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.

TV Channels And Shallow Debates

Muslim Murasu, December 2012

Tamilians have developed a taste for thoughts, debates and discussions. Domination of heavyweight politicians is on the wane in Tamilnadu. Media owners have made a calculated rush to take advantage of the situation.
The common narrative preached now is that recently TV channels are transforming the lives of the people. They have played no part to fight corruption, rapes, untouchability, caste based violence, black money or inflation. Only arguments and counter arguments are staged.
Debates are staged as an act in the never ending show of entertainment. It is a ploy to retain elites, selfish families and shallow pundits. There is no interest showed towards development of the state or nation. Each debate is brought to an end with the promise that they will come with a new debate the next day.
Panelists are allowed to do superficial examination of the issues. They should not expose their true identities. Legal arm may come into action. Political strongmen and brokers are watching. Be careful!
Only one condition, show should be warm and tantalizing. One panelist can lunge on another. They can sing their slogans. It is not wrong. All means can be employed to pass the scheduled time. Viewers can be taken for granted and assumed to be gullible. It is an art. They should appear like disclosing some new information. But it should only be appearance. It should look like they are discussing. But there should not be any analysis per se. Only word games are played. Each player takes a point and the game should end in draw. They shall spend their full efforts in producing shallow intellectuals groomed for debates. Government shall be readily insulted. But rulers should not feel hurt. Escape artists are welcome in such TV debates. We remind you again! Discuss the problem, but problem should remain unsolved. Neither ruling party nor opposition should feel hurt. Come, a new problem is ready! Poke your noses, exhibit your skills!

Confusion Over Magazine Cover Price

Muslim Murasu January 2011

Magazines of distinction sell at eight dollars (400 rupees) in international market. Readers are conditioned to spend 100 rupees daily. In Tamilnadu, good magazine can be priced justifiably at 50 rupees. But magazines run by Muslim community sell for 10 rupees.
Articles are written in the middle of the night after abandoning slumber, shrinking materialistic atmosphere, forsaking self-interests and with utmost sense of responsibility. Readers who read heart stirring, thought kindling, life changing and path breaking creations should immediately send 1000 rupees to writer or publisher. Nothing will be available eternally for free in today’s world. Air is polluted. Clean water is not available. There is paucity of leaders who love nation and dearth of religious people who love simplicity. Knowledge and motivation has to be imparted in such tough bitter climate. Those who seek quality magazines can consider literary expense as part of their life. Those who spend 20000 rupees per month for family expenses can donate 200 rupees for the benefit of magazines. 2 lakh rupees donation is given for LKG education. Professional courses swallow 10 lakh rupees. Zubeda Hamid writes in Indian Express that reporters and writers in famed magazines and newspaper are given gifts as varying as holiday package, refrigerator, washing machine, admission in educational institution, diagnosis and treatment in star hospital, mobile phone, jewelery, gold coin, imported liquor and perfume, modern suit material, sweet box, expensive wrist-watch and dry fruit box. Muslim writer take up the mantle in religious circle and literary landscape with an attitude of philanthropy and a sense of integrity. Such service is on par with contributions of Imam, Mohsin and Madrasa Ustad. Creators sweat their blood out so that the society will live a balanced life. Without much hype or fanfare they create poems, articles and short stories. Society gradually progresses owing to this. Confusion ends and path emerges. Columnists and journalists complete the task that was once done by Prophets and Auliyas. Readers who get to read apt and perfect writing should extend monetary support with urgency. Though cover value is printed as 10 rupees, 1000 rupees should be granted for the magazine. Else quality creations wont be created.

Coalition Television Violence

(This is translation of an article published in Muslim Murasu January 2011)

Earlier politics extended support for authority, corruption, abuses and excesses. At some stages, schemes beneficial to public were also implemented. But now, politicians play wildly with people’s lives through television.
Television channel determines list of terrorists. Journalists are sought after to include or dismiss a minister. Television is readily available to threaten upcoming entrepreneur. Television comes handy to rein in manager of educational institute.
Each political party holds sway over corridors of power and nurture private TV channels. Large amount of money is being swindled by blacking out relevant news. Coalition principles help many a candidate win elections. No party has the strength to go to people all alone. Even deposit will be forfeited. Political prospect will be doomed. It will become difficult to protect black money and crony organizations that have been amassed over years. Children will have to come to platform. Private TV channels are new destinations of black money investments. Private TV channels are shielding entrepreneurs who are cooling off under inflationary pressures. Imprisonment is warded off. TV channels collude and carefully play out that no new leaders arise from among backward castes.
Votes of 40 lakh Muslims in Tamilnadu take part in shaping political and electoral results. Muslim organizations, movements and parties are compelled to extend support during elections. Poster, cutout, dais, speech, public event and interview are blatantly staged. As an aside, communal, religious, racial undertones also go on stage. But the winning party will keep Muslim organizations and VIPs at distance from day one. TV channels of ruling party, opposition party and caste-based parties do not telecast Muslim events. Cinema award functions and other events are live-telecast. But the religious meetings, events by educational institutions, cultural and arts events, religious festivals, literary conferences organized by Muslims are completely ignored. Coalition principle is being violated. Camera rejects even events where national level leaders and state level executives participate. Achievements of next generation speakers, writers, thinkers and revolutionaries are kept in the dark. Face and speech of old sharks are sometimes accidentally shown. Private TV channels can liberally telecast public events organized by Muslims within the ambit of law. Hindus wont feel infuriated. There is blot in the hearts of scribes, cameramen and owners. “We want votes but we wont care afterward”. Jamaaths should pay attention to the political coalition TV channels that rejects the community.