May 17, 2013
CHENNAI: Mother is a magical word in any language. In what could be a candid admission, AIADMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday said she was proud to be addressed as 'Amma' by the people of the state.
May 17, 2013
CHENNAI: Mother is a magical word in any language. In what could be a candid admission, AIADMK general secretary and Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Thursday said she was proud to be addressed as 'Amma' by the people of the state.
"I consider being called Amma by everyone as a big blessing," she said, striking an emotional chord with the members of the legislative assembly on the day she completed two years in office.
The title, used by AIADMK cadres to address their party leader, has caught on in a big way, with senior leaders of opposition parties, including Left party leaders, addressing her as Amma. "I have received lot of titles and awards in my life, which has been full of struggles. But I take pride when elders, youngsters and children, irrespective of the age addressing me Amma," she said, while responding to the encomiums showered on her by opposition leaders as her government entered the third year. The AIADMK leader said, "I wish to be a good mother and execute my duties."
Jayalalithaa, who took over the AIADMK in 1989, is also addressed as Puratchi Thalaivi (revolutionary leader) by the party's rank and file. The charismatic AIADMK founder, MG Ramachandran, remains Puratchi Thalaivar for the cadres. "Mother's love is selfless. The welfare of Tamils is my welfare," said Jayalalithaa, who is leading the state for a third term after her first tenure as chief minister in 1991. The AIADMK leader said she would take all efforts to make the state number one in the country, besides upholding the rights and restoring the lost rights of the state.
She took a dig at her bete noire and DMK chief M Karunanidhi, who had recently expressed doubts over implementing schemes made in suo motu statements under Rule 110 of the TN Assembly Rules. The CM said the state would implement the schemes under supplementary estimates, as the state has budgetary 'token provision' and 'contingency funds' to implement new schemes. The estimates would later be approved by the assembly. In the current session, Jayalalithaa has made nearly 45 statements for various schemes under section 110, wherein none were allowed to dispute, but only praise the CM.
Courtesy: TOI
