While
speaking at the first public meeting on 18th September, 1949 at Robinson Park
in Royapuram, Chennai, to mark the inauguration of the DMK, founded on the
previous day (17th September), founder-leader of the Party, Arignar Anna
declared that the DMK was started not to oppose Dravidar Kazhagam. ‘In fact, the
objectives remained the same for both the parties and only difference was the
methodology.’ The DMK, Anna said, ‘was founded on the same path of principles
and formed upon the basic principles of the DK. There was no clash nor change
in basic principles and views. The concepts of the DMK were the principles of
reform in social and economic sectors, egalitarian objective etc. The DMK would
continue to strive for liberating the poor and downtrodden, to pave way for the
living of those who had no means of living, to eradicate poverty, to end social
atrocities and establish a classless and casteless society, for which the DK
had all along been striving. Anna also said, “We will not rest until we defeat
orthodoxy, conservatism and fascism. We will see the fruits of our labour. Then
a stage will come when Periyar himself will feel happy that after all the boys
are performing the job for which the movement was founded.”
Anna
and others who founded the Party believed that participating in politics, getting
representations in legislatures etc., would facilitate the ideals of the
Dravidian movement to be carried to wider sections of people and masses
mobilized for achieving the objectives; and if elected to power those lofty
ideals could be realized in the society. Time and again Anna declared that
Thanthai Periyar was the only leader he saw and submitted to (f©lJ«, bfh©lJ«) and
that the DMK and DK would function like a double-barreled gun aimed at the same
objective. Hence the DMK, unlike of other political parties, is of a different
genre, a socio-political movement, pertaining to a combination of social and
political goals. The DMK can be described as the political inheritor of the
social ideals and objectives of the Dravidian movement – rationalism, self-respect,
social justice, upliftment of the subaltern
sections and creation of a class-less and caste-less egalitarian society,
safeguarding and developing Tamil against Hindi imposition, women’s
emancipation etc. In all their speeches, writings, stories and dialogues and
lyrics for dramas and films, Anna, Kalaignar and a host of DMK stalwarts
assiduously propagated the ideals of the social reform and rationalism in a
manner acceptable to the mass of people.
The
very first acts of Anna during the short period of his tenure as Chief Minister
of the State after the DMK assumed power in 1967, such as renaming of the State
as Tamil Nadu, two-language formula with only Tamil and English dispensing with
the study of Hindi, legislation to accord legal recognition to self-respect
marriages, and presenting gold medals to inter-caste marriage couples, were
measures to give effect to the principles for which the Dravidian movement was
striving all along.
During
every tenure of his Chief Ministership, Kalaignar introduced and implemented
various social welfare measures and schemes which were in fulfillment of the
principles of the Dravidian movement. The legislation made for facilitating
persons of all castes to become Archakas (priests) in temples is a landmark
measure in the annals of Tamil Nadu history. Similarly Equal Property Rights
for Women Act, 100% reservation in jobs for women in the appointment of
teachers in primary schools, 33% reservation for women in employment in State
government offices and in local bodies, and widow remarriage scheme, were
radical measures aimed at social emancipation of women and various welfare
measures such as Financial assistance for marriage of poor girls, Dr. Muthulakshmi
Reddy memorial maternity benefit scheme, monthly financial assistance for
widows and single women of over 50 years of age, women’s self-help groups etc.,
go a long way in their economic independence and empowerment. The human rights
of transgenders, the most fulminated and segregated section in the society have
been recognized for the first time in the country and accorded social status. The
DMK succeeded in taking the concept of social justice and reservation for OBCs
to the national agenda and the UPA government has adopted them in the Common
Minimum Programme and implementing measures. Kalaignar added glory to Mother
Tamil by getting classical language status for our language – all in
fulfillment of the principles of the Dravidian movement.
Underlining
the absolutely essential aspects of a socio-political movement like DMK, Anna
told his dear brothers, “Go to the people. Live among them. Learn from them. Love
them. Serve them. Plan with them. Start with what they know. Build on what they
have” stressing on the importance of totally identifying with the people, who
look upon the functionaries and cadre of the DMK as of different mould from
other politicians. “The Party does not fear criticism because the truth is on
our side and the masses, the workers and farmers are on our side.”
