அறிஞர் அண்ணாவின் கட்டுரைகள்


T.T.K.

Mr. T.T.K., has returned home. Home! After a dazzling career!

"Mr. Krishnamachari looked ten years older, and much tired like a man who has spent sleepless nights"
comments the reporter of 'Mail' about T.T.K.'s arrival.

His entry inside the Cabinet, first as Minister for Industries and then as the Finance Minister, created a mild shock, and many a problem. And his exit too has created new problems.

Mr. T.T.K.'s loyalty to his chief, and the latter's regard for the former, has not abated—at least on the face of it.

Pandit Nehru accepts the resignation with regrets, and Mr. T.T.K. has stated that he had to 'resign' to maintain high traditions.

The ex-finance minister was seen off by Pandit Nehru at the Delhi airport, and at Meenambakkam, the Chief Minister of our State, Mr. Kamaraj received Mr. T.T.K.

It was more in the nature of 'bowing' to some powerful influence—good or bad—rather than an exit.

The Finance portfolio, seems to be always crying for blood—Mr. T.T.K., happens to be the fourth 'causality', if such a term is permissible.

Sir, R.K.Shanmugaham, Doctor John Mathai, Chinthamani Deshmuk—all had to 'walk out'—for one reason or another—and as if to prove that the tradition should not be shattered, T.T.K. also has come out. The people however are dazed!

They are amazed at the quick turn of events—dramatic events.

They are shocked at the state of affairs under the Congress regime—money has been thrown indiscriminately—the Mundhra affair, has created shock, the people are yet to recover from it.

T.T.K.'s resignation has not erased that shock—it remains there—only some more sentiments are surging on along with that shock, by the cinematic exit of T.T.K. What does all this mean? —the man in the street asks. Where are we being led to? —ask the politically minded.

Why are there a series of events like this? —ask the critics.

Mundhara is behind the bars, Patel is on leave, T.T.K. is back home, and Pandit Nehru finds himself burdened with one more portfolio.

But the load on the minds of the people, is of greater weight, than what is being borne so patiently by Pandit Nehru—for it is their money—hard-earned money that has been 'squandered' away, as it were.

Their confidence has been jolted—their hopes almost damped—by the revelations contained in the Chagla Report.

They are not experts in constitutional law, to understand the difference between factual responsibility and constitutional responsibility. They are not very much interested in analysing and debating the moot point, whether T.T.K's prestige has been up or down, by his exit.

They are possessed of this one fear—almost terror—everything seems to be rotten under the Congress regime. They are bewildered at the bunglings, blunders and rampant evils, everywhere.

And they but exclaim, why? why?—They are not even interested in questioning as to who is the culprit.

They know this much—they have laid their heart at the feet of Pandit Nehru—and they find, heart-rending callousness rearing up its head at Delhi.

There are 'hints' that many more 'events' are to follow! There is a talk about launching of fresh prosecutions—probes—enquiries—and the like.

There are 'many' who ought to have been dismissed—and T.T.K's resignation is but a thin veil to screen this—say some.

'All seems to be rotten in the state of Denmark'—and like Hamlet, Pandit Nehru fumbles platitudes, gropes into the valley of indecision and is constrained to munch much sorrow and not a small amount of shame too.

If there had been a Mundra incident, during the British Regime, that would have created more danger to that regime, than all the struggles which the Congress launched, put together.

But this is Swaraj! Hence, there are belated explanations for blatant blunders! Meanwhile, T.T.K. has, by his 'exit', served his chief in another way—and that is this—people for a while are bound to talk about the exit—the significance—the future—the lesson—and such other items—and because of that 'diversion', they might forget, temporarily though, the state of affairs at Delhi.

But, not for a long time! The people are sure to revert back to the basic problem, why is it that under the Congress Raj, under the Nehru regime, there are a series of shocking, shameful incidents! Are we being betrayed?—the people are bound to ask. And no amount of dramatic 'exits' and still more dramatic send-offs, is going to silence, the interrogation.

Answer, they should, and the people have a right to wrest an answer from the powers that be.

Exit of T.T.K., is but an interlude!

The sordid story has not ended—and the bitter lesson has yet to be learnt.

(Sub-Editorial - 23-02-1958)