Pon.Manickavel : Gone in 90 seconds

Just like the Hollywood blockbuster “Gone in 60 seconds” it took less than 90 seconds for Pon.Manickavel to be shunted out of intelligence.  90 seconds was the timeframe fixed by Pon.Manickavel to his subordinates in intelligence wing to report any incident. 

Whispers doing rounds in Khakhi circles is that Pon.Manickavel as soon as he was posted to intelligence wing started asserting himself as Number one.  He started prescribing dress code for intelligence wing staff as he did during his stint in Central Crime Branch.   Subordinates who fail to come to office in time and who fail to report any incident within his time frame – 90 seconds – were taken to task.  Female subordinates who use to wear churidars were also given strict instructions to wear only saree. His high decibel shouts and the language he chose to pull up his subordinates made him unpopular in the intelligence wing.

Sources say complaints kept pouring in to DGP Ramanujam, who is also the state intelligence chief.  Ramanujam who had a long stint in intelligence wing was disapproving of Pon.Manickavel’s ways and ideas of intelligence collection.  As regularly reported in these columns Pon.Manickavel’s division of the intelligence wing on communal lines has also not gone down well with many.  Staff working in the intelligence who doesn’t belong to the popular dominant community were sidelined and given a step-motherly treatment say insiders.  His open teasing of obese staff, sarcastic comments on every issue and his constant dissatisfaction over everything seems to have made him very unpopular.

Whispers doing rounds in State police head quarters is that Pon.Manickavel’s instructions to his subordinates regarding gathering of intelligence has also irked many quarters say sources.  Pon.Manickavel concentrated his energies mostly in knowing intrinsic details of the happenings in former CM Karunanidhi’s both households and DMK related affairs which he thought would earn him the goodwill of Amma.  The other main areas of intelligence gathering regarding law and order and communal disturbance were not given the importance they deserved.

Minutes after taking charge Pon.Manickavel carefully engineered the exit of K.N.Sathyamurthy from the intelligence wing, whom he considered as a parallel power center inside the intelligence wing, say insiders.   Being sidelined Sathyamurthy himself opted out is the whispers in police circles.

However Pon.Manickavel’s exit from the intelligence wing is mainly attributed to the age old professional rivalry between direct recruit IPS officers and Group.I IPS officers in the state.   Direct recruit IPS officers who always hold them one step high over the Group.I officers never take it too kindly to serve under a Group.I officer.   This hatred grows manifold when the Group.I officer happens to be in a position of power and dictate terms. Pon.Manickavel being an officer of Group.I services, who was later inducted into IPS was issuing instructions to district SPs in his capacity as DIG Intelligence.   Many of the district Superintendents of Police who happen to be directly recruited IPS officers, resented Pon.Manickavel’s command over them and were waiting for a chance to pull the rug under Manickavel. Sources say on many occasions he was too demanding.

Whispers doing rounds in police circles is that...Pon.Manickavel’s interference in the arrest of a notorious film producer based in Madurai who thrives in usury proved to be the last nail in his coffin. Anbu @ Anbuchezhian who was notorious for his high handed violent activities in the film industry was called for interrogation on a complaint regarding usury coupled with land grab.  Sources say, Pon.Manickavel on a request from film actor Sarath Kumar had put spokes in the wheels of investigation and had reportedly asked Madurai Rural SP Asra Garg to put the investigation on hold until further orders.   But Asra Garg who refused to heed to Pon.Manickavel’s words arrested Anbu and sent him for remand for which with there was a nasty reaction from Pon.Manickvel. 

Word quickly spread that Pon.Manickavel is favouring Anbu and preventing officers from doing their job.   The north Indian lobby which was waiting for a chance, grabbed this opportunity and passed on this information to the appropriate power center, which resulted in the untimely exit of Pon.Manickavel from the intelligence wing.

Also another buzz doing rounds is that Pon.Manickvel was given the task of arresting M K Stalin and his son...it was a well calculated operation...a compliant was made with the city police and an FIR was filed in no time, intelligence thought that M K Stalin will run for cover like M K Alagiri...but to the surprise of many M K Stalin reacted by lodging a counter complaint of land grabbing against Chief Minister Jayalilathaa. As M K Stalin's complaint hogged the limelight the government was forced to do some damage control. The entire M K Stalin's operation backfired causing huge embarrassment for Amma...as M K Stalin politically scored in the politics of vendetta.  Sources say Jaya was furious due the fumbling of city police and the intelligence. 

