DMK IS MY RELIGION : DRAVIDA PERAVAI IS MY PARTY : 2010

Our Long March in Anna's footsteps..

The first step in our march to sow the seeds of Tamil renaissance begins with saluting Aringnar Anna, founder of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. DMK is not a mere political movement. It marks the turning point in Tamil history during the life time of Aringnar Anna. Later it lost its glory, is another story.

1967 remains a watershed year when the Indian ruling party Indian National Congress lost power in many Indian states. In Bengal, the Bangla Congress led by Ajoy Mukerjee unseated Congress from citadel of power, but in that exercise permitted a Trojan horse to be in cabinet. That Trojan horse brought out the downfall of Bangla Congress and captured power, to occupy seats of power till date. Yes, the Communist Party of India [Marxist] led by Comrade Jyothi Basu, thus punctured the rising Bengali nationalism.

In East Pakistan few years’ later, Bengali nationalism reared its head under the leadership of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, who successfully founded a separate nation called Bangladesh. Of course India supported the inception of Bangladesh not out of love for Bengali nationalism, but to break Pakistan to take revenge for its partition of India.

In Tamilnadu, DMK nurtured Tamil nationalism and captured power in 1967 dethroning Congress, but Aringnar Anna, the crusader lived for hardly two years to accomplish all his dreams.

His successor compromised the anti-congress stance of DMK and aligned with Congress to reap electoral dividends close on the heels of Bangladesh war. But Congress engineered a split in the DMK thereby establishing its presence in Tamilnadu adopting the divide and rule tactics enunciated by the British. The rootless party sits on the shoulders of one or other splinter and thrives here. This fact is yet to open the eyes of the warring parties in Tamilnadu. Politics apart, the rationalism got diluted by Mr.Marudur Gopalamenon Ramachandran, an actor who hijacked the rationalist movement to pass the legacy to the sworn enemies of the very ideology on which the movement is built.

Dravidian Movement the first of its kind in Tamil history to spread rationalism and Tamil togetherness amongst Tamils across continents and countries originated in India but took its roots in Ceylon, Singapore and Malaysia. Wherever a Tamil went he took with him the ideals of Periyar EVR and Aringnar Anna.

The social reform movement almost brought Tamils together making them sink the caste and religious divide. After Aringnar Anna's demise, a drift to retain power for temporary gains took place with Dravidian movement being hijacked by money minded political aspirants who sacrificed everything at the altar of politics of power. Then the splits based on ego clashes further weakened its base. The vacuum is there with all caste based unprincipled politicians trying to grab space and cinema actors entering the fray to cash in on their screen charisma.

Devoid of ideology and drifting from the clean politics of Anna's days all those who want to make hay while it shines are trying to take Tamil Nadu back to divisive and irrational grounds which will wipe out the gains of a century old movement.

If 12 disciples of Jesus Christ could build a world religion, why not Anna's million brothers achieve global Tamil unity? Anna's death brought teeming millions to the sands of Marina beach at Chennai. Time had come for retrieving and regaining the spirit of the Dravidian Movement.

We are neither after power nor for comforts or benefits in life. With handful as torch bearers, sorry as candle bearers, we will try to keep the flame alive. We will uphold Anna's legacy at all costs laying our lives.

N.Nandhivarman, General Secretary, Dravida Peravai.