Long March Of Tamils

N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai

N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai

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Our Long March 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.

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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 4

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.

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Index:

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1. Our march 2. Aringnar Anna on Thailand 3. Anna dreams of Tamil’s uplift 4. People’s Poet: Bharathiar 5. Uprooting Tamils 6. Genesis of Dravida Peravai 7. Ever my leader who never gave my due 8. George Fernandes 9. Jayalalitha and Tax havens 10. Protect Indian lives in Fiji 11. Salute to Nethaji and INA 12. March towards Universal brotherhood 13. Traditional knowledge Theft 14. Kumari Kandam needs undersea Research 15. Anna DMK Archives 16.Poet’s Protest 17.Calendar’s Galore 18.Inventor of Musical Instrument 19.Mayyazhi:French colony 20.Murder Mystery 21.PIL against Land Grabbing 22.Bureaucratic blunders and border wars 23.On Nandhivarman 24.Power Plants Plunder Nature 25.Language Labour 26.Wales Connections 27.Lessons from London 28.Pope and People’s hope 29.Hygienic fish markets 30.13 year Boy scientist

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03 07 17 32 39 46 48 53 57 61 67 73 79 81 89 96 98 102 104 107 122 134 138 145 154 157 159 161 164 167

ARINGNAR ANNA ON TAMIL NADU [Dravida Pervai happily reproduces the debate that took place in Rajya Sabha in May 1963. DMK Founder Aringnar Anna ultimately changed the name of Madras State as Tamil Nadu and fulfilled the centuries old desire of the Tamil Nation on his becoming the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in 1967. In 1963 he spoke in Parliament on the question of renaming Tamil Nadu. You can find out the arguments advanced for and against and also note who opposed the renaming in order to understand the forces that played for and against Tamil nationalism]

ANNA SPEAKS: Mr. Vice Chairman, I am rarely in full agreement with my friend Mr.Bhupesh Gupta, but today I rise to support him whole-heartedly, fully and sincerely. The only weakness of the Bill is that it is a non-official one. I would have liked an official Bill to be brought forward for this very necessary and very simple thing that would have satisfied millions of Tamilians in Tamil Nadu. Many arguments that were advanced against the Bill brought forward are perhaps more due to the colour of the mover rather than the arguments advanced for its support. One Honorable Member was saying that he was not moving a Bill, which the Madras State has asked him to move. I regret very much that sometimes it becomes necessary to explain some rudimentary principles. The Madras Government will never ask a non-official Bill to be brought forward on its behalf. If the state government wants the Bill to be brought forward, there are the state representatives in this Assembly and they would have brought it forward, and therefore, to say that the Bill cannot be supported just because the Madras Government has not asked Mr.Gupta to bring the Bill shows that their only argument to fight against the Bill is that their party or their State Government has not instructed them to act in this way. I can well understand the political tremor in their hearts, but that is no argument against this Bill. The arguments advanced by the sponsors of the Bill for renaming Madras as Tamil Nadu have not been answered by any one of the speakers who spoke about it. Sheel Badra Yajee: I have answered it. 7

Anna: I cannot understand- I very rarely understand- your language and, therefore, I do not know whether there is logic or not but I would say that some of the arguments advanced were not proper. One Honorable Member was saying that there are Telugu knowing people in Tamil Nadu, Malayalam and Kanarese speaking people and, therefore, to name Madras as Tamil Nadu will create a sort of tremor in their hearts. May I inform this House, through you, Sir, that all these arguments were advanced and shattered in my part of the country. All these arguments did not stand the onslaught of reason and logic. For the sake of informing this House I may inform you Sir, that on 24 th February 1961 the Leader of the House in the state assembly stood up to say that he was accepting part of the non official resolution brought forward not by the DMK or any other political party which is considered to be inimical to Congress, but by a PSP [Praja Socialist Party] Member. That PSP member brought forward a non official resolution for renaming Madras as Tamil Nadu and it was discussed many days and finally the then Finance Minister and the Leader of the House Mr.C.Subramaniam, stood up to say that he was accepting a part or the spirit of the resolution and added that thereafter all publications of the Madras government would appear in the name of Tamil Nadu Government. It is in such a way that all publications in Tamil in the Tamil Nadu government are being printed and published. As a matter of fact, after making the historic declaration on the floor of the Madras assembly on 24 th February, the very next day the Finance Minister had to present his budget and in presenting the budget, the opening words of the Finance Minister were: “In consonance with the declaration made yesterday, I am now presenting to budget for Tamil Nadu.” Therefore all the arguments that Telugu speaking, the Malayalam speaking, and the Kanarese speaking people will be up against this change in name fall to ground because part of this has been accepted by the Government. The part relating to the amendment of Constitution, the

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word Madras to be deleted and the word Tamil Nadu to be inserted was not accepted. Therefore, even the Government much less by the Madras Congress leaders cannot accommodate the sentimental arguments advanced. Sir, I am really surprised to see how ill informed my Hon. Friends are, those who advanced arguments against the Bill. One Hon. Member stated here that Kollegal is in Tamil Nadu. That Hon. Member unfortunately not present in the House at present. I may tell them and his friends may tell him, that Kollegal today is part of Mysore. It has been taken away from the composite State of Madras and after the formation of linguistic states, has gone to Mysore. If my Hon. Friend is so ill informed about Kollegal, I am not surprised at his arguments that nowhere in Tamil literature does the word Tamil Nadu occur. A politician who cannot understand that Kollegal does not form part of Tamil Nadu cannot be expected to be conversant with Tamil literature. For the edification of the House and for his own edification, I will point out the names of certain books wherein the word Tamil Nadu is to be found. These are books written 1800 or 2000 years ago. I am reading the name in Tamil but the Hon. Member who made this allegation is a Tamilian Congressman and he can understand and the Hon. Deputy Minister who will be making the reply. She being also a Tamilian may tell him. The names of Paripaadal, Pathitrupathu and more popular names of Silapathigaram and Manimegalai. These are all Tamil classics written more than 1000 years ago and in Paripaadal it is stated “Thandamizh veli Thamizh Naatu agamellam” which means Tamil Nadu that is surrounded by sweet Tamil on all three sides. In Pathitrupathu, a classic written about 1800 years it is stated “Imizh kadal veli Thamizhagam” meaning Tamil Nadu which has got sea as boundary. In Silapathigaram it is stated “ Ten Thamizh nannadu” meaning good Tamil Nadu and in Manimegalai it is stated“Sambutheevinul Tamizhaga marungil “ Tamil Nadu which is called Sambutheevu. 9

If my Hon. Members would like to have more popular illustrations I would like to refer them to the poems of Poet Kamban and Sekkilar both of whom have definitely used the word Tamil Nadu. It was only afterwards that there were three kingdoms, the Cheranadu, The Cholanadu and the Pandyanadu. Tamil Nadu is to be found in the classics of Tamil. It is not that there is poverty of ideas in the classics. It only shows that my Hon. Friend does not spend much thought or time over the Tamil classics. I may point out for the edification of this House that when the Congress government in Tamil Nadu purchased the Jaipur Palace at Ooty known as Aranmore Palace they immediately renamed the Palace as Thamizhagam. I am pointing this out to say that the Congress there is trying to assuage our feelings, is trying to carry Tamil Nadu people along with them by saying they have renamed the Aranmore Palace as Thamizhagam, that they are publishing all the Tamil manifestos as Tamil Nadu Government publications, that only for international correspondence they want the name “Madras”. They are not prepared to amend the Constitution. If the arguments advanced by some of the Tamil Nadu Congress people were to be read by the Chief Minister of Madras, he would turn around and say “ You too Brutus”. All the arguments advanced for not renaming it falls flat on the ground because even the Congress Government there does not approve of these arguments. Another particular issue was raised here that the Bill is being brought forward only as a publicity stunt of the Communist party. Why don’t we appreciate the Communist Party for its sense of political expediency? Are not all political parties interested in getting political publicity? Is publicity a heinous crime? Why do you publish reports and books on Five-year plans? Is that not publicity done at public cost? Yet you accuse other political parties saying that this is publicity. But let me tell this House through you, that even though you defeat the Bill, he has gained that publicity. You are not going to rob him anymore of that publicity. When he comes to Tamil Nadu he can 10

conveniently face Tamilians and say, “I pleaded for you but it is the ruling party that let you down.” Therefore you have unawares walked into Mr.Gupta’s snare. I would have appreciated if the ruling party had approached Mr.Bhupesh Gupta and stated, “Do not bring in this nonofficial Bill, we ourselves are interested in it, we will bring it forward.” Then Mr.Santhanam pointed out that we have an uphill task in retaining Madras, we had to fight with so many people and we retained Madras. I can claim some amount of credit in that fight and when I was in the thick of that fight, I did not find Mr.Santhanam by my side. Akbar Ali Khan: At the cost of Andhra Anna: With the consent of the Andhras, I can say that. That is because the present government there is providing even today, in the border areas, measures for safeguarding Telugu culture and for imparting Telugu language. Therefore though Madras has been taken by Tamilians, we have no enmity with the Andhras. But my friend Santhanam was saying that it was such an uphill task, retaining Madras that we would like to keep Madras. This is not a question of keeping Madras or giving it up. This is the question of keeping Madras in Tamilnadu and renaming the state as Tamil Nadu. Madras, after all is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, as Ahamadabad happens to be the capital city of Gujarat, as Chandigrah happens to be the capital city of Punjab. If this logic of naming the state after the name of capital city is to be followed, Kerala should be renamed Trivandrum, Andhra is to renamed Hyderabad, Punjab is to be renamed Chandigarh and Gujarat to be renamed Ahamadabad. Bhubesh Gupta: And Bengal should be renamed Calcutta. Anna: My government, my Congress government in Madras is interested in bilingualism. That is because its head Government is interested to have two names for everything, 11

India that is Bharat, Jana gana mana and Vandhe Madaram. They always want to keep two blocks. Take something from here, take something from there. So the Madras government is having Tamil Nadu for the consumption of Tamilians and Madras for all India consumption. It is very awkward word “duplicity”. And that is why my friend Mr.Bhupesh Gupta was saying that some of the congress people talk in one way there and talk in another way here. No Congress can face a Tamilian audience and say that the name Madras should be retained. I challenge it. T.S.Pattabhiraman {Madras}: We have faced it during the agitation of Tamil arasu Kazhagam and my friend knows it. What he is saying is complete travesty of facts. Anna: I know how Pattabhiraman faces agitation. I won’t say it. Let us not face each other as Congress and DMK. Let us face the Tamilian public on this single sanctified issue of renaming the state and if you carry along with you 51 percent of the people I am prepared to bow my head before you. This is not a party issue at all. The renaming of Madras as Tamil Nadu has been accepted by the Communist Party, by the DMK, by the PSP and you will be surprised, by the Madras branch of Swatantra Party too. Therefore all parties are one in this issue of renaming Madras as Tamil Nadu. T.S.Pattabhiraman: None of them put it in their election manifesto. Anna: I would present a copy of the DMK election manifesto to him tomorrow. I am sure Pattabhiraman knows Tamil. This issue has been an issue for more than 10 to 15 years. He was saying that only Tamil Arasu Kazhagam was fighting for it. It is true partially because it was only the Tamil arasu Kazhagam that started an agitation for it, but all other political parties were immensely intimately interested in this issue. They have printed it in their manifestos, in their political speeches and no District Conference of DMK took place without passing this resolution of renaming Madras as Tamil Nadu. Therefore it is not simply on the spur of the moment that I am pleading for it. 12

My sorrow is that my friend Mr.Bhupesh Gupta had stolen the thunder from me by sponsoring this Bill. But for that, I would like to present before this House that this has been an issue all along in Tamil Nadu. And they have not answered Mr.Bhupesh Gupta: What do you loose by renaming Madras as Tamil Nadu? Nobody has answered that. N.M.Lingam [Madras] Anyway renaming it as Tamil Nadu?

