Book Reviews
Vaasanthi
The World of Tamil Politics
by G. Swaminathan
Ambrose
Bierce defines ‘Politics as Strife of interests masquerading as a
contest of principles.’ When this is valid for the whole world it not
surprising in a nation like India where there is a surfeit of everything
except integrity.
Vaasanthi, a popular writer, journalist in Tamil had ventured into a
book titled ‘Cutouts, Castes and Cinestars’ where in she explored the
gaudy shades of tumultuous Tamil Nadu politics. Though a Tamilian by
birth, Vaasanthi had spent her early days in other parts of India and by
the time she landed in Chennai as the editor of the Tamil edition of
‘India Today’, she had countless opportunities to witness and experience
the unique world of Tamil Nadu politics.
The book carries a lengthy introduction and divided into 25 chapters;
Vaasanthi analyses the political scenarios that existed in Tamil land
during different periods, the genesis of several parties specially the
Dravida Kazhagams, the strange psyche of the Tamil population, the
idiosyncrasies of the leaders, the outside factors which played major
role in the state’s politics, the regional parties’ strong hold on the
national level, the death of national parties in the state etc. In the
last one decade, there was surfacing of several outfits based on caste.
It is probably the only state in India where film personalities had
found their route to land on politics. The larger than life image of
these film actors still have a sway over the masses in their favor – be
it a powerful scriptwriter like Karunanidhi, a benevolent screen hero MG
Ramachandran or a glamorous yesteryear heroine Jayalalithaa.
Still caste has a vital place in Tamil Nadu politics. The socially
oppressed or ostracized lots have now in a position to dictate the state
and the central. Dravida Kazhagam, which was founded by EV Ramasami
Naicker purely stemmed on the hatred towards the upper caste and to
educate the lower strata of the society. Later, on personal grounds, the
genesis of DMK (Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) and then AIADMK ( All India
Anna Draivida Munnetra Kazhagam) happened. This has been faithfully
followed even now with more ‘Dravida’ parties like MDMK (Marumalarchi
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam) , PMK (Pattali Makkal Katchi) , DP (Dalit
Panthers) and the latest DMDK (Desia Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam) by
another film star Vijayakanth who had victoriously entered the assembly
as a single representative after the recent elections.
Idelogies? All parties have the same agenda with just marginal
manipulations. All of them are hungry of power and if power is given
they all adept in abusing it with impunity. If Jayalalithaa is a
megalomaniac, Karunanidhi is wily than a fox, Ramadas of PMK is a
mercenary to the core, Vaiko is a tin drum. All their parties depend
only on the leader and most of the followers are just shameless
sycophants or spineless slaves.
Vaasanthi dwells deep into the emergence of these political outfits and
communal parties, the appalling incidents, unsavory electoral alliances
and their ruthless crossover from one to another for the sake of power
and position.
In fact, after reading the book a Tamilian may feel totally mortified by
the paradoxical political history of Tamil Nadu. Ideology and principle
are the most battered words in India especially in Tamil Nadu. If
someone is interested in knowing to what extent this could be done, they
may better read Vaasanthi’s book.
The greatest advantage of the book is Vaasanthi’s straightforward,
simple and lucid language with minimum bias in her approach to this
anthology.
July 2, 2006
Cut-outs, Caste and Cine
Stars- The World of Tamil Politics by Vaasanthi;
Penguin/Viking; 254 pages: Rs. 495
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Ambrose
Bierce defines ‘Politics as Strife of interests masquerading as a
contest of principles.’ When this is valid for the whole world it not
surprising in a nation like India where there is a surfeit of everything
except integrity.
