Culture debate dominates Pondicherry elections

As Pondicherry voted in the final phase of Assembly elections, the contrast with the neighbouring Tamil Nadu was obvious. While political parties in Tamil Nadu have fought a very public battle for power, Pondicherry's election has been a debate on the question of culture rather than politics.

Politically, everyone realises that the Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) front led by the Congress is likely to win in the Union Territory. But culturally, the question of how much Tamil Nadu should be allowed into the former French colony is on everyone's agenda.

It all began when a hotel called Mass arranged what it called an authentic French cabaret on its premises. Live acts are common in many hotels and restaurants here.

The only problem was that the hotel belonged to a Congress MLA, Dr MA Subramaniam, and it was election season. His rival at the hustings, Pondicherry Munnetra Congress leader P Kannan, who has allied with the rival AIADMK, quickly termed the cabaret a striptease.

Whether the now discontinued entertainment was a cabaret or a striptease has become largely irrelevant. It has now turned into a question of how much Tamil Nadu-inspired moral policing will be tolerated. According to the general secretary of the Pradesh Congress Committee, Gandhi Raja, the cabaret was justified as "the restaurant had permission to organise cultural items."

"What is immoral in Tamil Nadu has always been different for Pondicherry. We have always been different. We have had French rule while TN has had Britons. We have a uniform civil code, a spiritual centre and less caste-based politics," he said.

The cabaret, according to him, is therefore just one in a long continuum of that. "In fact, for years, our liquor business has flourished because Tamil Nadu had prohibition," he added.

The Union Territory, in fact, is miles ahead of Tamil Nadu even in the freebies it provides its citizens: Students get free breakfast and free sandals to go to school while below poverty line families get free medical check-up. Now, Chief Minister N Rangasamy has promised free rice to all ration card holders.

Pondicherry has at least three major hospitals and seven engineering colleges. "We are a Congress government with Congress rule at the Centre, we can provide the free rice," explains Raja.

Kannan, though, is unrepentant. "You cannot hold French rule responsible for immoral acts now," he says.

The cabaret has since been discontinued but is likely to start again if the MLA wins.