The Hindu Business Line : `MGR regime was considered a golden era'

IN the Madurai belt, most people participate in an election as though it were a festival and are not aware of the power of their vote, says Prof L. Tarabai, head of the Department of Sociology, Madurai Kamaraj University, in an interview to Business Line.

Excerpts:

In many ways, this is quite a dull election; so how is it seen in southern Tamil Nadu?

In the Madurai region, we have a mixed population. This is not really an urban population and for many people, elections are not so much a democratic process as a festival... the lorries and vans, the mikes and the music... People enjoy festivals and in that sense, they enjoy an election and treat it as a festival.

Are you saying that the majority are not politically aware or astute?

They may be politically aware in the sense they know the regional parties and, that too, the symbols more... the retta elai (two leaves - the AIADMK's election symbol) is MGR's symbol. But among a large section of the people, there is no political socialisation. They are not politically aware of the value of their vote. That sense of belonging with the political process is not there. Most people are not aware that even by going out and voting, they are participating in the political process. They see elections, with all its paraphernalia, as a festival, but they are not aware of their own importance in deciding which MP or MLA come into the legislatures through their vote.

So who is responsible for this and what can be done?

The educated elite is, of course, aware, but they are not bothered about elections and the apathy among them is there particularly for this election. Even the civil society or the State can sensitise or educate people about this but that is not happening. Coming to the major issues in this election, how far will the water scarcity and drought conditions affect voting behaviour?

There is a huge water scarcity and persisting drought. But the farmers tend to blame the drought to natural factors and do not relate it with the government. So, I don't know if the water problem will affect the voting behaviour; it will be affected more by caste, class, region and religion.

For example, some of the minorities have been told by their own people to go out and vote in the early morning itself.

Why?

There are two factors - one, they are insisting that their votes should be given and that too the first thing in the morning as there is suspicion that by the evening somebody else might cast their votes. The other thing is that in some minority communities, the men decide how the whole family will vote.

There is a lot of resentment here about free electricity for the farmers being withdrawn.

In any society, what is given free is enjoyed and when it is taken away, that is resented. While the water shortage and drought are related with nature, free electricity is something that the State gives or withdraws, so this is likely to be resented and will affect their voting behaviour.

What about the levels of criminalisation, compared to the Hindi heartland? Will that affect the election outcome, as it would in a state like Bihar?

There are, of course, things like some parties trying to bribe voters by giving money, liquor etc... but the degree of criminalisation is very low in Tamil Nadu compared to North India or Bihar.

Coming to the self-help groups (SHGs), how much are they related to the political system? Has genuine empowerment of women taken place through them?

The SHGs are playing a very key role on both the counts. Over and above everything else, they have given confidence to women, which I think is the ultimate form of empowerment, more than even education and employment. This confidence comes from leadership training given by the SHGs. They have made the women conscious of their rights. Thanks to these groups, many women have taken on roles of political leadership at the grassroots level. But for the SHGs, most of these women couldn't have come out of their homes, and some of them have become the role models for the entire village.

So, have they been elected to the Panchayats?

Yes, and among these, the Dalit women are more confident, vocal and articulate than the other women. Once they come out of the home, they become independent of the men and do very good work. A study done by our department has identified the best woman panchayat leader. She is a Dalit woman, goes around on a mobike... mind you, a motorbike and not a scooter... meeting people and everybody appreciates her work. I'm not saying all Dalit women are great but she has done well.

So, you give the credit for such empowerment to the SHGs?

Oh yes. Of course, they have rotation of money, developmental activities, etc. But now they are thinking and planning what they can do for society; not only their families but also the larger society. Some of them want to educate not only their own children but also other children in the village.

Have they done anything to fight female foeticide?

Definitely. They are spreading the awareness that girl children are important and do not have a lower status in society. And they are also spreading awareness against the dowry system. In the Thevar community, we have what is called `life dowry', which means that from the birth of the children, to the various ceremonies... ear boring, coming of age and right up to death, the parents, or the brother of the woman, has to take care of the expenditure. And in many families, gold is measured by kilos!

That's terrible.

Yes, this is life dowry. One of my research scholars has a girl child and has already started collecting jewellery for her dowry. And it is no ordinary jewellery - one chain means 36 to 40 sovereigns. That is why female role models like the Dalit panchayat leader are important. In these areas, a girl is considered a liability. A physically handicapped boy, dark or fair, tall or a dwarf, is considered an asset compared to a girl, however beautiful or educated she might be... she is a liability

Is incumbency a factor and what form will it take?

Usually the pattern is that for Parliamentary elections, State issues do not affect...

But this time both the ruling parties - at the State and the Centre - are in a single coalition.

Yes, that is a disadvantage.

At the centre the NDA is perceived to have given a fairly decent government. But when it comes to rural areas, there is indeed disenchantment.

As far as this part of the country is concerned, Mr Vajpayee is not known. My servant maid does not know who he is though she has heard of Indira Gandhi. My conclusion is that even though the NDA Government might have done well, local issues and regional parties will influence this election. Nowhere else doesthe election symbol have so much of an effect as in this region because of the rural population. Retta elai means MGR and his regime is still considered the golden regime.

Why?

Because he has done a lot of things. When MGR did satyagraha for some issue, a large number of people were from the Madurai villages, particularly the rickshaw-pullers. And most think MGR was not corruptible.

His image comes from the movies.

But why didn't Jayalalithaa get that image? She also hails from the movies.

She didn't enact Robin Hood roles as he did.

The noon meal scheme for children and free education... he has done a lot for the poor people. A lot of people in this area feel that Jayalalithaa should have adopted an MGR style and feel sad that she failed to do that.

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