what

do

you

gain

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Anna: What do I gain? What have you gained by renaming Parliament as Lok Sabha? What have you gained by renaming Council of States as Rajya Sabha? What have you gained by renaming President as Rastrapathi? Therefore I say what do you loose? This is important because if you were to loose something precious, we would not press for it. If you do not loose something fundamental, we will press for it. The other point was raised, what do you gain? We gain satisfaction sentimentally; we gain satisfaction that an ancient name is inculcated in the hearts of millions and scores of millions of people. Is that not enough compensation for the small trouble of changing the name? Therefore all the arguments that have been advanced have been shattered. They have advanced an apologetic argument saying that if the State government had come forward with this, we would have accepted this. And they are perfectly aware of the composition of the State legislature where the Congress party is in a majority. Would you ask the Congress member in Madras State legislature to vote for such a bill if it were to come there, without party whip? No T.S.Pattabhiraman: Your party members could have brought forward a resolution in the House and changed the name. Why have you not done it for past seven or eight years? Anna: I am coming to that. When we present such a bill to the Madras legislature, they say that if you want to rename, 13

an amendment to the constitution is necessary and an amendment of the Constitution is possible only when you go to Parliament. T.S.Pattabhiraman: I am saying a resolution, not a Bill. A resolution can be made. Anna: I may say for the information of the Hon. Member that we pressed this point during the discussion on the non-official Bill of PSP. In fact we even staged a walk out. The DMK and Communist party joined together in the walk out. That is our numerical position there. When the nonofficial resolution was discussed in the Madras assembly we pressed for the constitutional amendment and the only explanation offered to us was that it was only possible at the level of Parliament. And when we come to Parliament we are asked to go back to the state legislature. We are asked to go to Parliament because you are entrenched in both places not because your logic is sound but simply because you are entrenched in both places. G.Rajagopalan [Madras] We are entrenched because the people vote for us. It has been discussed even during elections. There had been fasts by certain members and one person even lost his life after fasting. Even after that we won elections. That shows the people still want as it is- not for the satisfaction of some politicians who want a slogan. Anna: Madam Deputy Chairman, I am very glad that the discussion is becoming very interesting. But I may say for the information of the House that DMK has nothing to do with fasting. The fasting was undertaken by a non-party man, in fact a relative of the Chief Minister of Madras Mr.Sankaralinga [Nadar}. And to say that in spite of fasting you have not changed shows how human you are. Therefore the question was discussed there. We were asked to go to Parliament. When we come to Parliament we are again sent back to legislature. In both places the answer is as my Hon. Friend had stated, “The people had voted for us”. Well that is a fact, a tragic fact, and a black fact that ought to be seen. 14

G.Rajagopalan: In spite of you tragedy is still there T.S.Pattabhiraman: He says tragedy will be permanent. The tragedy of Congress getting a majority at every election will be a permanent feature and we are prepared to accommodate you. Anna: Madam Deputy Chairman my friend was saying that this tragedy is going to be permanent. Woe to the country and to the people. That is all what I can say. But I would like to press this point that a Constitution amendment can be thought of and made only through Parliament. That is why we have approached The Parliament. If any amendment is brought forward on this or any suggestion is given that it should be circulated to gather public opinion, we take up that challenge. I do not ask you to take this as an election issue. Do not be afraid of that. [Interruptions] We are not making it an election issue. This is an issue to be taken to the people for getting their consent or otherwise. That is not going to affect your offices. Nobody thinks about that. You may remain there. This is not a question of analysis of our different parties. This is a question wherein a particular issue has to be referred to the public. Are you prepared for that? That is what we ask. You are not prepared for that and that is why I say N.M.Anwar [Madras] Madam on a point of information I have got the highest respect and regard for my good friend Mr.Annadurai. But will he kindly explain what there is in retaining the name Madras that has got such worldwide publicity? How is he going to meet that point of view? Where is the difficulty in retaining this worldwide name of Madras? [Interruptions] Anna: The only point in answer to the Hon. member Mr.Anwar is this. What we gain is our sentimental satisfaction and status of our ancient land. 15

If in Madras we change the name of China Bazaar into Nethaji Subhas Chandra Road nothing is changed in the street but something is changed in our thinking, in our soul, in our fibre. That is why we are pressing for it. Not because we think that keeping Madras will be wrong. N.M.Anwar: My question is not that. We agree that there is something good in calling it Tamil Nadu. But what is your allergy to Madras, which has got a worldwide publicity. Anna: My allergy is if Madras is used as name of the state, you confuse the capital with the state. Madras is the name of the capital city. Tamil Nadu is the name that ought to be given to the state. There ought to be a distinction between the name of the state and its capital, and therefore, I wholeheartedly support the Bill brought forward and I would commend it to the House.

Three Tamil Martyrs Chinnasamy,Sivalingam,Aranganathan who committed self immolation to save Tamil language cause in 1965 struggle, which culminated in DMK capturing power in Tamilnadu.

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ANNA DREAMS OF TAMILS UPLIFT

Mr. Chancellor, Mr. Pro-Chancellor Mr. Vice- Chancellor, Graduates of the Year and Friends: Thankful as I am for the unique honor conferred on me by this institution, it is not without hesitation as a good deal of trepidation that I stand before this august assembly to-day to deliver the Convocation address, for though it is a pleasure to be present on the happy occasion of greeting the graduates of the year and wishing them all a bright and prosperous future, it is not an easy task to place before them appropriate guidelines-conscious as I am of my own limitations and aware of the eminence of those who stood at this rostrum in the past and gave weighty and worthy advice to the graduates. Stalwarts in various walks of life, scholars of erudition and experience, administrators of rare abilities, have all been here to deliver instructive discourses, and I do not for a moment imagine that I have the capacity to add any thing substantial to what has been already said by those who preceded me. I am convinced therefore that to be called upon to deliver this address is not so much an invitation as a command to 17

me bestow the most careful and considered thought on the role of Universities in general and of the Annamalai University in particular. The fact that I am conscious of my own limitations gives me a sense of relief, for attempt I shall not to offer original ideas or theories with a special stamp, but only reiterate some of the cardinal principles enunciated by those who offered their a advice in past years, perhaps with annotations here and there, bringing to bear the lay-man’s point of view to the findings of experts in various fields connected with education. This is the age of the common man-whatever the regrets some might have –and it’s his point of view that matters most and I do claim to represent him in all his ruggedness. Systems and schools of thought, whether it is in philosophy or politics, ethics or economics, are certainly meant for him. Of course, the interpretation should come from scholars and experts and the art of translating them into every day activity is to be undertaken by the administrators. Universities, as the repositories of knowledge and the nursing ground for the emissaries of thought wisdom and service, have got a prominent role to play-and the prominence is growing every day, as more and more individuals get themselves equipped for the task of bettering society in all its age when we have eschewed monarchy and autocracy and have inaugurated the era of democracy. During the monarchical or feudal days, Universities had to train scholars and poets to adorn the chambers of Royalty or the gilded mansions of Lord and nobles and their wisdom was meant for the mansion, not for the market place. Those were days when numbers did not count, nor were eminent scholars asked to face the problems confronting the masses. They were content to work in secluded spheres, far from the din and noise of the common man and weave the costly fabric of philosophy of poetry which on turn was to be converted into dazzling garments for the select and the privileged. 18

The role of the University to-day is not cloistered and confined as in the past. Its function has been enlarged-not in its fundamentals but in its domain. It has to take into account the commonness, but to trim and train, guide and lead him, for asked to do his duty as the citizen of a democracy-a task which kindles sweet hopes but which demands, patience and perseverance, faith and confidence, faith in himself and in others and confidence in his inherent ability to shoulder the responsibilities. The common man has become the birth place of a potential ruler and the duty today, the responsibility today of the universities is to fashion out of him as an individual fitted and equipped for the task of making democracy fruitful and effective. I said that the duties and responsibilities of Universities have grown in dimension and scope, but pointed out that the fundamentals remain unaltered and these fundamentals are of permanent value and of perennial interest. The supreme task before the University is to give those who seek a vision of knowledge in its true proportions and perspectives, to maintain the sovereignty of ideas and ideals in the world. A balanced mind, the ability to discriminate between what is merely trivial and what is important, the capacity to look at a problem from all its angles without fear or favour, to be tolerant of the other man’s point of view. These are fundamentals which are unalterable and it’s only the universities that can provide society with a continuous stream of men and women endowed with these qualities. While addressing Dr.S.Radhakrishnan, following statement:

the University of our former president,

Brussels, made the

“For its proper functioning democracy requires more qualities than other forms of government. It is in the universities that we can develop the true spirit of democracy, appreciation of other points of view and adjustment of differences through discussions. It can be kept healthy and strong by the exercise of individual responsibility and judgment. In universities we have to re-call the struggles of the past and realize the perils 19

and possibilities, the challenges and opportunities, of the present.” Democracy is not a form of government alone –it is an invitation to a new life-an experiment in the art of sharing responsibilities and benefits-an attempt to generate the common task. Hence we cannot afford to waste a single talent, impoverish a single man or woman or allow a single individual to be stunted in growth or held under tyranny and the universities should through the graduates it sends forth year after year, annihilate the forces that attempt at aggrandizement and tyranny, fight against caste and hypocrisy and enthrone human dignity. Graduates of the year, I wish you all a prosperous futurefor, after all, the immediate concern of every individual, graduate or no graduate, is to acquire the means for a decent living. That is the first motivation for all human activity and no one can ignore it, but that ought not to be the sole objective. Something higher and nobler than mere individual material advancement is expected of you – for remember that this University education is a privilege that you enjoy, for which you are deeply indebted to the community of which you are a member. Most of the money needed for maintaining institutions of higher education come from the revenues collected from the community through the State, and a good proportion of that revenue comes from the tillers and the toilers, men who did not enjoy this privilege, men who willingly submit themselves to discomfort, so that they can enable the next generation to lead a better life. Graduates of the Annamalai University, may I ask you, how you are going to repay – what is to be your contribution to the social chest on which you have drawn so largely. Unless you replenish it richly, coming generations will find only an empty coffer. Your superior education increases your responsibility to society and therefore, apart from or along with your own individual advancement, society has got a right to expect an adequate return from you – not so much in terms of money as in terms of service – in toning up society, in bringing light into the dark alleys, sunshine 20

into dingy places, solace into the afflicted, hope unto the despondent and a new life unto every one. That this is a welcome and worthy ideal none would dispute, but not every one will come forward to translate that ideal into action – and yet our ancient as well as modern thinkers have all stated in unmistakable terms that wisdom is manifested in action. Unless service is the outcome, the sermons become sweet nothings. As Jefferson stated,” We must dream of an aristocracy of achievements arising out of a democracy of opportunities” And when I seek your help and co-operation in the supreme task of serving society, please do not wink and smile and say, it is all so easy to say. I am not unaware of the difficulties in the way, nor am I going to brush aside the influence of the environment on you. May be, the world in which you are to begin the journey is one which will dim your hope, disturb your determination. You may come face to face with the unpleasant sight of practices widely differing from the principles inculcated in you. You may find self-seekers enthroned and the patient worker decried. Tyranny of all sorts may stare at you and every step you take will be a struggle. I admit that the environment is such that even people with robust optimism will be discouraged and forced to take to the part of ease and comfort. But, we should also realize that a continuous stream of men and women endowed with the spirit of service has been carrying on the crusade successfully and have conferred rich benefit on humanity. We, the Tamilians have been holding aloft this ideal for more than two thousand years and hence we find in pura nanuru this passage, "c©lhš m«k ï›îyf« . . . . . . . . . . ....................................... jk¡bfd Kayh neh‹whŸ ãw®¡bfd KaYe® c©ik ahnd!" 21

As inheritors of that rich legacy, you are best fitted to overcome even the environment and serve society to the best of your abilities. Anyone, who proposes to do good must not expect people to roll stones out of his way, but must accept his lot calmly if they even roll a few more upon it. A strength which becomes clearer and stronger through its experience of such obstacles is the only strength that can conquer them – says Albert Schweitzer. Though the problems in various countries are of a similar nature, the peculiarity attached to the problems of our country is of a pronounced nature. Ours is not case of starting from scratch-had that been the case the only thing needed would have been the intensity of effort to be put forth. Ours is a case of erosion of the mind – we are not in search of fields, but have to engage in the task of fertilizing it, irrigating it, we are not in search of ideals, but are engaged in the more intricate task of classifying, codifying and verifying layers of ideals. We are not wanting in culture-but have to cleanse it from the cob-web of time and de-adulterate it. In short, we have to re-discover ourselves, and re-construct our entire thought. Once task to-day is to allow fresh air and sunshine and regain the original shape and stature – that which made us well Known is distant lands and climes. Our literature, art and architecture are fine specimens of human intelligence – but they bear the ravages of time and also the effect of currents and cross currents so that to-day we have to listen to the foreign historian or scholar in order to realize the “glory and grandeur” of our own country. Age commands veneration –but unless it is recuperated, decay sets in. our culture and civilization are hoary, but we have allowed scars and wrinkles to disfigure them. It is our duty therefore to re-discover and re-construct what is ours and enrich it by drawing liberally upon the achievements of other countries.

