As rightly pointed out by Kalaignar, external forces instigated a handful of misguided lawyers to create disturbance at the function in Madras High Court premises on April 25 in which the statue of the founder of the Constitution Dr. B.R.Ambedkar was unveiled. No sober lawyer would create any skirmish in the presence of Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Chief Justice of Madras High Court and a host of judges, leave alone Union Law Minister. No sane lawyer would demand the Chief Minister to do something overruling a court stay order. Kalaignar has asked everyone to forget the incident and show people a good path.
However the incident has once again brought out the parallels between Thanthai Periyar and Kalaignar. Both were men of strong will and were bold enough to face any adverse situation. There were no difference between their principles and practice. They said what they mean and meant what they said. Like Periyar, Kalaignar entertained both bouquets and brickbats alike.
No other leader before Periyar would have face all but hurdles, insults, abuses, assaults, slanders, ill-treatment etc., Chappels were thrown out at him when he traveled and stones pelted at his meetings. But nothing deterred or impeded his spirit but made him more and more determined. For he had taken up the task of removing prevailing social evils and reform the society, wake up Tamil race and impart self-respect to the backward castes and oppressed sections, break the hegemony of caste hierarchy and emancipate women. If young men and women of backward and most backward castes who are IT professionals today and walk with pride, seriously think over as to whom they should be grateful for the social status, they will realize it is Periyar. But for the great leader they or their parents would have still remained uneducated slaves. But all through his 95 years of life, Periyar never expected gratitude from anyone because he had taught them to live with self-respect. In his public meetings, invariably he could be seen seriously reading or writing something till his turn to speak came, unmindful of the accolades paid to him by the speakers. That was Periyar!
People of Tamil Nadu had not realized his relevance then. In the height of India-China relations in 1950s, a delegation of Indian MPs visited China. Veteran Communist Party leader KTK Thangamani was part of the delegation. On their return, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru hosted them a dinner. During informal discussion, Nehru asked them as to which of the leader, India would fondly think of after hundred years. Everyone suggested some name and even KTK said it would be Mahatma Gandhi. Nehru rejected all and pointing to KTK told him, “It is that man from your State EVR (Periyar).” A surprised KTK recorded this conversation in an interview to Tamil daily ‘Dinamani’ then itself and recollected the incident again in 1995 in another interview.
Now Kalaignar had explained in the State Assembly as to how he had been facing such adverse situations since he was 14 years old. Even when stones or slippers were thrown and snakes let loose in his meetings he was not cowed down and continued his speech. The political opponents of the DMK perceived Kalaignar to be the most menacing threat and pointedly concentrated their attack - verbal as well as physical - on him. But in his inimitable style Kalaignar turned the table against them, of course bearing the brunt of physical attacks.
In his more than 50 years life in the Assembly, there were several instances of his making light of severe attacks with his sense of humour sending the House into peels of laughter. When some Opposition members abuse him using unpalatable epithets provoking DMK members to rise in protest, Kalaignar used to calm them down and gave some humorous twist by punning upon words, turning the accuser feel ashamed.
But Kalaignar bore no ill-will for anybody and was never vindictive. In the way Tiruvalluvar said,
"இன்னா செய்தாரை ஒறுத்தல் அவர்நாண
நன்னயம் செய்து விடல்"
(The best punishment of harm is to put the doer in pain of shame in good turns)
Almost all dailies and periodicals are bitter and venomous critics of Kalaignar and his government. But in these four years no vindictive action was taken against any, whereas in her five year regime earlier, Jayalalitha filed more than 100 criminal cases against dailies and periodicals and journalists. She directed police to enter the office the ‘The Hindu’ and search for two senior journalists. Their residences were also raided. The editor and publisher of a Tamil journal was arrested and lodged in jail under POTA for near 18 months.
But Kalaignar had been extending a helping hand to journals in distress. He had helped resolving disputes among the family members of leading dailies and found out amicable solution. Because of his magnanimity he never revealed whom he helped or sought any cheap publicity. Popular Tamil writer and ‘Gnanapeedam’ winner Jayakanthan was all along a very harsh and bitter critic of the DMK, Anna and Kalaignar. But when Kalaignar came to know that the writer in his advanced age is seriously ill and in financial crisis, he got him (Jayakanthan) admitted in Apollo hospitals and ensured that best treatment was given to him, thus giving him a fresh lease of life.
