Name and pain
With the SIR exercise under way, booth level officers (BLOs) are out daily, distributing forms, collecting them and handling the unexpected. In New Washermenpet, one BLO was handed a form perfectly filled except for the voter’s mother’s name. When contacted, the man flatly refused, saying he didn’t want her name anywhere on his ID as she had left him when he was young. Only after repeated explanations did he finally disclose it. “This is just one scenario,” the BLO said. Sometimes, a blank column isn’t a mistake, it’s a memory.
Praveena S A
A budget twist
Health Minister Ma Subramanian laid the foundation stone for the new Government Homeopathic Medical College building at Thoppur near Madurai on November 11, noting its Rs 70-crore budget. The atmosphere briefly shifted when Commercial Taxes Minister P Moorthy, during his speech, confidently declared that Rs 73 crore had been allotted. Officials and dignitaries blinked in surprise, wondering if the project had somehow grown mid-function. Subramanian promptly reclaimed the mic and clarified, with a smile, that the sanctioned amount was indeed `70 crore. The extra Rs 3 crore, he added, would be contributed by Moorthy for roads and infrastructure “from his personal account”, prompting hearty laughter from the audience and those on the dais.
Saravanan M P
A rally of caution
Chennai was abuzz on Saturday as a section of government staff and teachers took to the streets demanding the revival of the old pension scheme. But the real chatter was about who stayed away. Several major unions kept a low profile, and a few employees were heard asking, “Why stir things up with the polls so close?” Teachers at the rally claimed many backed out after receiving ‘gentle warnings’ from senior officials. Now staff circles are alive with rumours and late-night calls, as they try to figure out who is truly backing the protest.
S Guruvanmikanathan
The real contest
A district-level sports meet in Salem witnessed more drama off the field than on it when Salem West MLA R Arul confronted District Sports Officer S Sivaranjan over being left out of the invite list. In a viral video, Arul asks why his name keeps getting omitted year after year, calling it less of an oversight and more a “well-rehearsed sidelining act”. Sivaranjan politely denied his accusation, but Arul wasn’t buying it and insisted there was a pattern. While athletes battled on track, the real contest played out on the sidelines.
Sneha Sivashanmugam
Compiled by Dinesh Jefferson E