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Our problem is not want of a system –in any branch of knowledge. We have fine specimens in all spheres. We claim also –and that rightly –immortality for our systems, but we have not succeeded in keeping them fresh and young, effective and energetic, for we have allowed them to decay. If a system has to endure, says, Dr.Radhakrishnan, it must be perpetually young and ready to change. In other words, it must be capable of accepting new ideas, have the resilience of mind which the young have, have the openness, flexibility and spirit of adventure by which they accept what is given to them and transform it out of recognition. Eos, a goddess falling in love with a mortal, prayed to god to grant immortality to the lover-‘yes’, said god, and the mortal gained immortality. But he grew old, infirm, senile, decayed –and what was a feast once to the eyes of Eos became a sight to shun and grieve over –and he who gained immortality longed for death – for what is life if it becomes a prey to decay? Then Eos sighed and said, “I prayed for immortality for my lover, forgetting to pray for perpetual youth.” We in this country are facing some such situation – and we are in charge of the task of rejuvenating our culture and civilization – our entire thought, instead of attempting that, we have been, for too long a period, doting upon the decayed forms attempting to defend them from critics and currents of new thought. And while other parts of the world, after persistent and patient search after truth, have arrived at new conclusions and are scaling new heights, we are content to sit near the shattered rampart and narrate past glory. Our religion has degenerated into rituals, our society which was once classless and casteless has degenerated into water –tight compartments of caste and creed and all the while, we have kept either silent or have been supplying defense to superstition and orthodoxy by offering liberal allowing this state of affairs to exist, despite condemnation and protest, and, more than that, whenever a doughty warrior comes forth to fight against the evils prevalent, we decry and 23

denounce him as an annihilator of noble values and hoary systems. Periyar Ramasami represents and symbolizes the fury and frustration in a sizable section of society at this state of affairs. To allow systems to degenerate and at the same time denounce those who champion the cause of rationalism is but to perpetuate superstition and orthodoxy and allow this society of ours to get decomposed. Universities offer the proper forum for a free and full discussion of these intricate problems and graduates trained here are to go forth as emissaries of that social reconstruction which is long over due. The country looks to centers of learning like this Universities to enable the people to pursue the path of progress, braving difficulties and if need be, courting danger. Graduates of the Annamalai University, let me call upon you to carry on the crusade against caste which cannot co-exist with democracy, against superstition which cannot co-exist with science and against tyranny of various dimensions which cannot co-exist with liberty, equality and fraternity. Pursuing vocations for your and your families’ well being, you have to perform your duty towards society. You are to become torch – bearers of rationalism – and rationalism does not mean repudiation of basic and fundamental truths and maxims, but the annihilation of dubious modes of thought and action. You have to work hard and with daring and dash, for we have to clear cob-webs which are centuries old and let reason reign supreme. Another peculiar feature of our times is the fact that we are a nation in the making, and if in their anxiety to forge integration, some confuse unity with uniformity, it is the duty of men trained here to clearly enunciate the principle and see to it that, in the name of unity, no part of the country is made to become the vassal of another partknowingly or unknowingly. We cannot be a party to foul play, however worthy the goal. Just on the eve of independence Rajaji stated with an acumen all his own, 24

“our political experiment is really like melting iron and metals and pouring them in to a crucible and making an alloy, an alloy which can stand wear and tear . It is not like the chinaware that other people have turned out in their countries. Their democracies were easy to make – like plastics. But we are dealing with metals.” National integration is a goal, worthy and much – sought after, but neither in the field of language nor in the economic sphere, could we tolerate injustice and domination. That is exactly why this government was brought into existence – it represents the determination of the people to be coerced into accepting Hindi as the official language. When we plead for the continuance of English as the link language, some people do misrepresent us and misinterpret our motive. They trot out untenable arguments and disputable statistics, bring in the bogey of disintegration and want to silence people by threats and troops. Problems were never solved by autocratic methods – and this problem of language is intimately connected with our way of life, not for the present alone but for the future as well. The government of Tamilnadu has stated in unmistakable terms that Tamil and English can serve all our purposes, the former as the official language of this state and the latter as the link language. If it is accepted and the most emphatic of Hindi protagonists do accept that - if it is accepted that English can serve admirably as a link between our state and the outside world, why plead for Hindi to be the link language here? What serves to link us with the outside world is certainly capable of rendering the same service inside India as well. To plead for two link languages is like boring a smaller hole in a wall for the kitten while there is a bigger one for the cat. What suits the cat will suit the kitten as well English is foreign, some argue, as if we were out to destroy or give up everything foreign. We bring foreign wear in foreign ships. We seek foreign aid not only in the shape of money bur also in the from of technical know-how and not a week passes without one or other leader undertaking a journey to the west or east to secure whatever aid is 25

possible to secure. And on top of all these things, we have given up so many systems peculiarly our own. We are not content with rural economy, we want Trombays and Ennores. And we are not conscious of their being foreign; only in the matter of language we pose as being ultra –nationalists and dub the English language as foreign. Shelly and Byron, Keats and Coleridge, Emerson and Bacon-they are not foreign to us in the strict sense of the term. Is Tiruvalluvar a mere Tamilian? They are all world citizens – world teachers. And the language enshrining their thoughts is not to be discarded just because it comes from another country. That we are not going to accord a higher status to English is borne out by the fact that we have accepted and are implementing with due caution the principle of making Tamil the medium of instruction in colleges –progressively. University education is an epitome of all that is best in thought cultivated in various countries, and from you should radiate universal thought and cosmopolitan ideas. And if we are to get all these and more from out of the graduates of the University we have to re-examine the methods in vogue in universities, in teaching and in administration, and so perfect them that every student feels that he is a co-sharer of the pleasure and privilege of knowledge along with his professors. I shall not dabble in methods of teaching or administration-experts in that field are the natural custodians-my plea is only as regards the necessity for a re-examination. While the functions assigned to universities are mostly of the same type, the Annamalai University, by its structure and spirit, has got a special function of its own. The great founder’s nobility and generosity has made this institution gain the esteem of eminent men here and elsewhere; but if we analyze the thought and motive force of Rajah Sir Annamalai Chettiar, we will find that he wanted this place to be not only a seat of learning and research of Tamil Culture and Tamil polity. He had the foresight to realize that 26

Tamilians were going to cultivate their special talents and that was exactly why he started and made a success of the Tamil Isai Movement. Rajah Sir was never a man of tall talkhe believed in solid work and he knew the time was bound to come for us to delve deep into our annals and literature, culture and civilization and succeed in getting due and adequate recognition in the world forum. Truly great has been our achievement in the field of literature, to be able to announce to the world that we the Tamilians do progress. “e‰¿id ešy FWªbjhid I§FWü bwh¤j gâ‰W¥g¤ njh§F gÇghlš f‰w¿ªnjh® V¤J« fÈnah lf«òwbk‹ ¿¤âw¤j v£L¤ bjhif” And to present to the world the great Tirukkural which is a Code of Conduct for the entire humanity are something about which we can have pardonable pride and pleasure. And yet, are we devoting enough attention to these Tamil Classics? Addressing the Convocation here in 1943, the late lamented Sir R.K. Shanmukham Chetty had the following to say:“I graduated with a complete ignorance of Tamil Culture and History: in fact with a great deal of contempt for these. I attained a fair degree of proficiency in English literature and the history of European culture. I acquired some knowledge of even Anglo- Saxon and Gothic. I read the translation of the Bible in the Gothic language, but I had not read the Kural of Valluvar. I could understand Chaucer, but the name of Ilango was nothing but a name. Even after leaving College, I kept alive my interest in these studies and built up a Library in which there was not a single Tamil book. In my early youth when I lived in a world of my own with no sense of responsibility, all this made no difference to me and I was proud of my learning. Soon when manhood came with its cares and problems, I found myself a stranger in my own home…….Gradually I began to realize the incongruity of my 27

scheme of life and for some time now I have been endeavoring to rectify the balance. It was only a few years ago that I seriously attempted to study some of the Tamil Classics. I find that they are fit to rank among the immortal works of the world. I now bitterly regret my neglect of the treasures of my own land.” It was not an apologia, but the expression of a new determination and Sir R.K.Shanmukaham lived to establish the truth that he had mastered not only the Tamil language but Tamil literature as well. Had he lived for some more years, he would traveled many a land carrying the message of the Tamil Classics, which spoke at such a hoary past about “x‹nw FyK« xUtnd njtD«” “ahJ« Cnu ahtU« nfË®” “Éidna Mlt®¡F cÆnu” “ešyJ brŒjš M‰Ö uhÆD« mšyJ brŒjš X«òÄ‹” “v›tÊ ešyt® Mlt® m›tÊ mšy thÊa Ãynd” “bršt¤J¥ gand <jš” “ÔJ« e‹W« ãw® ju thuh” “gF¤J©L gšYÆ® X«òjš ünyh® bjhF¤jt‰WŸ všyh« jiy” Thoughts now placed before the world as blossoms of the modern age. You, graduates of the Annamalai University, have got undertake the special task of carrying the message that our classics contain to the entire world and declare that what was the most ancient here is what is being introduced today as the most modern. 28

South India is the home of the most ancient culture Though for a fairly long period there was the mist of ignorance, thick and widespread, it has now been acknowledge by all that Dravidian Civilization of a highly developed character can be traced back to the second and third millennia before Christ. Many a Foreign scholar has borne testimony to the perfection with which Tamil language has been developed into an instrument of precise and subtle thought and to the beauty and richness of the literature – which is contained in it. Dravidian literature, philosophy, art and architecture offer therefore a rich and fruitful field for exploration and critical investigation. Not for more glorification but for a just appreciation of all that is of real value and beauty in our past heritage. We need this research and investigation. I do not propose to talk about your responsibility in the political arena. Suffice it to say that you should make democracy safe and sound, salubrious and fruitful. Carry the message that this Universities has given to you wherever you go, whatever the station you find yourselves in and elevate the common man- the average man“He seems incredible but represents two –thirds of mankind. He lives in hut. He cannot read or write. His energy is sapped by disease. He labours up to 15hours a day. He works on land he does not own. He and his family are family are usually hungry. He will die young. But he still has hopes for his children; that they will be strong and healthy; will be able to read and write, will know individual freedom in a peaceful world. This is the world’s average Man.” And the world over, this average Man has become conscious of the injustice done to him and as a consequence we find agitations and marches, struggles and clashes. In many a country, measures to raise his level have been undertaken. Take a pledge, here and now, that we will not lag behind and leave our average man in the lurch. For if the base is weak, the dome is doomed. Inheritors as you are of a noble 29

heritage, you are eminently fitted for this noble task, and on its success depends the future of this nation as of others. Let us remember what Woodrow Wilson said, “Nations are renewed from the bottom not from the top . . . real wisdom of human life is compounded out of the experiences of ordinary men. The utility, the vitality, the fruitage of life comes like the natural growth of a great tree, from the soil, up through the trunk into the branches to the foliage and the fruit. The great struggling unknown masses of the men who are not the base of everything are the dynamic force that is lifting the level of society. A nation is as great and only as great as her rank and file.” May I submit my plea to you, youths blossoming forth from this institution, be firm but not obstinate, let here be a blending of ideas, but never cheap imitation and injurious adulteration, beware of mistaking obsessions for principles and fads for facts, strike at a synthesis and avoid subservience, view as the final on to protest against injustice but project not your own view as the final one, forget not the ancient saying “f‰wJif« k©zsî fšyh Jyfsî” And father not when you practice what you profess. University education gives you the basic needs for this stupendous task, but that is not enough. Say along I read, I study I examine, I listen I reflect, and out of All this, I try to form An idea in which I can put as Much of commonsense As I can. And remember the longest journey is the journey inward, and since graduation is but the starting point of that journey, I wish you success-reach the goal yourselves-teach others to march towards the goal and let that goal be, 30