He is neither too very enamoured by accolades nor dejected and dispirited by scathing criticisms. That is Kalaignar!
(02-05-10)
However the incident has once again brought out the parallels between Thanthai Periyar and Kalaignar. Both were men of strong will and were bold enough to face any adverse situation. There were no difference between their principles and practice. They said what they mean and meant what they said. Like Periyar, Kalaignar entertained both bouquets and brickbats alike.
No other leader before Periyar would have face all but hurdles, insults, abuses, assaults, slanders, ill-treatment etc., Chappels were thrown out at him when he traveled and stones pelted at his meetings. But nothing deterred or impeded his spirit but made him more and more determined. For he had taken up the task of removing prevailing social evils and reform the society, wake up Tamil race and impart self-respect to the backward castes and oppressed sections, break the hegemony of caste hierarchy and emancipate women. If young men and women of backward and most backward castes who are IT professionals today and walk with pride, seriously think over as to whom they should be grateful for the social status, they will realize it is Periyar. But for the great leader they or their parents would have still remained uneducated slaves. But all through his 95 years of life, Periyar never expected gratitude from anyone because he had taught them to live with self-respect. In his public meetings, invariably he could be seen seriously reading or writing something till his turn to speak came, unmindful of the accolades paid to him by the speakers. That was Periyar!
People of Tamil Nadu had not realized his relevance then. In the height of India-China relations in 1950s, a delegation of Indian MPs visited China. Veteran Communist Party leader KTK Thangamani was part of the delegation. On their return, the then Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru hosted them a dinner. During informal discussion, Nehru asked them as to which of the leader, India would fondly think of after hundred years. Everyone suggested some name and even KTK said it would be Mahatma Gandhi. Nehru rejected all and pointing to KTK told him, “It is that man from your State EVR (Periyar).” A surprised KTK recorded this conversation in an interview to Tamil daily ‘Dinamani’ then itself and recollected the incident again in 1995 in another interview.
Now Kalaignar had explained in the State Assembly as to how he had been facing such adverse situations since he was 14 years old. Even when stones or slippers were thrown and snakes let loose in his meetings he was not cowed down and continued his speech. The political opponents of the DMK perceived Kalaignar to be the most menacing threat and pointedly concentrated their attack - verbal as well as physical - on him. But in his inimitable style Kalaignar turned the table against them, of course bearing the brunt of physical attacks.
In his more than 50 years life in the Assembly, there were several instances of his making light of severe attacks with his sense of humour sending the House into peels of laughter. When some Opposition members abuse him using unpalatable epithets provoking DMK members to rise in protest, Kalaignar used to calm them down and gave some humorous twist by punning upon words, turning the accuser feel ashamed.
But Kalaignar bore no ill-will for anybody and was never vindictive. In the way Tiruvalluvar said,
"இன்னா செய்தாரை ஒறுத்தல் அவர்நாண
நன்னயம் செய்து விடல்"
(The best punishment of harm is to put the doer in pain of shame in good turns)
Almost all dailies and periodicals are bitter and venomous critics of Kalaignar and his government. But in these four years no vindictive action was taken against any, whereas in her five year regime earlier, Jayalalitha filed more than 100 criminal cases against dailies and periodicals and journalists. She directed police to enter the office the ‘The Hindu’ and search for two senior journalists. Their residences were also raided. The editor and publisher of a Tamil journal was arrested and lodged in jail under POTA for near 18 months.
But Kalaignar had been extending a helping hand to journals in distress. He had helped resolving disputes among the family members of leading dailies and found out amicable solution. Because of his magnanimity he never revealed whom he helped or sought any cheap publicity. Popular Tamil writer and ‘Gnanapeedam’ winner Jayakanthan was all along a very harsh and bitter critic of the DMK, Anna and Kalaignar. But when Kalaignar came to know that the writer in his advanced age is seriously ill and in financial crisis, he got him (Jayakanthan) admitted in Apollo hospitals and ensured that best treatment was given to him, thus giving him a fresh lease of life.
He is neither too very enamoured by accolades nor dejected and dispirited by scathing criticisms. That is Kalaignar!
(02-05-10)
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