayalalithaa. The Special Court in New Delhi has framed charges against K Kanimozhi, Muthuvel Karunanidhi’s favourite daughter and member of the Rajya Sabha, under various sections of the Prevention of Money Laundering Act. If found guilty after the trial, she could be sentenced up to seven years of rigorous imprisonment. The same is the case with Mr A Raja, Ms Kanimozhi’s close friend and former Union Minister for. He is also an accused, the principal accused, in the 2G Spectrum pay-off case.The BJP will come into the reckoning in Tamil Nadu only if it ensures its presence in all panchayat wards in the State. The people of Tamil Nadu are ready to accept the BJP. Is the party willing and ready for that?
Tamil Nadu politics, which was in a deep slumber following the decimation of the opposition parties by the ruling AIADMK in the 2014 Lok Sabha election, has become lively following the September 27 conviction and sentencing of J Jayalalithaa in the disproportionate wealth case and the exit of senior politician GK Vasan from the Congress to form his own outfit. Jayalalithaa’s sentencing will not make much difference to the political prospects of the AIADMK because of the brutal majority commanded by the party in the Legislative Assembly and the unqualified servility being shown by her acolytes. Though it is more than a month since Mr O Paneerselvan was sworn in as Chief Minister, the mood in the secretariat as well as the AIADMK headquarters is sober and sombre.
Mr Karunanidhi's grand nephews, Mr Dayanidhi Maran (former Union Minister for Telecommunications and Textiles) and his elder brother, Mr Kalanidhi Maran (chairman of the Sun Group) are in trouble over the Aircel-Maxis Deal. They have been issued summons by a court, and it is not known what lies ahead for the siblings. The Maran brothers were the main source of strength for the wheel-chair bound Karunanidhi, who has been projected as the chief ministerial candidate of the DMK for the 2016 Assembly election. Mr Karunanidhi (92) will turn 94 by June 2016 and would be the oldest politician in the world to run for the Chief Minister’s chair. His name stands to get into the Guinness Book of records. If only the DMK wins the 2016 election, Mr Karunanidhi would get immortality in Tamil politics like DMK founder CN Annadurai and former Chief Minister MG Ramachandran. Both of them were interned at Marina Beach and their memorials stand out as monuments of importance in Asia’s longest beach. For Mr Karunanidhi to get such a memorial, it is imperative that the DMK wins the 2016 election.
The second instance which has jolted Tamil Nadu is Mr Vasan’s departure from the Congress. It has not affected the political fortunes of the Congress in any way because the party is at its lowest ebb in the history of Tamil Nadu. Except for one, all Congress candidates lost their security deposits in the Lok Sabha election. Many leaders including Mr Vasan ran away from the battlefield, fearing a total rout.
The appointment of Erode Venkata Krishnasamy Sampath Elangovan (65) as the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president has enlivened the political landscape of the State. With the DMK finding itself chained to a wheel-chair, there was a political vacuum in Tamil Nadu. Other than the DMK and the AIADMK, there are no outfits in the State which could be projected as a political alternative. Though there are caste-based parties like the PMK, their influence is limited to certain regions. These parties can survive only like parasites and not on their own. The PMK, and the MDMK, are known for the effortless ease with which they shuttle between the AIADMK and the DMK. Mr S Ramadoss, the PMK founder would put ace trapeze artistes to shame with the ease with which he swings from one platform to other, and that too without any outside help.
The year 2014 turned out to be a watershed in Tamil Nadu’s political history. Thanks to an earthquake or tsunami which went by the name of Narendra Modi, the state of Tamil Nadu was never the same again. The one-man army of Mr Modi could not have made much change in the electoral politics of the State. But there was a talk everywhere that the time had come for BJP to assert itself as an alternative to both the AIADMK and the DMK. The people of Tamil Nadu, who were frustrated with the kind of political business carried out by the major and minor parties, were willing to put their money on the BJP because of the refreshing experience provided by Mr Modi.
