CHAMELEONS AND TURN COATS OCCUPY BOTH DRAVIDIAN PARTIES

WEED WEEDS OUT: HEED TO ANNA’s LIFE’s MISSION

Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam [DMK] launched in 1949 by Aringnar Anna is now at cross roads. A lady who remained in wilderness when DMK was in power had suddenly pretends to be a lady with a vision who had come as savior of Tamilnadu. Yesterday i.e. 7th July 2011 speaking to media she says the people have already brought DMK down and its end has arrived. Electoral setbacks never bury a party in its catacomb. Many a party in Indian politics that faced defeats has bounced back. DMK is a party with difference. It was embarked upon the ideological plank of cultural nationalism. Its seeds lay hidden in the grammatical principle enunciated by Tholkappiar, 3000 years ago to eschew Sanskrit alphabets from Tamil script. The movement which spearheaded the Tamil language struggle of 1965 failed to translate the dreams of those martyrs who self immolated for the cause of their mother tongue. It was content with neon light boards over government buildings proclaiming long life for Tamil but failed to make Tamil medium of instruction, and for all practical purposes adulterated Tamil, admixture of Tamil and English known as Tamilish was thrust into the minds of Tamils through television channels patronized by DMK.

In every hamlet in thatched sheds a library would come up where uneducated and semi-literate would meet in evenings to read numerous publications of DMK and would debate for hours on every issue of the world. Teashops, cycle hiring shops, hair dressing shops and in the mini-reading rooms named after Anna, Navalar, Perasiriyar etc would become debating platforms on serious subjects like atheism. During emergency though there was not anarchy in Puducherry as in Tamilnadu, for precaution I was hiding in a launderers shop in Bussy Street of Puducherry, and Mathivanan, Chairman of the 15 th ward of DMK branch unit, who is not a teetotaler would explain Vietnam War to the stunned listeners. In fact for many articles I wrote during emergency in official organs of DMK, his witty and informative inputs were stimulants. Gone are the days when every DMK men was strong in debating field with wide knowledge gained through writings of Periyar EVR, Aringnar Anna and many a DMK leader of those days. Aringnar Anna while speaking on behalf of Malaysian DMK declared that DMK’s public meetings are evening colleges of Tamilnadu. Read everyday debate everyday was the unwritten rule of DMK cadres of those days. Educate the people; serve the people, Anna gave the call and students of the day thronged to him to learn on Gresham’s law of Economics while studying in elementary and high schools. Gone are those golden days.

Now DMK and ADMK are led by and fed by business magnates of self financing colleges. Liquor mafia and Land mafia are the office bearers in both these parties. Men may come and men may go but I go on forever, Mathew Arnold wrote as if a river spoke. Parties may come and go but plunderers and profiteers are same tribe. Just change the dress to match the current party’s flag and be well versed in praising those in power, seems to be the principle enunciated by current breed of politicians.

Before 1967 general elections DMK raised funds by selling DMK flag badge for 4 ana, 25 paise was known as 4 ana, and in Cuddalore led by veteran DMK leader Mrs.Sathyavanimuthu I remember having sold such badges to public to raise funds for meeting party’s election expenses. Auditorium meetings where people will buy tickets to hear speakers generated funds. Drama too brought in funds. Through such simple means from public DMK collected election funds and the target was 10 lakhs but Treasurer M.Karunanithi collected more than target and Aringnar Anna in wittingly said Rs 11 lakhs will be the candidate in Saidapet constituency instead of mention Kalaignar by name. Such a party headed by Aringnar Anna now had been brought to shame by Spectrum Raja. Actor S.S.Rajendran’s reminiscences on Anna published as a chapter by International Institute of Tamil Studies recalls how MGR and SSR, then DMK’s leading film stars decided to repay all the debts of Aringnar Anna Founder of DMK when Anna passed away. But Anna’s family was not willing so all the DMK legislators and members of parliament contributed their one month salary which though insufficient to wipe out all debts was accepted by Anna’s family. Later when SSR was producing a film a taxi was hired by his unit which was not in good running condition. SSR thought of dropping that taxi but found it was owned by Anna’s wife to earn for family expenses. On knowing this both MGR and SSR regularly contributed Rs 5000 each to meet the family expenditure of Anna. Later one day Anna’s adopted son[ Anna did not have an issue, his sisters son was adopted son] Dr.Anna Parimalam came to MGR and SSR and told that he had got job and hereafter both actors need not pay regular monthly assistance. What a nobility and honesty, Anna had inculcated in his adopted son. It is well known to all in Tamilnadu, that Anna.Parimalam a medical doctor by profession unable to give himself to money fleecing ultra-modern hospitals of the day committed suicide. This is the history of DMK founder’s family and those who garland his statues as ritual do not know this past. MGR when he floated his own party after Anna’s name, the DMK cadre thought he will emulate Anna’s honest path since in his film songs he had created such a myth about his honesty.

