For DMK’s first family misery comes with company

The arrest of DMK MP and daughter of one of the most powerful political families in the country, Kanimozhi, once again proves the old adage that misfortune seldom travels alone. With this arrest and the associated humiliation, which follows the party’s resounding defeat in last week’s state assembly elections, this court verdict could not have come at a worse time for the DMK and its ageing patriarch, M Karunanidhi. For the all powerful southern Indian party and its leadership—who seemed to be blessed with the Midas touch till only a few months ago—their cup of woes is now quite literally overflowing. What must be making the bitter pill even more difficult to swallow for the DMK Supremo—so used to the world of the powerful falling at his feet at the twitch of a finger—must be the utter helplessness of the situation. [caption id=“attachment_13109” align=“alignleft” width=“380” caption=“After the electoral loss, Kanimozhi’s arrest is the latest blow to the DMK. Parivartan Sharma/Reuters”]  [/caption] The party, which was seen as the king maker in Delhi till sometime ago, today finds itself in a position where it cannot resort to even symbolic grandstanding, let alone seriously contemplate withdrawal of support from the central government. The party leadership realises that any move to threaten the Manmohan Singh government will only push the Congress party into the arms of the waiting AIADMK leader, J Jayalalithaa. If that happens the DMK would have to confront a powerful and vengeful foe, not just in Chennai but also in Delhi. They fully understand that opening two fronts at this time could well be suicidal. The tragedy of the DMK — the top leadership has gone into a huddle in Chennai post the court verdict — is that they can’t even resort to an agitation on this issue. After all the courts are monitoring the 2G case. It’s not a political verdict and there is no political issue involved in the case which is now being seen by most people as an open and shut case of corruption. The party realises that the Centre is just about as helpless in the matter as anyone else. So an agitation is also ruled out. They cannot be seen to be taking to the streets in support of corruption. They will gain nothing and may even end up antagonising the judiciary further. So even as the court verdict is like adding insult to injury, the DMK has little choice but to maintain calm, say they respect the law of the land and will fight the case in the courts. On the issue of continuing to remain a part of the UPA government again the DMK has little choice but to stay put in the alliance ostensibly to serve the people of the country. The bigger message is that while the electorate had already given its verdict on corruption in the just concluded state elections in Tamil Nadu, the courts have also once again indicated that they have zero tolerance on the issue of corruption. This can mean only more trouble for the others named in the 2G scam, be it the Tata’s, Ambani’s or the Ruia’s. For once the old maxim that kanoon ke haath bahut lambe hote hain (nobody is beyond the pale of the law) is coming true and the country is watching the mighty fall.