The BJP in Tamil Nadu does not have an infrastructure to convert the goodwill for the Prime Minister into votes. All that the party needs is a team of dedicated party workers and leaders. But the BJP in Tamil Nadu is haunted by some kind of a complacency. Though even villagers in Sivaganga district speak high of Narendrabhai Damodardas Modi, there is no system to convert the talk into action (read votes). Mr Ananth Krishnan, principal of a matriculation school in a village in Pollachi, says that though Mr Modi lives in the hearts of all the villagers, the BJP is not visible in the State. The BJP in Tamil Nadu is in a state of confusion. It is yet to identify who its real friends and foes are. The MDMK is in its fold only because of Mr Vaiko’s obsession with the Tamil Eelam cause. His obsession has turned out to be a dilemma for Mr Modi since the day the latter was sworn in as Prime Minister. Mr Vaiko staged a black flag demonstration against Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on May 26; Mr Rajapaksa was a special invitee for the oath-taking ceremony of Mr Modi.
Mr Vaiko is cut up with Mr Rajapaksa because of the final onslaught on the LTTE by the Sri Lankan Army. But that was the only option available for the Sri Lankan President because the island nation saw more than 1,00,000 people killed by the LTTE in the three-decade long civil war. While Mr Vaiko is vocal about the “innocent” Tamils who were killed in the May 2009 battle, he is silent about the 70,000 civilians and political leaders butchered by the LTTE during the three decades from late 1970s.
Mr Vijayakanth, who offered a great deal of hope when he launched his party, the DMDK, has turned out to be a damp squib. His share of votes has come down steadily since the 2006 Assembly election. He may find it difficult to go with the DMK as he has projected himself as a chief ministerial candidate. Any alliance with Mr Karunanidhi would be suicidal for the ‘Captain’ (as Vijayakanth is addressed by his followers), since the DMK patriarch’s embrace is like that of Dhritharashtra of the Mahabharat.
Interestingly, Mr Vijayakanth is the only ally of the BJP in Tamil Nadu who campaigned relentlessly to make Mr Modi the Prime Minister. The DMDK could be a dependable and trustworthy ally for the BJP. With the appointment of Mr Elangovan as TNCC chief, it is time for the BJP to come out of its lethargy and start campaigning for the 2016 election. Mr Elangovan is an organisational man and a workaholic.
The BJP will come into the reckoning only if it ensures its presence in all panchayat wards in the State. For that to happen, a team should be in place at the earliest. The people of Tamil Nadu are ready to accept the BJP. The question being asked is: Is the party willing and ready?
http://www.dailypioneer.com/columnists/oped/dravida-land-politics-hots-up.html
5 Tamil fishermen on death row in Sri Lanka to be transferred to India
Yahoo India – 7 hours agoCHENNAI: Sri Lanka will transfer all the five fishermen, who had been sentenced to death on the charge of drug trafficking, to India, a CNN IBN report said quoting BJP leader Subramanian Swamy.
This will come as a huge relief to the fishermen and their families. Television reports said that the deadlock was broken after Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on the issue, according to a tweet from Dr Swamy.
The fishermen will be transferred to an Indian jail, reports said.
"Namo and Rajapaksa spoke on the phone yesterday & agreed to process papers & transfer 5 fishermen convicted to Indian jail. I am vindicated!" the tweet read.
The case dates back to 2011 when the five fishermen set out to fish from Rameswaram and were apprehended by the Sri Lankan Navy on the charge of possessing narcotics.
A Sri Lankan court had recently sentenced the five fishermen to death in the case.
The Indian fishermen were arrested by the Sri Lankan navy in 2011. The fishermen have time till November 11 to appeal at the Lankan Supreme Court.
India's Ministry of External Affairs had said that the Indian government will challenge the order in the upper court.
Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin was quoted by CNN IBN as saying, "We will take up this matter. Judgment is passed by the lower court. We will challenge this case in the upper court."
Earlier, the executive director of Sri Lanka's Institute of Policy Studies, Dr. Saman Kelegama, had called for a bilateral settlement between New Delhi and Colombo on the issue of the death penalty given to five Indian fishermen in a drug smuggling case.
"This is a thing that is concerned with both the countries. So, we have to bilaterally settle this issue of fishermen crossing maritime border and fishing in each others' territory," said Dr. Kelegama.
"Neighbours always have problems, be it in South Asia, Latin America or wherever. So, this is a typical problem between two neighbours," he added.
Dr. Kelegama said the fishermen row has created a conflict between India and Sri Lanka.