Joining hands with one liquor baron MGR is alleged to have gained in every bottle of India made foreign liquor sales in Tamilnadu and on the day MGR breathed his last, as we have now seen in Sathya Sai Ashram, from MGR’s Sathya Gardens lorry loads of gunny bags full of money was smuggled out by men closer to him who overnight became multi-millionaires of self financing medical and engineering colleges in Tamilnadu. These men even kicked J.Jayalalithaa out of the military vehicle which carried MGR’s body for burial in Marina beach. When I went to meet MGR in his Arcot Mudaliar Street house in Thiagaraya Nagar named after Sir P.T.Thiyagarayar founder of Justice Party, in Chennai a young friend of mine who gave me coffee and informed MGR over intercom about my arrival and who worked as his errand boy is one of the top richest men in Tamilnadu, of course education is his business .Overnight millionaires created by MGR infiltrated into DMK after emergency and thereafter in both the DMK and ADMK men of principles or ideologically firm cadres were shown the exit door.

Same sand mafia, land mafia, liquor mafia, education mafia and chameleons of perfection well versed in the art of gaining confidence of rulers of the day within few hours of poll results are ruling both parties. Both parties’ boast of their strength while in power because they get intoxicated by the pretence of loyalty paraded by these political chameleons and that leads to their downfall. Now it is the turn of the DMK to be at the receiving end and a day which ADMK experienced in past will again re-visit them in future.

So boasts like end of DMK are mere wishful thinking. DMK is not built by those who now enjoy power in DMK. The political businessmen are not the strength of DMK. The cadre which self immolated for DMK is DMK’s strength. They may not sacrifice for Spectrum Raja but they will rebuild DMK from scratch, and like mythological phoenix DMK will raise again if it fights all mythologies and espouses the simplicity and honesty of Anna; of course weeds have to be weeded out. DMK will never meet its end, for whom victory had brought illusions about a party built by Aringnar Anna.

N.Nandhivarman

General Secretary Dravida Peravai

8.7.2011

DRAVIDA PERAVAI WELCOMES THE BIRTH OF TELENGANA STATE

Nandhi Speaks: ON  TELENGANA

Tell me the roots of Telengana movement?

In present day Aurangabad there existed a Yadhava kingdom of Devagiri at the closing times of 13th century. Allaudin Khilji’s General Malick Kafoor launched his war of plunder and looted gold laden horses. The famous Kohinoor diamond fell into his hands. His invasion invited many more invasions. Invader after invader left their imprint and administered shock therapy on the minds of Telengana people. Muhammad bin Tuglak set up his capital there which could be said as foundation stone for Telengana. Though he retreated “a new culture with synthesis of Urdu and Telugu” evolved there.

Actor Kamalhasan spoke Telengana Telugu- Andhra Telugu and Rayalasemma Telugu in one Telugu film. Nizam ruled Telengana Telugu will be mixture of Telugu and Urdu. The British ruled Andhra used Sanskritized Telugu. In Warangal villages for frog they used a word mandooga which in classical Tamil poetry was mandoogam denoting frog. They called dog as kooka and in classical Tamil it was kukkal. The military intervention during the times of Sardar Patel ended Nizam rule and for 7 centuries Telengana which remained backward and built a culture of its own reached the cross roads. Later within a decade parts of Telengana were merged into Karnataka, Maharashtra and Andhra Pradesh. These historical accidents like Yadhava rule plundered by Malick Kaffor and truncated Telengana plundered by Andhra Pradesh had lead to present state where Union Ministers, Members of Parliament and Members of Legislature have to resign and show their solidarity with the people demanding separate Telengana State.