But sources also add that given the clout of Pon.Manickavel with ‘Chinnamma’ he may very well make a come back and surprise his detractors. 

Tamil Nadu to get a new Public Prosecutor?

Whispers doing the rounds is that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J.Jayalalitha is all set to appoint a new Public Prosecutor for the State in the place of I.Subramaniam, who is the Public Prosecutor now.   Insiders in Poes Garden say that Amma has received numerous complaints not only against P.P.I.Subramaiam, but also against the present Advocate General Navaneetha Krishnan.    

A state’s public prosecutor is the head of a government’s legal wing as far as criminal matter’s are concerned.   So changing the public prosecutor means that Amma is not satisfied with the performance of the present incumbent.    But who is the lucky winner ?   Whispers doing rounds in the legal circle is that N.Chandrasekaran, who is representing the CBI in the Madras High Court.

Well it’s a lesser known secret…but people close to Chandrasekaran say that he is powerful than the CBI Director…he claims Home Minister P.Chidambaram to be his God  Father  and he is one among the few people who knows all the secrets of Home Minsiter P.Chidambaram.   Sources close to Chandrasekaran say that Chidambaram would talk to Chandrasekaran through the mobile phones of his juniors.

But now his appointment as PP is not mere luck, but is a reward for his loyalty. As Amma is very annoyed about the performance of her legal team and this has naturally resulted as a jackpot for Chandrasekaran…this is the latest buzz in the legal circles.

But how do CBI circles view this appointment ?   Sources in the CBI circles are delighted by the news that is doing rounds  that Chadrasekaran is likely to be appointed as Public Prosecutor.  Their delight is due to the fact that the CBI would get a new face (can be read as lesser manipulative) to represent them in High Court. 

The reason for the delight of CBI is that Chandrasekaran had actually let down the  premire investigative agency on many occassions.    The failure of the CBI to nab the accused and grill them in the ‘Lakshmi Narayana Medical College’ owned by DMK MP and Union Minister Jegatharatchagan has got a lot to with Chandrasekaran legal skills.   Investigations into the TIMES NOW sting operation… which resulted in two touts of the Sri Ramacandra Medical College and Balaji Dental College getting caught on camera for receiving bribe for admission…is yet to see the light of the day. While Ramachandra’s representative was interrogated by CBI, the representative of Balaji Dental College belonging to Union Minister Jegathratchagan managed to wriggle out of the CBI’s case, thanks to Chandrasekaran’s links with the then Suburban commissioner S.R.Jangid.

CBI Director A P Singh

Sources in the CBI say Chandrasrekaran is also accused of playing a crucial role in misleading the CBI and  passing on crucial information to R.Dhanapal Raj, the former Vice-Chairman of Bar Council of Tamil Nadu, who was caught along with the BCI member R.S.Rana in a graft case.

However, legal sources say the administration in the CBI is taking serious steps to get rid of Chandrasekaran as its counsel following the serious setback the CBI received in a murder case of the son of a popular advocate.  The investigation of the case, which is being monitored by the Madras High Court went to the extent of summoning the CBI, Director,  for which Chandrasekaran never made any objection and the timely intervention of  Additional Advocate General seems to have saved the CBI.

Revolt against M K Stalin

With M Karunanidhi worried about his favorite daughter Kanimozhi and M K Alagiri running for cover…Nowadays, the DMK's rising SON Stalin seems to be ruling the roost in the party. During the local body elections only M K Stalin’s loyalists were given a chance to contest at various levels. This despite deserving and winning candidate’s plea to contest elections fell on deaf years within the party. Sources say in many areas party men are extremely angry and dissatisfied with the state of affairs. Whispers doing rounds is that those who are dissatisfied and sidelined in the party are being kept under the surveillance of State intelligence. Sources say very soon they may be crossing the bridge…weather it will be Poes Garden or Vaiko's Thayagam is something that is yet to be confirmed. Is history repeating itself for the DMK?

