Vandu murugan comedy ! Zameen .. ... Avocado and politics !!

ஜாமீன் / சாமீன் ~ என்பது பிற மொழியிலிருந்து வந்த சொல். பிணையம் என்பதே தமிழ்ச் சொல்லாகும். ஜாமீனில் விடுவிக்கபட்டார் என்பதை விட, பிணையத்தில் விடுவிக்கபட்டார் என்பதே நல்ல தமிழ் வாக்கியமாகும் !!

Tamil cine fans may not know  Suresh Gopi starrer ‘Chinthamani Kolacase’ – even those who do not know the movie ‘ellam van seyal’ – would start laughing upon very mention of ‘Vandu Murugan’.  Vadivelu as vatta seyalalar vandu murugan has made deep impact – and the scene of his arguing in the Court – getting convicted alongwith the accused, his team returning to tell that after searching all local markets they could not find ‘ za-meen’ was a rib-tickling comedy.

Zameen is an adopted Tamil word .. .. put simply it is bail !  ..  Bail is written permission from a court, allowing a person charged with a criminal offence to be out of jail while they wait for their trial, or some other result in their case (such as a guilty plea or a withdrawal of their charges).   The Supreme Court recently granted bail to Congress leader P Chidambaram in the INX Media money laundering case lodged by the Enforcement Directorate (ED).  Media reports stated that a three-judge bench comprising Justices R Banumathi, AS Bopanna and Hrishikesh Roy pronounced the verdict.  It was further stated that Supreme Court has restrained P Chidambaram from giving press interviews or making statements with regard to the case. Chidambaram has also been asked to furnish bail bond of ₹2 lakh plus two sureties of same amount. Supreme Court also restrained  that Chidambaram can't travel abroad without the top court's permission. The top court, which observed that economic offences are grave in nature, said "grant of bail is rule and refusal is exception".  ~  .. and is there anything to celebrate a person coming out of jail after 100 days on bail ?

Thousands of miles away, U.S. retailer Rouses Market has set up what is described as the world's largest avocado display at one of its stores in New Orleans. The California-based retail is on Wednesday set up a massive display of around 112,000 avocados at its store on Tchoupitoulas street, according to the company's Facebook post. The company said it was aiming to make a new Guinness World Record.  Avocados ! ~ and why are we reading about them ?

ஆனைக்கொய்யா (பெர்சியா அமெரிக்கனா), வெண்ணெய்ப் பழம் (Butter fruit), பால்டா அல்லது அவகொடா (ஸ்பானிஷ்), வெண்ணெய் பேரி அல்லது முதலைப் பேரி என்றும் அழைக்கப்படுகின்ற ஒரு பூக்கும் தாவரம் ஆகும். இது கரீபியன், மெக்சிகோ, தென்மரிக்கா மற்றும் மத்திய அமெரிக்கா ஆகிய நாடுகளை பிறப்பிடமாகக் கொண்ட ஒரு மரம் ஆகும். "ஆனைக்கொய்யா" என்பது மரத்தின் (தொழில்நுட்பரீதியாக பெரிய விதையைக் கொண்டிருக்கும் பெரிய பெரி) பழத்தையும் குறிக்கின்றது. இவை முட்டைவடிவாக அல்லது கோளவடிவாக காணப்படுகின்றன.

Congress leader P Chidambaram, who had been behind bars since August 21 when he was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in the INX Media corruption case, walked out of the jail on 4.12.19.   The  74-year-old former finance minister after walking out of the jail, paid a visit to the residence of  Ms Sonia Gandhi.  The development came after earlier in the day the Supreme Court granted him bail in the INX Media case saying the claims by the ED that he can tamper with evidence cannot be accepted on "face value" as he is neither in "political power" nor holds any post in the government.  The Court allowing him after 106 days of imprisonment had  barred him  from speaking on the INX Media case.  The BJP has accused Congress leader P Chidambaram of violating bail conditions by claiming to have a very clear record as a minister, and said the case against him was essentially about corruption he was allegedly involved in as the finance minister.

Downunder, some 50 avocado trees were completely gutted by robbers last week on a farm in New Zealand, reports local news Stuff.com. Robbers stripped vineyard and avocado farm owner Hamish Jardine's trees in Hawke's Bay after cutting through a fence. "New Zealand is in full harvest, there's no shortage of avocados at the moment, plenty of seconds around. I can't explain the stupidity and desperation. They've gone to a hell of a lot of trouble for ... I can't even say a profit. The whole situation 'just beggars belief," law enforcement officer Alasdair Macmillan, who responded to the call, was quoted saying. Jardine estimated that each tree held about 50 to 70 avocados.  Regular burglaries have caused New Zealand avocado growers to set up cameras and electric fences. Farmers sometimes even camp in their fields to catch robbers in the night. Stolen fruit is often sold online, at roadside stalls and in smaller supermarkets, say growers. 

Much ado about nothing – about onion eating !  .. .. though media tried portraying in a different light that the FM does not care for the rise in price of onions – a member shouted a Q at FM seeking to know whether she eats ‘Egyptian onions’ – and Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman responded that their family does not eat onion and garlic.  Some tried giving a caste colour to the onion !

~ and the man who had spent 106 days in Tihar jail tried taking a dig at the Finance Minister.   "I thought the Finance Minister said yesterday she does not eat onions, she is not bothered... What does she eat? Does she eat avocado? She does not eat onions," Chidambaram told media.

The avocado (Persea americana), a tree with probable origin in south-central Mexico,  is classified as a member of the flowering plant family Lauraceae. Avocados are commercially valuable and are cultivated in tropical and Mediterranean climates throughout the world. They are now available in super markets touted to be good for ‘diabetes’ and hence selling at a premium. 

Mrs Nirmala Sitharaman not to be outdone responded to PC reminding  him of his own insensitive remark made in 2012. “What was statement given by one of the finance ministers when in 2012 price rise was high…‘When urban middle class can buy a bottle of water for Rs 15 and ice cream for Rs 20, why do they make so much noise about price rise’,”   an year or so ago, he was so out-of-touch that he was shocked that coffee at the airport costs Rs 180/-

Bail is not the end of the case ~ and there could be more to come !

With regards – s. Sampathkumar

6^th Dec 2019.