A world without the beggar’s out-stretched palm, the miser’s heartless, stony stare, the piteous wail of want, the pallid face of crime, the livid lips of lies, the cruel eyes of scorn, A race without disease of flesh or brain, shapely and fair, the married harmony of form and useWhere life lengthens, fear dies, joy deepens, love intensifies, and Man regains his Dignity. And to get these things realized, let us one and all strive towards the ideal enunciated by Thiruvalluvar, “cWgáí« Xth¥ ãÂí« brWgifí« nruh âaštJ ehL” I am confident that you are being sent into the wide world by the Annamalai University with this objective-you are bound to win, for you are adequately equipped with the spirit supplied by this great institution. May your life be a bright one, and may its luster brighten the entire land! Accept my congratulations and march onwards, towards the land of smiles. [Annamalai University Convocation Address of Tamilnadu Chief Minister C.N.Annadurai on 18.11.1967]

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People’s poet: ARINGNAR ANNA ON BHARATHIAR [Anna taught us to respect men of eminence from opposing streams of thought, and having been groomed by such noble leader, we see the greatness of Bharathiar though he flip flopped between Tamil and Sanskrit….. N.N]

Charming and significant as the term is, it is a warm tribute not only to the poet but also to the people for the people had had their monarchs and ministers, their warriors and saviors, their seers and saints, miracle - mongers and priests, but had no poets and from ages past there were poets in abundance, poets who supplemented the scriptures or who polished the palaces by their poetry, but poets who sang for and about the people in the people’s tongue were very rare. The poets’ voice did the function of the temple bell or the palace drum but rarely did that voice represent the innermost thoughts of the people and when at times poets spoke about the people, it was to point out to them how greedy and worldly they have become, how impermanent and illusory this world is, how sinful is silver and how ungodly is gold, and such like sermons that supplemented the royal rod and the whip of the aristocrat. Poets became in due course one more important item in the Royal paraphernalia, one more policeman who filed the case here and asked the high heavens to deliver the judgment later on. These poets spoke in a different tongue altogether and were far from the people. They despised the crowd from where they rose and used their poetic genius to gain admission to the royal palace, and when once there, they went on weaving wordy wreathes for monarchs of all sorts, provided his gold was pure. The poets of the Sangam period are noble exceptions to this sorry rule and they are the poets least known to the people of our days. Poets either became vendors of virtue in verses or became pleasure merchants, and they found it hard and unprofitable to become the People’s Poets. That is the 32

reason why we find no outstanding people’s poet after the Sangam Age in Tamil Nadu. Virtue itself came to be considered an investment for a happy life in another world. Hence, poets who came after the advent of this false and pernicious theory began to extol the particular bank of dispensation for which they were the self appointed agents. Like the clever banker, or the active insurance agent, these poets began to pour forth rhymes in abundance, about the soundness of their Bank, about the delightful dividends and the bright prospects. If one poet gave the people a sweet song about the powers of Garuda of Maha Vishnu, up raised another to supply us with a sacred sonnet about the stately bull of Siva, or the beautiful peacock of Muruga or even the ugly buffalo of the all powerful god of death, Yama. All these poems were of the highest order, looked at from the artist’s point of view. There was rhythm, diction, similes, metaphors, parables all in abundance except reason. These poets thought that the temple bell did not work well and thought it their duty to lend their poetic strength to supplement the sound duty or no duty, it was such a paying job that there was a rush in that direction. Poets assumed an attitude of superiority they enjoyed the common men’s confusion, they tried to compromise contradictions and beautify absurdities, they were loud in their denunciation of things worldly; the worthlessness of human life, the littleness of mankind and they presented a poetic picture of the unknown world heaven up above the clouds, and the hell underneath the earth. The telescope was in the womb of science. Hence, heaven existed, and the poets entertained the people with imaginary descriptions about the theological worlds! The ignorant stood amazed and the intelligent adored the art and not the thought. Role of a People’s Poet It is not easy to take up the role of a people’s poet. Bharati rose equal to this stupendous task. It is easy to become the 33

poet of the classes. Some sweet sonnets about the silvery moon swimming in a sea of blue. some poems about the twinkle of the stars, fine poems about the fragrance of the flower, the rhythm in rivers, lyrics about the love and verses about valour, these are enough to secure a place of honour in the poet’s gallery. But to discharge the duties of a people’s poet, one has to cross hurdles of hatred, take many a dive into dangers and should not think about patronage and popularity. Though a select circle of friends knew and spoke about the poetic genius of Subramania Bharati, the people as a whole were almost unaware of their poet till at a later stage, and then too it was the poems of a political colour that was presented to the people, and not the poems which a people’s poet alone can conceive and deliver. We had poets in abundance. The shepherd sleeping inside a temple forgetful of his home and vocation, the goddess returning after her midnight supervision, the smile on her lips on seeing the simpleton, her curious idea to make him a poet, the gentle pat and the touch of the divine rod, the wonderful results these were known to the people. One becomes a poet, because of the divine touch, and it is his duty to sing devotional songs to a particular deity or to all. This theory held the ground so strongly that the people were not prepared to meet the people’s poet, even when one came forward. The people will cast a look of contempt and suspicion on one who says boldly. “I am the people’s poet. I sing for them and about them because I am one of them”. There would be no recognition and the more radical his poems are, the more vehement will be the opposition. And in this dangerous ground, we find Subramania Bharati, taking steady steps victoriously. The State of Affairs when the Poet was born Bharati was born on the frontier of two eras; the feudal order was in full force in his homeland. Ettayapuram had a palace surrounded by huts. Age old castes were still in power. He himself was a Brahmin by birth but side by side with feudalism and Sanathanic order of Society, modernism was peeping in. Industrial revolution was dawning, the old order met the new with sorrowful eyes, and there was a 34

challenge in the look of the new era. Bharati was born during that period and none could have imagined that he will become the warrior in the duel between the old order and the new; for in the old order of things his was a comfortable place. He was born, moreover, in this land of paradoxes, a land where arrogance and humility, cruelty and kindness march together, where there is energy in abundance and absurd contemplation strong enough to dissipate the energy, a land of some dazzling ideas and millions of mute people, a land where there is apoplexy at the center and anemia at the extremes, the land of courage as well as fear, the land of faith as well as despair. Byron and Burke landed here just then, only to meet Bharatam and Bagavatham. The booming of the gun became familiar to the ears of the people and the age long temple drum was not silent in such a land of paradoxes and perplexities. Bharati was born, and in such a land history moves but slowly and it needs a strong push if it should move at all. Bharati’s claim to greatness rests chiefly on this: he gave the push as the people’s poet. Morning Star of Reformation Bharati was not merely the bard of Nationalism. He was certainly the morning star of reformation only because he was the people’s poet. He was angry with the foreigner, and wanted his country to become free but that was not his goal that was not to be his end. It was but the beginning. He wanted to free his country men from all shackles, wanted them to rise up in the estimation of the world, wanted to see a new land peopled by men and women of a new type altogether. He found the people enveloped in fear. Fear was written on their very faces. They were afraid of anything and everything. Not only did they fear the foreigner and his gun but their own brethren chanting some slogans. They were afraid of ghosts and phantoms.

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Eradication of Superstition Such a people cannot become the standard bearers of freedom and a land peopled by such nature cannot lift its head high, and look straight at the world, even if the foreign power is driven out. Hence Bharati wanted his countrymen, to drive out fear from their mind to shed off inferiority complex. He instilled into their minds hope and courage, he placed before them their own hidden powers and pointed out to them, how that innate power is being wasted, the slumber of the masses, their gross ignorance, and superstition, their inferiority complex and their caste prejudices. Bharathi saw clearly and he determined to root out these evils and none but a people’s poet could have been so deeply interested in these problems. World Freedom Movements and India But Bharati knew fully well, that it was the age of the common man, the era of democracy and he wanted the people to fight for freedom. He did not deliver mere devotional hymns to the divinities nor did he send poetic appeals to the princes of the land. He addressed the man with the plough, the woman at the cradle and even the children at the play grounds. He did not, like the poets of a bygone age, point out ancient scripts in support of freedom, but placed before the masses, the world events of importance, and the freedom movements of distant lands. He announced to the people, the dawn of freedom in Italy through the marvelous resurrection of the masses, thanks to Mazzini the patriot. He painted in glowing colours, the picture of France after the revolution, and placed a brand new picture about Russia, free from the shackles of Czardom, free Belgium, free France, Red Russia these were the pictures that he placed not the theological land of Indra or Brahma and having placed these pictures, he also presented them with a pen picture of country men at Fiji islands, and like Shakespeare he asked, “Look at this picture and at that!” That is the people’s poet. One who is not afraid of pointing out the follies and foibles of his own people, one who is not 36

afraid of showing to his own people, how slow they are in thought and action whereas peoples of other lands were moving fast and faster to a nobler sphere of activity and life. He was not afraid of the privileged class, and did not falter to place the full facts before the people. Projecting a new vision altogether As the People’s poet it was his duty to unmask cant and hypocrisy wherever it was to be found, and he did that with remarkable courage and enthusiasm. There is an attempt by interested parties to enlarge the portrait of Bharati, the national bard, not entirely because they love that portrait but because they think that portrait’s immensity will conceal from the public eye, the other portrait, the portrait of Bharati, the people’s poet. Bharati’s poems are no mere hornets. The people’s poet was not afraid to lay bare the absurdities of ancient systems and thoughts, and in almost infuriated tone, he asks those who champion the cause of conservatism in very strong words, “Fools! Do you argue, that things ancient ought, on that account, to be true and noble! Fallacies and Falsehoods there were from time immemorial, and dare you argue that because these are ancient these should prevail?” “In ancient times, do you think that there was not the ignorant, and the shallow minded? And why after all should you embrace so fondly a carcass of dead thoughts. Live in the present and shape the future, do not be casting lingering looks to the distant past for the past has passed away, never again to return, “so says Bharati and therein we meet. He gave a moral code for the masses, not unrelated to life, as some of the ancient codes, were. He boldly differed from the ancient codes and placed before the people, a new vision altogether. He refused to allow the thought of Maya philosophy to have a hold on the people. He ridiculed that theory strongly and infuriated the Ashramites, but he was not afraid of the consequences. “A people immersed in such 37

a thought,” Bharati said, “will become inactive, unprogressive and such a people will become worthless”. Service to Humanity Hunger and poverty and ignorance, he will not tolerate, and he raises his powerful voice against the tyranny of the rich, and threatens the whole world with dire consequences even if a single individual is made to starve. He wants the people to lead a full life, develop their faculties, improve their commerce, industrialize their land and enjoy all the benefits of the new era. His religion is not to be priest craft and slogan shouting: his religion is service to humanity and brotherhood in the broadest sense. The Task of the people’s Poet The task that lies before the people’s poet is a mighty one. It is his task to make the people realize new truth, take a new path, and get a new process of valuation altogether. It is his task to release the people from the clutches of the Astrologer, and place before them the Astronomer. His is the task to drive out the Alchemist from the people’s mind so that the chemist can come in. His is the task to push aside the priest so that the teacher can get a place. The people’s poet has the mighty task of driving out the influence of the Miracle monger so that the Medical man can find a place in the order of things. Superstition is to be fought out so that science can flourish. In short, the people’s poet has the task of a revolutionary and more difficult than that of the revolutionary for the people are apt to mistake the tyrant for the saviour and the saviour for the tyrant. He fought with courage and though the battle is not over yet, and though he is no more alive he has given an armoury of thought enough for the successful termination of the fight and the best and lasting tributes that one can pay to this people’s poet, is to continue the fight, the fight for freedom of the people, in its fullest and noblest sense. And there are men for the job and it will be finished. 38

