Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Reporter's Diary

Of missing names

The electoral rolls posted on the website by the State Election Commission does not have the names of those who were included after the latest revision ending February 12, 2006. Many people, who had registered during the last revision, think that they have not been included in the rolls as their names are missing in the online list. Residents hope that the inclusions would be soon published on the website, at least as a separate link below the present list.

Courtesy please

During a couple of instances in the last two weeks, guards at the entrance of the Government Hospital were found being very rude to visitors at night. While it is the guards' duty to check identity and enquire reasons, there is no reason to be rude to visitors. Would the security staff be more courteous, especially as most of the friends and relatives of the admitted patients are poor and can only seek treatment at government hospitals?

Spare the road-user

Election campaigns have begun and political leaders have started their whirlwind tours to the southern districts. When on tour, in their overwhelming enthusiasm, the policemen on duty divert the traffic to the lanes and bylanes with scant regard to the road users. On the other day, when the actor-politician Vijaykant visited places such as Madipakkam and Keelkattalai. A woman, who was in a hurry, was not allowed to proceed on the Medavakkam Main Road and forced to wait for more than half-an-hour. To their dismay, the policemen on duty near Keelkattalai bus terminus diverted vehicles to the lanes nearby, which have no access to the main road. This is only an indicator of things to come, an onlooker remarked.

Evolving ideas

Political parties/ new outfits in Tamil Nadu seem to be evolving new ideas everyday in view of the Election Commission's instructions regarding canvassing.

While the cadres have switched over to holding aloft portrait placards of their respective party leaders at road-side campaign meetings of the Democratic People Alliance, volunteers of the Desiya Murpokku Dravidar Kazhagam, lined up on both sides of Military Road at Orikkai, near here, on Monday, holding 30 to 40 ft. long banners welcoming their leader Vijaykant.

The novel idea is said to have helped them do away with the trouble of erecting poles to tie-up the "welcome banner" and removing it later. Further, it had also helped them to control the crowd that gathered at the meeting point to have a glimpse of the actor-turned-politician.

Contributions by Kannal Achuthan, T. Madhavan and V.Venkatasubramanian (from Kancheepuram).

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