The Colombo High Court had earlier on October 30 held five Indian fishermen, who were arrested by the Sri Lankan Navy in 2011 on charges of smuggling drugs, guilty of drug trafficking.
The arrest of the Indian fishermen by the Sri Lankan Navy has been a major topic of debate between the two nations.
Former Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK supremo J. Jayalalithaa had earlier written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking him to pressurize the Sri Lankan authorities to free the fishermen detained in that country.
Jayalalithaa had in her letter to the Prime Minister insisted on laying down a time-bound action plan in a bid to achieve a long-term permanent solution to the problem, reports said.
Meanwhile, BJP's Tamil Nadu chief Tamilisai Soundararajan said that the Indian High Commissioner was in touch with the fishermen.
"The government is taking legal steps to release the fishermen. And also on humanitarian grounds, our High Commissioner to Sri Lanka has met them personally and has assured them they can talk with their relatives, given some clothing to them when they requested that they have to meet relatives and was assured that arrangements will be made," said Soundararajan. (ANI and agencies)
https://in.news.yahoo.com/5-tamil-fishermen-on-death-row-in-sri-lanka-to-be-transferred-to-india-054946246.html
PM Narendra Modi Speaks to Sri Lankan President Over Death Penalty to Indian Fishermen
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke to Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa on Sunday over the death sentence handed out to five Indian fishermen which has sparked protests in their home state of Tamil Nadu.
The five - Emerson, P Augustus, R Wilson, K Prasath and J Langlet - were sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court on October 30 on charges of drug trafficking.
"The talks were centred around the five Indian fishermen's issue but as of now I don't know any other details," Lankan Presidential Spokesperson Mohan Samaranayake told NDTV.
Political parties in the state including MDMK - an ally of the ruling NDA at the Centre - have accused the Centre of doing little. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had raised apprehensions over whether the fishermen had received a fair trial.![]()
Alleging that the case against the fishermen was "fabricated", MDMK chief Vaiko had said that the PM should intervene strongly through diplomatic channels to secure the release of the convicted Indians.
The arrest of fishermen has long been an issue in Tamil Nadu. The sentence comes at a time when the state is demanding the return of Katchatheevu, an island India had gifted to Sri Lanka in the early 70s. Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has filed a petition in the Supreme Court in this regard.
Some headway was made on the arrests during the visit of President Rajapaksa in May for the swearing-in of PM Modi. A month later, Ms Jayalalithaa, who had boycotted the swearing-in to protest the invitation to Mr Rajapaksa, wrote to the Prime Minister, asking him to make the issue a priority.
Mr Rajapaksa ordered the release of a few hundred fishermen arrested for trespass. But those accused of drug peddling were not allowed to go.
The five - Emerson, P Augustus, R Wilson, K Prasath and J Langlet - were sentenced to death by the Colombo High Court on October 30 on charges of drug trafficking.
"The talks were centred around the five Indian fishermen's issue but as of now I don't know any other details," Lankan Presidential Spokesperson Mohan Samaranayake told NDTV.
Political parties in the state including MDMK - an ally of the ruling NDA at the Centre - have accused the Centre of doing little. In a letter to the Prime Minister, Chief Minister O Panneerselvam had raised apprehensions over whether the fishermen had received a fair trial.
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Alleging that the case against the fishermen was "fabricated", MDMK chief Vaiko had said that the PM should intervene strongly through diplomatic channels to secure the release of the convicted Indians.
The arrest of fishermen has long been an issue in Tamil Nadu. The sentence comes at a time when the state is demanding the return of Katchatheevu, an island India had gifted to Sri Lanka in the early 70s. Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has filed a petition in the Supreme Court in this regard.
Some headway was made on the arrests during the visit of President Rajapaksa in May for the swearing-in of PM Modi. A month later, Ms Jayalalithaa, who had boycotted the swearing-in to protest the invitation to Mr Rajapaksa, wrote to the Prime Minister, asking him to make the issue a priority.
Mr Rajapaksa ordered the release of a few hundred fishermen arrested for trespass. But those accused of drug peddling were not allowed to go.
Story First Published: November 10, 2014 12:26 IST
http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/pm-narendra-modi-speaks-to-sri-lankan-president-over-death-penalty-to-indian-fishermen-618664