UPROOTING MILLIONS OF TAMILS AND THE OPINION MAKERS OF TAMILNADU

. [People from Europe went to America and they are citizens of America today. People from India went to Ceylon, Burma and other colonies of British and French. Naturally they should have become citizens of the soil where they toiled for few centuries. But it is not so. The bureaucracy in India, especially in foreign office has neither vision nor brains. By their foolishness they created Stateless citizens especially in Ceylon. Anna in his speech made in December 1964 at Rajya Sabha [Upper House of Indian Parliament] questions the negation of human dignity which involved uprooting 3 lakhs of people irrespective of their wishes, people to whom Ceylon was homeland for generations. We reproduce his speech to provoke fresh thinking on past blunders...... N.Nandhivarman]

ANNA's SPEECH Mr.Vice Chairman, the Minister of External Affairs has given us a fairly full picture of the present international situation. I have the fullest sympathy towards the Minister for External Affairs when he is called upon to solve problems bristling with difficulties and confounding the best brains of the present day world. Though the field is very alluring, I do not propose, due to embarrassing time factor, to enter into the very alluring grounds covered by the Minister for External Affairs. I propose to be nearer home and deal with only one problem, the so called Indo-Ceylon pact. In dealing with that problem I may request the Minister for External Affairs to take my speech to convey the feeling of remorse and agony by millions of people over this Indo-Ceylon pact. The Minister has been telling us how politicians and statesmen all over the world are trying to enthrone justice and equity, are trying to find out how best human dignity can be safeguarded. I am going to measure the Indo-Ceylon Pact by that rod of human dignity, international justice and common sense. Measuring it with such a rod, I find that this pact means a gross betrayal of millions of people whose one sin has been looking towards this country and this government for solace. 39

The Indo-Ceylon Pact, the very name I would say Mr. Vice Chairman, the very name is a misnomer. There is no problem at all between two sovereign countries like India and Ceylon. The main problem is between millions of people settled for generations together in Ceylon and the Ceylonese government in matter of treatment meted out to them. The only part that we could have played and the legitimate part we should have played is by stressing the human aspect of the problem. All along, it has been stated that we are not going to look at this problem as other than a problem of human interest. The persistent, the consistent and the logical policy being followed by the previous government, to be more correct, by the late lamented Prime Minister of this country has been given a go by, without an iota of remorse. He has been stressing that the problems of millions of people who have been unfortunately termed as stateless is a problem that has to be tackled mainly and solely by the Ceylonese Government. The Indian Government enters the picture only to guide the Ceylonese government when it needs guidance. A point has been raised in this House, whether the sovereignty of one country can be abridged by the actions and consultations of another country. Various views on sovereignty there have been, and the present trend is that even sovereignty is to come under the aegis and under the guidance of the eternal principles of justice and fairplay. If this is merely the sovereign right of the Ceylon Government, Mr.Kotewala, Mr.Dudley Senanayake, after that Mr.Bandaranaike and now Srimavo Bandaranaike need not have, and would not have, and could not have, come to this country for consultations. The very fact that successive Prime Ministers of Ceylon have come to this country for consultations on this problem means that this not purely a problem wherein the sovereignty of a country is at issue. This is a problem wherein the whole world has an interest. The fact of the matter is that millions of people who are called people of

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Indian origin are settled in Ceylon, not for a decade or two decades, but centuries together. It has been stated that only the Indians there are people of Indian origin. May I ask the Minister of External Affairs to delve deep into the annals of Ceylon? It may give him an insight into the fact that the so called Sinhalese are people of Indian origin who went to Ceylon during the reign of King Vijaya and the millions of people who were now dubbed as people of Indian origin have gone there later. Therefore to call the people of Indian origin aliens to Ceylon is a travesty of fact. The Government ought to have countenanced such barefaced injustice. The main burden ought to have been on the Ceylon government to come to this country or before the bar of the world and they ought to have stated in what way they are treating, they have been treating and they are going to treat people who have settled there permanently. Most of the people today who are called men of Indian origin have no connection, no hovels, no homes, no relations in this unfortunate part of our country, Tamil Nadu. The only affinity between those people and people of Tamil Nadu is the affinity of language. If the Ceylon government turns around and says this is your problem, what prompted the Government of India to accept that version of the Ceylon Government's proposals? What is that they have surrendered to? Is it to temptation? Is it to pressure? Is it to various other extraneous circumstances? Why they have surrendered to the temptation of taking this problem as their problem? Even after taking that false stand, did the Government of India or the present Ministry follow the best tenets of democratic principles? What did that Prime Ministers of Ceylon do? When Dr.Dudley Senanayake came here, when Mr. Kotelawala came here and when Mrs.Bandaranaike came here, they took into their confidence; they consulted the important leaders of the opposition in their own country? I remember when Mr.Dudley Senanaike as Prime Minister came to this country, he brought along with him as one of the members of the delegation, and the late lamented Mr.Bandaranaike. Why is that when a small country like 41

Ceylon maintains and works along the best democratic tenets, you have not taken care to consult the opinion of any opposition parties? Why is it that the Ceylon government when it came here came fully armed with the unanimity of opinion of all political parties functioning in Ceylon and even of the Communist party which is called the Lanka Sama samaj Party. Why you are presenting to this House and to this country, a fait accompli. Why has the Minister stated in the other House that he was constantly in consultation with the leaders of opinion in Tamil Nadu ? May I ask the Minister of External affairs to inform this House if he has taken to care to consult any one of the leaders of major political parties in Tamil nadu ? No. He can turn around and say that the Chief Minister of Madras has given his blessings or consent and another Minister who was deputed here- Hon.Ramiah- had given the consent. What else can they do? Can they expose the Government of India? They cannot. Their loyalty to the party and to the Government stands in the way of opening their hearts to say what they feel. Even after accepting the Indo-Ceylon Pact, speaking if I remember correctly at Baroda, the Chief Minister of Madras stated that he would have been happier if a smaller number of people had been asked to come. What does it mean? It means there is a volcanic eruption though in mild form, in the mind of the Chief Minister of Madras. He is not happy over this Pact though he cannot, as a loyal congressman, as a loyal state Chief Minister, question the propriety of the Central Government. Therefore to cite the support given by the Chief Minister of Madras or his Deputy is merely burking the issue. Why have you deviated from the path followed by the late lamented Prime Minister? What did he say on the floor of this house, on the floor of the other house, on many occasions? He had very correctly stated that he would take any number of people coming to this country, if they come voluntarily. What is this Pact? This is not voluntary repatriation. You have assured the Sinhalese that you would take 5 lakhs or more that will be coming and you have persuaded after 42

much difficulty- I can understand the difficulties-Ceylon to retain 3 lakhs of people. You have left without taking into consideration, for the present only I hope, 1, 50.000 people. Well. When a similar problem confronted Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Mr.Kotelawala, what were the terms? What were the terms of the Indo-Ceylon Pact of 1953-54? The main terms, the soul of the Pact, was that repatriation of the people ought to be voluntary. The people in Ceylon should be given the option to opt for India or remain in Ceylon and the Ceylonese Government at that time went a step further and said that it was working upon a scheme of inducement, that they are going to induce the Indian residents there, as they called them, to go to India by offering temptation of cash bonus. Even that has been given up or given a go-by in this Pact. After the 1954 Pact did the Minister of External Affairs or even the Prime Minister look into the aspect of how that Pact has worked? It has been stated and it has not been repudiated by the Ceylonese Government, that when more than 8 lakhs of people applied for registration of citizenship in Ceylon, merely 1, 25,000 people were registered. It has been said by Senators and Members of the House of Representatives in Ceylon itself that the 1953-54 Pact was not implemented in just manner. Even the present Cabinet Minister there, who has now resigned Mr.Felix Bandaranaike, stated on the floor of the House of Parliament in Ceylon, that the Pact has not been worked out equitably and justly. When a Government, after having entered into a Pact with this Government has not worked the Pact correctly and justly, why you have walked into that parlour and signed on the dotted line? That is why millions of people today think that the so called Indo-Ceylon Pact is a betrayal of the interests of millions of people. Hon. Members here have stated and particularly Mr.Chengalvaroyan has said “What alternative is there?” Well what alternative is there when you sit tight over the fate of our country and these people? When you do not mete out justice what alternative is there? That alternative will be found out by the people at large. If 43

you are going to solve every problem with this condition" what alternative ", we can solve the Chinese problem very easily. Already I find a trend from the speech of the Hon.Mr.Sapru and another Hon.member that they are thinking along the line of “what alternative “What alternative?” should not or ought not to be the argument of a potent Government. What alternative has the Ceylonese Government if we refuse to sign this Pact? If we refuse to take those 5 lakhs into this country, what is the alternative open to the Ceylon Government? Have they got the guts to keep these millions of people in a Belsen camp? Have they the power to defy world opinion by shooting them down? No. Even the Ceylon Government cannot go so far. When many Hon. Members addressed the Minister of External affairs as the Foreign Minister, I at first was irritated and then I thought he is really a Foreign Minister and that is why he has left it to the discretion of a foreign government to settle the fate of millions of people. Mr.G.G.Ponnambalam, who held the Ministry of industry in Ceylonese Government said when resigning his post on the floor of the House of the Representative: " The Indian and Ceylonese citizenship Act as enforced and implemented, as to render it utterly oppressive with the deliberate objective of denying to several hundreds of thousands of Tamils who call no country other than Ceylon their own and owe no allegiance to any other country, their inalienable right to be part of the permanent population of this country " Ceylon has not implemented the Citizenship Act of 1953-54. When the Ceylon Government has not implemented the Indo-Ceylon Pact of 1953-54, how can we believe that this Pact is going to solve the problem? and when a Member of my party in the Loksabha put a very pertinent question to the Minister of External affairs, he wanted a definite, categorical answer from the External affairs Minister, my friend there, Mr.Sezhiyan wanted a clarification from the Minister, as to whether this repatriation will be voluntary or compulsory, The Minister of External affairs- I have come to realize that he is adept in the art of by-passing straight 44

questions-said, " why should we take a hypothetical stand?” Two labour organizations of Ceylon one led by Mr.Aziz and other by Mr.Thondaiman, both have declared their repudiation of this Pact. They have said that they are not going to opt for India. Therefore this is not a hypothetical question. When the people of Ceylon refuse to opt for India, what are you going to do? Are you going to take them in shifts and get the 5 lakhs of people here, whether they are willing or not and dump them on India? Another member said that we have no jurisdiction. I find from reports that a Professor of Delhi university- I do not remember his name at the moment- has stated, in one seminars conducted by Delhi university, that the Ceylon government has got an obligation, according to the United Nations charter on Human rights, to confer citizenship on those lakhs of people there. Instead of taking into consideration all these aspects, The External affairs Minister, good man that he is, has signed this Pact, or is it the Prime Minister ? I do not know-which is a betrayal of the human dignity of lakhs of stateless people there. It is only to register my protest against this attitude, that I have taken part in today’s discussions. ANNA's SPEECH GIVES AN INSIGHT OF THE BETRAYAL OF MALAYAGA THAMIZHARGAL BY THE GOVERNMENT OF INDIA. [Sinhalese imagine them to be Aryans and the North Indians who also imagine them to be Aryans forgetting they too are of Dravidian stock are extending support to Sinhalese at the cost of Tamils. In Chennai media so-called opinion makers with leanings towards a dead language Sanskrit are antiTamil for centuries and they use any opportunity to betray Tamils be it Ealam or Malayagam or even in Tamil Nadu and their games stands exposed even in those days by few lines of Anna's speech...... N.N]