T R Baalu in the Cabinet 

Looks like DMK Chief M Karunanidhi had just realized that how difficult it is for any politician to get things done at the National capital…this was the lesson he had learnt during his recent visit to Delhi. Even though he met the Prime Minister, UPA Chair Person Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister and Law Minister…but for a party like DMK that enjoyed utmost power at the center for over a decade is now seen as a political orphan. DMK MPs and other leaders have been reduced to a joke after the great 2G robbery. Getting an appointment from Prime Minister, Sonia Gandhi and even Sonia's Political Secretary Ahmed Patel seems to have become a herculean task for the DMK. With the two Cabinet Berths allotted for the DMK lying vacant...Whispers doing rounds is that after some realization and serious political calculations...The DMK Chief is now thinking about having at least one Cabinet berth filled…this is expected to happen after Kanimozhi is out on bail…sources say Karunanidhi has taken this decision so that they will have a strong person at the Center for lobbying. For the moment, T R Baalu is the only leader in the DMK who enjoys the blessings of both Kanimozhi and Raasathi Ammal. This is being done to ensure that some serious lobbying is done and Kanimozhi is out of the 2G mess by hook or crook. DMK insiders say a proposal in this regard will be sent by the DMK high command to the PM after Kanimozhi’s release from Tihar Jail.

Jaya likely to attend Guru Pooja

Whispers in Tamil Nadu was the first one to report  on how the State Intelligence department is making preparations for Jayalilathaa’s visit to Ramanathapuram for Guru Pooja…in Is there a rift in Tamil Nadu's Intelligence Wing. This after a team of Intelligence officials were sent to Ramanathupuram to gauge the mood of the public and ensure that the situation is under control. Whispers in Tamil Nadu had reported how this move by Intelligence DIG Pon.Manickavel had created a rift in the intelligence wing. 

Just 3 days ahead of Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar’s “Guru Pooja” another set of senior intelligence officials have been asked to camp at Ramanathapuram…and Jaya TV has received orders from Poes Garden to send its crew members for Guru Pooja coverage during Amma's visit. This despite State’s intelligence chief and DGP K.Ramanujam making it categorical that Chief Minister should not attend Thevar Guru Pooja as it could trigger more animosity between Dalit and Thevar communities in the wake of Paramakudi violence. But, Sasikala or her family members who belongs to the Thevar community are not willing to buy this argument…as Thevar community is AIADMK’s traditional vote bank. Sources also say, Jayalilathaa is very particular on attending Guru Pooja this time because of the bitter experience last year. Her convoy was stoned by DMK supporters when she visited Ramanathapuram for Guru Pooja…at that time an angry Jaya had vowed that she will visit Ramanathapuram for Guru Pooja only after becoming the Chief Minister.

Parithi Ilamvazuthi a traitor!

He was the dalit face of the party and a staunch loyalist of M Karunanidhi... even before A Raja became the poster boy of the DMK… DMK’s former deputy General Secretary Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, who resigned from the post just a few days back, has been shown the door by M K Stalin. For quite sometime there was a cold war between the DMK's rising son M K Stalin and Paruthi Ilamvazuthi over several issues…when things went out of control and Paruthi felt that he is being repeatedly humiliated by M K Stalin in the party... he decided to quit his post, and offered his resignation…hoping that the DMK Chief will intervene. Call it a stunt or a threat…but Parithi’s calculations miserably went wrong…Sources say though Karunanidhi wanted to meet Paruthi Ilamvazuthi in person and ask for his clarification…M K Stalin ensured that this meeting between the two never takes place. Sources say M K Stalin had complained to his father that being a senior functionary of the party Paruthi Ilamvazuthi did not send his resignation directly to the party HQ or the leader...but he had released it to the media which he considers as a huge embarrassment for the party. Whispers doing rounds in the DMK circles is that Stalin wanted his loyalist A K S Vijayan to be appointed as deputy General Secretary of the party – reason yet another voice to support him in the battle of succession. M K Stalin was actively seen lobbying for A K S Vijayan…but Karunanidhi, decided to appoint V P Duraisamy, who was the former deputy speaker. Now a shattered Paruthi Ilamvazuthi is all set to decide on his next course of action…will he be knocking the doors of Poes Garden?? Remains to be seen.

