Kerala: ‘Chilla Award’ to Adv Pillai
Senior Kerala BJP leader Adv Sreedharan Pillai was presented Chilla Literary Genius Award by Honourable Governor of Kerala Justice P Sathasivam. Pillai’s collection of essays titled ‘Vilakkukalukal evide?’ (Where are the lampposts?) made him eligible for the honour.
Senior Kerala BJP leader Adv Sreedharan Pillai was presented Chilla Literary Genius Award by Honourable Governor of Kerala Justice P Sathasivam in a function held at Kozhikkode Town Hall on August 20, 2015. Chilla award has been instituted by Chilla monthly magazine, Kozhikkode. Adv Pillai is the fifth recipient of Chilla Award accorded to literary geniuses every three years. Adv Pillai’s ‘Vilakkukalukal evide?’ (Where are the lampposts?) bagged the prestigious award in the state. It is a compilation of several articles, on contemporary issues, published in various newspapers and magazines.
The dais of the award giving ceremony was graced by several luminaries from different walks of social life. They were Justice P Sathasivam Honourable Governor of Kerala, H Raja BJP national secretary and Ex-MLA, MT Vasudevan Nair Njanapeetam laureate and the literary giant of Kerala, MK Raghavan MP, MP Veerendrakumar Janatha Dal leader, former Union Minister and MD of Mathrubhumi, CK Menon noted NRI businessman and Norka-Roots Vice Chairman, P Balakrishnan Managing Editor of Janmabhumi, Vijayakumar IRS Insurance Ombudsman and Ilayidathu Venugopal Chilla Sahithya Trust Chairman.
Honourable Governor P Sathasivam, in his speech, said, There was anxiety about the existence of the print media in the wake of the upsurge of the electronic media. But, it did not happen. No doubt, visual media take the people to a different world. Sharing his personal experience, he said that, While delivering the judgment of the Bombay Blast case, he saw an unaccredited reporter leaving the court room. He called her back and told her that she could leave only after hearing the whole lot. But she replied that it was the time of competition and she had to deliver the report to the office at the earliest. Justice Sathasivan added that print media still influences the people more. Governor maintained that Sreedharan Pillai did not need an introduction before the elite audience. MT Vasudevan Nair, in his key-note address, wondered how Sreedharan Pillai finds time for literary works despite his busy political and social activities and roaring legal profession. The award winning book highlights the humanity we do lose these days. H Raja congratulated his party colleague for bagging the award. He said that BJP got maximum number of votes in Kerala during Adv Pillai’s stint as the state party president. He added that party will gain more votes in the days and years to come.
MP Veerendra Kumar said, in his presidential address, that Pillai, in spite of his political activities and own political philosophy, does respect others and divergent views. Hostility, the contemporary characteristic of politics, is alien to Pillai. People hardly create platform for others. But, Pillai takes initiatives, under the banner of Vigil Human Rights, to publish the books of beginners who are not well-connected or are not rich enough to publish their books. Several writers could become ‘authors’ due to this generosity of Adv Pillai. Congress MP MK Raghavan commented that Pillai is versatile and possesses the art of agreeing to disagree and having good rapport with the people of all sorts of schools of thoughts. CK Menon maintained that Pillai is a tall leader of BJP. He is dedicated to the poor and always adheres to the principles. He tries to wipe off the tears of the poor. He complies with Mahatmaji’s call to ‘standby the poor’.
Vijayakumar IRS and Janmabhumi Managing Editor P Balakrishnan praised the multifaceted character of Adv Pillai. Madhyamam (belonging to Jamaat-e-Islami) Chief Editor O Abdul Rehman and famous writer Navas Poonoor felicitated Adv Pillai. Chilla Chairman Ilayidathu Venugopal said that Adv Pillai is always a fighter for democracy and is the master of several fields. Pillai has got about 27 awards and 8 of them are for literary works. His 48th book has been selected for Chilla award.
Adv Pillai in his speech said that writing is a prayer for him. He quoted MT Vasudevan Nair’s words that ‘He writes because he cannot help it’ and ‘every literary work is a birth which deserves celebration’. Democracy is the right to maintain difference of opinion. Political opponent is never an enemy. Even though the programme was held during working hours of a week day, Kozhikkode Town Hall overflowed with audience. —T Satisan, Kerala
Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on his recent visit to Kerala stated that the State does have enormous chances for development. But, CPM and Congress sabotaged all such possibilities.
Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley told in Kochi that people’s strong will and wish are for a political change in Kerala. He called upon the State BJP leadership and workers to create a new history through meticulous electioneering. Jaitley was inaugurating the Ernakulam district special convention of BJP in Kochi. He stated that Kerala does have enormous chances for development.
But, CPM and Congress sabotaged all such possibilities. Even though political gain is a great challenge for BJP in Kerala, now party enjoys strong popular support. People are hopefully looking for a third force. BJP should draw strength from this popular urge. People do not see any difference between Congress and CPM. Both are hand in glove to stall the parliamentary proceedings. And, CPM always helps Congress to come into power.
The Marxian ideology has been rejected by the whole world. Years back Communists grabbed the space for anti-Congress politics in Kerala and Bengal as Jan Sangh and later on BJP did not have much political influence in both the states. Now, Bengal is the graveyard of industries. Keralites go abroad as well as to other states for employment. Left forces are shrinking in the country. People never like the concentration of political power in a single party. That is why Marxism is rejected world over, he added.
The meeting was addressed by BJP State President V Muraleedharan, general Secretary AN Radhakrishnan among other state and district leaders.
Earlier Finance Minister addressed a dinner meeting of the industrial captains, bankers and prominent citizens of Kochi. During the meeting Jaitley spoke on “Global Economic Slowdown & India Towards Global Economic Development”. He addres-sed the audience about the global economic scenario in the wake of the Chinese economic situations, world scenario and the NDA Government’s ambitious plans to make the country the world economic leader.
PVC Violates Decorum and Propriety
Pro Vice Chancellor (PVC) of Kerala’s Mahatma Gandhi University Dr Sheena Shukkoor might have ignored her commitments to the institutions she heads, but not her allegiance to her religion hence her party that is Indian Union Muslim League (IUML). Malayalam TV channels did telecast her Dubai speech delivered on May 22, 2015 in a meeting organised by Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC) unit of the Non Resident Keralites (NRKs) from a village called Cheruvathoor, Malappuram district, the Muslim majority district of Kerala.
Addressing the KMCC meeting Dr Sheena said: “Tomorrow I am terribly busy as I have to participate in the most important meetings of the Academic Council as well as the Syndicate of the university. Meetings are crucial especially in the wake of the controversy surrounding the incidents of cheating in exams having taken place exam in the varsity (She was obviously referring to the alleged examination cheating of TJ Jospeh, IPS, the Inspector General of Police). Still I am here. I cannot ignore the progamme of KMCC, because, myself and my husband got the coveted positions only due to the shadow of the green flag of IUML. Now, both of us enjoy good jobs, houses and cars, all credit goes to IUML”. (Her husband Adv. C Shukoor is the Public Prosecutor in Kasergod).
People of Kerala believe that this is the blatant violation of the decorum and propriety the PVC of a varsity is expected to keep. This is very significant since Dr Sheena is reported to be tipped to the post of Vice Chancellor (VC) of Calicut Varsity. First of all, a VC or PVC is expected to get the permission of the Governor and the Chief Secretary of the state before he/she flies abroad. It is also reported that Dr Sheena had obtained the Governor’s permission to go abroad and deliver a speech on the “Challenges being faced by the higher education” and come back on May 23, 2015. But, what she has delivered is a political speech, far away from the topic of higher education.Recently it was reported that Governor P Sathasivam, in his capacity as the Chancellor of the varsity, had sought the report from the VC in connection with a private complaint against Dr Sheena’s PhD in Law and her alleged favouritism towards the people belonging to a ‘particular community’. But, she dismissed the reports. Now, the Governor is reported to have asked the VC to report about the controversial gulf speech of Dr Sheena. This is in the wake of the findings of the prima facie enquiry that Dr Sheena has violated the rules. The speech in question has created waves of controversies in the social media. There are reports that Governor has recommended for a Central HRD enquiry into the controversy in connection with her PhD. It is reported that she got her PhD from Ambedkar University, Chennai. —T Satisan, Kerala
