AN ERA WITNESSING THE DECLINE OF DRAVIDAR KAZHAGAM The other day we were having a talk on the present situation in Tamilnadu. End of the day, my ponderance was on the origin of Dravidar Kazhagam movement and the history of Politics in Tamilnadu. After a study on the thoughtful aspect, I summed up to write an article under the head “An era witnessing the Decline of Dravidar Kazhagam” both By PRINCIPLES AND OBJECTIVES. HISTORICAL ANALYSIS: In the year 1653, during the British rule in India, “Madras Presidency” was established as the Head Quarters of the British -Rule in India, comprising of the following regions: i. The present day- Tamil Nadu, ii.The Malabar Region of North Kerala, iii.The coastal and Rayalseema regions of Andhra Pradesh, iv.The Bellary, Dakshina Kannada, and Udupi Districts of Karnataka South Indian languages are classified as Dravidian and Dravidian Politics derived its source by associating itself with Dravidian Community. The principle factor for the rise of Dravidian Politics was because of the antipathy towards Sanskrit and the animosity towards a particular community. The prime ideology was to achieve SOCIAL EQUALITY, but subsequently deviated to the cause of ending the domination of North India in Politics and Economy. Iyothee Thass or Pandit C. Ayodhya Dasa was the pioneer of the Dravidian Movement more to say an Anti – Casteist leader. He founded the “Dravida Mahajana Sabha” in 1891 for bringing together the lower caste Dravidians. C.Natesa Mudaliar founded the “The Madras United League” in the year 1912 and its objective to improve the literacy of non – Brahmins. This Party was subsequently renamed as “The Madras Dravidian Association”. In November 1916 a non – Brahmin Conference was held under the chairmanship of Raja of Panagal (Panagant Ramarajaningar) were by the four important non – brahmin Organizations in the Presidency merged to form the “The South Indian Liberal Federation”, (SILF) more popularly known as “The Justice Party” in 1917. This Party was led by Sir Pitti Theagaroya Chetty, Dr T.M. Nair (Taravath Madhavan Nair) and Natesa Mudaliar along with others. During this tenure the issue of Buckingham and Carnatic Mills strike of 1921, organized by Thiruvarur Virudhachala Mudaliar Kalyanasundara Mudaliar (Thiru Vi Ka) was put to an end. It was an era witnessing India’s first Labour Union, the Madras Labour Union (MLU) being formed at Buckingham and Carnatic Mills by B.P.Wadia and V.Kalyansundaram. Buckingham Mill (1876) and Carnatic Mills (1881) established by the then biggest enterprises M/s Binny & Co were subsequently merged together in 1920. The Government of India Act was enacted in the year 1919, and the first legislature in India was formed in the year 1920, after the first general elections in India. At the end of November 1920, the first General Elections were held to the Madras Legislative Assembly as per the Montford Reforms. The Indian Natonal Congress during the Non – Cooperation Movement as a part of its policy, boycotted the elections. As a result, the Justice Party swept to power winning 63 of the 98 Assembly seats. Periyar E.V.Ramasamy started the “Self Respect Movement” in the year 1925. This movement was influenced by Leninist Socialism, Atheism and Bertrand Russell’s inspired Rationalism. In the words of E.V.R: “We are fit to think of ‘SELF – RESPECT’ only when the notion of ‘SUPERIOR’ and ‘INFERIOR’ caste is banished from our lands.” Periyar’s ideology differed from Gandhi’s vision of freedom and Nehru’s concept of independence as it did not contain according to him an iota of INDIVIDUAL SELF RESPECT. He called his movement as Arivu Vidutalai Iyakkam and its protection as a birthright and not swaraj. The first Self – Respect Conference was held in 1929. OBJECTIVES OF SELF – RESPECT MOVEMENT: a. Equality with stress on economic and social equality formed the central theme of the Self Respect Movement. b. Major Sociological changes introduced: Marriages were conducted without being officiated by a Brahmin Priest. Thaali/Mangalsutra was optional in marriages (Thaali was not a concept nor referred to in Sangam Literature) Encouraged Widow remarriage Agaram Subbarayalu Reddiar became the First Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. A Lawyer by profession and his tenure was from 17.12.1920 to 11.07.1921 Objectives of the Justice Party were: i.Ending Religious Beliefs ii.Ending caste distinction iii.Empowerment of women iv.Ending Brahmin dominance in educational institutions and Government v.Ending Northern domination of the Politics and economy of Tamil Nadu vi.Opposition to Hindi as India’s Official language vii.Independent Dravida Nadu viii.State Autonomy and Social Justice through reservation for the under privileged in education and employment. ix.Temples under State Control The Justice Party governed for 17 years untill 1937 when they lost to the Indian National Congress Party. The Chief Ministers under the Justice Party were as follows: a.Thiru Agaram Subbarayalu 17.12.1920 to 11.07.1921 b.Thiru Panagal Raja 11.07.1921 to 03.12.1926 c.Dr P. Subbarayan 04.12.1926 to 27.10.1930 d.Thiru