Captain develops cold feet

Whispers doing rounds is that DMDK leader Vijaykanth has developed cold feet after the outcome of the local body polls…Party leaders and functionaries from various districts have been summoned by Captain & Co to receive their share of dose. Also captain has formed a core group to keep a tab on his own MLA’s so that to ensure that they don’t jump the ship at any cost. Sources say that  Captain is so scared that his MLAs would be poached by the ruling party In fact, Captain has been meeting his MLAs in person to keep his flock together.  But sources say, intelligence wing is working overtime to take some pound of flesh from DMDK.

Low voter turnout – Whose gaining?

Amid a campaign that the local body elections will be marred by violence and booth capturing… much to the surprise of many it turned out to be a low-key affair…The biggest of all surprises is Chennai Corporation, that saw a voter turnout of just 48%. The past elections for Chennai Corporation has always seen brisk voting along with incidents of mass violence…but this time things were totally different and surprising not only for journalists but also for all the political parties. Including Chennai there was a lukewarm response for the political parties call.

Whiel the Tamil Nadu assembly elections which concluded in April 2011 saw a record turn out of 75 to 80%...and quite on expected lines the results proved the people’s anger against the then ruling DMK. Well, for other political parties it may be yet another election…but for Jayalilathaa it’s a litmus test for her 5 month rule in Tamil Nadu.  Sources say Jayalilathaa is quite disappointed with the numbers that have come out at the end of the day in the name of polling percentage…

Chief Minister has asked the State Intelligence to prepare a detailed report on why there was a low voter turnout and what are the reasons? …

Ever since elections were announced in the State…it was a low key affair…neither the poll campaign took off well for all the parties…nor the people were ready to listen to yet another set of fresh poll campaign’s and promises…

The State Intelligence that conducted a pre-poll survey…gave its report to the Chief Minister, that the campaign by the AIADMK members did not go too well with the people…that is why Jayalilathaa decided to hit the campaign trail its final stages…Whispers in Tamil Nadu had already reported on how Jaya’s camp was jittery ahead of the local body polls….

http://www.whispersintamilnadu.com/2011/10/is-aiadmk-camp-jittery.html

Despite desperate measures by the AIADMK the elections turned out to be a low key affair…does this mean that the people are not so enthused about Amma’s five month rule?? Political analysts say there could be more than one reason…

The bad publicity attracted by Jayalilathaa’s government in the obstinate handling of the Samacheer Kalvi issue by keeping the students without any syllabus or books for more than a month till the apex court’s verdict…this has highly irritated the parents as well as teachers.  

The brutal police firing and killing of 6 persons in Paramakudi and Jaya’s subsequent stand justifying the police action by calling it a caste clash has also not gone down well with the people of southern districts…particularly Dalits across the State.

The way Jayalilathaa treated her allies has also made people to lose interest in the local polls.  During the Assembly elections when Jaya released the candidates list even as talks were going on with alliance partners…it created a flutter in Tamil Nadu politics…but then she said its was a human error and the list was released without her consent. But this time too Jayalilathaa adopted the same strategy to dump her allies…making it clear that she is still arrogant. So people came to a foregone conclusion that Jayalalitha ditched her allies only with game plan to win the elections using government machinery…and many of them saw the polling day as holiday and were busy in Diwali shopping. Was going it alone in the elections considered as Jaya’s biggest mistake??

Arresting DMK’s key personalities under land grab act is slowly taking the form of witch hunt.  Jayalalitha filing disproportionate assets case against former DMK Ministers while she herself is facing an asset case in Bengaluru also remains as a thorn in the flesh.

While all these factors are loaded against Amma, the DMK is reeling under the onslaught of a barrage of cases against its leaders.  While the DMK Supremo is not able campaign actively, it was left out to its second level leaders to take the responsibility.   Most of the second level leaders are facing police action one way or other.   In fact, K.N.Nehru, who was out of prison on the last day of his campaigning chose to be in Chennai rather than use the last day for campaigning in the Trichy bye-poll.

Further DMK is yet wriggle out of the 2G Scam as two of its prominent leaders cool their heels in Tihar with no hope of coming out of jail in the near future…and Just days ahead of the polling Kalanidhi and Dayanidhi Maran were raided by the CBI in the 2G case….

But the major factor in favour of the DMK is its strong vote bank, which is intact in spite of the huge anti-incumbency wave.  

