SHAME is a common word in any Indian child’s vocabulary. The word is taught to the child even before it learns to speak. The moment a toddler walks in naked, the mother or father or anyone in the vicinity shout ‘puppy shame’.
But one family in Tamil Nadu seems never to have heard this word — the first family of the state headed by the patriarch Kalaignar Karunanidhi. Even when naked truths come slapping the faces of his family, they walk around shameless.
Take the Niira Radia tapes. Journalists whose voices were recorded in conversation with Niira Radia have swiftly reacted with their own justifications. But two important politicians of Tamil Nadu, Kanimozhi, daughter of Karunanidhi and A Raja, the notorious minister of telecom scam who were vociferous on tape are now silent about them. Karunanidhi, who keeps harping on Raja’s Dalit origins, does not explain whether the tapping machine is brahminical. Known for replying through daily statements to every utterance of Jayalalithaa, Karunanidhi skirts the issue of the Radia tapes meticulously.
And shameless his family has been, as demonstrated at the lavish wedding bash in Madurai celebrating the wedding of his grandson through Alagiri.
Dayanidhi Maran emerges as the villain in the Kanimozhi-Raja tapes. He is a liar, says Kanimozhi. He spreads canards about Alagiri, says Raja. Maran is behind all planted stories about Alagiri being an uneducated criminal, avers Raja to Radia. Congress should not
negotiate with Maran, demands Kanimozhi. They want Alagiri accommodated in the cabinet and Maran kept out.
And at the Madurai bash, you find Dayanidhi Maran with his fluency in English, a language Alagiri hates, on stage representing Alagiri, thanking north Indian politicians in English and to read out English messages of greetings. Kanimozhi is there in the first row with her plastic smile. Raja, too.
Just over a year ago, three employees of the Maran brothers working in the Dinakaran newspaper were burnt to death when Alagiri’s supporters torched the newspaper office owned by the Marans for publishing an opinion poll biased against Alagiri. At that time, the brothers rushed to Madurai to declare before camera that they would avenge the deaths. Sweet revenge it was, with Dayanidhi Maran playing host at Alagiri’s son’s wedding while the families of the dead employees languish in despair. Those accused of rioting were guests at the marriage.
Shame seems to be an elusive quality for Karunanidhi. He is the only chief minister in the country to receive an award from himself. He was selected the best dialogue writer for a film that bombed at the box office, by his own government, for state awards.
No other chief minister from the Dravidian parties has named any state government scheme after himself or herself. Karunanidhi is the exception. Repeated taunts from Congress dissident EVKS Elangovan for using central funds to run certain state schemes and claiming they are the state government’s achievements have had no effect. Karunanidhi has argued that a central scheme was like the baby of the king Solomon story. Neither the biological mother nor the foster mother can make exclusive claims. But when it comes to naming the baby, the foster mother (state government) prevails.
His sense of shame is more evident by its absence. Recently he attacked Jayalalithaa for claiming to be a follower of Periyar EV Ramaswami and Anna, both rationalists, while she actively practised her faith, celebrating festivals and conducting bhoomi pujas in government schemes while in power. He conveniently forgot that his government constructed his dream building, the new state legsialture and secretariat only after bhoomi puja by Brahmin priests, attended by his ministers. Shamelessly he could claim to be a better practising rationalist than Jayalalithaa.
‘Yatha raja tatha praja’ was valid for monarchies. Democracies should actually adapt ‘yatha praja tatha raja’. But with Karunanidhis ruling like monarchs, people need to emulate their ruler to survive.
Let us all become shameless lest we perish in this milieu.
Gnani is a Tamil writer, theatreperson and filmmaker.
gnanisankaran@gmail.com