Gajalakshmi Paramasivam

14 June 2017

Actor Rajnikanth & Politician  Vaiko

Last night’s email from a Sri Lankan Diaspora Leader of Tamil origin, referred me to the Times of India article under the heading ‘Dreaded abroad, shunned at home: What corroded Vaiko’s credibility’

In terms of facts as an individual, I could not identify with Mr. Vaiko – earning the adjective ‘Dreaded’, any more than identifying with Tamil Tigers as Terrorists. But those in official positions could be dreading Mr. Vaiko as much Mr. Prabhakaran. What they actually dread is their own weaknesses opposed by such leaders. This was proven true in the case of Sri Lankan Government which punished the LTTE as if they were foreigners. Now they fear the threat of Foreign Judges hearing war-crimes. But that is the way Natural Justice works – As we sow, so shall we reap.

It is quite common in India for folks to rely on Natural Justice – Robin Hood-style, when those with official powers  in their environment become disorderly. Actor Rajinikanth himself is reported to have written and produced the Tamil Film Baba on that basis:

[The film's story is about a carefree young atheist, Baba, who is a reincarnation of a great saint from the Himalayas. After several twists and problems caused by corrupt local politicians, Baba is taken to Mahavatar Babaji, whom Baba was a follower of in his last life. Baba gets tested by the deity and is given seven chances of wishes; the test is that if he uses any one of the wishes for his own personal desires, he would have to take many more births for him to get rid of the Karma.] Wikipedia

The ordinary person balances the karmic equation by filling the gap between causal forces and manifested effects – through Belief – by leaving the gap to God and listening with our soul to the workings of Nature. All influences beyond our control are Nature. This includes the official system in which we do not have our earned membership.  The scientist goes deeper and finds the reasons acceptable to other scientific minds. Latter needs proof  - subjective and/or objective. Once one needs proof, one leaves the boundaries of Belief and therefore real institutional relationships at the local level. Where one’s belief is strong enough to withstand the challenges in wider world – one invokes natural powers relevant to her/his cause.

In Tamil films, Actor Rajinikanth is popular in portraying  these natural powers. But the actor’s move to participate in Gnanam Foundation’s Housing project in Northern Sri Lanka, strongly indicated political desires in the footsteps of MG Ramachandran who funded the Tamil Tigers and who was referred to as ‘Anna/Big Brother’ by the LTTE Leader. This habit of using position description is confirmed through the following account of Mr. Vaiko’s relationship with the LTTE:

[One of the videos was exclusively devoted to Vaiko's trip to Sri Lanka during which he met Prabhakaran and many LTTE leaders in camps even as Indian troops hunted for the Tamil Tiger chief.

In that video, Prabhakaran tells an amused Vaiko how the LTTE intelligence chief acquired the nom de guerre Pottu Amman.

In his discussions, Vaiko refers to Prabhakaran as “thalaivar” (leader) while the LTTE chief addresses the Indian as “anne” (brother). ] http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi-news/vaiko-has-been-an-undisguised-supporter-of-the-ltte/story-Cw3vev8ctxwIEIg8QXAoUP.html

To my mind, we Tamils of Sri Lanka – are / were strongly committed to institutional structures and  relationships through institutional positions. Hence our strong investment in structured institutions through Higher Education.  Tamils of Sri Lanka even though majority of us may not have had the benefit of Common Law, were largely orderly in our family and community structures, which included the job-based caste system, which prevented inter-caste marriages. Firm and reliable structures facilitate for us to complete our relationships towards self-governance. The positions in those institutional structures were developed on true values and hence lasted over generations and beyond local borders to facilitate healthy living in other countries that we migrated to – including Singapore and Malaysia which denied Mr. Vaiko entry visa – which denial is at the center of this discussion. It is the parallel of Western Nations which are largely Christian, denying entry to Muslims who claim to rely on Jihad methodology than the use of official law. In fact the involvement of the Buddhist clergy in  ethnic issues in Sri Lanka is of this nature. They are all on De Facto basis and in Sri Lanka, to the extent Buddhism foremost has been included in the Constitution, such De facto base has been legalized. The parallel in Indian social life is legalization of two spouses.

Effectively, to the extent Sinhala Nationalism was promoted by law – all other minorities earned their own Independent Community status which facilitates ‘internal’ settlement of conflicts through Common cultural – largely religious belief. When the mistress who becomes additional wife,  takes over leadership of the family – it is confirmation that the relationship was not based on Belief but rather on desires. It’s when we forego earned benefits and pleasures within our custody, that we develop natural structures which ‘protect’ us from losing our inherited higher values. Ceylonese as a whole ‘inherited’ Common values through the laws of Colonial rulers. To those who are driven by such Common laws and values, Sinhala Nationalists and Tamil Nationalists become ‘foreigners’. Tamils who carried that Common Heritage earned the right to make the Vaddukoddai Declaration to Defend their Heritage. Other Tamils – including militants who sought separation – were seeking separation so they, like de facto partners did not need to have supervision nor were accountable.

The Tamil Hindu parallel for Jihad is Soora-samhaaram. It works through natural powers and the results cannot be attributed to a single individual – as depicted in the film Baba by Rajnikanth. The Saint in that film is  reported to be Mahavatar Babaji who is reported to have been indoctrinated by Saint Bhogarnathar at Kathirgamam – the Hindu shrine in Southern Sri Lanka.

If, Actor Rajinikanth’s visit to Sri Lanka had been based on his belief in this Spiritual pathway – it would have been healthy for Sri Lanka as well as India. But it was largely to promote business politics – Chinese style – and hence did not eventuate.

Likewise, Vaiko’s De facto interactions with the LTTE Chief – did not develop into a strongly structured political relationship. This confirms that they were weak in Common belief and were based more on popularity and quick wins to offset majority power.  

Truly independent Tamils of Sri Lanka would continue to repair the damages to our governance structures and the best way members of the Tamil Diaspora could contribute to this would be to:

(i)             be independent in their new nations and

(ii)            ensure that any money sent to Sri Lanka is out of such independence. Those who are independent in their new nations would follow the Common law to demonstrate such independence to those of non-Tamil culture.

One needs independence from immediate pleasures to enjoy higher happiness. This is all the more important in De Facto relationships.  I wrote in response to the above article by Times of India:

‘Mr. Vaiko is an example of how De Facto formations would go wrong when they are stretched beyond their natural limits to interfere with other groups that are effectively 'foreign'. When Vaiko supported LTTE - he may have thought that he was part of Sri Lankan Tamils and that too a leading part. But Tamils of Sri Lanka have proven time and time again that we are independent - as confirmed by the Vaddukoddai Resolution. By freely forming partnership with LTTE - Mr. Vaiko also became the 'Opposition' of Tamils who respected and valued Common Administration through intellectual discrimination.’

 Belief renders us Natural insight into the common person. One does not need proof to confirm this insight.