Chennai:For her foresight not only in establishing a first-ever university for music and fine arts but also making the Chief Minister as the Chancellor for it rather than the Governor as was the practice, late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa received effusive praise from MK Stalin on Tuesday.
She is the bete noire for the DMK and its leadership and functionaries of both parties do not see eye to eye and seldom share public space. For, camaraderie with the other could end up earning the wrath of the leadership. But, things appear to have changed. The occasion was the convocation of the Tamil Nadu Dr J Jayalalithaa Music and Fine Arts University in Chennai. And Stalin, as Chancellor, delivered the convocation address, admiring the Iron Lady and expressing his heartfelt appreciation.
“It is a matter of pride that this is the only university in the country established for music and fine arts. It is fully funded by the state government. But, it has the special distinction of having the Chief Minister as the Chancellor. I am not delving into politics. I am speaking the reality. If only the Chief Minister are the Chancellors, universities can grow and develop. If others were there, the objectives of the institution would be lost. Considering this with foresight, the then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa decided in 2013 to make the Chief Minister as the Chancellor. We should heartily congratulate her for this and seeing the present situation, I too wholeheartedly appreciate,” Stalin said.
This assumes significance in the backdrop of the ongoing turf war between Governor RN Ravi and the DMK government over the former refusing assent to Bills which replaces the Governor with the Chief Minister as Chancellor of state universities. After the state government approached the Supreme Court against the Governor sitting over the Bills indefinitely, the Raj Bhavan returned 10 Bills stating that assent had been withheld. The Tamil Nadu Assembly had re-adopted them at a special session on Saturday last. On Monday, the apex court came down heavily on the Governor asking what he was doing for three years. The Court had also observed that the Governor had to give assent and could not even refer to the President the bills re-passed by the Assembly.
“Holding the office of Chancellor as the elected Chief Minister, I am able to make decision that represent the wishes of the people. That is why we insist upon the Chief Ministers being the Chancellors of all universities. We have p[assed Bills for that and the supreme court is seized of the matter. We expect a favourable verdict,” he said adding that Education should be brought back to the State List from the Central List in the Constitution. “Only then, we could attain the target of education for all. I am speaking for all the states,” he emphasised.
Stalin then turned nostalgic after presenting the honourary doctorate to iconic playback singer P Susheela, a Pdama awadee, recalling not only his family's connection with music but how the bewitching mellifluous voice of Susheela has hooked him. “In bestowing her the doctorate, the degree itself is honoured. There no one not captivated by Susheela's voice and I am no exception.
Whenever I travel in the night in a car, I used to listen to her songs,” he said and started singing a popular number from an old film, Deivathin Deivam (God of the Deity 1962), much to the amusement of the audience.
“There can't be anyone not captivated by her voice and she is hugely popular all over the country and I am her ardent fan,” Stalin remarked and recalled his grandfather Muthuvel's knowledge of music and his maternal uncle CS Jayaraman, an iconic singer, whose evergreen songs are still popular.
