Democratic tradition and norms demand that a newly elected government's performance can be adjudged and critically commented upon, only after 100 days of its performance. But to our dismay, the opposition AIADMK and the BJP have started making disparaging statements on the performance of the government within just a month of its taking over reins. This is clearly not in the realm of cultured and mature political behaviour. There is no political morality or ethics in making allegations against a new government that has just taken off and has not even completed 30 days. Now is the time for the opposition parties to play a pro-active role by offering suggestions and advice. But playing such hate-politics even when the new Government is combating this second phase of the pandemic displays a lack of political maturity. The opposition needs to realize that they are being vigilantly watched by the people of the state.

From Tamil Nadu’s civil society's perspective, we have the strong moral responsibility and right to appreciate all the laudable moves of the government taken till now and its posturing and we are always willing at any point of time to point out nay wrong doings by them – but only after they complete their initial 100 days. It is not proper to envisage civil society to merely comprise non-governmental organizations. The fact cannot be denied that in Tamil Nadu civil society they also include all human rights defenders who were part of the serious peaceful struggles that were undertaken to put an end to violations of all kinds and to protect the laws of the land, at all costs in the past decade almost. In particular, the fact that they do not owe allegiance to any political party should be considered as an additional credit to their activities.

The present D.M.K. Government led by Mr. M.K. Stalin owes its victory not merely to its party cadres but this strong civil society that slogged to stall efforts to carry out the different anti-people schemes such as the eight-way national highway, the anti-neutrino protests, the anti- hydrocarbon and methane protests, the anti-Sterlite protests, the anti- CAA protests and the like. The truth cannot be dismissed that trade unions, women's groups, indigenous communities, differently-abled communities, those fighting for the rights of the Tamils,  human right defenders were all involved in this effecting this Constitutional transfer of power and governance through the ballot to this Mr. M.K. Stalin led the Government. Thus its victory is not just due to the electioneering of the DMK party and its alliance cadres.

It would therefore be in the fitness of things to recognize and appreciate the commendable moves that the new government has undertaken within a span of a mere 30 days. We deem it our moral responsibility to draw the attention of the opposition to some of the commendable work they have already done until now. From the time they have taken up reins, they have been combating the corona pandemic on a war-footing.

• An amount of Rs.4000/- has been announced of which Rs 2000/- has already been distributed. Provision packages have also been provided.
• Furthermore, the Government has declared that treatment for Corona can be availed of, in private hospitals under the Governments insurance schemes.
• Diligent efforts are afoot to ensure that there is a steady supply of vaccines, oxygen and life-saving drugs and a boost in the number of beds available in different hospitals so that people do not suffer due to shortage of any of these.
• The families of doctors who lost their lives in their Corona mission have been provided with compensation and so have journalists who have also been included in the list of frontline field workers and have been offered these incentives.
• The Government has further declared that all children who have been orphaned by the corona pandemic will become the responsibility of the State.
•  In order to restore the trust of the people in the Government and to revive their faith in justice, the govt has declared that all cases pertaining to the anti-Sterlite protests (except a few specific ones) would be withdrawn. Members of families who lost their dear ones in the shooting and those wounded have been placed in jobs commensurate to their educational qualification.
• It is highly commendable that the new government has appealed to the central government to withdraw anti-people laws such as the Farmers Laws, NEET, and the National Education Policy.
• Women, transgenders and persons with disabilities will no longer have to pay the fare to travel in the local city buses. Nor will they be expected to carry their ID cards for the purpose.
• The price of Aavin milk has been reduced by Rs. 3 per litre.
• The reputed writer Ki Rajnarayanan has been honoured for his contribution to the Tamil literary realm. This is the first time a writer has been honoured by the govt.
• The govt has announced that in the near future a library named after Late Thiru M. Karunanidhi as "Kalaignar Library" would be set up in Madurai.
• ‘YOUR CHIEF MINISTER IN YOUR CONSTITUENCY’ is a new concept announced by the new government with a separate department having been created for the purpose. This will give an opportunity for the people to take their grievances directly to the Hon’ble Chief Minister.
• The appointment of Mr. Iraiyanbu IAS as the Chief Secretary and other IAS officers known for their integrity such as Mr. Udhayachandran, Dr. Umanath, Mr. Shanmugam and Ms. Anu George is a clear indication of how governance is going to be. The govt's attempt to affirm that the Secretariat is to be purged of corruption has given the citizenry a great feeling of hope. We appreciate this wholesome move of the Hon’ble Chief Minister to also surround himself by such well-meaning and trustworthy officials which will also serve as an insurance against any person in his Government who wants to think and act otherwise

Our solemn request to our Honourable Chief Minister on the occasion of completing your first 30 days is the following.

We would like to remind you of your party's electoral practice of offering training sessions for members of your State Legislative Assembly and Members of Parliament before the elections to equip them on various subjects by inviting experts and representatives of civil society - academicians, environmental activists, human rights activists and specialists in various skills. Under the leadership of Madam Sonia Gandhi, the UPA govt enlisted the assistance of experts in various fields and constituted a National Advisory Committee, popularly known as the NAC to give the government and its Ministries in the Centre periodic advice on different issues. We strongly believe it is the need of the times to set constitutes such a similar STATE ADVISORY COMMITTEE (SAC) with several sub-committees comprising such civil society members to continue to offer their periodic advice and serve as the pulse of Tamil Nadu’s civil society and to offer its valuable recommendations.

We reiterate to the opposition parties in particular the AIADMK and BJP that political culture and maturity requires that you offer your wholesome support to the new government in all its people's endeavours for the first 100 days of its rule and then if need by offer your public criticisms.

- Henri Tiphagne, Executive Director, People’s Watch

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