அறிஞர் அண்ணாவின் கட்டுரைகள்

PRESIDENT JOHNSON AND GENERAL DEGAULLE

Advocate Ansari : I am almost fed up, Sir, with the tales that I am asked to hear from my clients, about assaults, raids, riots, stabbing and the like.......

Prof. Pandu : Where else can they go, Mr. Ansari, to get help ..... seniors are engaged in cases involving Constitutional issues ...... civil laws and the like.....

Doctor Damu : Which means, Professor, that Mr. Ansari, is just a criminal lawyer and nothing more.

Prof. Pandu : Oh! No! I was just making remarks in a lighter vein ...... No offence, Mr. Ansari......

Advocate Ansari : You know Professor! I never take serious note of your remarks. Old age gives you license enough for such awkward remarks. I was mentioning about that, not without purpose. Our country has become the arena for clashes and skirmishes. I am much worried about that. Our country has becomes so poor and ignorant, that crimes dangerous and despicable, dastardly and dirty are growing in number day after day.

Doctor Damu : Degeneration they say is the outcome of poverty and ignorance.

Prof. Pandu : One cannot attribute the backwardness and poverty of our country as the sole reason for the very many clashes, tensions and tumults.
Doctor Damu : But one cannot forget that ugly situations dirty deeds, bloody clashes are to be found in a larger number in countries where there is much poverty and ignorance.

Prof. Pandu : Sir! That is exactly the wrong impression that I want to correct. Of course poverty breeds ignorance, and ignorance naturally leads to brutality. But it is rash and wrong to assume that in countries where there is a better standard of living and education, savagery is not at all to be found. As a matter of fact in countries that are labelled as 'advanced' we do find explosions terrific and barbaric. The important factor to be considered is, how best to tackle the problem.

Doctor Damu : Ah! Therein, you are going to come round to my point of view. The poorer the country the lesser the ability to tackle the problem ...... you will agree.

Prof. Pandu : Sir! I would present it from another angle ..... and the correct angle. In countries where there is poverty and ignorance, one can at lest get comfort from the fact that country has not got intelligent methods and means for tackling the problem. But even that excuse cannot be advanced as far as the advanced countries are concerned. And yet look at what has happened in America.......?

Advocate Ansari : You are referring to the outbursts in American cities ..... the clashes between the Whites and the Negroes.....

Prof. Pandu : Sir! It is not an outburst ....... it is a rebellion. Somebody who has studied it at first hand has stated that it appears to be a war between two countries........

Doctor Damu : As fearful as that ...... you consider Sir!
Prof. Pandu : Yes Sir! It is. In the course of the riots that have rocked the cities in America, the lives lost run to four figures .......it is not a hit and run, or shoot to scare affair ..... it is regular attack and counter attack. Property destroyed is estimated to be of the value of one billion dollars.

Advocate Ansari : That is true ...... I found in the papers that the Negroes, demand a separate State ..... a Black State within America.....
Prof. Pandu : Extremists are toying with that idea also. But the general situation is best described by the term of 'Black power out for the final clash....' How then can we say that clashes brutal and bloody occur only in backward countries? In the country where there is the U.N.O. - the institution for world peace and concord - this clash between the White and Black has assumed such a dimension. Social tensions, unless properly handled, emit violence ..... be that country rich or poor. If the country is poor, sticks and swords are used, if rich, guns and bombs! But killing is the same, in countries rich and poor. It is not enough for the rulers to merely mouth social reforms! What is needed and in a good measure is an understanding of social psychology.

Advocate Ansari : But that is not an easy affair! Especially when one has got a preconceived notion. For instance Professor! UThant of the United Nations Organisation has stated boldly that the Vietnam War is a War of Liberation .... like the one Americans themselves wage against Britain. But President Johnson refuse to accept that view....

Prof. Pandu : True, Mr. Ansari! And that attitude is much to be regretted. President Johnson allowed himself to be hypnotised by the thought, that he is to be the saviour of mankind from the Red domination ..... And so strong is his conviction that he is not prepared to be convinced by U Thant or eminent men of his own country.

Doctor Damu : Poor Mr. U Thant! All his efforts to put an end to this Vietnam War have failed....

Prof. Pandu : Frustrated, he announced his intention of quitting U.N.O. But President Johnson's statement is grim. The days may become years but we will stay as long as aggression commands us to battle.

Advocate Ansari : It is a crime against mankind that so much of blood is poured for an unjustifiable cause.....

