When J Srinivasan returned to AIADMK from AMMK in 2021, it was like inviting back the uncle who always overstays his welcome – all smiles and flowers, but with a side of side-eye. Loyalists grumbled, “Did we really need this political ping-pong back?” His recent jump to district secretary turned meetings into a circus of disagreements, with one insider calling them “a right old fuss”. Srinivasan insists it’s all sunshine and rainbows, but it’s more like a political soap opera where everyone’s forgotten their lines. Meanwhile, DMK leaders sit back, popcorn in hand, thinking, “This is better than telly,” and betting on a 2026 win.
Lockdown central
Two Saturdays ago, Anna University’s Guindy campus had begun transforming into a citadel. With security beefed up following a sexual assault of a student, the place was quieter than a library during exam week. There was chatter about advancing the curfew, igniting discussions on whether confining students was the right move. The campus was on the brink of banning outsiders. A TNIE reporter was personally chaperoned by security from the registrar’s office back to the gate, with no chance to mingle or check on new safety protocols. The TNIE photographer was even barred from snapping the university’s exterior from outside! Safety is crucial, but at the cost of transparency and the campus’s lively spirit?
Family feud
Anbumani Ramadoss, the PMK president, played the role of a master politician by keeping his cards closer than a miser with his last rupee when quizzed about his chat with his father, Dr S Ramadoss. Outside Thailapuram Thottam, amidst a sea of eager journalists, Anbumani quipped with a grin, “Was it about America and Russia, then?” But when it came to the youth wing president’s appointment, his lips were sealed, only managing a ‘Kumbidu’ gesture from his car’s backseat before telling his driver, “Let’s get out of here, shall we?” leaving everyone none the wiser.
Triumph of ego
A Tamil weekly in Ranipet decided to take the police to task over a POCSO case in Arakkonam, with allegations flying left, right, and centre. They claimed the FIR was botched, an inspector twisted the victim’s family around his little finger, and the poor victim was sent on a wild goose chase for a medical check-up. But hold your horses – none of it was true. It turned out to be a load of cobblers. Why? An irked journalist, miffed at being left out of the loop by the police, let their bruised ego run amok, crafting a yarn out of thin air. The fallout? Another piece advising the police, all while the victim became just another pawn in this ego-driven saga. In cases under POCSO, it’s not about settling scores or making headlines; it’s about sticking to the facts, as Noam Chomsky rightly pointed out.
(Contributed by Subashini Vijayakumar, Jose K Joseph, Bagalavan Perier B, Rajalakshmi Sampath; compiled by Dinesh Jefferson E)