Abuse of Power – Politics, Police and Press 

Padmini Arhant

The political party elected in the state and national election often misconceive the electoral mandate and exploit power against people electing them to government. Upon being elected to office, the state and national government are provided all facilities including personal privileges funded by the people as taxpayers and contributors to the state and national economy. 

The law and order is a critical function in a society. However, when the public funded law enforcement exercise power against civil society in a manner as a parallel wing held above the law that are strictly applicable to them as well, the wheels of justice becomes dysfunctional.

Anytime in a situation, one side in uniform is loaded and armed explicitly as authority with power against the other who is contrarily unarmed with no badge or battalion viz. political, press and propaganda machinery like film industry to subvert truth and reality, the former exerting dominance and violence is not uncommon.

The reason politics treads carefully against police brutality and in certain systems vehemently lending carte blanche authority to police force is predominantly for personal interests to cover own backs using the police to silence democracy.

Any police misconduct which is unfortunately extreme against the weak, vulnerable, marginalized and importantly unarmed segments in society dismissed as a mere isolated incident by politics and press, there is a pattern established in repeat crimes by law enforcement. Notwithstanding politics and press dereliction of duty to curb recurrence.

Such demeanor from the most critical representatives viz. the people appointed government, the political opposition and the press to remain silent during the armed personnel atrocity against the unarmed civilian bereft of any representation clarify complacency and complicity from all three sides i.e. the ruling government, the political opposition and the media. 

In fact, the key political opposition otherwise exploiting opportunities to blame the ruling power on any issues for political advantage in a state equally bear the burden for not pursuing such issues in the state assembly to deliver justice to victims family on deaths in police custody. 

The political opposition could also legislate laws against law enforcement or any government agencies and institutions exceeding norm in interaction and investigation process with the public. The political opposition have the power and constitutional responsibility to introduce bills to probe actions on abuse of power by law enforcement or even judiciary failing to address social injustice at any time. 

The political opposition failure in this regard hold them responsible for the community suffering with no end in sight. Besides, the inactions from the ruling faction and opposition exemplify apathy towards segments not part of the vote bank or electoral votes in the calculated political response. 

Furthermore, the political opposition remaining oblivious at that time doing nothing to help victims and families affected by police hardline tactics is a serious negligence.

The same political party DMK upon assuming power recently as the ruling government in Tamil Nadu, India overtly promoting the movie script of the incident among several others over a period of time with them alternating governance in the past three decades clearly specifies political opportunism to spark communal divide. 

The film industry primarily under politics rein obliging the state government in bringing to light the plight of a particular community is truly telling on the close partnership between politics and entertainment.

It does not stop there. The script deliberately falsely portrayed to stir more controversy for commercial gains and personal pecuniary interests by deception.  The hatched political script serve selective profitability at the cost of other community and targeted individuals. 

Notably, the political spin in the camera roll immensely acknowledging the political ally the advocate Chandru as the lead player – more than deservingly while the actual entities in real life with at least one member interestingly named Govind verifiably having sacrificed his entire life until justice was sought for the victims’ family eliminated from the script is wicked concoction. This is especially when the script emphasize the true story conviction with enactments to suit the political whims and fancies of the opportunists and profiteers in the project. 

Not to mention the hype on communism and marxism in the theme amid the film titled after India’s social activist and constitution author Dr.Ambedkar, a staunch opponent of communist and marxist ideology premised on power centric politburo and violence as the order to oppress population.

Never mind the boost to communism in the film perhaps to appease neighbor Beijing, the CCP leadership in China despite India enduring the grueling impact of the COVID19 second wave and now on to preparing for the fourth OMICRON variant reportedly detected in India. Additionally, China’s aggression on the Himalayan region with Indian defense force stationed in the hostile Himalayan outposts in the past two years is of least concern to film makers and monetary beneficiaries in the project.

The communism profile in the film would largely associate as coalition with the ruling state political power – the DMK in Tamil Nadu.

The film makers justifying the recognition of communism and marxism as the adaptation from the real episodes with certain communist party members supposedly initiated legal support to victims’ family is one aspect. In stark contrast to reality, the same film makers and profiteers slighting the true samaritan Govind’s entire selfless contribution to victims’ family lasting several years in the legal battle mortify the convenient cinematic versions to omit the essential and glorify the minuscule again serving politics and film industry mutual desire.

Likewise, the victim’s spouse in real life introduced as Parvati with a different name for the character in the film in opposition to retaining original names for specific characters agreeable to the members involved in the notorious film project barely escape focus.

The reason behind the cock and bull story was given as Parvati allegedly a rape victim and in utter respect to Indian politics newly invented motto to selectively withhold rape victim’s name from public domain keeping into it is not necessarily practiced in all cases, the female name changed in the movie.

