Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is seeing red with the Centre over setting up of the National Counter Terrorism Centre and insufficient time allotted to the states to present their views on the issue.
A day after raising a storm in New Delhi by walking out of the National Development Council meeting last week, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister fired a couple of salvos against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, through two letters, one expressing serious reservations over the manner in which the Centre proposed to set up the NCTC and the other telling him to ensure that Union Ministries provide sufficient time for states to present their views in plenaries. Jayalalithaa has written 52 letters to the Prime Minister this year raising her concern on different issues. Her latest confrontation with the Centre has made even the DMK feel threatened. DMK chief M Karunanidhi gave a half-hearted approval to Jaya’s charge that she felt insulted when she was not given adequate time to speak at the NDC. Karunanidhi said, “If the state or Jayalalithaa was insulted then condemn it.”
Besides, at a time when the popularity of the Congress is at an all time low in the state, Jayalalithaa taking the Centre head on has only helped her gain political brownie points. Since most of the issues that she raised through the 52 letters are related to popular concerns, her belligerence has gone down well with the people. When the water level at the Mettur reservoir came down, she wrote a letter on December 22 pointing out the calamitous situation in the Cauvery fed areas. Two days before that she requested the expedition of the notification of the Cauvery water disputes tribunal to ensure supply of water to Tamil Nadu. Other issues that she took up with Prime Minister were the power situation, fishermen problem, training of Sri Lankan defence personnel in Tamil Nadu, kerosene allocation, Common Entrance Test to medical courses, objectionable references in NCERT text book, supply of fertilisers, Mullaiperiyar dam controversy and so on.
Even the tone and tenor of her letters has helped her emerge as a champion of the people at the grassroots. As one who does not mince words, Jayalalithaa’s opposition to Direct Cash Transfer Mechanism was indeed hard-hitting. “The direct cash transfer mechanism is being touted as a game changer and panacea for all ills in implementation. This is unjustified and short-sighted and reveals how little the Central government understands ground level realities,” she said at the NDC meeting.
Flaying the Centre for its ‘negative approach’, while speaking at a wedding function, she said, “For all the letters I write to the Prime Minister on various issues, I just get a formal reply—received your letter—from the PMO. I will not be cowed down by the stumbling blocks put forth by the Centre. I have taken a vow to accomplish the needs of Tamil Nadu overcoming the problems created by the Centre.”
That exactly is Jayalalithaa’s idea behind the belligerence. She wants to convince the people that she alone can deliver.
The Sunday Standard