Conscientious practice of self-criticism is still another hallmark
distinguishing the DMK from other political parties. As we say, dust will
accumulate if a room is not cleared regularly, our faces will become dirty if
they are not washed regularly. Our minds and work may also collect dust, and
also need sweeping and washing. To check up regularly on our work and in the
process develop a democratic style of work, to fear neither criticism nor self-criticism,
and to apply such good popular maxims as “Say all you know and say it without
resolve”, “Blame not the speaker but be warned of his words” and “Correct
mistakes if you have committed them and guard against them if you have not” –
this is the only effective way to prevent all kinds of ideological dust and
germs from contaminating the minds of Party cadre and the body of the Party.
It is
in this context that the speeches and exhortations made by Kalaignar at three
different marriage functions in the last two weeks acquire significance. Traditionally
such occasions were issued by the stalwarts of the Dravidian movement to
emanate rationalist and self-respect messages and decry obscurantist practices.
In
one function, expressing his agony over the present generations gradually
losing the fervour with which their predecessors in the movement loved Tamil
and zealously worked to preserve and promote it, Kalaignar said he named his
sons, daughters and grandchildren in Tamil because of his love for it. Kalaignar
rued that the subsequent generations had pushed the importance of language
aside. Taking rightful liberty, Kalaignar changed the name of bridegroom and
gave a Tamil name.
Marriages
have for long remained a bastion of casteism, as even otherwise progressive
people cleave to their caste identity when it comes to getting their children
married. Such attachment to caste came in for sharp denunciation from Kalaignar,
a long-time proponent of marriages that breach the caste barrier.
Using a relative’s wedding as a platform to
promote love marriages, especially ones that repudiate the notion of caste, the
DMK President appealed to the people to support and encourage inter-caste
marriage to bring about a caste-free society.
Presiding
over the wedding of his daughter-in-law’s nephew, an inter-caste love marriage,
Kalaignar lamented that such marriages remained rare and were more the subject
of rhetoric than in the spirit of the ideals of Thanthai Periyar and Arignar
Anna.
“Many
leaders have commended the family for this inter-caste marriage. I want to ask
them whether they followed the principle in their own lives,” he said and
regretted that many who advocated a caste-free society from platforms became
acutely conscious of their own caste when they searched for a bride or a groom
for their children. “This tendency has to be routed out,” he said, and wished
that there would be more love marriages in society.
“Often,
we gather at a hall as Tamils, but when we disperse, we go back as Chettiars, Mudaliars
and Pillais. This is the extent to which caste has a hold on our society,” the
Chief Minister said. Incidentally, inter-caste marriages are very common in
Kalaignar’s family as many of his children and grand-children have married
outside their caste.
Besides
extolling the virtues of rising above the caste divide, Kalaignar also praised
love marriage, terming it a wise thing that anyone can do in one’s life.
“There
is a view that love itself is a stupid thing, and that falling in love is a
foolish act, but I don’t agree. I hope the newly-wed couple would prove that
far from being foolish, they have done the ultimate act of wisdom,” he said. He
exhorted party cadre to remember the campaign of Periyar and Anna for a society
devoid of the caste system and follow it in letter and spirit.
In
yet another marriage function, Kalaignar came down heavily on those promoting
casteism and even hauled up one of his ministers for flaunting his caste-identity.
He urged the people to shun cast feelings and rise above all differences and
stand united as Tamils. ‘I cannot look at people based on their caste or creed.
For me, everyone is a Tamil and that feeling should bind us together. We belong
to one religion called Tamil and that feeling should command respect in the
country. Recalling the rich legacy of the Dravidian movement, he said ‘we have
been striving to create a classless and casteless society and it should be
achieved gradually. The casteist feeling will threaten harmony in the society, belittle
its status and also prevent progress.
While
it is true that it will take a pretty long time to eradicate altogether the
centuries-old scourge of casteism from the society at large, the functionaries
and cadre of the Dravidian movement are expected to be vanguards of the
struggle against it and free from such philistine mindset.
Unlike
many other leaders who advocate lofty causes from platforms but do not practice
them in their own lives, Kalaignar, as the leader of the socio-political
movement – the DMK, has set an example of himself while exhorting his followers
to uphold the cherished ideals of the movement and practice them in their
personal lives.
(31-01-10)
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