Water-Sharing, Power Sharing and Economic prosperity seems to be ticklish issues that has to be handled with care, what do you opine?

Godavari passes through Telengana but most of the farmer’s suicide had occurred in this region. In the Andhra-Telengana border Srisailam and Nagarjunasagar irrigation projects exist but most of the water and power went to Andhra. Under Bachawat award on Krishna waters, Andhra Pradesh got 811 TMC out of which Telengana’s share was just 100 TMC. Telengana has catchment area of 69 percent and cultivable area in Krishna river basin 71 percent and geographical area plus population is around 42 percent. The proportional sharing of river water was absent that led to current demand for separate state. In Godavari 70 percent of catchment area belongs to Telengana but it was getting only 20 percent share in Godavari waters that AP got.

Leaders climbed the ladder of power but Telengana’s woes remained without redressed. Do you think similar appeasement of agitating leaders will work this time?

To appease people of Telengana, Indian National Congress even gave Prime Minister ship to P.V.Narasimha Rao of Telengana region. M.Channa Reddy, T.Vengala Rao and T.Anjiah were made Chief Minister of AP and even Union Ministers. P.Sivshankar was made Union Minister and later Governor. Currently S.Jaipal Reddy is in Union cabinet. Once even a Deputy Prime Minister K.V.Ranga Reddy was from Telengana. These political offices to leaders temporarily halted the march towards separate state but movement did not die. No to movement had reached a stage where people’s aspirations have to be fulfilled.

Trace the stages of Telengana struggle from pre-colonial times?

The ancestors of Nizam were Vice-roys of Moghul Emperors. After Mughal Empire disintegrated Hyderabad became independent princely state. The action of Sardar Patel brought an end to the Nizam’s rule and Hyderabad was integrated into Indian Union in 1948. After Potti Sriramulu fasted to death in 1952 demanding State for Telugus on linguistic basis, out of Madras Presidency State of Andhra Pradesh was bi-furcated. The first State Re-organization Commission recommended that “we have come to the conclusion it will be in the interests of Andhra as well as Telengana to constitute a separate state, which may be known as State of Hyderabad.” In 1956 States Re-organization Act was passed. Hyderabad and Andhra Pradesh were merged to form single state. After merger there was a gentlemen’s agreement in 1956 that Telengana would not be discriminated.

In 1969 Telengana movement reared its head again. M.Chenna Reddy, key figure of the Telengana Praja Samiti was induced to join Congress and made Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh to take the wind out of sails of the movement. It should be written with great sadness that 350 students were killed in police firing.

In 1978 was in Warangal operating a granite quarry in Lingawarigudam village of Wardhannapet Taluk for my concern Seven Seas Enterprises. I was threatened it is a naxal infected area, but when I shared my food and ate their food and showed equality inculcated in me by Periyar EVR, no naxalite misbehaved with me. They were only against rich land lords who oppressed them for centuries. Nizams who ruled Telengana under their military-feudal system were concerned only with revenue hence landlords were to plunder the poor and pay the Nizam. Caste system at its worst existed there. The washer-men or women had to every day collect cloths from the landlord’s house wash it in the river close to Nandanam, iron it and return to the landlord by evening. No pay for their service. At year end some bags of corn or chilies would be given. Pitying their plight I used to secretly pay them in cash without the land lords knowledge, because I was their tenant. Slavery or bonded labourship it can’t be distinguished in seventies. It is the pent up anger and lack of education of these poorest that triggered a movement to spear head separate state.

Again in 2001 resigning from Telugu Desam party K.Chandrasekar Rao formed the Telengana Rastra Samithi to spear head the demand for separate state. In 2006 he went on a fast to expose the betrayal of the Congress, and in 2011 all legislators and members of parliament from Telengana region have tendered their resignations because after promising in the floor of Loksabha again Congress wanted to enact betrayal with Manmohan Singh’s blessings.

Dravida Peravai expresses solidarity with the people of Telengana and wishes the emergence of new state of Telengana will render them economic justice denied for so many years, and if Mr.Kesava Rao’s television speech where he said more than 600 students sacrificed their lives sent me shock waves within my mind, I do hope all martyrs for the cause of Telengana and their families will be suitably rewarded with victory of their dreams.

N.Nandhivarman

General Secretary Dravida Peravai

5.07.2011