CHAPPANI BEATS PARATTAI
Kamal Haasan’s MNM Seems To Have Got A Leg Up Over Rajini’s RMM As It Makes Its Presence Felt In Rural TN
Mayilvaganan.V@timesgroup.com
For years, Kamal Haasan’s movies largely catered to the urban educated audience, with subjects such as Caesium explosive devices, which sounded alien to rural masses. Though movies like ‘Virumandi’ were based in a rural milieu, it was more of a creative pursuit than intended to cater to the fan base there. But in politics, Kamal seems to have understood that the path to power is through villages.
Clad in a crisp dhoti, a beaming Kamal Haasan was seen seated on the floor at a gram sabha meet in a nondescript village on October 2. Since the launch of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), the actor-politician has been passionately advocating about gram sabhas. Perhaps the Ulaga Nayagan feels gram sabhas are the best way to reach out to people in villages and initiate a change in the political culture of the state (read strengthening his party).
On May 1, his party members took part in about 2,500 gram sabhas across the state. On Independence Day, the numbers increased to 3,500 and on October 2, MNM workers made their presence felt in close to 5,000 gram sabhas. “In areas where MNM members are not residents, we participate as observers,” said a MNM district functionary.
Listening to grievances and picking up on issues, MNM is slowly gaining a foothold in rural Tamil Nadu, but publicity is not the intention behind their participation, say MNM workers. “We took up the cause of gram sabhas based on suggestions. Few NGOs also requested us. Rural penetration was not the intention, but strengthening the panchayat raj system is,” says former IAS officer and key MNM member R Rangarajan. Despite the denials, MNM party workers have begun issuing membership enrolment forms in villages. The choice of gram sabhas was because it is the only place where public can question authority — panchayat president — directly, unlike in municipalities where grievances are presented through representatives.
Rajinikanth, through his Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM), too has joined the gram sabha bandwagon. RMM recently launched a campaign to popuralize gram sabhas and its importance among the villagers in and around Sholinghur in Vellore. RMM members say plans are afoot to expand the campaign to other districts. “We will also distribute saplings during gram sabha meetings to improve the green cover,” said a member of RMM in Vellore.
It might be surprising that the superstar, who has over the years cultivated a fan base in rural and semi-urban areas, is also embarking on such a drive. Though partymen refuse to admit the motive is political, insiders say that RMM workers are finding it difficult to rope in more members for the outfit. Most hardcore Rajinikanth fans are in their 40s and 50s, while what is essential for a robust party apparatus is youth, to do the spade work. “It was a surprise for us that in several villages, many youths were in other parties or indifferent to politics,” said a worker from central Tamil Nadu.
Political observers feel that if it was political mileage that the actors were aspiring for, they might or might not get it, but if the intention is to strengthen gram sabhas, then they are definitely off the mark. To start with the Tamil Nadu Panchyayat Act passed in 1994 was weaker on several counts giving less powers to gram sabhas. Unlike neighbouring states like Kerala and Karnataka, where village panchayats enjoy more financial independence, TN’s gram panchayats are dependent on the state for funding, which defeats the objective of decentralization. “TN’s panchayat raj system is extremely weak,” said political commentator C Lakshaman.
“In TN there was cult leadership, be it MGR or Jayalalithaa or Karunanidhi. Who would question the decision of such leaders,” he asked. There were several instances of panchayat presidents overturning the decision of the gram sabha. Besides, issues like caste complicates matters, resulting in situations where elections are not held and panchayat presidents are murdered, which MNM and RMM has to take into account. “MNM’s action shows their poor understanding of panchayat raj system in TN,” said Lakshmanan.
Rangarajan however underlined that the party is not blind to other issues pertaining to villages and gram sabhas are only a beginning. “There are a lot of reforms required in laws related to rural and urban local bodies,” he said.
