Ally of Karuna, bedrock of the DMK turns 97

At the event to unveil the statue of Kalaignar Karunanidhi on Sunday, there sat on the dais, his oldest friend and political partner Perasiriyar Anabazhagan. The association and partnership between the two leaders had moulded the DMK ideologically into what it is today. No review of the history of Dravidian politics can be complete without acknowledging the role of Perasiriyar, who turns 97 years today. 

Though Perasiriyar’s formative days were shaped by his father’s involvement with Periyar E.V. Ramasamy’s Self-Respect Movement, his passion for political involvement evolved under the tutelage of C.N. Annadurai (Anna). When Anna parted ways with his mentor, Perasiriyar was one of the founder members of the DMK in 1949. In 1957, when the DMK contested its first elections, Perasiriyar was among the 15 elected. He served his first term as the Deputy Leader of the Party in the Legislative Assembly, under Anna’s leadership. In 1967, he was elected to Parliament but returned in 1971 to the State to become a Cabinet Minister under Kalaignar. 

Dravidian Repository 

Though Dravidian leaders are known for their oratory, Perasiriyar always stood out for his ability to deliver commentary on contemporary socio-political issues. A repository of Dravidian history, his speeches and writings have provided valuable insight into and set the course for the century-old movement. One of the best examples of this is his book ‘Tamilar Thirumanamum, Ina Maanamum’, which categorically dismantles the various rituals associated with Brahmin-officiated weddings. The book, based on rationalist thinking, is a stinging attack on the perpetuation of caste and patriarchal prejudices through the institution of marriage.  

One of the reasons for the survival of the DMK – as a political party and as vehicle for Dravidian ideology – was the long, resilient partnership of Kalaignar and Perasiriyar at the helm of affairs. In a recent interview, Perasiriyar explained his association with Kalaignar as a bond created out of the mutual love for Tamil. He says, in the book Therkilirinthu Oru Suriyan, that this love for Tamil – language as well as identity – was not just rhetorical: they both viewed it as an indispensable unifier of the Tamil-speaking population, who were previously divided along caste and communal lines.  

Anna’s Student, Kalaignar’s Friend

Perasiriyar was a student of Annamalai University when he shared a stage his mentor, Anna, at a public meeting. Now part of Dravidian folklore, the meeting brought together Perasiriyar and Kalaignar. Kalaignar had come to watch Anna speak. But, when it was Anna’s turn to speak, he instead announced that a student would address the gathering. Most of the crowd present there heard Perasiriyar speak for the first time. All of them left impressed with the young man’s oratory. Kalaignar went up to him afterwards and invited him to address the Tamil Maanavar Mandram, which he had set up in Tiruvarur. 

Thus, began the 75-year association between the two stalwarts of the DMK. Both of them learnt Dravidian ideology from Periyar and grass-roots organisation building from Anna.  Though from diverse educational backgrounds, they thought, spoke and wrote alike. Much of the present-day Dravidian legacy inherited by the party is largely due to the political heights scaled by these two men and their unbroken ideological leadership over the greater part of the last half-century.  

Manuraj Shunmugasundaram

Advocate and DMK Spokesperson

Link to the Article: https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/blogs/tracking-indian-communities/ally-of-karuna-bedrock-of-the-dmk-turns-97/