Swaraat / Swaraat Editor Desk
Photo Credit – G R Rathnavel Photo’s
There may be many contenders for the title ‘Iron Lady of Indian Politics’ but those who have witnessed the authority of Amma, as she is fondly remembered, Former Chief Minister of Tamizhagam Ms. J Jayalalitha, will win hands down.
She occupied chief ministership four times and once back to back before her demise in late 2016, months after winning election without any alliance in the era of allied politics, breaking the jinx of an incumbent not returning to power after five year term, after spending months in Parpanna Agrahara prison in the disproportionate asset case, Ms. J Jayalalitha has to be the the Iron Lady!
Fighting her way in the party after Puratchi Thalaivar Dr. M. G. Ramachandran’s death, fighting against the real male chauvinist party, who dragged her saree inside the assembly and riding to the top echelon of state politics, arresting her antagonist, organising the most lavish marriage function for her foster son that led to the disproportionate asset case, Jayalalitha truly had a remarkable public life that is unmatched.
Her administration between 2001 to 2006 has to be a Golden Era of Tamilnadu Politics, Pressing the ESMA act against protesting Public servants and mass recruiting contract workers to ensure the protest does not impact common man’s day-yo-day life, enacting anti-conversion law to curb mass conversion of Hindus, bringing anti-sacrificial law which went against her in rural Tamizhagam, maintaining law and order to provide a safe and secure living of the citizens, she championed administration during that period.
If her second term is hailed for administration, her third term between 2011 to 2016 should be hailed for public policy, her television appearance after winning the election to inform public about price rise should be considered as predecessor for ‘Mann Ki Batt’, she transformed a electricity deficient state to electricity surplus state, she changed a debt-ridden state administration to a financially strong state, she introduced ‘Amma Unnavagam’ across the state, which became a model for other states to copy and implement, her government bought stakes in Neyveli Lignite Corporation to avoid privatisation of a Public enterprise, introduced Amma Water to cater affordable packaged mineral water, introduced ‘mini buses’ in chennai to cater the need of people travelling from interior areas of chennai.
Even her critics have hailed praise upon her one of the courageous and strong leader of Tamizhagam politics, she will be remembered as someone who never had anyone around her to lean on and still stayed true to her nature and survived in politics.Though her administration was marred with few incidents like arrest of a Hindu Seer, 2015 chennai flood, stampede during distribution of aid, overall, Tamizhagam was flourishing securely under her leadership. She ought to be called ‘The real Iron lady of Indian Polity’