In the past few weeks, the psyche of the political class has undergone a discernible change; a change for the worse, for sure, lest we get a bit optimistic. More and more politicians, in and out of power, are shedding even the shreds of residual reticence that normally inhibit them.
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All the people of the nation, including this thoughtless columnist, owe a collective apology to all the Presidents of the nation from Dr Rajendra Prasad to Dr Abdul Kalam. We had always dubbed those who occupied this ceremonial constitutional post as mere rubber stamps and unceremoniously dumped them en masse as of no particular use to the country at large.
It is difficult not to mock at Third Fronts. Yet, it is impossible to ignore them as they occupy some political space. If politics is a circus, the ‘Front-runners’ play the …let me not say that, but here’s a hint: the nation roars and rolls in laughter when they appear!
Some months back we had wondered in these columns if governance in TN is a matinee show. The provocation then was the CM of the State, despite his pressing official businesses, finding time and mind to sit through a six-hour live filmy event, gleefully watching scantily clad celluloid nymphets dancing to peppy numbers.
‘There shall be a President of India’, states Art 52 of the Constitution with striking simplicity. Though it is followed by several other articles detailing the powers, duties, roles etc of the President, one need not strain oneself much about the position of the Prez. ‘Cos, what emerges clearly despite the maze of Constitutional provisions is in keeping with where we started, ie, Art 52: A President of India exists. Period.
Where the mind is full of fear and frustration and the head is bowed in shameful impotence, where knoweledge is irrational and words issue forth from the depths of untruth, into that hell let’s all awake!
On the face of it, it looks quite ironical that the idiot box should catch the imagination of our super-intelligent rationalists. But thanks to enterprising grand-nephews and their not-so-entertaining mischiefs, every rationalist worth the towel on his torso seems to have now come alive to the possibilities that a ‘kept’ media on air offers to their political prospects.
The dream weavers of the Dravidian movement used to spin tales of milk and honey flowing in Tamilnadu if only they were voted in. But ever since their rise to power in 1967 even water has become scarce. However, two things have flowed consistently in this State, thanks to decades of dominance by Anna’s DMK and its various off-shoots: Blood and flattery!
The love affair between cinema and politics in TN looks endless. With Sarath Kumar throwing his hat into the political ring, the stage looks set for yet another celluloid adventurer making a bid for the hot seat at Ft St George, which seems to be ‘reserved’ only for Kollywood veterans or wannabes, from actors, actresses to script-writers.