Between you and me

CHENNAI

MAHATMA GANDHI of hallowed memory wrote in the early years of the 20th Century a book of catechism - questions and answers - called, if memory serves right, Hind Swaraj. Actually, it was what might be termed a self-chatechism, since he asked all the questions himself and answered them. It was as much an effort to clarify his own thoughts as to inspire 33 crores (as of that time) of Indians into fighting for political and economic independence.

That most famous catechism now has to take a second place to the Chief Minister's astonishing questions and answers she released last week. In Q/A form she gives the official account of what happened during the arrest of the DMK chief, and subsequent events. Now no one can object to her giving her own version, but she has done this after she constituted an inquiry commission to go into the whole affair. Now the commission has informally received the justification of the Government, while the DMK has already refused to take part in the proceedings of the commission. The commission has an unenviable job, and I do not know where we go from here.

I want to make a brief comment on only one other subject relating to this haven of peace. Some persons have been arrested for possessing narcotic drugs. Such possession is of course a serious offence, but some points must be considered. No one keeps drugs for fun. Either he is going to use them himself, or he is going to sell them. I am talking purely as a layman, but I should think that if a person were found with drugs in his possession, he should be immediately medically examined to determine whether he is an addict. Contrariwise, it should be investigated whether he is peddling the stuff. This can only be found out by catching the peddler and the buyer in an actual transaction. Whether these procedures have been followed in the case of the present arrests, I do not know, but I think in the case of such serious offences, the accused must be given every chance to exonerate themselves. I shall leave it at that.

For the rest, it is situation normal, all fouled up (SNAFU) in our State. The customary wrangles are going on, this time between the Pattali Makkal Katchi and the AIADMK. The former has left the alliance forged by the latter, with complaints of ill-treatment, insults and breach of trust by the AIADMK. All of which have been denied firmly and eloquently by the AIADMK. The PMK is now hoping for an invitation to rejoin the National Democratic Alliance, and even though the president of the BJP (the principal constituent of the NDA) dismissed the idea contemptuously, the invitation will probably be forthcoming since the NDA needs all the friends it can get. The Tamil Maanila Congress has had its own problems, about whom to nominate for the Rajya Sabha seat it is entitled to. The leader of the TMC must be congratulated for one thing - he did not succumb to the fawning pressures of the cadre to give the seat to his son.

I HAVE been watching the TV and reading the papers on the Musharraf visit. Considering some of the harsh statements the General has been making prior to his visit, his arrival and subsequent remarks and gestures were marked by warmth and friendliness, both because the Indian Government refused to take umbrage, and because the General was impressed by the kind of welcome he received. Mrs. Musharraf contributed by the human touch of nearly tripping and falling down.

Finally, a word about China getting the opportunity to hold the Olympic Games in 2008. It is a tribute to the largest nation in the world. More importantly, it is a great opportunity for China to show it has also arrived in the modern age. China has already proved to be a not inconsequential industrial giant, but it has many human rights weaknesses on its record. Now, the country has a chance to show it is equal to the countries of the world in its concern for human rights.

A RETIRED police officer wants readers to be aware of a new form of theft in places like Alwarpet circle. The predator sticks a nail into the rear tyre of a car that has stopped, and follows it as it proceeds unaware of the puncture that is being caused. When the driver realises what has happened and stops the car to take care of the punctured tyre, usually he leaves the windows of his car open. The man who caused the puncture soliciously offers to help the motorist, and while doing so, steals whatever he can through the open windows of the car.

The Consumers Association of India, the magazine of which, Consumers Digest was mentioned in the last column, informs us that there was a ``tremendous response'' to the item. The association requests that readers who need help can call 4480707, and ask for Mr. P. S. Madhavan or Mr. P. S. Mony, both of who attend to problems of consumers. Incidentally, the membership of the association costs Rs. 365 per year - Re. 1 per day.

I WONDER if we have had this story before, Parthasarathy; if so, sorry and all that, but I don't have the memory of the elephant featured in the story. Well, the lion was strutting around the forest, asking every animal who came by: Who is the king of the forest? They all bowed obsequiously, and said: You, noble lion, are the king of the forest. By and by the lion saw an elephant, and asked it: Who is the king of the forest? The elephant promptly grabbed the lion with its trunk, swirled it around two or three times, threw it on the ground, and for good measure jumped on it a couple of times. Bruised and battered, the lion groaned, and said: Well, you are the king of the forest, but you didn't have to make such a point of it.

S. KRISHNAN

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