Between you and me

CHENNAI

PHOOLAN DEVI - I have seen the word `phenomenon' used to describe her - but I think the real phenomenon is the reaction of the politicians after her release from prison. Here was a young woman who was responsible for the cold-blooded murder of 21 persons in one village, and God knows how many others elsewhere. When she is finally nabbed, she is put in jail for 10 or 11 years without trial, which if I am right, qualifies her for running for the legislature, as she has not been convicted. She belongs to a ``backward caste'' and is well-known because a film has been made on her and a biography written. The politicians immediately make a beeline for her, and get her elected to Parliament for which, as far as I know, she had no qualification except her `glamorous' past. Again, to the best of my knowledge, Phoolan Devi, who was the protege of Mulayam Singh, and who was expected to work for the uplift of Dalits and Other Backward Classes, did not make much of a mark in Parliament nor outside.

Her killing of course is a horrible act, especially as it was done in what is considered a very secured area, and deserves condemnation and sympathy. In fitting with the life she led in a nebulous world, the assassination is providing as many mysteries as a detective novel. As more and more discoveries about the murder are made, it is my impression that those who wanted to politicise it are having second thoughts, as there is no saying which way the ball will bounce. Our sympathy for Phoolan Devi will always be tempered by the thought that he who lives by the sword shall perish by the sword.

Is the fate of the Pattali Makkal Katchi led by Dr. Ramadoss, hanging in the balance? Your guess is as good as mine, the national NDA having announced that the PMK has been taken back as a partner, now seems to say that the members of the Alliance will make the final decision.

The Tamil Nadu NDA, whose head is DMK's Mr. M. Karunanidhi, has also said that its allies will decide whether to take the Party as a member. Everything may eventually come out all right for Dr. Ramadoss, because it is an era when politics triumphs and not ethics.

Not all Indians welcomed the visit of General Musharraf. Here is an extract from a sharp letter from a reader: ``... we post-haste congratulate such personalities, who were responsible for the deceipt and massacre of many defence personnel at Kargil, and many thousands of innocent civilians and security defence personnel in Jammu and Kashmir and elsewhere in our country. And we are ready to lay the red carpet, fire a twenty-one gun salute, hold a state banquet etc. Perhaps we are aiming to win a Nobel Prize for peace, indeed at what price to our nation remains to be seen. Enough said!''

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THE BRITISH council has launched an IT Learning Resource Centre in Madras. The IT Centres are part of a drive to ensure that British Council libraries stay in tune with the needs of their 100,000 members. The IT Resource Centre will have over 2000 latest books and periodicals on computers, information and communication technology and IT applications in various fields. Users will have work stations with computers for using the tutorials and self-learning. The IT Centre is an all-India initiative and this service will be available to library members all across the country. All the books and learning materials will be available for loan to library members.

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THE JAYAPRAKASH Narayan Forum (6, Balasubramaniam Colony, Mylapore, Chennai 4 - Tel: 4933739) will hold a meeting on August 9 at 6-30 p.m., at Srinivasa Sastri Hall, Mylapore, to propogate Jayaprakash Narayan's ideals, and to commemorate the Quit India movement.

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I WAS quite surprised to learn that many retired employees from government and quasi-government services have been denied pension. A reader, whose father has not received a pension even after 18 years of retirement, writes: ``In spite of all efforts no official is sympathetic towards this issue. The Supreme Court has given a judgment stating that pension should not be denied to anyone after his or her retirement. Also that it is a matter of honour to give pension.'' The column hopes, as does the correspondent, that someone from the top-level may respond positively.

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WELL, THIS is an old story, Parthasarathy, about the difficulties Americans have with the English language. An American visiting England walked into a hotel lobby, and pushed a button for lift service. ``The lift will be down presently,'' said a clerk who was standing nearby. ``The lift?'' said the American. ``Oh, you mean the elevator.'' ``No, I mean the lift,'' said the Englishman, annoyed by the American arrogance. ``I think I should know what it is called,'' said the American. ``Elevators were invented in the United States.'' ``Perhaps,'' retorted the Englishman. ``But the language was invented by us.''

S. KRISHNAN

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