Prof. Pandu : President Johnson talks about sacrifice ..... Americans can keep out of the conflict ..... allowing North Vietnam to annihilate South Vietnam. But that would be unmanly, he says.
Doctor Damu : Yes! Somewhere Mr. Johnson has mentioned about sacrifice too ..... referring of course to the thousands and thousands of young Americans who are sent to Vietnam....

Prof. Pandu : Whatever be the justification, Sir! War is a crime ... a betrayal of humanity ...... War takes a terrible toll ..... not the weak and infirm and the aged but the virile young men! Young men - the architects of the future of their country. They either kill others or die, killed by others. It is agonising to kill a man. You do not even know well enough to hate. And yet the President persists, while world opinion against the war is getting more and more pronounced.....

Advocate Ansari : Only when all the countries agree to go to the International Court of Justice for the settlement of disputes, can war be averted.....

Prof. Pandu : It is exactly like saying that only when tigers turn vegetarian, can deers and lambs escape death .... Mr. Ansari! That is an advice that the Bigger Powers offer to the smaller ones ..... I should not say 'offer' - dictate is the appropriate term.

Advocate Ansari : You are right Professor! America takes every opportunity to advise us to come to terms with Pakistan....

Prof. Pandu : There seems to be a sort of coldness between the two countries. Some days ago President Ayub has come forward with the declaration that there is no Peking Pindi axis.....

Doctor Damu : Does that mean that the Pakistani ruler has realised the danger, such an axis would bring forth......

Prof. Pandu : I don't think so. But Indonesia ought to have taught him a mighty strong lesson. Burma too.

Advocate Ansari : Internal clash and confusion in China would have also effected a change in the mind of Ayub.

Prof. Pandu : May be true. It is said that in spite of his roar, Ayub is a practical man .... unlike Bhutto and such other Big drums .... He seems to have stabilised his position too. At one time East Pakistan was almost in revolt. One does not hear anything about that now......

Doctor Damu : Nor do we hear anything now about the demand for Pakthoonisthan.

Prof. Pandu : Yes! Ayub has somehow managed to put down these demands. If he has failed in that Pakistan would have become another Nigeria by this time.....

Doctor Damu : Nigeria....? Was there not a coup and military regime there.......

Prof. Pandu : Not one, but a series of jolts and convulsions. Finally you know, that General Gowan emerged as the strong man ... but his might has been challenged by a part of Nigeria ... the Eastern part ..... it has seceded from the Federal Government.

Advocate Ansari : But General Gowan's armies are on the march...

Prof. Pandu : ..........and the fighting is going on for some weeks, but the seceding part has not surrendered. Refuses to. Biafra, the secessionist state claims that it has driven away the Federal forces. The fight there is not merely about forms of Government or about federal and state relationship; it is more than that. Nigeria is the home of different races and tribes, and the Ibos of Biafra refuse to be subjected by the Hansas and other races that dominate the Federal Government of Nigeria......

Doctor Damu : It seems to be that Federal set up has instead of solving problems, given birth to new and difficult problems. For instance the Quebec problem in Canada has suddenly become big and pressing.

Prof. Pandu : Not suddenly Doctor! The Quebec problem is decades old. The Canadian Government had to constitute a Royal Commission too, for settling the problem. What has given it now an international Status and importance is General De Gauller's speech in Canada - he declared there "Long Live Free Quebec" ........... thus giving a hint that he would support Quebec as against Federal Canada.

Advocate Ansari : But jurists argue that "free" does not mean Independent. Quebec can remain in Canada and yet be free....

Doctor Damu : That is a delightful interpretation but it is not capable of giving a hope and daring to the Quebec people to revolt against Canada. I think that it is highly objectionable on the part of a head of a state to pronounce such a view.....

Prof. Pandu : Sir! De Gaulle is noted for his verbal bombshell. As a matter of fact there is a section of people in France which thinks that he talks too much and too unnecessarily. One French Weekly ridiculed the attitude of De Gaulle, by publishing an advertisement; 'Here is your chance,' said that advertisement. Today Le Canard is the only paper not publishing De Gaulle's speech.

Doctor Damu : Boring speeches too can be allowed if they are not harmful. But this talk about secession .... that is dangerous.....

Advocate Ansari : But there seems to be no other word to strongly express sentiments of distress and dissatisfaction. Last week in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly when member after member rose to criticise the attitude of the Central Government as regards the Nagarjuna Sagar Project, some declared frankly that if this policy was continued they would secede....

Doctor Damu : Did they openly talk about Secession.....?

Prof. Pandu : Yes, Doctor! And that too from the most unexpected quarter. Mr. Nagi Reddy said all through the 15 years of planning Andhra had been denied power and irrigation projects by the Central Government. He said the Nagarjuna Sagar Project was the only exception and now efforts were being made to put spokes in the wheel. If such was the treatment meted out to the State by the Centre why should it remain in the Indian Union at all?

