October 07, 2013

Editorials

Part 2 of the speech given by writer A.M. Rasool Mohideen



Editorials are not addressing the issue of inclusive growth. There are many families in Tamilnadu where no member has ever landed a government job. There are also families where four members are working in government offices. Periyar marched for reservation. Now four generations have grown. Husband, wife, son, daughter, son-in-law, daughter-in-law are earning handsome salaries. Another family belonging to the same caste ekes out a living from herding. 65 years have passed. Alternate ideas should emerge.
We receive 80 private TV channels for which we are having to pay 150 rupees per month. But there is visible dearth of ideas. It seems difficult to watch for 10 minutes. Perarignar Anna considered his evening meetings as university classes. It is important to spread news. A person cannot read 200 magazines.
Discussion forums are essential. Unfortunately, politics enters the movement when election approaches. Someone infiltrates and hijacks the forum towards one side. Neutral discussion becomes the casualty.
It is important to have invisible members. There were countless secret members for the revolution championed by Periyar.
We form a halo around each head. He is junior to me. There is divide between journalists working in English medium and Tamil medium. When we reject someone, we will be equally rejected.
Students studying in institutions run by Tamilians and backward section stand divided. They hang around as different groups within the campus based on whether they got merit seats or donation seats, or they came through the trust, students from English medium schools and Tamil medium schools, students belonging to MBC or marginalized sections. The social revolution introduced by Periyar has not materialized in practice. Educated people form more groups.
An English newspaper was bankrupt and was about to be closed. Jamaal Mohammed Rauthar donated 10000 rupees. Its value today is 100 crore rupees. An alternate, competent English newspaper has not yet emerged in Tamilnadu. There are many media experts and rich people. But a competent newspaper has not come up.
Newspapers coming out of Tamilnadu do not advocate severe punishment for the guilty. Journalists should support strong punishment for criminals.
When government spends 100 rupees, 15 rupees reaches the hands of actual beneficiary. Politicians, bureaucrats, middlemen eat away 85 rupees. What is the way to correct this.
450 lakh crore rupees of black money is stashed abroad and remains useless. Give support to bring this out.
Neighboring country spends two lakh crore rupees annually for military. Our country spends two lakh crore rupees. Agents are causing ruckus. SAARC should be leveraged to bring peace in the subcontinent. This will put an end to fishermen problem and bring solution to Yalpanam issue as well.
Son becomes MP when a minister passes away. Dynasty continues. A person with no merit becomes MP, while journalists with all qualifications and knowledge pay silent watch. This is a tragedy. Sushma Swaraj, Arun Jaitley are intellectuals. But we did not make use of them.
120 MLAs and 220 MPs decide the fate of the people. Parliament can be conducted in Chennai. All that is needed is a hall with seating capacity of 750. Sacredness need not be attributed to a building. A MP removes paper from the hands of Honorable Narayanaswamy and tears it apart. We, Tamilians, did not feel outraged.
P. Chidambaram is occupying a very high position. Tamilians are not proud of him. We belittle him as a Congressman or a Chettiar. Subramania Swamy won MP seat with the support of Madurai people. But he was not used for the upliftment of Tamil society. He was labeled as a Brahmin. We failed to recognize Dayanithi Maran.
New rich people have emerged in recent times from MBC, BC and Dalit sections. Income tax list shall be monitored. Tamilnadu has developed in 65 years. Youngsters from Andhra, Bihar descend on Chennai considering it as Dubai. Many officers in the nerve centers in Delhi are from Tamil soil. It is the job of journalist to make use of meritorious people. Let us be open to new ideas.