Not barring the individual paraded by Tamil Nadu diverse media as Parvati with interviews and generous tourism feeding and pampering the lady apparently hardly taint the alleged rape victim’s honor. Taking extra mileage in the bizarre portrayal of Parvati is her pregnancy in the movie when in reality the victim’s wife was admittedly 45 years old then passed her procreational aspiration or ability. 

Above all, the film propagated as shedding light on the misery of the film makers designated demography in society i.e. Irullar not Kuravar community, the source of the story line. The film makes no mention or hints to hold the ruling  power at that time viz. the ADMK under former Chief Minister Jayalalitha,  the political opposition DMK headed by party Chief M. Karunanidhi and heir M.K.Stalin and media responsible. The three combined abysmal record to protect not only the affected community but anyone from anywhere in the state of Tamilnadu or for that matter all over India experiencing abuse of power and systemic prejudice should have resonated in  the movie reminding the power brokers of their legislative and constitutional obligation to citizens regardless of electoral status.

It is suffice to say the cinematic liberties are also confined to rational parameters. The film makers and lead players monetizing others’ tragedies and vitriolic assaults on anyone viewed a fair game are required to  be either completely factual or display potential in wholesome fictional characterization. The semi-baked charred presentation as a true story is misrepresentation at best and fraudulence at worst. 

Whenever there is a foul play with intentional diversion to unnecessarily attract attention in the real or reel picture, the truth unravel revealing the black and white scenario. 

Nonetheless, the political and commercial profiteering at anyone’s expense under the guise of social cause is the ultimate goal that dominates the corrupt system bankrolled with dirty money and illegal funneling between politics and film industry collaborations. 

The maligning of religion with the goddess of fortune replacing the previously botched depiction of the negative character is succinct. The irony is the goddess of fortune expected to grant financial success on the movie having criminalized her in the backdrop with a political twist.

There are also questions raised from crony Tamil media paid by the film actor and director on why there should be any hue and cry over the contentious calendar on the wall? 

Whether the first calendar showing fire pot or the replacement with goddess Lakshmi. 

If the calendar on the wall was so irrelevant,

Why not use the media members’ family or even the lead actor’s off screen spouse portrait on the wall of the criminal’s residence? 

The reply aptly fits such arbitrary disposition. 

Why specifically choose the fire pot initially and then substitute with even more inflammatory depiction with Mahalakshmi picture?

How about my birth star god is Agni Dev and Sun representing the chief ascendant plagiarized from my autobiography manuscript? 

Another fact being – my great grandmother from my father’s side is named Irullayi Ammal  meaning the one who dispels darkness again lifted from my autobiography manuscript. 

The movie projecting the so-called Irullar community deceitfully cast as dark or doomed community when the actual incident involves the gypsy i.e. Kuravar segment. There were numerous queries in this regard from Tamil audience to which there has been muted response from the lead actor, producer and director of this highly politicized film. 

The wanton indulgence from the lead actor since the movie is marketed under the lead actor’s name as his film and the director are provocative. The actions adequately define the director as not Gnanavel rather Gnana Shunyam. 

These are well substantiated and accordingly merit appropriate and valid explanation from the lead actor, director and the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K.Stalin obviously not happy about exposure on his family possession of black money in Swiss Bank account leading the rest of political class and the corrupt legions in India.

Then there was the Dravida Kazhagam founder Periyar related articles published on this site posing legitimate questions on Periyar’s legacy miserably failing in abolition of caste system or emancipation of women who inarguably continue to remain the subject of ridicule and mockery for Indian politics, cinema and society at large.

There appears to be problems with the names like Krishna, Siva, Parvati, Lakshmi or Narayan for the crooked politics and corrupt film industry having exhausted relentless character defamation. Not that it makes any difference whatsoever to cosmic forces ultimately deciding these mortals fate one way or another. 

The desperate times seeking desperate measures is apparent utilizing the political and film industry alliance to hurt, humiliate and harbor ill feelings in the name of film making. 

The same would apply if not more to other trash releases earlier on caricaturing Hindu epics lead female character Draupati or God Siva oriented narratives in Rudra Tandavam by the Indian cinema – Tamil film industry on the brink of extinction. Anything involving corrupt money and illicit dealings inevitably deliver undesirable outcome. 

A word of caution for the film makers and politics in India. 

The Mahabharata’s protagonist Draupati was solely instrumental in the annihilation of Kaurav clan due to Duryodhana, Durshasan and their uncle Shakuny miscalculating women’s power. In this instance Draupati’s oath to settle scores with the three evil menaces prompted Lord Krishna to fulfill her request.  

Don’t mess with Draupati is the moral from Mahabharata. 

When there is no talent to produce anything original in the material starved film industry, the attempts to distort and denigrate anyone of their choice is the latest norm much to individual and collective harm within the circle.

What goes around comes around without exception. 

The audience acceptance or rejection of the contemptuous trend determines society’s present and future. 

Padmini Arhant

Author & Presenter

PadminiArhant.com

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