தமிழ் சிவிலியன்ஸ் பாகம் 3

தமிழ் சிவிலியன்ஸ் பாகம் 2

தமிழ் சிவிலியன்ஸ் பாகம்-1

Namma bloggers involved in intense political debate

G Saravanan
17 Apr 2009
CHENNAI:
Unlike the previous Lok Sabha Election in 2004, when there were nil presence of language-based blogs (except English) to either register or to debate certain poll-related issues online, this time, Tamil blogs hog the limelight among ‘namma bloggers’ as it become the most sought-after avenue to ‘express’ their views on political developments.
Though the Tamil blogs started making inroads among the Tamilians living across the globe only three years ago, its importance being now felt among the bloggers who preferred to find solutions to some burning issues to their logical end via this mode.
While there are thousands of Tamil blogs in the cyberspace, blogs related to Lankan Tamils, Lok Sabha elections and about Tamil political leaders record maximum hits and the trend itself shows that cyberspaceenabled people in the state believes in ‘disseminating’ their thoughts about the elections.
Besides putting lots of information on the Lankan Tamils on the cyberspace, bloggers also intensely debate the political opportunitism employed by different parties on the Lankan Tamils online.
Visit to several blogs revealed that the stand of VCK leader Thirumavalavan and Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on the Sri Lankan Tamil issue has become the hottest debated topic among the bloggers who give both views and counter views on the issue.
With the Tamil blogs record good number of visits by net-savvy and info-hungry people across the state and even globe, compiler sites like www.tamilveli.com, www.tamilmanam.net and www.thiratti.com have compiled such blogs to present the users with choices.
While many visitors like the content of the blogs, a few express that the new-found avenue for dissemination is being misused by anonymous bloggers who only use the forum to tarnish political leaders’ image.
“I used to visit Tamil blogs regularly to follow developments in Sri Lanka. But there are a few sites which were only used to blast political leaders,” said Mahendran, a city-based software professional.

DMK faces problems from within

Published Date: 15/4/2009 - (NIE)

G Saravanan

Chennai, April 14: WITH the campaign for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections now shifting to next gear all across the State, the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) seems to be facing difficult times in North Chennai constituency where its organising secretary T K S Elangovan is taking on CPI State secretary D Pandian.

The problems of the DMK are multiple in nature — its own inner-party rivalry between Fisheries Minister K P P Samy and Tiruvallur district secretary EAP Shivaji as well as non-cooperation from a section of the Congress party. Both the DMK heavyweights’ differences came to the fore during election workers meet organised by the party in Thiruvotriyur on April 13, where Samy and Shivaji preferred to keep a ‘healthy distance.’

On the other hand, the Congress party also held its poll workers meet close to the DMK’s venue on the same day. Minister Samy attended the Congress meet, before arriving at the DMK’s meet which was held later in the evening. Sources said the tone of Congress workers shocked Samy and North Chennai candidate T K S Elangovan.

One of the influential Congress leaders from Thiruvallur district reportedly blasted DMK leaders for not giving them the due importance during the past three years and that the party approaches Congress leaders only during elections with an eye on votes.

Sources further said many Congress workers have openly expressed their displeasure over the treatment meted out by DMK men in Thiruvotriyur area and vowed to take a ‘different line’ during the ensuing Lok Sabha polls.

Tumbled over the remarks by Congress poll workers in the meet, which was solely organised to ‘motivate’ them to work hard for the DMK candidate, Samy pacified them saying that their grievances would be sorted out and asked them to work for the victory of the DMK candidate

Woman panchayat president victimised for being a Dalit

Repro: 14/4/2009
G Saravanan

Chennai, April 13: THE round table conference of Dalit Panchayat Presidents, organised by Human Rights Forum for Dalit Liberation (HRFDL) on Monday went into an eerie silence, when a woman Dalit leader burst into tears while describing how she was victimised by dominant cast after being elected to the top post. It took several minutes to console P Chinnammal, Jegathabi panchayat president in Karur district, by fellow leaders at the auditorium.

