Stalin tries to strike a chord with people
Three men of different age groups climb a tree to get a glimpse of M.K. Stalin.
Chennai: The 10x10 library room on Pangadai Kootu Road in Kallakurichi seldom has visitors. Even the rare book lover can locate it by enquiring only about the adjoining Vanapuram panchayat office building or Rishivandiyam MLA office located a few paces down the lane. For a change, hundreds of desperate villagers, mostly unlettered, flocked to the library on Wednesday. But, only two-dozen women Self Help Group (SHG) members were allowed into the library, not to grab the best book on the shelf, but to strike a conversation with a VVIP visitor sporting a blue-white checked cotton shirt and dark blue trouser plus a brand new Puma running shoe. Squatting on the concrete floor, the VIP gave a patient hearing to whatever the women had said and occasionally responded to their suggestions and complaints by putting a query to them.
Even before it got over, there was a buzz in the crowd. “The secretary said there are no chairs in the room. He is sitting on the fl-oor and chatting with those women,” said farm labourer Isakkimuthu of Devapandalam. Even before one could decode his statement, painter Malayappan of Sankarapuram said; “He is the first to visit our panchayat. Right!” Thirty minutes later, similar views were echoed en route Thirukovilur, where white dhoti and shirt clad farmers with green towels signifying their association with different farmers unions wrapped around their neck, applauded after the VIP waxed eloquent about the government’s responsibility in protecting farmers. An hour earlier, an elderly Paruvathammal on Kallakurichi Main Road exclaimed to her husband holding the grand daughter; “Did you see his skin complexion (enna colour paathiya)”, indication of TN voters craze for fair skinned leaders since the days of late matinee idol MGR.
The VIP visitor may have struck the right note, for, old age pension, farm loan, PDS supply and unemployment dominated his not so rhetorical speeches. Add the “I am not here to talk politics” and “Politicians should come to the people” statements to it, he may have struck a chord with people. The VIP visitor was DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin and the events were a part of his Namakku Naamey tour from Kallakurichi to Villupuram.
( Source : deccan chronicle )
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