List of Ignominious

Time Magazine’s Top 10 and Top 100 lists have a long tradition. Carefully analysed and collated, they have an international standing today and are eagerly sought by the people of all walks. Weren’t we thrilled when we saw Nayagan on the list of 100 best films? Weren’t we immensely proud when we saw Gandhi topping the 100 most influential people of the century? And felt a tad disappointed when we were told that Ramanujan missed that list by a few points?

Now another illustrious person from India has got into one of their lists. Andimuthu Raja from Tamilnadu is in Time list. Well not the lists that Gandhi or Mani Ratnam adorn. In fact most of us actually didn’t know such a list existed until Raja got in. It’s Time’s Top 10 Abuses of Power where Raja is at number 2, next only to Richard Nixon.

This is the reach of Karunanidhi’s ruinous politics. When DMK won the elections in 1967, the outgoing Congress Chief Minister Bakthavatsalam grieved that ‘a poisonous seed has been planted’. Almost half-decade later, the seed has taken strong roots, grown into a sprawling tree with its branches reaching out like tentacles far across the length and breadth of Tamilnadu. So much so that it has now gained international popularity.

The brief description about Raja in Time also indicates that he is currently languishing in Jail and his party has been defeated in the elections. These are the only consoling aspects in this episode. The ones that make people like Ramachandra Guha gloat about our democracy. How much ever faulty it is, whatever may be their outward display of fanfare and pageantry. at the end of the day we exercise our vote cautiously. It’s a weak lament that we don’t have tall leaders anymore. We aren’t a tall society either. As a society we are petty, squabbling, opportunistic, unscrupulous and undisciplined. The fact is we have leaders and they have to listen to us, however feeble our voice may be, is enough. And also we jail our thieving leaders and oust erring parties.

And send them to rub shoulders with Nixon.