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GENESIS: DRAVIDA PERAVAI

DRAVIDA PERAVAI, the offshoot of DRAVIDA MUNNETRAKAZHAGAM is born out of historical necessity to mould the policies in tune with the changing needs of times and to catch the imagination of the Tamil people in the dawn of the next millennium. Nowhere in human society people were compartmentalized into castes in the name of religion by the invaders and kept under captivity for centuries together. The archaeological excavations at Mohenjadaro and Harappa by Sir.John Marshall brought to the fore the rich civilization of Dravidians. Dr.Caldwell's Comparative Grammar of Dravidian Languages highlighted that Tamil is the Mother of Dravidian language school and a primary classical language of the world. At the same time the oppressed sections of society revolted against caste tyranny. In such a compelling historical moment Advocate JOHN RATHINAM, a leader of dalits founded Dravida Kazhagam in 1892. With an interval of some years after that first abortive attempt, the South Indian Welfare and Rights Movement otherwise known as Justice Party emerged in the scene in 1916. As moderates in Justice Party were applying brakes for the onward march of the social revolution initiated by PERIYAR E.V.RAMASAMY, a new transformation was carried forward by DRAVIDA KAZHAGAM. The realization that social revolution sans power will not deliver goods led to the birth of DRAVIDA MUNNETRA KAZHAGAM in September 17/1949. ARINGNAR ANNA led the party to citadels of power in 1967 but his demise orphaned the movement. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led by Aringnar Anna's successor Dr. KALAIGNAR M. KARUNANITHI became a victim of the evil designs of Indian

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National Congress, the power crazy fascist party, which engineered splits in opposition parties to enable it to remain in the saddle at the Central Government of India. A matinee idol became a convenient tool to reverse the march of the rationalist movement and the historical resurgence of the Dravidian Peoples. ANNA DRAVIDA MUNNETRA KAZHAGAM came into existence in October 1972. Once again DRAVIDA MUNNETRA KAZHAGAM split and MARUMALARCHI DRAVIDA MUNNETRA KAZHGAM was formed due to personality clashes. Aghast at the division after division that buried all the achievement of century old Dravidian movement an outfit DRAVIDA ILAIGNAR PERVAI aimed at unifying the youth divided between the three Dravidian parties emerged on 25th January 1994 in front of the statue of Student leader Rajendran of Annamalai University who lost his life to the bullets of police during Anti-Hindi agitation of 1965. N. Nandhivarman who led this organization felt the need to fill the vacuum for a Greens party in Tamilnadu and registered DRAVIDA PERAVAI as a party with the ELECTION COMMISSION OF INDIA with effect from 30.10.96 The ideology of the Party: Socialism called as Annaism Dravida Peravai is a socialist party, which it describes as Annaism. "A world without beggar's outstretched palm, the miser's heartless stony stare, the piteous wail of want, the pallid face of crime, the livid lips of lies, the cruel eyes of scorn, a race without disease of flesh or brain, A land where life lengthens, fear dies, joy deepens, love intensifies and man regains his dignity, is what Aringnar Anna dreamt of and Annaism stands for" says the party manifesto. Aringnar Anna, the founder of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, parent party of Dravida Peravai, spoke about the ideals while delivering the convocation address in Annamalai University. Those words were chosen to describe Annaism, as a socialist ideology suitable to Indian soil. [Date of Formation: 15.02.1996. Registration with Election Commission of India 25.10.1996.]

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Ever my leader who never gave my due

After I was suspended by Mr.M.G.Ramachandran "for attending to my personal work", the very first suspension of the Anna DMK came in for media criticism. "Navasakthi", the Tamil daily of the Congress [O] led by Thiru.K.Kamaraj condemned my suspension from the Pondicherry State Anna DMK Convenership in its editorial. The Statesman wrote a center page article. I will deal them in another occasion. After my suspension from Anna DMK on the advice of Thiru.Murasoli Maran, I met Dr.Kalaignar in his Gopalapuram residence. It was decided that myself and my followers should return to DMK. I sought one month's time. When we rejoined DMK, the official organ of DMK, Murasoli Tamil daily said: Pondy ADMK merges with DMK. After throwing me out, Mr.M.G.Ramachandran could not nominate a State Convener for one year. Immediately he sent a Cinema Director Gopala krishnan as Convener on deputation from Chennai. For another six months Anagaputhur Ramalingam was sent from Tamil Nadu on deputation to lead the party in Pondicherry. I returned to DMK much before Dindigul bye election. Since I walked out of MGR and never went back to him, in spite of his

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repenting my suspension and extending Dr.Kalaignar has unique regard for me.

invitation,

Then Pondicherry faced Assembly polls in 1974. Mr.M.O.H.Farook Maricar was the State Convener of DMK. I was made Propaganda Secretary for those polls. Panruti S.Ramachandran, a Minister under Kalaignar's cabinet was sent by high command to coordinate election work. In the selection of candidates I had a big say. Mr.D.Ramachandran who defected from DMK just 2 months before polls had to face my nominee K.Rajaram. In Tirumalairayanpattinam constituency V.M.C.Shivashanmuganathan, my class mate was chosen to contest. During election campaign Dr.Kalaignar came to a dinner hosted by me. The picture taken with my cousin sisters was after the dinner past 49

midnight, when he came from Lawspet public meeting. In that election I was told by Mr.M.O.H.Farook to file nomination for Parliament seat. I filed. Meanwhile PTR.Palanivelrajan who was practicing politics from Cosmopolitan club in Chennai came with a new proposal to Kalaignar. The Reddiars association had at that time decided not to contest against their own caste men. Madurapakkam Lakshminarayanan, Congress M.P from Tindivanam through PTR Palanivelrajan offered to sponsor his relative Kodathur Rajaram for Pondicherry Parliament seat. It was told that pitted against Congress Reddiar, a DMK Reddiar candidate will break the caste unity of Reddiars association. Dr.Kalaignar summoned me to Legislative Party office of the DMK in Government estate of Chennai. Yenya, nee entha vaguppu? is the question that came from Kalaignar.In DMK one never ask the other partymen's caste, right from Anna's days we were all moving as one family and no one knew the caste of the other. This question I described as "en nenjil thaitha nerunji mull" in later days in one journal ‘April’. But I have to answer, but answer without directly mentioning caste. “Naan sathi enral ennevendre teri yadavan”, was my reply. He understood. He held my hand and told, you withdraw from contest, and I will give you Rajyasabha seat. Navalar Nedunchezhian, Professor K.Anbazhagan, Minister P.U.Shanmugam, Minister Panruti S.Ramachandran, Propaganda Secretary S.Kandappan M.P, Pondicherry Chief Minister M.O.H.Farook Maricar, Professor M.Elango, Kavignar Karunanandam, Devaraj and Shanmugam the party office staff, and many others were present when Kalaignar made this promise. DMK lost 1974 polls. Only 2 candidates Mr. M.O.H.Farook and my friend Soundararangan won. My friend S.Ramasamy who went to the Anna DMK before polls formed the ministry which was toppled in 21 days. Soon after the electoral defeat I met the press.

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PONDY DMK UNIT PLANNING NEW MORAL CAMPAIGN Pondicherry April 12:1974 : Mr.N.Nandhivarman Propaganda Secretary of the DMK here told newsmen yesterday that unless the intelligentsia started molding public opinion so as to cleanse the present eroded political and electoral systems there was no way out of the moral crisis that is facing the nation.

He said most political leaders have lost the moral fiber to undertake this task. The nefarious practice of personal aggrandizement among politicians has resulted in the people losing faith in political units. Mr.Nandhivarman felt that people had to be made politically conscious and political leaders need be moralized. He said DMK would embark upon such a campaign for the first time in Pondicherry and hoped before long Pondicherry would become a model state to others in this respect. Referring to electoral reforms, Mr.Nandhivarman said common platforms had to be provided by the Election 51

Commission for all contesting candidates. He wanted personal attacks on platforms to be put to an end and instead criticism leveled against only political principles or policies. He was optimistic that DMK would be a moral force in Pondicherry irrespective of its poll achievements. [Courtesy: THE MAIL, evening daily from Chennai] On defeat that is what I told to media. Promise made in 1974 was never kept and I have no regrets. History will evaluate me.

N.Nandhivarman

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GEORGE FERNANDES AND DRAVIDA PERAVAI

The picture above taken at Socialist Conference held at Tuticurin reminds me of his greatness. I went as observer to the conference. George Fernandes called me to stage and asked me to translate his speech. In that speech he announced the launch of Sethu Samudram project, a dream of 138 years unrealized till that date. At the concluding time, he started introducing me to the audience saying my friend Comrade Nandhivarman who translated my speech is running a progressive political party in Pondicherry and showered praise for 5 minutes. I stopped translating his speech and told since it is praises on me I find it difficult to translate. His replies to all my letters will be published in the proposed book which is being planned to commemorate the 10th anniversary of the launch of Dravida Peravai since 30.10.1996. All our work during this decade will be recorded in two books titled “Arikaigal Aiyiram Arasiyal Payiram" and "Puthuvai Varalatrin Pugazh Mighu suvadugal". [Not yet published-2009] Now looking down the memory lane, I wrote a letter to George Fernandes on 27 th September 1984. For which George Fernandes replied on 19 th October 1984. The reason to reproduce few lines from that letter is to record the regard George Fernandes had and has for DMK 53

President Dr.Kalaignar M.Karunanithi. In that letter George Fernandes states “I can never forget the help and support given to me by Mr.Karunanithi during the dark days of Emergency. Our friendship had survived all the vicissitudes of political turns and twists". In 25th January 1985 he was admitted in a hospital in Bombay. From there he replied to my letter. “Dear Nandhivarman... Thank you for your beautiful letter. With men like you around, we shall win our struggle, no matter what price we have to pay. India sent IPKF to Srilanka. I wrote a letter condemning Rajiv Gandhi. In that letter I wrote “The curse of our race will see the dawn of your doom". A copy of the letter sent to Rajiv Gandhi was sent to George Fernandes. He replied "It is a shame for India that Mr. Gandhi should have chosen to do the dirty job for the President of Srilanka. That he is doing this at the behest of America makes it all the more dirty." This is George Fernandes comment on IPKF episode. Dravida Peravai was publishing a news letter titled Green Politics. George Fernandes reproduced one interview which came in our news letter in THE OTHERSIDE [1.10.1997] issue. The Other Side was edited by George Fernandes. He wrote an introductory note for the interview titled 'AUROBINDO ASHRAM TAKE OVER BY CENTRAL GOVERNMENT DEMANDED....... Dravida Peravai General Secretary N.Nandhivarman speaks" He wrote “There has been a persistent demand for the takeover of the Aurobindo Ashram in Pondicherry by various individuals and institutions. In the forefront of this campaign is the general secretary of the Dravida Peravai N.Nandhivarman. Nandhivarman has over years been exposing for public view the unsavory goings in the Ashram, which has brought this once hallowed place into disrepute. We are publishing hereby a question-answer report which is an interview with Nandhivarman. We hope the authorities will take note of this report and take action in the matter before it is too late to stem the rot."

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On 1998 25 th September Union Defence Minister George Fernandes wrote an official letter to Home Minister L.K.Advani seeking protection for me when I was heading a 15 party struggle committee against land house grabbing in Pondicherry. He could have just sought protection. But his affection for me comes to the fore when he uses extra lines to introduce me. “I have known Mr.Nandhivarman as an indefatigable fighter against corruption in all its manifestations. He has been engaged in a long standing campaign against corruption at various levels of administration in Pondicherry" so goes on his letter.

