M. K.

Kanimozhi

M. K. Kanimozhi
Kanimozhi Karunanidhi (Tamil: ) (born 1968 in Chennai), a politician and also a self proclaimed poet and journalist. She is a Member of Parliament, representing Tamil Nadu in the Rajya Sabha (the upper house of India's Parliament).[1] Kanimozhi is the daughter of the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Karunanidhi and one of his many wives, Rajathi Ammal. Kanimozhi belongs to the South Indian Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) political party, where she functions as the chief of the DMKs wing for Art, Literature and Rationalism, and is seen as her father's "literary heir".[2] Her half-brothers M.K. Azhagiri and M. K. Stalin are the Minister of Chemicals and Fertilizers and the Former Deputy Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu respectively. On 20 May 2011 Kanimozhi Karunanidhi was arrested and sent to Tihar Prisons in India after her bail plea was rejected in the 2G spectrum scam case, in which she is alleged to be co-conspirator.[3]

Early life
Before her entry into politics, Kanimozhi was involved in various instances of journalism, such as sub editor for The Hindu, editor in charge of Kungumam (a Tamil weekly magazine belonging to the Sun group), and a features editor for a Singapore based Tamil newspaper called Tamil Murasu.[2] Kanimozhi also claims to have written Tamil poetry and penned 85 tamil film songs .

Interests
Kanimozhi has been known to support Pan Tamil issues, and in particular, Sri Lankan Tamils.[4] Kanimozhi also takes part in organizing various women empowerment programs,[5] and is also interested in the welfare of differently-abled people and transgenders. In 2005, along with Karthi Chidambaram, she founded a portal supporting free speech also has been involved spiritually with an spiritual guide in south India.[6] In 2007, Kanimozhi conceived the idea of the Chennai Sangamam, an annual open Tamil cultural festival, usually held during the Pongal season.

Job Fairs
She also spearheads[7] DMK efforts to organize Job Fairs, under the banner 'Kalaignar 85' across rural Tamil Nadu to facilitate employment opportunities for young people in smaller cities, towns and villages.[2] Begun as a small employment drive to mark the birthday of DMK President Kalaignar Karunanidhi in June 2008 at Kariyapatti (a village in Virudhunagar District) Job Fairs have provided jobs to about 70,000 unemployed(citation required) youth spread across five districts. Places it has been held at include Nagercoil, Vellore, Udhagamandalam, Virudhunagar, Cuddalore, Tiruchirapalli and Tirunelveli. She plans to conduct similar job fairs all over Tamil Nadu.[8]

Literary works
Sigarangalil Uraikiradhu Kaalam[9] Agathinai Paarvaigal Karukum Marudhaani Karuvarai Vaasanai Raaja

M. K. Kanimozhi

Singing career
Kanimozhi has worked on a production titled Silappadikaram based on a Tamil epic of the same name with Bombay Jayashri.[10]

Personal life
Kanimozhi was a student of Presentation Convent, Church Park in Chennai and later did her Masters in Economics in Ethiraj College for Women from the Madras University.[2] She has been married twice; firstly in 1989 to Athiban Bose, a businessman from Sivakasi, and then to G. Aravindaan, a Singapore based Tamil writer, in 1997.[11]

Controversy, Scams and Allegations

2G spectrum controversy
In November 2010 Outlook published transcripts of six conversations between lobbyist Niira Radia and Kanimozhi from May 2009.[12] India Today claims that these conversations reveal that Kanimozhi filtered the information flowing to her father (the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu) and thereby "tipped the scales in favour of" A. Raja, who was Minister of Communications and Information Technology during controversial 2G wireless spectrum allocations in 2008.[13] The New York Times's Delhi correspondent Lydia Polgreen said Raja's rise to telecommunications minister was "emblematic" of how politics in India really work, with the DMK "more closely resembling a sprawling family business empire than a political party," and highlighted Mr. Raja's "close relationship" with Kanimozhi.[14] Raja was arrrested on February 2, 2011 for his alleged role in manipulating rules to allocate favourable spectrum to some telecom companies at throwaway prices.[15] Following the Central Bureau of Investigation's raid on Tamil Maiyam, an NGO of which she is a director,[16] Kanimozhi said the DMK party will come out clean in the CBI probe, stating "The law has to take its own course. It is a process to prove us not guilty."[17] After the February 2nd arrest DMK party members and workers immediately passed a resolution declaring that the arrest doesn't mean Raja is guilty, and claimed opposition parties were targeting him for political purposes.[18] On March 11, 2011, Kanimozhi was questioned by the Central Bureau of Investigation at the DMK headquarters in Chennai, in relation to an apparent flow of over Rs.200 crore from Shahid Balwa's DB Realty firm to Kalaignar TV, the regional Tamil channel in which Kanimozhi is alleged to have a 20 percent stake.[19] The CBI has included Kanimozhi's name in the second chargesheet of the 2G scam[20] in relation to an apparent flow of over Rs.200 crore from Shahid Balwa's DB Realty firm to Kalaignar TV, the regional Tamil channel in which Kanimozhi is alleged to have a 20 percent stake.[19] On May 20, 2011, the special Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in New Delhi ordered the arrest of Kanimozhi along with Kalaignar TV CEO Sharad Kumar after rejecting their bail pleas. Kanimozhi was arrested and sent to Tihar Jail.[21] Acting on the appeal by Kanimozhi after her bail plea was rejected by the CBI Court earlier, the Delhi High Court on June 08, 2011, also followed the suit and rejected the bail pleas of Kanimozhi and Sharad Kumar stating that Kanimozhi may be in a position to influence the 2G probe. This means Kanimozhi will remain in Tihar Jail until further proceedings.[22]

