Guts and glory

Cho
Originally uploaded by Prav.

The place was overflowing with people. The program was scheduled to start at 6:30 P.M. The people started coming in before 4 P.M. and the auditorium reached its capacity in an hour. But the crowd just did not stop. Three projectors outside the auditorium for the benefit of those who could not get some shelter overhead. No advertising. This was no cricket match though. Not a Star Night either. It was the celebration of Tughlaq's 35th anniversary and the people flocked the place to listen to one man - Cho Ramaswamy. The perfect combination of brains and audacity in my opinion.

Nothing is being blown out of proportion here, for I am not basing it on any media report. I was one of those who queued up before 4 P.M. outside The Music Academy. Ferrari, Lazy Geek and Desikan - I was in some elite company :). I had taken my Nikon Coolpix which messed up at the right moment - battery exhausted! So, that picture was all I could manage. The picture might be blurred, but Cho's thoughts were definitely not.

Cho, a leading political critic, journalist and Rajya Sabha member, was at his best. His political knowledge coupled with spontaneity and wit is magnetic. Politcal satire at its best. Besides, he is one of the few who know what they says. A Libran like me ;) [chill, I winked!].

Some highlights...

• While talking about Karunanidhi : "Ivara poruththa varaikkum, Dayanidhi Maaran dhaan periya aal aaganum. Kalyanathukkum Dayanidhi Saasthrigal dhaan, karumaarikkum Dayanidhi Saasthrigal dhaan"
• "Karunanidhi kitta poi avar katchi-la enna ellam nadakkuthu kaelungalaen, onnum theriyaathu. Aana Bahagawad Geetha-la Krishnar sonnathu mattum nanna theriyum"
• "Karunanidhi sollarthu padi paartha enakku en kollu thatha pathi onnum theriyaatha. Adhunaala en parambarai-ey illa-nu aagiduma? Thideernu mulaichangala en munnor ellam? Indha madhathoda arumai-ey adhoda pazhamai dhaan. Eppo aaramichuthu-nu yaarukkum theriyaathu. Avalo pazhamai"
• "Ramadas pathi ellam yaen kaelvi kaekkareenga? Avara pathi sollarthuku onnum illaye. Ellarum padhavi-la vanthu bandha pannuvaanga, ivar bandha pannitu padhavikku vara try pannaraar. Ellarum ovar kitta permission veengitu dhaan padathukku paeru vekkanum"
• When someone talked about Mahatma Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi : "Gandhi-a avamaana padutha vaera vazhiye therilaya ungalukku? Andha paeru avarukku irukkarthae avamaana. President kitta majority irukku-nu poi sonnavar dhaaney ivar"
• "Pathirikkai aalargala-a naan kurai seyya maataen. Pathirigaigal ippo ellam pathirikkai dharmam padi nadakkarthu illa. Vyabaara dharmam padi dhaan nadakkuthu. Ennathaan ippo neenga enakku kai thattinaalum veliya poi shampoo bottle kodukkara pathiragai dhaan vaanguveenga. Enakku adhu vaendaam. En ezhuthukku madhippu konjam paer vaangina kooda enakku podhum. Adhuvum illama indha thalai vechukittu naan shampoo ellam kodutha evan vaanguvaan?"
• One person came to the stage, spoke something about Cho and asked people to clap for it. Appo he said, "Enna asinga padutha ungalukku vaera vazhiye kidaikkaliya? Kai thattal thaana varanam sir, unga recommendation-la dhaan enakku claps kidaikkuthu-nu makkal ninaipaanga-la?"
• "I will call Shankararaman as a third rated blackmailer." One of the audience objected saying that he was murdered. "So what if he was murdered? Does that make him a saint? You want to keep a statue for him? What he has done is a criminal offence according to IPC. BLACKMAILER. Appadi dhaan solluvaen". The tone with which he said this was simply amazing. Such guts, hats off.
• "Enna sir politics idhu? Sonia Gandhi PM aana mottai adichuppaen, vellai pudavai kattipaen-nu, asingama illa?"
• "BJP yaen ippadi irukaanga-nu enakku puriyala. TN-la tholvi tholvi nu sollikittu. Ivangalukku ennikku inga selvaaku irundhirukku adhu poga? Illatha selvaakku eppadi sir pogum? Idhu varaikkum win pannathu ellam alliance naala dhaan. Head to head fight Congress-oda enga ellam irundhudho anga ellam nalla dhaan perform panni irukaanga. Appuram edhukku demoralize aaganum?"
• "Indha kaalathu politicans oda attitude evalo keezhthanama irukku paarunga. Karunanidhi Kumbakonam thee vibathu-ku kandanam therivichaar. Adhu Murasoli-la publish panaanga. Vajpayee and Abdul Kalaam oda paaraattoda. Yaen indha velai? Oru thamizh kavithai ezhuthi, adha translate panni ivangalukkellam anuppi, oru paarattu kadhidham vaangi, adha publish pannanuma? Perumai ku seyyara velai-a idhu?"
• There was one person who came up and said that Cho should lead by example and correct all that the media is doing. Cho replied, "Naan enna sir avangalukku class-a edukka mudiyum daily 1 hr-ku? Avangalukku magazine vikkanum, avan appadi dhaan ezhuthuvaan. Adhukku naan enna sir panna mudiyum? Naan Jayalakshmi pathi ellam ezhutha maataen, aana ezhuthara magazine dhaan niraya vikkuthu. Makkal appadi, onnum panna mudiyaathu."
• "Jayendrar-a north ku anuppanum, illa-na avar saatchiya influence panniduvaar-nu sollaraanga. Adhu eppadi Andhra border vittu nooru adi thaandi pona avarukku power poiduma? Pesaama plane-la suththa vidalaama? Eppadi dhaan ippadi ellam sollaraangalo therila. Appadi paartha Jayalalitha case nadakkarappo avanga CM-a kooda irundhu irukaanga, appo illatha influence-a ippo vanthuda poguthu? Sattathukku mun anaivarum samam dhaan, Jayendrar-ai thavira. Avar mattum oru padi keezha"
• "Gurumurthy sonnathu ellathayum neenga oththukkareengala-nu sila paer kaekkaraanga. Adhu avaroda karuththu, avalodhaan. En karuththu enna-nu naan thaniya sollitu dhaan irukkaen. Adhukkaga Gurumurthy sonna ovvoru point-kum bracket poattu naan accept pannaraen, pannala-na ezhutha mudiyum?"

About Jayendrar issue : The decision to arrest Jayendrar is correct assuming that the Police had concrete evidence. It however raises too many questions if the Police try to associate new cases rather than concentrating on these "concrete" evidence. The Government is under no pressure to compulsorily jail a person who has been arrested. It is just being treated as a prestige issue of the Chief Minister which is unnecessary. Rs. 5Lakhs being given to SankaraRaman family also raises doubts, for he was no public servant, but a third rated blackmailer. Media has also done its best to insult the heritage of such an ancient Mutt publishing everything which the Police give them, which is not healthy.

Such rationale thinking and ability to express it all with courage is a rare combination. Never has he eaten his words. There just cannot be any successor to this genius.

I am just wondering why he doesn't write in any of the English dailies :(