In Union Territory of Pondicherry three nominated MLA's could be nominated. Usually men of letters and scholars alone could be nominated. But in practice party men were filling these posts. Opposing this I wrote to Attorney General, President of India, and Prime Minister etc. I suggested Former Chennai High Court Justice David Annousamy, Tamil scholar Dr.Era.Thirumurugan and Vasudevaraju I.A.S [retd]. Forwarding my letter to Union Home Minister L.K.Advani, Comrade George Saab wrote “Mr.Nandhivarman is the General Secretary of the Dravida Peravai and in the many years I have known him, he has been a selfless public worker taking up public issues, apart from fighting corruption in Pondicherry. The names he had suggested in his letter to Attorney General provide proof of his public concerns" 55

Well all these are recorded here not for self boast. I do not belong to his party. Lifelong I am a DMK follower. Even DP though a splinter of DMK is run as true DMK. I had fought emergency with my pen. But all these years not even once my leader Dr.Kalaignar acknowledged me or gave me my due recognition. If Aringnar Anna would have been alive my position within DMK would have been different. By monetary yardstick a man will not be evaluated by Anna. In George Fernandes I saw the nobility of Aringnar Anna. Nearly four decades we had been friends. I never joined his party. But for his Samata Party, I was a special invitee to its National Executive. Could you imagine this in Indian politics? Another party invited to National Executive. George Fernandes in public and private acknowledged me. I am ever grateful to him. In my life George Fernandes has a unique position equal to that of Aringnar Anna.

N.Nandhivarman General Pondicherry 605001 India

Secretary

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Dravida

Peravai

JAYALALITHA AND TAX HAVENS "The Cayman Islands are an overseas territory of the United Kingdom in the western Caribbean Sea comprising the islands of Grand Cayman, Cayman Brac, and Little Cayman. It is known as one of the largest tax havens in the world." Wikipedia describes Cayman Islands in the above manner. DMK Government led by Dr.Kalaignar M.Karunanithi must keep an eye on this island because of its JJ connections. Dravida Peravai directly met the Chief Vigilance Commissioner Mr.N.Vittal I.A.S at New Delhi in the Office of the Central Vigilance Commission. On 26.08.1999 Dravida Peravai sought a probe into the undisclosed/hidden assets of J.Jayalalitha and confiscation of movable/immovable assets created by their lucrative practice in graftology. The complaint gave all evidences to show that J.Jayalalitha's portfolio managers are Shaw Murphy Private Limited situated at the town of Roseau in Cayman islands.Mr.M.Natarajan had gone to the island with a letter from his chief sponsor. The evidence provided is a letter dated 15 th November 1995 which clearly said that Mr.M.Natarajan will be coming with a letter of his chief sponsor. M.Natarajan in his introductory note says he is M.N.Rajaan and his activities as Government liasoning/formerly government service/presently NGO/Society service and political manager.M.N.Rajaan, the principal introducer had recommended Ms.S.Kala, Mr.V.D.Karan, Ms.S.D.Devy. Mr.M.Natarajan had visited and stayed in Cayman Islands for 3 days enroute to Florida-Australia-India. This could be easily verified by cross checking passport entries. The portfolio managers while telling about their services state that they have served valuable clients from southern India through our investment services to 11 countries over last 25 months. There are more than 20 clients from South India.

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Among the papers we gave to CBI there are papers in which it seems some legal tussle with FBI resulting in Rs 37 crores connected allegedly to M.Natarajan being held up? CENTRAL VIGILANCE COMMISSION FORWARDS CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATIONS

TO

Central Vigilance Commission found some substance in our complaint and forwarded to Central Bureau of Investigations Chennai. One Superintendent of Police Kathiresan telephonically informed me whenever I come to Chennai to meet him at CBI headquarters to give further evidence if any, with regards to this case. He said “You have to prove that 1000 crores or so were taken from Chennai to Caymans Island, then only we have jurisdiction to probe this case. Otherwise enforcement directorate will handle this case" I told I am neither a state agency nor a private detective, but only a political party. If I had been In Parliament I would have placed all evidences in open house and debated face to face with JJ's party. I only hope CBI will take the case to its logical conclusion" But nothing came out. CBI had put this in cold storage. The 40 members of Parliament and Union Ministers must realize that the money power at play by corrupt forces must be contained and these dark forces driven out of politics. JAYALALITHA PLANS TO TAKE REVENGE ON ME One day when I came back home from my morning walk in the beach, I was told Tamil Nadu Police came in search of me. I had no complaints against me in any of the police stations of the country. I suspected some foul play, may be ganja case or kidnapping me to Tamil Nadu territory to foist false case. I rushed to my friend The Superintendent of PolicePondicherry North Mr.Shanmugasundaram and asked him, why Tamil Nadu police wants me. We ourselves are in dark, and it is better till air is cleared, you go underground, he

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told. From that time for few days my underground days started. I went straight to Journalists Colony at Kotivakkam, Chennai particularly to my friend and Chief of the Bureau of Deccan Chronicle and Asian Age, Mr.R.Bhagwan Singh. From there I spoke to Comrade George Fernandes and as advised sent him a telegram narrating my situation. GEORGE FERNANDES SEEKS PROTECTION FOR ME In an official letter DM/No.6065/RM/2001 dated 9 th November 2001, Comrade George Fernandes wrote as follows: Dear Dr.Rajini Rai Please find enclosed copy of a telegram that I received from Shri Nandhivarman apprehending his arrest by the Tamil Nadu policemen as a part of larger conspiracy. I shall be grateful if you could kindly ensure the safety of Shri.Nandhivarman and protection to his life. With warm regards, Yours sincerely, George Fernandes. LT.GOVERNOR PROVIDES PROTECTION Dr.Rajini Rai, Lt.Governor of Pondicherry in her letter D.O.F.No170-LG/2001 dated November 30, 2001 replied: Dear Shri George Fernandesji Please refer to my letter dated November 20, 2001 regarding the telegram sent by Thiru.Nandhivarman apprehending his arrest by the Tamil Nadu police. In this connection I have asked the Inspector General of Police Pondicherry to enquire into the matter. The Inspector General of Police had the matter enquired into and a report was submitted to me. As per the report, Thiru.Nandhivarman is apprehensive that Tamil Nadu Police may foist a false case against him in order to take revenge on him as he had filed some complaints against the AIADMK leader Jayalalitha. As per 59

his version, during his absence three persons posing them as Tamil Nadu police men had come to his residence and had enquired about him. During the enquiry, Pondicherry Police were informed by the police establishments of the neighboring districts of Tamil Nadu, that no case has been registered against Mr.Nandhivarman. Further the Tamil Nadu police had not sought any assistance from the local police in this connection. However Special Branch of the Pondicherry Police is maintaining keen surveillance at the residence of Mr.Nandhivarman to watch the visits of strangers under the guise of Tamil Nadu police. Police beats have also been reworked to cover his residence. Mr.Nandhivarman has refused personal police security at his residence. This is for your kind information. With Regards, Yours sincerely Rajani Rai. Thamizhar Dravidar Kazhagam in a press statement thanked Pondicherry Police for the actions taken. I was not afraid of being arrested, but if they kidnap me to Tamil Nadu area and foist ganja case on me, I was worried about my moral standing getting a beating in public eye. The then Special Branch Superintendent of Police Mr.Chandiran, then Inspector and now Superintendent of Police Mr.Ramesh Kandan deserve thanks for the protection they gave. Of course from Comrade George to Dr.Rajini Rai, my thanks are due. They helped Dravida Peravai defeat Jayalalitha's act of vengeance. N.Nandhivarman

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PROTECT INDIAN LIVES AND DEMOCRACY IN FIJI In front of the Mahakavi Bharathiar Memorial Museum a group of volunteers of Dravida Peravai after garlanding the great bard who immortalized the sufferings of Indian labour in the sugarcane fields of Fiji, started a state wide campaign to draw the attention of the Indian Government towards the safety of Indian lives and democracy in Fiji. The General Secretary of Dravida Peravai presided over the campaign initiated on 1 st June 2000 and it was flagged off by the Pondicherry State MDMK [in-charge] S.Muthu Ex M.L.A. The Janata Dal [Secular] State President M.Elango Ex M.L.A and Uru.Gopalakrishnan, General Secretary of Tamizhaga Rajiv Congress felicitated the campaign. The news appeared in Daily Thanthi, Malai Malar. INDIA SHOULD SEEK UNITED NATIONS INTERVENTION TO SEND PEACE KEEPING FORCE TO FIJI TO PROTECT INDIAN LIVES, PROPERTY AND TO RESTORE DEMOCRACY Dravida Peravai wrote a letter to the Union External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh on 2.06.2000. The letter states: Our party yesterday organized a state level campaign in Pondicherry enclave of the Union territory of Pondicherry to draw the attention on the urgent need to exert diplomatic and other pressure on the current, illegal and unconstitutional government coup and coup within coup to secure the release of the duly elected Prime Minister of Fiji Mr.Mahendra Pal Choudry and his fellow parliamentarians and to ensure proper protection to the properties and lives of the people of Indian origin, whom it seems are fleeing to Australia and New Zealand as they did when the first coups of Col.Rabuka in 1987. Our party through these 10 public meetings addressed yesterday among others by the undersigned had demanded India to take up the issue to United Nations, an institution created at the collective will of the nations of the democratic era, which cannot remain a silent spectator to the hijacking of democracy by gun

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trotting groups. Poet Mahakavi Bharathiar, the only poet who penned a poem on the plight of Indian women in Fiji in the year 1916-17 had narrated how on promising jobs British took Indians as contract labour to Fiji and treated them worse than the animals. They were slaves working in sugarcane gardens, the poet laments. As a befitting tribute to this poet, our campaign to highlight Fiji crisis, started from his memorial. We have to note that certain vested interests here are trying to twist this as a fight between indigenous communities and Indian settlers, who have usurped power. According to Mr.S.K.Bhutani, a retired Indian diplomat the land titles are coming up for review and renewal very soon and the indigenous Fijians who own the land want to ensure a better deal for themselves. THE LANDS ARE OWNED BY THE FIJIANS, WHILE THOSE OF INDIAN ORIGIN CULTIVATE THEM. Vast tracts are under sugarcane and with Indian hands. [The Hindu Report of 1.6.2000 page 14]. This makes the position clear. From the time Bharathi penned his poem, people of Indian origin by sheer hard work without ownership, yet remaining as tenants in the lands belonging to Fiji’s indigenous people, have risen in life economically. As per the Constitution of Fiji article 51, the House of Representatives have proportionate electoral representation for Fijians, Indians and Rotumans. English, Fijian and Indians have equal status as per article 4[1]. So as per a fair constitution Mr.Mahendra Pal Choudry was chosen by the people to be the Prime Minister. The Indian stand calling for restoration of this duly elected government is the right step. We should also use diplomatic pressure to ensure that another, which may disenfranchise people of Indian origin and upset the equilibrium, should not replace 1997-98 constitutions. We are not as one or two critics of our party say protecting Indian interests instead of indigenous peoples. We want Indian origin people to be equal citizens and not made second-class citizens in the land of their living. While Burma refugees came India helplessly has to bear them. When plantation labour was driven out of Ceylon, our Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Sastri went out of his way to 62

accept them as stateless people by signing a pact with Srimavo Bandaranaike. Both morally and politically India buckled under during Kenyan [1968], Ugandan [1972] and other crisis [including human rights violations by Americans] to convey the impression that Indian can be badly treated anywhere by anyone in the world with impunity and without remorse writes political commentator Rajiv Dhavan [The Hindu 2.06.200]. In our campaign yesterday much before we could read Dhavan’s article, we took the same stand. We know that when Ugandan Chief Idi Amin wanted to marry a rich Gujarat girl, her family had to abandon all properties and run back to India. In Pondicherry also we have a sugar mill, which was shifted from Uganda, due to these anti-Indian tirades. When globe had shrunk into a village, while settlers from Europe and Africa get amalgamated and are rulers of their destiny in USA, if people of Indian origin could be made second class citizens and driven back by a tiny island of Fiji, what is the use in India being a nuclear super power, if it cannot even verbally threaten Fiji. From May 19 till yesterday, the day when India dispatched an emissary the delayed response and silence of all with the exception of Haryana Chief Minister Om Prakash Chautala, is condemnable. Let Government hereafter be quick to defend people of Indian origin. N...Nandhivarman, General Secretary Dravida Peravai [The Ministry of External affairs T.C.A.Raghavan, Director in the External Minister’s office replied to our Letter to the MEA. In that letter No.532/EAM/r/00dated 7 th June 2000, it is said, “This is to acknowledge receipt of your letter of June 2 to the External Affairs Minister regarding the current situation in Fiji. We have noted the points raised in your letter] OUR FAILURE TO PROJECT TAMIL CAUSE IN INDIAN POLITICS Dravida Peravai has a historical role to play as a catalyst for change. If only DMK and its offshoots had sent good orators with political acumen to Parliament, as was the 63