Email your feedback to southpole.toi@timesgroup.com
PEOPLE CONNECT: Kamal Haasan attends a gram sabha in a Kancheepuram village on October 2; Rajinikanth’s RMM has launched a campaign to popuralize gram sabhas in Vellore
Kamal Haasan’s MNM Seems To Have Got A Leg Up Over Rajini’s RMM As It Makes Its Presence Felt In Rural TN
Mayilvaganan.V@timesgroup.com
For years, Kamal Haasan’s movies largely catered to the urban educated audience, with subjects such as Caesium explosive devices, which sounded alien to rural masses. Though movies like ‘Virumandi’ were based in a rural milieu, it was more of a creative pursuit than intended to cater to the fan base there. But in politics, Kamal seems to have understood that the path to power is through villages.
Clad in a crisp dhoti, a beaming Kamal Haasan was seen seated on the floor at a gram sabha meet in a nondescript village on October 2. Since the launch of Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM), the actor-politician has been passionately advocating about gram sabhas. Perhaps the Ulaga Nayagan feels gram sabhas are the best way to reach out to people in villages and initiate a change in the political culture of the state (read strengthening his party).
On May 1, his party members took part in about 2,500 gram sabhas across the state. On Independence Day, the numbers increased to 3,500 and on October 2, MNM workers made their presence felt in close to 5,000 gram sabhas. “In areas where MNM members are not residents, we participate as observers,” said a MNM district functionary.
Listening to grievances and picking up on issues, MNM is slowly gaining a foothold in rural Tamil Nadu, but publicity is not the intention behind their participation, say MNM workers. “We took up the cause of gram sabhas based on suggestions. Few NGOs also requested us. Rural penetration was not the intention, but strengthening the panchayat raj system is,” says former IAS officer and key MNM member R Rangarajan. Despite the denials, MNM party workers have begun issuing membership enrolment forms in villages. The choice of gram sabhas was because it is the only place where public can question authority — panchayat president — directly, unlike in municipalities where grievances are presented through representatives.
Rajinikanth, through his Rajini Makkal Mandram (RMM), too has joined the gram sabha bandwagon. RMM recently launched a campaign to popuralize gram sabhas and its importance among the villagers in and around Sholinghur in Vellore. RMM members say plans are afoot to expand the campaign to other districts. “We will also distribute saplings during gram sabha meetings to improve the green cover,” said a member of RMM in Vellore.
It might be surprising that the superstar, who has over the years cultivated a fan base in rural and semi-urban areas, is also embarking on such a drive. Though partymen refuse to admit the motive is political, insiders say that RMM workers are finding it difficult to rope in more members for the outfit. Most hardcore Rajinikanth fans are in their 40s and 50s, while what is essential for a robust party apparatus is youth, to do the spade work. “It was a surprise for us that in several villages, many youths were in other parties or indifferent to politics,” said a worker from central Tamil Nadu.
Political observers feel that if it was political mileage that the actors were aspiring for, they might or might not get it, but if the intention is to strengthen gram sabhas, then they are definitely off the mark. To start with the Tamil Nadu Panchyayat Act passed in 1994 was weaker on several counts giving less powers to gram sabhas. Unlike neighbouring states like Kerala and Karnataka, where village panchayats enjoy more financial independence, TN’s gram panchayats are dependent on the state for funding, which defeats the objective of decentralization. “TN’s panchayat raj system is extremely weak,” said political commentator C Lakshaman.
“In TN there was cult leadership, be it MGR or Jayalalithaa or Karunanidhi. Who would question the decision of such leaders,” he asked. There were several instances of panchayat presidents overturning the decision of the gram sabha. Besides, issues like caste complicates matters, resulting in situations where elections are not held and panchayat presidents are murdered, which MNM and RMM has to take into account. “MNM’s action shows their poor understanding of panchayat raj system in TN,” said Lakshmanan.
Rangarajan however underlined that the party is not blind to other issues pertaining to villages and gram sabhas are only a beginning. “There are a lot of reforms required in laws related to rural and urban local bodies,” he said.
Email your feedback to southpole.toi@timesgroup.com
PEOPLE CONNECT: Kamal Haasan attends a gram sabha in a Kancheepuram village on October 2; Rajinikanth’s RMM has launched a campaign to popuralize gram sabhas in Vellore
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