The low turn out of voters in Tamil Nadu only goes to prove that the battle is equally poised and not in favour of anyone.  With just one more phase to go, it appears that it’s not a cake walk for Amma…as she is still expecting...

Whispers in TN was the first to expose Subramania Swamy's game plan

Whispers In Tamil Nadu was the first to put it out Dr.Subramaniam Swamy’s  Prime Ministerial Ambitions” in public domain… he had a clear game plan and how he is successful fishing in troubled waters to become a strong contender for the Post of Prime Minister… The news just got confirmed…and it was confirmed by none other than Subramaniam Swamy himself on twitter

@Swamy39 Just returned from Kanpur. Very impressive meeting organised by VHP/RSS.Next Blr 19th, and Jammu on 23rd. Ranchi-Varanasi-Ballia 29-31.

Sources say the Kudunkulam Anti-Nuclear protest and the actively involvement of the church was discussed in the meeting and it was resolved that RSS will actively campaign against the involvement of Church in this anti-nuclear protest.

On one hand the Intelligence Bureau is making desperate attempts to create a rift between the organizers who are leading the protest…However, IB’s first attempt to distribute pamphlet claiming Anti-Nuclear activist Udaykumar who is leading the protest is a CIA agent turned futile. Sources in the IB department say the next attempt was to bring Bala Prajapathi Adigalar into the picture to so that they can create divisions among the protestors on communal lines…but that seems to have failed too…On the other Swamy is playing his own game...

It’s quite obvious that Dr. Subramaniam Swamy has the habit of fishing in troubled waters…Well as expected now he is here to give a communal twist to this people’s movement against nuclear power.

Swamy is in pursuit of his game plan hotly to reassure RSS that he is toeing the hardcore hindutuva line.  Even as the agitation of the people of Koodankulam, Thoothukudi District against the Nuclear Power Plant is widely covered by the media, there is no denying that the church is actively taking part in the agitation…but Subramaniam Swamy just gave it a new twist (Read an RSS twist)

In his letter addressed to Manmohan today Swamy says: “I demand an explanation from the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh as to why his Secretary Mr. Pulok Chatterji, with the help of the Maharashtra Chief Minister Mr. Prithviraj Chavan, has entered into negotiations with the Catholic Church in Mumbai to help resolve the protests taking place against the Kudankulam Nuclear Plant. Does this mean that the Catholic Church is behind the agitation in which case it is highly objectionable and calls for action under IPC Sections 153A & B, 295A and 505(2). It also exposes that the PMO is under the clutches of the Catholic Church probably due to the extra-constitutional authority exercised by the now ailing Ms Sonia Gandhi who appears to regard Mr. Pulok Chatterji with the PMO as her personal civil domestic servant judging by his role when she was hospitalized in New York. During the period of her hospitalization, Mr. Pulok Chatterji was frequently seen arranging for pizza and other snacks for her large Italian entourage numbering about fifty and living in plush apartments in New York close to the hospital.

The Prime Minister, if he is committed to secular, that is, not prejudiced against the majority Hindu community and biased in favour of the Christians because they are patrons of Ms. Sonia Gandhi, should put an end to this condemnable negotiation on the viability of the Kudankulam Plant. The Church has no business to decide whatsoever on whether a new reactor set up after Government approval is to be opposed or supported. Let the Catholic Church restrict itself to religious matters otherwise persons like myself would be free to investigate the practices of the Church such as in appointment of Bishops on direction from the Vatican, and receipt of funds from abroad.”

It is true that Swamy has every right to raise an issue about the participation of Catholic Church in an agitation against N-plant.  But writing such a letter immediately after attending the RSS’s Sarsangchalak raises eyebrows whether Swamy is fanning Hindu sentiments to get cozier with the RSS apparently with an eye on BJP party president post.

Dr.Swamy’s attack on Sonia Gandhi is also seen as a move to take RSS into confidence that he will toe a ‘hard core hindutva’ line upon RSS’s instructions.

Swamy’s first gameplan was to attack the Muslim community and make RSS happy.  Now Swamy has attacked Christians and the church and entered part 2 of his game plan.   How far Dr.Swamy will succeed in his Coup d'état  remains to be seen.