Tamil Nadu in 2013 - a rewind

 The major events in Tamil Nadu during 2013:

v    Failure by political parties and organisations to force the UPA government to boycott Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) on Sri Lankan Tamils issue

v    Acquittal of two Kanchi seers in a murder case

v    Gazetting of Cauvery Tribunal award and

v    End of decade-long alliance between DMK and Congress

v World Chess Championship 2013 in Chennai dethroned India’s Vishwanathan Anand

v    Frequent transfer of IAS / IPS officers

v    Hide and Seek game of Tamil Nadu Cabinet

v    People of TN adjusted to live with power cuts

It turned out to be a celebratory occasion for the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government when its Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa snapped up a major victory on the vexed Cauvery water sharing issue when the Centre notified the tribunal order in the Gazette in February, giving the water adjudication award a legal sanctity and paving way for its implementation.

The caste clashes at Marakkanam, murder of Sangh Parivar leaders including BJP General Secretary 'Auditor' V Ramesh and the successful hunt by police of three terror suspects were other highlights of the year.

Sri Lankan Tamils issue dominated Tamil Nadu politics in 2013

The political fissures that broke out between DMK and Congress after the 2G scam reached the door steps of Karunanidhi's daughter, escalated and culminated in calling off its alliance during March.

Despite snapping its long political alliance with Congress, DMK patriarch M Karunandihi brought to fore his political acumen and managed to get his former ally to vote for his daughter Kanimozhi, one of the accused in the 2G spectrum scam, to ensure her a second term in Rajya Sabha.

The year also witnessed the emergence of a new world chess champion when Norway's Magnus Carlsen dethroned five time champion Vishwanathan Anand from India in November.

Boasting of a series of pro-Tamil measures since taking over in 2011, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa cancelled the Asian Athletics Championships scheduled to be held in Chennai in July, saying Lankan players have no place in the state, scoring a point over her political rivals who have been trying to cash in on the issue.

She had also moved a resolution in the state Assembly during the budget session, asking New Delhi to stop treating Sri Lanka as a friendly nation and push for a UN referendum on separate homeland for Lankan Tamils, the Eelam.

Arrests of Indian fishermen by Sri lankan navy continued in 2013, with Chief Minister Jayalalithaa repeatedly taking up the matter with Centre while slamming its "week-kneed approach".

The detaining of a US firm owned ship MV Seaman Guard Ohio on October 12 off the Tuticorin port for transgressing into Indian territorial waters and illegally carrying arms witnessed a controversy with the owners of the ship contesting Indian coast guard claims initially and later submitting to the laws of the land. Thirty-five crew members of the detained ship have been in judicial custody.

Jayalalithaa, whose government sponsored Rs. 26 crore for the conduct of World Chess Championship, also launched "Amma Mineral Water", for the benefit of poor, to enable them to have access to quality drinking water for Rs. 10 per bottle, which won appreciation from all quarters.

People of Tamil Nadu celebrated the Centenary of Indian Cinema during September, but it turned out to be a lackluster event with some big wigs of the tinsel world not showing up.

The power starved Tamil Nadu got a minor breather when the first unit of the Kudankulam Nuclear Power plant turned critical and began producing about 400 MWe.

Pro-Poor welfare measures such as Amma Canteen, Amma Mineral water are all started by ruling government. This was got severe criticism by economists but people generally welcomed the move. On this line, soon Amma Medical shop is yet to come.

Fishermen killing or arresting by Lankan (backed by India) is almost all the month happened events in the State.

The decades old newspaper The Hindu started its edition in Tamil. But the Tamil edition of newspaper is not much standard to those of the English edition.

Vishwaroopam and Thalaivaa film issues made some remarks against the ruling government.

Mini buses (of course with “two leaves” symbol) started to ply in the suburbs of Chennai. People welcomed the buses by giving sweets and bursting crackers.

Meter in Chennai autos turned to reality after Supreme Court imposed fine on Tamil Nadu government for not obeying the rule and also not given any extra time. Some auto drivers slammed and some welcomed the move. But still meter in Chennai autos is a big question mark.