Miscellaneous

1) Charges were framed against AIADMK (Amma) general secretary V.K.Sasikala on July 1, 2017. The case was filed by the Enforcement Directorate in 2001, that is 16 years ago. Snails move faster.

2) Narendra Modi claims that the 'tough steps' taken against black money by his government have begun yielding results. Proof? He cites the record low balances held by Indians in Swiss banks last year as the proof. Black money is shifted from one place to another and the government claims credit for this! The government has not seized this money.

These news items appeared in The Hindu on the front page today (July 2). Are we really progressing?

Sasikala's supreme sacrifice

It is easy to say that Sasikala expedited Jayalalithaa's death in order to misappropriate her wealth. Only she knows that it was only to ensure that JJ would not be jailed again. Sasikala recently disclosed a secret much against her own wishes. When JJ was pushed out of MGR's hearse, it was Sasikala who physically caught her so that she would not fall down. There are so many other secrets which go to prove Sasikala's great qualities.

Supreme Court refers to 'conspiracy' among JJ, Sasikala and the latter's relatives. It was not conspiracy. It was actually 'satsangh'. Though JJ and Sasikala were not relatives, they stayed together in Poes Garden only to ensure that they would together constantly be engaged in Mammon-worship. Did not Mahatma Gandhi say 'Work is Worship' ? Similarly, worship is work.

Sasikala has always borne the cross for JJ. She knew that if the chief minister had properties in her own name, it would become easy for the unknowing public to accuse JJ of corruption. So, she made JJ transfer her properties in her (Sasikala's) favour. Can one think of a more sublime sacrifice?

Sasikala always cares for state's interests. That is the reason why she wanted SC to give her four weeks time to go to prison. She wanted to bring back stability to state politics. But SC  has treated her just like a criminal and declined her reasonable request without understanding that she was pleading for state and not for herself.

However, Sasikala will not give up her struggle to serve the state through her party. She has wasted no time in making TTV Dinakaran, her nephew, the Deputy General Secretary of AIADMK. When JJ sacked him from the party because of his criminal activities, Sasikala did not interfere at all. In the changed circumstances, she is ready to do even what she would not have done if JJ were around. All this is done only for the welfare of the party and greater welfare of the state. If this incidentally suits her interest, we must not misinterpret the action as if it is motivated by self-interest. She is too broadminded to treat herself as different from the party or the state.

Venkatesan is another relative of Sasikala who was banished from the party for the innocent mistake of indulging in criminal activity. Sasikala knows when to empower him. She very well knows that the interests of the party and therefore the state are too sacrosanct to be left at the mercy of non-relatives. Let us not misread this as nepotism and trivialise her noble instincts.

She does not trust non-relatives not because she is paranoid. None of the non-relatives have proved themselves to be worthy of her trust. In the meanwhile, Natarajan , Sasikala's spouse, has verified all medical records of JJ and has secured the needed corrections at Apollo Hospital. He is fit to be discharged from the hospital where he was earlier admitted for breathing trouble.

TN Governor's inaction

Constitutional purism demands that the Governor call the leader of the majority party to form the government. Sasikala gave a list of 130 MLAs supporting her and sought to be invited to form the government. Panneerselvam could not claim majority support and only sought to withdraw his resignation which had already been accepted. What the governor should have done in this situation is a no-brainer. There is no question that he has violated the letter of the law. By continuing to delay his decision, the governor has only made us believe that something other than simple law is agitating his mind.

Though we are not privy to the conversations of the governor with the two leaders, it is possible to guess that OPS has informed the governor that he was forced to submit his resignation under duress and that many MLAs are kept in captivity by Sasikala. It is also possible that the governor could not discount this argument.

There is obviously a clash between letter of law and ethical consideration in this case. It is not uncommon for letter of law to get diluted by circumstantial evidence to the contrary. Further, coercion (assuming that OPS was indeed coerced  and MLAs are indeed kept in captivity) would have negated Sasikala's democratic rights.

Purpose of law is to deliver justice. If the purist adherence to legal requirements was likely to lead to an unjust solution, the governor would be bound more by ethical requirement than by legal constraint. Of course, it is for the governor to inform the court what really happened , when the matter inevitably gets dragged to the court in case Sasikala does not become the chief minister.

When law and ethics point in the same direction, the end result is justice. When there is a conflict between the two, the decision-maker may play it safe by sticking to the letter of law or may stick his neck out by seeking to prioritise ethics over law. 

Chinnamma becomes periamma

OPS has again resigned, now paving the way for Sasikala. AIADMK has innovated the post of PICM, permanent interim chief minister. O.Panneerselvam fits the position to a T.

OPS may again be forced to become CM as and when Chinnamma is convicted in any of the many criminal cases pending against her. Many have questioned her fitness to become Chief Minister. She has criminal cases not only against her, but against all members of her family. If this is not qualification enough, what is?

Sasikala has promised to fulfil Jayalalithaa's dreams. "I am under compulsion to fulfil the dreams of our Amma." That is why she sacked the former secretaries who were advising Jayalalithaa.

Jaya never gave any position to Sasikala. In order to complete the task which Jaya could not do, Sasikala has taken up both General Secretaryship of the party and Chief Ministership. Jaya's soul would be mightily pleased.

If any straightforward judge convicts Sasikala, the entire state will rise in protest against the injustice. Will any judge dare to risk such disorder in society?

Sonia Gandhi made the supreme sacrifice of denying herself prime-ministership and preferred to act through the proxy Manmohan Singh. Sasikala makes the even more supreme sacrifice of coming out in the open to enrich the Mannargudi Mafia. Historians will keep wondering whose sacrifice is more praise-worthy.

There are striking similarities between Soniaji and Sasikala. Both started their working life in entertainment-related activities. Both became prominent by their association with outstanding leaders. In both cases, the leaders did not want to assign any political / public role to their associates. Both suffer from the pangs of duty to serve others !

Sonia could not become PM perhaps because of her non-Indian origin. Chinnamma is however not deterred by her possible conviction by courts.