The TVK government led by Chief Minister Vijay has completed six months in office. Even when he took office on May 10, he had asked, “I need a little time to set everything right!” The general public had agreed to that as well. The time Vijay asked for has now come to an end. It is hard to avoid the question of whether Vijay’s government has, in these six months, created hope for the days ahead.
The reason is that this government has violated many of the things Vijay had promised. At this time, it would be appropriate to revisit in a short clip what Vijay said during the election campaign and again at the time of taking office after the results.
"You can’t even drink tea peacefully at a tea shop. They come after getting high and stab people before leaving. Stalin sir, who has the police department in his hands.... If you can’t even provide basic safety, then what is the point of this rule.... this power" Vijay said like this in Perambur after filing his nomination on March 30.
Vijay had campaigned vigorously on the claim that law and order had deteriorated under the DMK government led by Stalin. He directly criticized Chief Minister Stalin, who had the police force under his direct control. Now the government has changed.
Because Vijay had put law and order forward as the main issue, there was great expectation that the TVK government would address it. But this government has not functioned in a way that fulfills that expectation. If you ask the minister about more than 10 murders on Diwali day, he speaks in a tone that justifies such crimes, saying, “It is normal for murders to happen during festival seasons.”
The police force, which is supposed to control drug use, was accused of planting cannabis in the home of someone who had fought against TASMAC. On another front, a police officer himself is beaten to death in public. An economics professor is taken away for arrest without any basis and later released.
6 months ago, Vijay was pointing fingers at Stalin and asking questions about all this. Today, Vijay stands in the position of having to face questions and answer them. But the Chief Minister and the ministers, who should be taking responsibility for what is happening, do not seem to have accepted that responsibility. Instead, they are teaching a new lesson, saying that 'criminal incidents are related to individual morality.'
"An MLA should be the guardian of the people in the constituency" - Vijay said at the TVK candidate introduction meeting.
This is the advice Vijay gave his candidates on stage about how an MLA should function. Tamil Nadu knows about the beatings and the dramas and stunts carried out afterward by Ravishankar, the guardian of Thuraiyur’s borders, after he assaulted the person who came to lodge a complaint with him. But even now, no action has been taken against him, either by the party or by the government.
Ravishankar is trying to earn a “good man” badge by releasing a video of the person who came to file a complaint against him buying a bottle at a TASMAC outlet. Ravishankar himself should explain to the people when buying liquor at TASMAC and drinking alcohol became illegal in Tamil Nadu. Even if he had been drinking, has Chief Minister Vijay given border guards the authority to brutally assault people who have consumed alcohol?
Doesn’t the Chief Minister feel any concern that taking no action against him would set a wrong precedent?
"This is your rule. I will be very strict and firm about women’s safety" - this was the line Vijay spoke through clenched teeth at the swearing-in ceremony.
Even at the TVK candidate introduction meeting, Vijay had pointed out five or six things and made the candidates take an oath with their hands on their hearts. Among them, the key point was, 'I will ensure women’s safety. This is a vow. This is not a promise, but a guarantee.' One of those who recited this oath with their hand on their heart when Vijay read it was Kallakurichi MLA Arul Vignesh.
It is reported that Arul Vignesh sent text messages in a harassing manner to the Collector of Kallakurichi, and that the woman Collector has filed a complaint with senior officials regarding the matter. All the details surrounding this issue confirm that there are grounds to believe such an incident took place. No action has been taken against that MLA, either within the party or by the government. “If anyone speaks ill of any woman, whether my sister or my younger sisters, this Vijay will not tolerate it,” Vijay said passionately in the Assembly. However, even after the Kallakurichi MLA issue was raised by all the opposition parties, there is no sign of an investigation being initiated.
"What can we do when the treasury has been completely wiped clean? Give me a little time." - Vijay said at the swearing-in ceremony.
It is still not known how Vijay announced cars and allowances for all the MLAs when the treasury was empty. Likewise, the mystery of his announcement that he would build a new Secretariat at a cost of Rs. 1,200 crore is also not understood. When everything that needs to be done for the people has been done and things are prosperous, what is the need to announce schemes by punching a hole in an empty treasury?
"I won’t do anything behind your back without your knowledge. Whatever it is, I’ll do it openly and without any secrecy." - This too was said by Vijay at the swearing-in ceremony.
Vijay often uses the word “transparency.” But there is always a doubt about whether he speaks with any real understanding of what it means. The reason is that there is no transparency even in the Chief Minister’s room at the Secretariat. Who are John Arokiasamy, Vishnu Reddy, and Jagadish Palanisamy, who move around in the Chief Minister’s room? How are they in a position to look at files in the Chief Minister’s room? What role has the government appointed them to? Where is the government order for that? There will be a notice saying that certain matters related to law and order will not be disclosed under RTI.
As soon as criticism comes, they will make a U-turn.
An RTI application asks whether the new Secretariat is to be built in Pattinapakkam. The government has replied that it has no file on the matter. The same reply was given to an RTI asking who all are working at the Information Verification Centre. It would not be surprising if, in a few days, the Chief Minister even plans to drape a huge cover over the Secretariat itself and run a secret administration inside without anyone knowing.
"Women, farmers, fishermen, and all the working people will be doing well under our rule!" - This was Vijay’s guarantee at the swearing-in ceremony.
Because the crop loans were not fully waived as promised, farmers are still protesting to this day. Since he is adamant that the Secretariat should be set up only in Pattinapakkam, fishermen have taken to the streets holding black flags and protesting. Even for that, Vijay’s government has not given any proper response so far.
"Thanks to my little friends who call me Vijay mama!" - Vijay had also thanked the kids who asked for votes for him at the swearing-in ceremony.
Does Vijay know that it has been more than a month since the Gingee girl, one of the little friends and girlfriends he thanked, went missing?
These were the words Vijay spoke during the intense election-time campaign and also at the time of taking office. At least in the coming days, Vijay should take actions that give meaning to the words he spoke. That is the duty owed to democracy.!