P. Munuswamy Naidu 27.10.1930 to 04.11.1932 e.Thiru Ramakrishna Ranga Rao 05.11.1932 to 04.04.1936 Raja of Bobbili f.Thiru P.T.Rajan 04.04.1936 to 24.08.1936 g.Thiru Ramakrishna Ranga Rao 24.08.1936 to 01.04.1937 The Justice Party governed for 17 years untill 1937 when they lost to the Indian National Congress Party. Thiru Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu became the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency under the Interim Provisional Ministry for a period from 01.04.1937 to 14.07.1937. Chief Ministers under the Indian National Congress: Thiru C. Rajagopalachari 14.07.1937 to 29.10.1939. Thiru Tanguturi Prakasam 30.04.1946 to 23.03.1947 Thiru O.P.Ramaswamy Reddiyar 23.03.1947 to 06.04.1949 Thiru P.S.Kumaraswamy Raja 06.04.1949 to 09.04.1952 Thiru C.Rajagopalachari 10.04.1952 to 13.04.1954 Thiru K.Kamaraj 13.04.1954 to 02.10.1963 Thiru M.Bakthavatsalam 02.10.1963 to 06.03.1967 BIRTH OF DRAVIDAR KAZHAGAM: Struggle for Social justice created the social base for the emergence of Dravidian Movement. The roots of Dravidar Kazhagam le n the Self Respect Movement and Justice Party. The two entities were merged in 1938 under Periyar’s leadership. The name was changed to Dravidar Kazhagam in 1944. From 29th October 1939 to 30th April 1946, the Madras State was under the Governor’s Rule. REASONS FOR EMERGENCE OF DRAVIDA MUNNETRA KAZHAGAM: In 1947 Periyar boycotted the celebration of Indian independence as this would mean according to him replacement of British dominance with Brahmin and North Indian (Aryans) dominance and called 15th August 1947, a day of mourning. On 9th July 1948 Periyar married woman 40 years his junior. These moves were opposed by other leaders within the party. In 1949 C.N.Annadurai split and formed the DRAVIDA MUNNETRA KAZHAGAM. He declared DMK as genuinely COMMUNIST by principle. After India became a Republic on 26th January 1950, the Madras State was created comprising of the following regions: i.Present-day Tamil Nadu and ii.Parts of present-day Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala. The Madras State was split up under the reorganization of States and the following linguistic-States were formed between the years 1953 and 1960 leaving behind a predominantly Tamil Madras State: i.Kerala (Malayalam) ii.Andhra Pradesh (Telugu) and iii.Mysore -the present Karnataka (Kannadam) In 1957 Periyar withdrew Dravida Kazhagam from Parliamentary politics in order to avoid compromising in PRINCIPLES. THE PREDOMINANT ISSUE AT THAT TIME: THE ISSUE OF INDEPENDENT DRAVIDA NADU a.C.N.Annadurai and E.V.K.Sampath tried pursuing their objects through Parliamentary Election Processes. Annadurai changed their call for an independent Dravida Nadu for Dravidians to an Independent Tamil Nadu for Tamils. The Sino – Indian war brought about changes in the Indian Constitution. The 16th Amendment (known as Ant – Secessionist Amendment) banned any party with Sectarian principles from contesting elections. Hence DMK decided to keep silent on the issue of separate Dravida Nadu. b.The Madras Anti – Hindi agitation in 1965 compelled the Central Government in India to change its language policy, allowing English to continue as an official language. This protest uplifted DMK to poltical power and instrumental n winning the 1967 Legislative Elections. Social Reforms and State Acts implemented by the then DMK: Tamil Nadu became the first and only State to legalize Hindu marriages. This was the first file signed by Annadurai as CM. The Hindu Marriage Act (Madras Amendment) Act, 1967, introducing Section 7A, permitting Suyamariyathai (Self - Respect) and Seerthirutha (Reformist) Marriages as legal when solemnized in the presence of friends, relatives or anyother person by exchanging garlands or rings or tying of a mangalsutra or by a declaration in language understood by both parties that they accept each other to be their spouse. WE ALSO SEE AN ERA OF ALIGNMENT: The electoral victory in 1967 led to an electoral fusion among the non Congress parties to avoid a split in the opposition votes. Thiru Rajagopalachari, left the Congress and formed the right – wing ‘SWATANTRA PARTY’, an alignment as against the Congress. EMERGENCE OF AIADMK: M.G.Ramachandran a well known propagator of Dravidian ideologies through his movies since 1953, popularized the party by bringing in his fans as supporters. Difference of opinion between MGR and Karunanidhi arose since the death of Annadurai in 1969. MGR retaliated within the party with corruption charges and called for boycott of Party’s General Council. DMK’s General Council suspended MGR from the party on the pretext that he had involved himself in ‘ANTI PARTY ACTIVITIES’. MGR inspired by his supporters formed the ‘ALL INDA ANNA DRAVDA MUNNETRA KAZHAGAM’ in 1972. MGR’s AIADMK adopted ANNAISM, a proper amalgam of Capitalism, Socialism and Communism. One should understand that both parties are populist with a generally Social Democratic orientation. FLAGS: Each Dravidian Party s represented by its own flag. BLACK & RED are the usual colours used, a feature which traces its origin to Periyar’s