Note : This post is a part of the Guest Post Series.

A couple of weeks ago, after flagging of the guest post series, I had a dark moment when I wondered if what I am doing is too silly, and if it will end up as a massive failure. I overcame that moment, and I am really glad that I did. Lakshminarayanan was one of the last persons I asked to write for me. Lakshmi has written almost nothing at all in public forums, and I was extremely curious to see him try. I didn't expect him to write though, and he didn't make me feel too confident that he would write. By happenstance, the Bangalore Special Court intervened, and pronounced a judgement that provoked an immediate reaction from Lakshmi.

Lakshmi was me with me in college. He is a very good friend outside this blog. He is one of the few people who one can address as sutha thangam (pure gold) without being too far off the mark. Often grumpy, he has a lot of strong views on various things happening around him, and does not care too much for tact while voicing them. He has read only a few posts in the blog to my knowledge. One of these posts -- A Comprehensive (but clumsy) Career Flowchart -- was conceived after a conversation I had with him where he achieved the impossible : make me feel more pessimistic than I already am. As it will be very obvious after reading this post, he is a staunch supporter of Jayalalitha. My own views on her conviction is not completely formed yet. Jayalalitha is (was?) definitely a whimsy, but capable administrator. The whole situation makes me wonder if the right thing and the good thing are always the same. That she be arrested is the right thing. However, is it for the larger good? Probably so in the longer run, but I still wonder. It is definitely not a great thing for the Tamil Nadu's short term future.

The Vulnerable Queen

When Adarsh asked me to write about something, I was very much reluctant for obvious reasons. But there are times when you feel like writing and this is one such occasion . This is just an outpour of what my mind feels right at this moment .

I never thought that I would write an article on J.Jayalalitha . A person whom many consider as arrogant , stubborn and a dominant personality . I haven't got an opportunity to interact with her( Yeah that's obvious:P) , but I have been observing her as a podhu janam(a common man) . This article is purely based on my observation and views. Hope I have the right as a citizen of the country to air my views.

Jayalalitha is someone who has been criticized for everything. Yes, everything she does has been criticized. If she stands in the portico and waves her hand at the people, she is termed imperious. If she doesn't answer questions to reporters then she is termed arrogant. Phew actually the list goes endless. But how can a person still move on? If it were me, I would have given up.

It is also said that she files defamation cases on people spreading aspersions on her. Let’s say some one unknown to us says the wildest and most ridiculous things about us , what would we do? If I were in that situation, I would go straight to that person and ask on what grounds that he /she spoke such things. Can she do that? It's not possible at all, and the best way to deal with such things would be filing defamation cases. For extremely sensitive people it's really difficult to tolerate such things! I know this, since I am hypersensitive too.

There are lot of things that many (including myself) should learn from this attitude of hers. If we start taking criticism that is made about us, it will be really difficult to move on in life . In the end we have to live for our own self , if we start paying heed to unwanted criticisms I am sure life would become hell, because we can never satisfy everybody. Today someone would say that this is wrong and tomorrow another person would say that you have to totally change your approach. This can never work out at all .

The kind of slandering that she has faced in the media is totally disturbing, I am sure that no other person would have faced so much. Yet how was she able to become the CM not just once but thrice? Many of my friends would now say that it was because of the mis-governance of the previous regimes. Yes that's agreed, but is that the only reason? Definitely not.

Who had the courage to vanquish the forest brigand Veerapan? When the state was suffering from a high rate of female infanticide , who introduced the cradle baby scheme? Implementation of Compulsory Rain water harvesting in buildings -- whose idea was that ?

If I start pointing out facts, then I am sure Adarsh would screw me for ruining his page , so let me get back to her character analysis. The decision making skill, the ability to grasp and act accordingly is a vital ingredient which she has and many others lack.

People say she intimidates men - Okay history is known , she has been and has to be stern to in order to sustain her position in the party . I am not sure as to how else can a person be able to accomplish his/her supremacy in the party. If she was quite timid and gullible in nature then I am sure that someone would have easily eaten up her .

She is a person who is extremely forthright and at the same time vulnerable. At this crucial juncture , I wish that she be acquitted in this case, because it's really difficult to find a person with the charisma of hers. Also it is strenuous to find a person with great administrative skill, oratory capabilities and multi-linguistic fluency. This is a very rare combination (one must be gifted to have all of them, I would say).

I am sure that many people might ridicule me for this article, but I am not bothered about that at all . The state needs a person who is fearless and humane and I am sure that currently there is no-one to replace her. Many people tried to wish her away from politics twice , I wish that their third attempt in trying to wither her off from the political stage of TN be an utter failure .

Thanks Adarsh for giving me an opportunity to scribble something !

Hope that I made some sense :)

Regards,

Lakshminarayanan (LVN)