The flow becomes copious and tries to stuff in as many points of the
loyalty bonus as possible when the camera pans towards them!
Jayalalithaa, the ‘immensely’
popular Tamil Nadu chief minister, who rode back to the corridors of power in
2011, and repeated her electoral success in Lok Sabha elections this year,
almost wiping out the main political opposition party in the state, the DMK,
has been convicted in a DA case (or the disproportionate assets case –a term
brought in vogue by the deeds of the Indian politicians facing corruption
charges).
She was convicted today by a
judge of a Special Court hearing her case in Bangalore, out of Tamil Nadu, on a
plea, after she took over the reins of the state. She was convicted today in
yet another corruption case, by a trial court, after 18 long years. Yes, like
in the past, she can expect to walk out free from the higher courts, but that comes
later.
And unlike in the past, she
cannot remain the chief minister now, given a recent landmark Supreme Court
order, that imposes the restrictions immediately after the ‘being guilty’
verdict is announced.
So, after 18 years - 18 long
years, she is facing the jail term again, and see, who is celebrating in Tamil
Nadu, another political family facing charges and allegations of huge
corruption and misappropriations - the Karunanidhi family, as the charges and
the ongoing probes say – many prominent DMK faces were in jail like Kanimozhi,
Karunanidhi’s daughter or A Raja, former Telecom Minister. In fact, most of the
central figures and the first political families in majority of the Indian
states are facing corruption allegations/charges.
While writing this, the suspense
over her sentencing continues. According to the legal experts, the minimum term
that she faces in prison is one year, while the gravity of the charges and the
subsequent judicial interpretation by the presiding judge can stretch it to the
maximum under the terms of her conviction - seven years.
As of now, the unconfirmed
reports say of a four year term and that she would go to jail tonight.
And as expected, as has been the trend
in the politics of the South Indian states in such circumstances, the painted
up faces and the made up emotions have taken up their positions. As expected, tears
are outpouring and the administrative machinery is geared up to tackle the
incidents of violence against the verdict of a democratic institution.
Amma's (Jayalalithaa's)
supporters are crying out their hearts and it becomes louder and more vocal when
facing cameras - Glycerine tears, like many claimed suicides after the sudden
death of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister in a helicopter crash on September 2,
2009?