Tamil Nadu politics is peculiar. Here, cinema and politics are joined at the hip.
Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa.
DMK and AIADMK.
It’s been only about these two giants for the last few decades. The demise of Jayalalithaa and the illness of Karunanidhi have sent shockwaves across the state.
Working as a reporter during the episodes of their hospitalisation has been very challenging and distinctly different.
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No Details vs An Open Book (Kinda)
The two leaders had different styles of interacting with the press.
Jayalalithaa never held press conferences and instructed all her MLAs, ministers (except Fisheries Minister Jayakumar, who spoke when national channels cornered him), corporation office staff and even the police, to keep their lips zipped.
But press releases were dropped in our mailboxes the minute an Assembly session ended or a policy was initiated. This was sometimes followed by a call from PIB (Press Information Bureau).
Because the boss lady refused to speak to us, news channels were forced to wade through the ‘off-camera information’ from a select few friendly ministers and self-proclaimed ‘AIADMK spokespersons.’ These spokespersons ended up asking reporters for information before speaking in a debate.
As for the DMK, whether they were in power or not, Karunanidhi (until 2 years back when he took ill), Working President MK Stalin, MP Kanimozhi, MLA Duraimurugan, MP TKS Elangovan and two spokespersons would always answer media’s questions.
A Study in Contrast
26 July 2018. 7pm.
A medical bulletin which read there was a slight decline in Karunanidhi’s health and that he was being treated at home.
28 July 2018. 2 am.
Karunanidhi was rushed to the hospital after he contracted a fever due to a urinary tract infection.
From the moment the first press release was out, a beeline of ministers and cinema personalities have been coming to enquire about Karunanidhi’s health. Every time the family members or close DMK members would leave and return to the house or hospital, they would pause to give the media a quick health update.
Reporters have been on their toes updating medical bulletins and bytes of politicians after their visits to the hospital.
There are also hundreds of Karunanidhi followers waiting outside the Kauvery Hospital gates since Day 1. The constant updates really helped calm them down.
Rewind.
22 September 2016. 10:40pm.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was admitted to Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, with fever and dehydration. The hospital stated that she was “stable and under observation.”
The health bulletins were carefully worded with minimal information, not revealing the exact cause and progress of her ailment.
Everyday, my head office would come up with interesting story angles to work on. Do a walkthrough in the hospital right outside the leader’s chamber, they would suggest. Perhaps a beautifully written story on how she interacts with nurses and ward boys? Or a quick conversation with her consulting doctors, if not the chief doctor.
I would feel frustrated.
When the likes of Venkaiah Naidu, Vidyasagar Rao and Rahul Gandhi couldn’t get an entry pass into even the corridor where her room was, what was a journalist with a bulky camera and a microphone going to do?
Despite this, every friend, uncle and neighbour seemed to have an ‘insider’ in the hospital updating them on her health status.
And all of a sudden, Sasikala’s family members, whom Jayalalithaa very openly kept distance from, began taking over the mantle.
And three months later, when she was declared dead, there were so many loose ends.
And to strengthen all those doubts, the overnight swearing-in ceremony of O Pannerselvam, Sasikala being appointed as AIADMK general secretary though she didn’t meet the qualifications, unanimous vote to make her the chief minister, Panneerselvam’s iconic “reveal” that he was coerced by Sasikala and MLAs being sneaked away to a no-access resort.
A Sneak Peek of the Leader
Speak to old-timers who witnessed the hospitalisation of MGR and they will tell you that there was a sense of déjà vu when the scenes of Jaya at Apollo unfolded.
On a Friday night in October 1984, an era of secrecy was ushered in, where information surrounding MGR’s health was kept tightly guarded.
But what gave thousands of people relief and probably even made him win the elections in 1984 was a photograph of MGR in hospital.
In contrast, the pleas by the public for a photograph of their Amma (as Jayalalithaa was fondly called), fell on deaf ears.
Several politicians came to Apollo Hospital but no one was allowed to see Jayalalithaa.
Months after Jayalalithaa’s death, on the eve of Assembly elections in her constituency RK Nagar, a supporter of Sasikala’s nephew TTV Dhinakaran leaked a video of Jayalalithaa in the hospital. Many journalists believe this was a clear attempt to tap into the emotional quotient of people. And TTV Dhinakaran did win that election by a landslide majority.
Let’s come back to Karunanidhi.
Every politician or actor who visited the hospital spoke to the press and clarified if they directly met the DMK chief or only spoke to the family members. Minutes after their video bytes, a picture of the person with Stalin and others would be tweeted.
Vice President Venkaiah Naidu, Governor Banwarilal Purohit and Congress President Rahul Gandhi were allowed to see him in the ICU.
And to dispel all rumours, not one, but two pictures of Kalaignar have been released so far.
Congress President Rahul Gandhi visited Karunanidhi at Kauvery Hospital.
(Photo: ANI)
Speak to The Press
With Karunanaidhi in hospital, and missing from active politics for nearly two years now, and Jayalalithaa no more, the political fabric in Tamil Nadu has begun to change.
Will politicians now begin to understand how necessary is the power of the pen and paper for a fair and good democracy?
Cliched as it may be, we will have to wait and watch.
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