Doctor Damu : That is a strong indictment .... against the spirit of National Integration.

Prof. Pandu : They made a pointed reference to the secessionist demand of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Madras and said that that policy had paid off there ...... I am quoting the Times of India.....

Doctor Damu : Mr. C.Subramaniam, the former Food Minister, issued the other day a note of warning to those who attempt to damage the unity of the country ...... Was it Professor, aimed at the DMK......?

Prof. Pandu : I don't think so. It won't be appropriate. The DMK does not advocate 'seceding'- No! But in a way the former Finance Minister was chastising those in the North who adamantly press for making Hindi the sole official language. His warning was aimed at them .... for he knows that they are by their attitude sowing seeds of dissension, disunity and secession.....

Advocate Ansari : Apart from this homily, the former Finance Minister ridiculed and condemned the C.M. .....you know the C.M. comes late for most of the functions.

Prof. Pandu : Sir! I beg to differ from you. Mr. Subramaniam did ridicule the habit of late coming. He even said in derision that such men think that people will think that the late comer is so busily engaged .... and so on, But why should you think that it was aimed at C.M.? There are hundreds of instances to show that Mr. Kamaraj arrives hours late for functions. They are reported too ...... Mr. C.S. wanted perhaps to hit him and not the C.M. of Tamilnadu.

Doctor Damu : Anyhow it is a bad habit - late coming and the C.M. should get rid of that.......

Prof. Pandu : Sure! I fully agree. But I would also appeal to those who seek him for various problems, to help him keep his time.

Advocate Ansari : He should be a bit more strict - fix up time for interview, time for study, and the like.

Prof. Pandu : Easy. Sir! Very easy. The only trouble is, then some would begin another story - Oh! The C.M. refuses to see us, dismisses us within some minutes, he had become the boss, so on and so forth. And Mr. Subramaniam will thunder forth against the C.M. for the dictatorial ways. Anyhow I too would like to advise the C.M. to cultivate punctuality.......

Doctor Damu : Apart from this, Professor! I was struck with one other aspect in the mode of the speeches of men like C.S. - and when I compare it with the speeches of leaders of the DMK, I am pained too. The latter never hesitate to pay due respect to the Congress leaders. In fact, whenever there is an occasion our C.M. pays rich tributes to the former ministers. Not one sentence of praise or goodwill or friendly feeling for the DMK leaders comes forth from any Congress leader - including Mr. C.S. Why, I wonder?

Prof. Pandu : There is nothing to be wondered at! The DMK leaders have got robust confidence in the people and are sure of getting their support, and so are emboldened to pay due praise to the leaders of other parties. They are sure, that their supporters - the public - will not run after those leaders, the moment they are paid compliments. But the Congress leaders lack that self-confidence. They think that if they say any good word about any DMK leader, the people would desert the Congress and join the DMK Camp. That is why the Congress leaders avoid saying anything in praise of the DMK leaders.

Doctor Damu : But that is not a trait of the high order.....

Prof. Pandu : The Congress leaders think, perhaps that for self-preservation they should deride, and damage the image of the DMK leaders.

Doctor Damu : Do you mean to say Professor, that keen observers do not note the difference in the attitude of these two parties.....

Prof. Pandu : They do make a careful note, Sir! And they render ample justice also. The talent for evaluation is remarkable as far as the public is concerned. But that is not the important point! Democratic etiquette should be cultivated ..... the Congress refuses to cultivate it. Parties exist, not to deride one another but to supplement one another, Sir! Winston Churchill was considered to be an autocrat. But do you know his famous pronouncement - his appeal for cooperation from the other party, the party opposite. Said he on one occasion, "It is my faith that if we work together there are no problems that we cannot solve, no dangers which we cannot ward off ourselves, and no tangles through which we cannot guide the freedom-loving people of the world."

Doctor Damu : A noble statement.......lofty sentiment.......

Prof. Pandu : The finest democratic tradition I should say, and I hope and trust that in spite of the attitude of the Congressmen, the DMK will build up, maintain, and further this democratic etiquette.

Doctor Damu : It is this aspect in their speech that gives me delight.....

Advocate Ansari : And why not we get this delight a bit .... there is a meeting of the DMK, at the Big Market ..... shall we.....

Prof. Pandu : Yes, we shall just take a stroll and hear them .... may be they would discuss about this Prosperity Brigade. Let us make a move.

(Home Rule - 6-8-1967)