Troubled waters for Kanimozhi

It is in difficult times that one recognises true friends. Kanimozhi, the jailed daughter of DMK Chief Karunanidhi and Rajyasabha MP has learnt her lessons hard as she is now able to differentiate between her friends and “so-called friends”.

When Karunanidhi was Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, his daughter Kanimozhi had enjoyed the Queenbee status. She was surrounded by fellow writers, journalists and intellectuals for seeking favours. But now, the equation has changed drastically as most of her friends deserted her since she was sent to Tihar  jail.

She has only a few friends left who are ready to support and share her agony. Tamil novelist Imayam and poet Ravi Subramanian are few of those who took the strain to go to Delhi and meet her in the jail.

In an interview to TSI, Imayam said: “After Kanimozhi's arrest, friends who have benefitted immensely by her have become silent. I could sense that feeling. She is innocent. Only media made her guilty. Our judiciary surrendered to media's quarrels. Kanimozhi is strong enough and confident. She is now writing poems in her cell."

Imayam has met Kani numerous times to show solidarity with her. Kanimozhi is reading Nobel prize winner Orhan Pamuk in the jail. She is reading My Name is Red and Museum of Innocence.  Karunanidhi has met his daughter in Tihar twice. Kanimozhi reportedly was seen broken only when she met her  12-year-old son Adityan and was feeling guilty of making him going through all this trauma. Otherwise, during the meetings with her father and mother, she looked composed. The only factor that makes her feel discomfort is  Delhi's hot weather.

Imayam is planning to write an article  titled, “Delayed justice is also injustice” on Kanimozhi's jail term. Kanimozhi's release from Tihar will take some more time, it seems. By the time she comes out, jail would have taught her a few new lessons on life. But the kind of political backing she can get later will determine her future. For that she has to keep her brothers Stalin and Azhagiri in good humour.

As of now, her friends might have deserted her, but the family and the party has not deserted her which could be the only solace she can feel behind the bars.