visit to Axis Countries and Soviet Russia. The flag of DMK consists of two colour rectangles, with the top half black and the bottom half red. The black colour reflects the dark political, economical and social situation of Dravidians. Red to denote ‘rising sunlight’ that removes the darkness. Years later DMK took rising sun as the Party symbol. AIADMK uses the black and red combination with a picture of Annadurai n white in the middle. AIADMK COMES TO POWER IN 1977: Congress under Indira Gandhi after splitting from Indian National Congress, fought elections in the State in alliance with one of the two parties. In 1977 DMK Government led by Thiru Karunanidhi was dismissed under corruption charges by the Central Government led by Congress(I) which had by then allied with AIADMK. OFFSHOOTS OF DMK: Sivaji joined E.V.K.Sampath’s ‘Tamil National Party’. Tamil National Party merged with Congress. Sivaji formed ‘Thamizhaga Munnetra Munnani’ after the death of MGR in 1987. The said party was dissolved due to its defeat in 1989 elections and he then asked his Party to join the Janata Dal. ‘Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’ was formed by V.Gopalswamy (Vaiko) after he was removed from DMK. OFFSHOOTS IN AIADMK: After MGR’s death n 1987 we see the split headed by two factions, one headed by Janaki Ramachandran and the other by J.Jayalalitha. Election Commission refused to recognize either of them as successors of the original party and separate electoral symbols were allocated. Both factions lost the 1989 State Elections. Following election defeat, Janaki Ramachandran retired from Politics and the two party factions rejoined into one party. DETAILS OF CHIEF MINISTERS UNDER DRAVIDAR KAZHAGAM: C.N.Annadurai DMK 06.03.1967 TO 03.02.1969 Kalagnar M.Karunanidh DMK 10.02.1969 TO 04.01.1971 15.03.1971 TO 31.01.1976 M.G.Ramachandran AIADMK 30.06.1977 TO 17.02.1980 09.06.190 TO 15.11.1984 10.02.1985 TO 24.12.1987 Tmt Janaki Ramachandran AIADMK 07.01.1988 TO 30.01.1988 Kalaignar Karunanidhi DMK 27.01.1989 TO 30.01.1991 J.Jayalalitha AIADMK 24.06.1991 TO 12.05.1996 Kalaignar Karunanidhi DMK 13.05.1996 TO 13.05.2001 J.Jayalalitha AIADMK 14.05.2001 TO 21.09.2001 O.Panneerselvam AIADMK 21.09.2001 TO 01.03.2002 J.Jayalalitha AIADMK 02.03.2002 TO 12.05.2006 Kalaignar Karunanidhi DMK 13.05.2006 TO 15.05.2011 J.Jayalalitha AIADMK 16.05.2011 TO 27.09.2014 O.Pannerselvam AIADMK 29.09.2014 An analytical study would show that corruption charges are the main factors for the decline of both the Dravida Kazhagams. The object of Socio economic and principles influenced by Democratic and Communalism now exists no more or rather a sign of visibility in the past and eroded by the present leaders. More apt would be state that each party are competing to rank in Corruption Charges. Not to be known as populist Leader rather as Popular Corrupt leaders tainted with corruption charges. The first of such cases we see in the Sarkaria Commission indicting DMK for corruption in allotting tenders for the Veeranam Project. We hear about the charges of corruption in the construction of flyovers in Chennai, Highway Scams . 2G Scam, the biggest of all that we have to be exposed as for DMK is concerned. The Granite Scam – an illegal quarrying of granite in Madurai indicated loss of Rs 16,000 crores to the State Exchequer. Aavin Scam estimated to be Rs 27 lakhs per day for 10 years. Cremation Shed Scam – to cheat the Government in the construction/ erection of cremation sheds under the Jawahar Yojana. Companies like MIDAS Golden Distilleries Pvt Ltd and Elite Distilleries Pvt Ltd indirectly controlled by either of the Parties making massive profits through supplying liquor to the Tamilnadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC). Housing Scam – DMK regime misusing its discretionary quota to give houses and plots of land to benefit Judges, Bureaucrats, senior Police Officers and Politicians. The quota was meant to be used for those engaged largely n Social Service, Widows, Freedom Fghters, and to Officers with impeccable record who don’t already own homes. Disproportionate Assets case. The list is incomplete and I would request the readers to update themselves in respect of every other Scam. To sum up, a movement which started for the uplift of downtrodden and later with ideologies changing and consequences of split from the parent Party now eroded by evidentiary acts of misfeasance and malfeasance. A Party to be now defined as existing for the up lift of its leaders and its family members more appropriate a personalized business transaction. In the present scenario I don’t think we can trace or find an iota of influence or objectives of Dravidar Kazhagam existing in today’s TamilNadu Politics. The rich culture of Dravidar Kazhagam is lost. It’s sad that we are witnessing it now and the consequences of bad governance and its brunt to be borne by us is weighing us down. Should we expect for a new chapter of Polity to be run by a Party which has no deep root in TamilNadu Politics.
Posted on: Thu, 16 Oct 2014 12:57:10 +0000
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