Besides, facing severe humiliation in her home turf for being a Dalit woman leader by dominant caste people, Chinnammal was now served with dismissal order under Section 205 of the Tamil Nadu Panchayat Act of 1994, which allows the removal of a panchayat president by the district Collector.

After winning the election, the vice-president of the Jegathabi Panchayat Sakthivel (from dominant community) did not allow Chinnammal to sit in the chair since she belongs to Dalit community. Though she filed complaint against Sakthivel’s attitude with the police, the case was not registered by them as well as by the district Collector since he belongs to a dominant community.

Meanwhile, the panchayat president with the common fund conducted some of the works with the concurrence of the vice-president. But after completing those works, her office forwarded bills for settlement and in this point of time; allegation was made against Chinnammal saying that she misused funds against the stipulated guidelines.

Based on the allegation, reportedly planted by Sakthivel, Chinnammal received dismissal order under Section 205 of the Tamil Nadu Panchayat Act. Since she was novice, Chinnammal approached Anbumani, Extension Officer of the Panchayat (EOP) to solve the crisis.

In collusion with Sakthivel, EOP not only misled her, but also sent a written reply to the notice as if she will not repeat the mistakes done by her without explaining the details to Chinnammal. The letter written by the EOP has become a statement of acceptance of the allegation against her. Based on the notice and reply, the Tahsildar came to the panchayat for enquiry.

Instead of asking Chinnammal to explain her stand for the allegation, the tahsildar just ignored her and wrote the resolution to dismiss the president and obtained signature from the members. Finally, Chinnammal received dismissal order on March 13. Though she appeals against the illegal dismissal order, the dominant community and vice-president Sakthivel forcing her to handover the power or face dire consequences.

‘Stop grumbling in public, live up to your posts’

Chennai, April 13: DALIT panchayat presidents need to adapt themselves according to the mandate of the post and there is no room for lame excuses for their inactions, R Christodas Gandhi, Principal Secretary, Youth Welfare and Sports Development Department and Social Reforms Department, said on Monday He was addressing a round table conference of Dalit panchayat presidents, organised by Human Rights Forum for Dalit Liberation (HRFDL) here.

Criticising some Dalit presidents who had complained about dominant caste representatives for not allowing them to sit in chairman’s chair, Gandhi asked: “Why do you always present yourself weak before others? After all, for sitting in a chair you don’t need any special powers.”

He advised the Dalit leaders to stop the habit of speaking or murmuring about their weaknesses in public. Such revelations would only insult other Dalit leaders in the state, he added. He also asked the Dalit leaders to form a forum to fight against injustice."

Truckers to field candidate against Baalu

Published Date: 14/4/2009


G Saravanan

Chennai, April 13: THE All India Motor Transport Congress (AIMTC), a united body of truckers, is likely to announce a candidate against DMK strong man and Union Surface Transport Minister T R Baalu in Sriperambudur for the Lok Sabha election. This, they said, was to register their “collective anguish and ill-treatment meted against truckers in the past five years.” According to sources, R Sukumar, president of Chennai-Kancheepuram Tiruvallur district lorry, tanker, tipper-trailer, van, bus owner’s association welfare committee and spokesperson of the AIMTC, could be named to contest against Baalu.

Speaking to Express, Sukumar confirmed that the talks for fielding a candidate ag ainst Baalu were going on, and an announcement on the candidature could be expected in the next two or three days. During the last five years, AIMTC had called for nationwide strike three times, that too, on the diesel price issue only, but Baalu never tried to meet the agitating truckers and instead sent his office staff to negotiate with us, he said.

According to AIMTC sources, their main poll plank would be the problems arising out of the uncontrolled privatisation of national highways by Baalu and the introduction of several toll-collecting stations just to mint money without providing any facilities for its users, mainly truckers.