M. K. Kanimozhi

References
[1] "Detailed Profile: Smt. Kanimozhi" (http:/ / india. gov. in/ govt/ rajyasabhampbiodata. php?mpcode=2045). Govt. of India. . Retrieved 20 December 2010. [2] "Kanimozhi: A poetess politician in trouble" (http:/ / www. sify. com/ news/ kanimozhi-a-poetess-politician-in-trouble-news-national-kmpuurfgihj. html). Sify.com. . Retrieved 20 December 2010. [3] "Kanimozhi arrested in 2G scam, sent to Tihar jail" (http:/ / www. webcitation. org/ 5zNuKAj4t). NDTV. 21 May 2011. Archived from the original (http:/ / www. ndtv. com/ article/ india/ 2g-scam-kanimozhi-arrested-sent-to-tihar-jail-107166) on 12 June 2011. . Retrieved 12 June 2011. [4] Kanimozhi the rising daughter in Tamil Nadu? (http:/ / www. dnaindia. com/ report. asp?NewsID=1083461) [5] "Fight against injustice, Kanimozhi tells women" (http:/ / www. hindu. com/ 2007/ 03/ 24/ stories/ 2007032411200400. htm). The Hindu (Chennai, India). March 24, 2007. . Retrieved 20 December 2010. [6] Karuthu (http:/ / www. karuthu. com) [7] V. Mallady, Shastry (November 11, 2008). "Private companies urged to participate in rural job fairs" (http:/ / www. hindu. com/ 2008/ 11/ 11/ stories/ 2008111160510400. htm). The Hindu (Chennai, India). . Retrieved 20 December 2010. [8] DMK job fairs a big draw in rural areas (http:/ / www. hinduonnet. com/ 2008/ 12/ 10/ stories/ 2008121060490700. htm) [9] "Dravidian ideals will remain the central theme: Kanimozhi" (http:/ / beta. thehindu. com/ news/ cities/ Chennai/ article20331. ece). The Hindu (Chennai, India). September 15, 2009. . Retrieved 20 December 2010. [10] Classic in a new idiom (http:/ / www. hinduonnet. com/ thehindu/ thscrip/ print. pl?file=2004033100740100. htm& date=2004/ 03/ 31/ & prd=mp& ) [11] "A Wedding In The Family ....." (http:/ / www. rediff. com/ news/ aug/ 28dmk. htm), Rediff News, , retrieved 2010-12-09 [12] "The Kanimozhi-Radia Tapes" (http:/ / www. outlookindia. com/ article. aspx?268065). OUTLOOKindia.com. November 18, 2010. . Retrieved 2011-02-17. [13] Ashish Khetan (December 17, 2010). "The Radia Tapes: Evidence destroys alibis" (http:/ / indiatoday. intoday. in/ site/ Story/ 123582/ The Big Story/ the-radia-tapes-evidence-destroys-alibis. html). India Today. . Retrieved 2011-02-17. [14] Lydia Polgreen (November 22, 2010). "World view: Unlikely person at the heart of India's graft scandal" (http:/ / www. ndtv. com/ article/ india/ world-view-unlikely-person-at-the-heart-of-indias-graft-scandal-67739). NDTV. . Retrieved 2011-02-17. [15] "2G: Raja Sent to Tihar Jail Under Judicial Custody" (http:/ / news. outlookindia. com/ item. aspx?712186). OUTLOOKindia.com. February 17, 2011. . Retrieved 2011-02-17. [16] Singh, Onkar (15 Dec 2010). "CBI raids Radia, Raja's friends; claims breakthough" (http:/ / www. rediff. com/ news/ slide-show/ slide-show-1-cbi-raids-radia-rajas-friends-claims-breakthough/ 20101215. htm). Rediff.com. . Retrieved 12 June 2011. [17] "2G probe won't hurt ties with Congress: Kanimozhi" (http:/ / economictimes. indiatimes. com/ news/ politics/ nation/ 2g-probe-wont-hurt-ties-with-congress-kanimozhi/ articleshow/ 7112374. cms). The Economic Times. December 16, 2010. . Retrieved 2011-02-17. [18] "2G scam: Raja's arrest doesn't prove he is guilty, says DMK" (http:/ / www. indianexpress. com/ news/ 2g-scam-rajas-arrest-doesnt-prove-he-is-guilty-says-dmk/ 745578/ ). The Indian Express. February 3, 2011. . [19] "2G scam: CBI questions Kanimozhi, Karuna's wife Dayalu Ammal" (http:/ / timesofindia. indiatimes. com/ india/ 2G-scam-CBI-questions-Kanimozhi-Karunas-wife-Dayalu-Ammal/ articleshow/ 7678048. cms). The Times of India. March 11, 2011. . [20] http:/ / www. indianexpress. com/ news/ bojan/ 781412/ [21] The Times Of India. http:/ / economictimes. indiatimes. com/ news/ politics/ nation/ 2g-scam-kanimozhis-bail-plea-rejected-by-cbi-court/ articleshow/ 8463618. cms. [22] "2G scam: Kanimozhi's bail plea rejected by Delhi High Court" (http:/ / economictimes. indiatimes. com/ news/ politics/ nation/ 2g-scam-kanimozhis-bail-plea-rejected-by-delhi-high-court/ articleshow/ 8771770. cms). Economic Times. 8 June 2011. . Retrieved 8 June 2011.

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