Tughluquine Instincts

I am more than perplexed and frustated with the attitude of the present day government of Tamil Nadu. One could expect a school going kid to have better sensibility; let alone wisdom. Having said this, I do not take a political stand nor do I have a priority for one political party over the other.

I am just venting my feelings on a social or rather a personal platform from an "Aam aadmi's" perspective. The recent decision of Jayalalitha to shift the Anna Centenary library from its current location and to convert the existing building into a Pediatrics hospital was arrogance at its heights. The library built at a cost of around 200 crores is deemed the largest of its kind in South Asia. The Civil Engineer behind its construction obviously wouldn't had made the building flexible enough to accommodate varied set-ups.

The conceptualization for a library would have incorporated tailor made specifications for its layout, ventilation, drainage among other things. So converting it to a hospital would result in both unwanted and excessive expenditure apart from a 'not so efficient' end product. Thankfully, we have our dutiful Judiciary - the High Court which stayed the move.

Another high point of the self proclaimed "Amma's" tomfoolery was conversion of Secretariat to Multi speciality hospital - yes a hospital again - she is apparently very concerned about people's health and has a personal target of creating World Class Hospitals in Chennai. No complaints against her targets but why at the cost of meddling with BUILT buildings ?? The reason quoted for dumping the 1100 crore worth building was that it could not accommodate all the 36 government departments and the two km distance between the Assembly (Block A) and Secretariat (Block B) would make it difficult for the Ministers to function. At least that way all of them would have something concrete to do everyday i.e. travel to and fro. Sorry, I know this was a rather rude joke which the entire Executive doesn't deserve !!

Political vendetta could never have been more obvious. She had gotten 15 partymen of DMK arrested within 100 days of 'swearing in'. On this note one cannot fail to recollect the midnight drama a decade ago where she had Karunanidhi arrested as soon as she had stepped into power. This apart from the arrest of a dozen other Union Ministers.

How healthy would it be if politicians quarreled by trying to outdo each other rather than undoing what has been already done. By targeting the dream projects of her opponent, viz. the Secretariat and the Anna Library she proves how less she cares for people and their money when it comes to quenching her thirst for revenge. It also shows how directionless an administrator could get moving around things ala our great Emperor- Muhammad bin Tughluq.

P.S. : Tughluq was a Sultan of Medieval India whose over thought foolery of shifting the capital from Delhi to Daulatabad and then back is legendary.

Disclaimer : The views expressed here are strictly personal !!

http://theviewspaper.net/tughluquine-instincts/