practice in the days of Aringnar Anna, there will be no necessity for our tiny party to exist. The practice to send remote controlled robots to perform only specific duties and to add only to the numbers in coalition arithmetic had led to many wrong policies taken by various ministries which are against the interests of Tamils all over the world. Here the champions of Ealam cause, if they had confined only to the espousal of that noble cause, their credibility will be rated high from Indian viewpoint. But for cheap publicity if they adopt forest brigands as liberators of Tamil Nadu, the public opinion here swings against them. Time is neither ripe nor the men who voice separatist demands in Tamil soil have enough numbers to sway public opinion for a separate state here. Knowing fully the futility of separatist struggle here Anna had abandoned separatist plank. By raising that bogey these men with miniscule following are of nuisance value jeopardizing the legitimate interests of Ealam Tamils. It is not a political murder, but the shrill voices here and there which enables government agencies and media to create a ghost of LTTE type liberation struggle being imported here. By such false propaganda the correct line India was adopting in the time of Indira Gandhi stands blocked. Our shadow warriors are to be blamed for not projecting Tamil viewpoint in Indian politics.

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SALUTING INDIA's MARTYRS and NETHAJI

TEAR DROPS TO NETHAJI AND INDIAN NATIONAL ARMY Sunlit sky wears the garb of night To bid adieu to imperialism freedom sneaked Era of colonialism-ended divide to rule failed As Indians woke to hail the rays of light Partition uproot millions, casteism divide trillions Poverty haunts villages, floods cause ravages Diseases stalk our land, yet we love our Homeland To overcome division and unify our kinsmen Lives of millions lost and Nethaji is a hero lost Nethaji's eyes filled with tender light To see eyes dimmed with tears emit delight Teardrops ignite historical change Fearless leader could clearly gauge Narrow selfish German nationalism and trace Its philosophy of supremacy of race Stands for glorification of white race Yet for tact sought Hitler's embrace. Charles de Gaulle too faced humiliation But victory graced his coalition Bose met tragic end because axis lost War Otherwise both leaders were at par. Synthesis of National Socialism and communism Thus spoke Bose on the tenets of his Socialism At Tokyo University foresaw conflict between theses And anti thesis resolving in higher synthesis. Millions fought amidst infinite sacrifice And Subhas Bose became living edifice. 10 th June 1943 Charles de Gaulle crossed the channel of English To unfurl Free French flag with help of British Bose in submarine reached Japan's shores To enlist Tojo's support became his chores Before Tokyo press he thus thundered "Enemy with drawn sword be fought with sword 67

Non violence with armed struggle be replaced Only by baptism of fire Indians can displace Enemy and shall qualify for freedom on Earth". Support to Indian cause was in no dearth. 2 nd July 1943 Two thousands thronged at Singapore To glimpse Nethaji of many a lore Liberation movement came under his charge, Renamed Indian National army looms large Azad Hind Fauj Free Indian army marches Its heroic men upholding liberation torches Crowds greeting Bose everywhere is countless At Singapore support came from 6 lakh fearless Thirty million dollars and three lakh men he need But to arm only thirty thousand Japanese agreed The title Nethaji earned him heroic adoration Bose toured Bangkok, Saigon, and Rangoon for mobilization At Rangoon gather a lakh to hear his speech Thai Premier Luant Pibulsongram within his reach Burmese Government of Ba Maw also backs his goals All these infused courage to suppressed Indian souls. 21 st October 1943 Bose chosen Prime Minister and Head of state War and Foreign affairs problems galore in spate Close on heels of government proclamation Japan's recognition came the same day By 19 November Germany, China, Italy Hanchuo, Burma, Croatia, Philippines and Thailand Recognize government in exile of our motherland Bose wrested by talks Andaman and Nicobar Island To have it as base to redeem the main hinterland. Japan's Imperial General headquarters orders To capture strategic areas of the borders Near Imphal and parts of India's North East For defense of Burma involving INA the least Burmese cabinet receives Bose at Rangoon 68

South Asia recognizes new head of state soon, Port Blair became part of Nethaji's raj Andaman and Nicobar renamed as Shahid and Swaraj First Chief Commissioner Lt.Col.Loganathan anointed And Tamilians happy on seeing their men appointed Their tireless service found recognition To liberate homeland hardening their resolution Subhas brigade of fourteen thousand men Fought pitched battles bare footed in British den Amidst gunshots Indian administration's blueprint Was ready bearing Nethaji's imprint? After marathon discussions breaking resistance National Bank of Azad Hind came into existence Capital of 5 million rupees from Indians raised As founder of first shipping company VOC is praised In banking for pioneering role Bose is hailed His independence and intense sense of equality Made him vehemently argue against inequality And encroachments on Indian rights Of future governance he had foresights This led to Reconstruction College to bloom Alas! The abortive struggle is cause of gloom A.N.Sircar made to draft India's Unification plan Bose aimed to attain social justice by state plan Bose said “If situation leads to inflation Adopt additional measures to effect deflation Withdrawal of market surplus currency Is the panacea to such an emergency? To remove country's ills printing of notes Is not the remedy states Aringnar Anna's quote? Bose at the rock bottom of his heart felt the same Underlines his mastery over economical game. Lt.Col.Chatterji designated Chief Administrator Of occupied territories in the Indian sector Amidst military campaign that failed miserably Bose planned all these meticulous steps ably His greatness and uniqueness outshines others His khaki cap bore many such feathers No one else with exception to Comrade Lenin 69

Charles de Gaulle and Ho Chi Minh Equaled him in clarity of vision Before accomplishment of his mission. Even in death Nethaji haunted the British Wavell wondered Japanese announcement rubbish Subhas Bose death by air crash is untruth And suspected gone underground hence forth Second World War clouds disappeared in horizon Twenty five thousand INA heroes sent to garrison But vengeful to punish yet fearful of upsurge British classified into three to effect purge INA with intention of rejoining as whites And those misled by Japanese and Bose as greys Fervent believers of freedom cause as blacks Prisoners of War classified thus by British quacks Whites restored to their position in army Grays were tried dismissed and released awry Blacks were made to bear the full brunt Power mongers thus executed their witch-hunt Red Fort housed the INA captives Aliens ruled the roost enslaving natives. 5 th November 1945 The trio symbolizing unity amidst diversity Brothers of Muslim, Hindu, Sikh fraternity Shawnawaz Khan, Premkumar Sejgal, Gurubakshsingh Dhillon Were put to trial for treason for various reason Charged as having waged War against Emperor To tame others Britishers let loose reign of terror Trial and tribulations dragged till December end Silent majority's feelings it did strongly offend Nine months after War during British victory parade Indians unfurled fury-feeling aversion to charade Old Delhi town hall gutted, parading troops booed Indians wearing British attire attacked, ire echoed Police opened fire to quell crescendo of freedom Dreaming forever India will remain their serfdom To treat INA prisoners with leniency Jinnah urged 70

His appeal evoked no response, all three sentenced To life fuelling the peoples explosive ire Opening day of trial at Madurai police had to fire As trial proceeded at Red Fort millions beseeched More than hundred men killed or maimed Calcutta was strike bound Hindu Muslim unity was abound Congress and Muslim league flags fluttered American and British establishments attacked Forty-nine military vehicles destroyed Ninety-seven damaged and two hundred military injured Thirty two Indians lost lives and two hundred wounded Patna, Allahabad, Beneras, Bombay, Karachi were in flames Burning passion for liberation drove British to Thames Joint secretary of war department Mr.Mason Understood patriotic motives and boiling passion Climbed down to treat as prisoners of war INA heroes Auchenlik set the three men free ending their sorrows By selective trials British continued their intention Captain Abdul Rashid sentenced to 7-year detention Bombay and Delhi rocked by Muslim Leagues agitation In Calcutta strict martial law left fifty for cremation Royal Indian air Force striking men of five thousand In HMS TALWAR led the navy revolt soon 70 ships abound Of Karachi Madras Visakapattinam Calcutta Cochin Andamans Bombay Hauling Union Jack down kept the enemy at the bay Only two shore establishment and ten ships were left To side with British, rest of navy completely swept In Madras Bombay and Jabalpur Royal Indian Air Force Strike Karachi witnessed gun battles for two days full of strife Bombay mass uprisings in sympathy of the mutiny Said Times of India as unparallel in city's history. Left called for textile workers strike of six lakhs People waged three days of fight while death stalks. Two hundred seventy left dead, two thousand three hundred injured 71

But never the will of people was conquered. British Premier Atlee promised transfer of power To Indians, if necessary of two nations, not later Than June nineteen hundred forty eight Vanishing was British might in front of peoples fight. Nethaji Subhas Bose's words ring in ears to embolden The march ahead of other nations in jubilee that is golden To pay for our liberty with our own blood, the freedom We shall win through our sacrifices and martyrdom We shall be able to preserve with our strength INA and NETHAJI electrified country's breadth and length Let this echo every day in our hearts to infuse Courage, conviction, clarity of vision and enthuse In defense of Motherland and its march to prosperity Liberating millions from clutches of poverty As Aringnar Anna dreamt to strive for the smiles In the faces of the poor let us dedicate our lives. N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai [This is not poetry; it imitates poetic form in order to record history. DMK President Kalaignar M.Karunanithi writes history in verse-poems. His current efforts make me recall my attempt to make history simple, readable and understandable. On the role of INA and Nethaji Subhas Chandra Bose before few years I recited this so called poem in a Poets Symposium organized by Department of Arts and Culture ,Government of Puducherry]]

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MANKINDS MARCH TOWARDS UNIVERSAL BROTHERHOOD N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai Mankind is marching towards human immortality. This is neither prophecy nor astrological prediction. It is the aim of science to attain the goal of immortality. How this goal could be achieved? You must know that in spite of much talk about our era of information technology; in fact we have crossed that era. Already we are in nano-technology era. Nano-technology era had dawned. In another 30 years of research we can be near to inserting tiny machines called intelligent nanobots into our bodies which will eradicate ravages of illness and age and help us live indefinitely. Where humanity is heading for? Towards Immortality: Nanobots Ray Kurzwell wrote a book “Fantastic Voyage: Live long enough to live Forever.” In that book he wrote, “Millions of blood cell sized robots which he called nanobots will be swarming through our body repairing bones, muscles, arteries and brain cells.” Yes like the anti virus programmes in our computers we will be having nanobots, as tiny as one out of 1000 th size of our hair which will eradicate disease at the time of the start itself. lf.Ray Kurzwell foresees human intelligence not only conquering its biological limits including death but completely mastering the natural world. He is a recipient of $500000 Lemelson_MIT prize from that Academy Award for Inventors. In USA he had won 1999 National Medal for Technology Award. His publications had appeared in Wired to Time magazines. Christian Science Monitor had called him” Modern Edison”. He was inducted into the Inventors Hall of Fame in 2002. This is the man representing the march of science.

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Downloading Brain The Observer newspaper from London on May 22-2005 said Death could become a thing of the past by middle of 21 st century as computer technology becomes sophisticated enough for contents of the brain to be downloaded onto a supercomputer according to Ian Pearson Head of the Futurology unit at British telecommunications giant BT. Making Life longer Scottish Daily Scotsman in March 282005 says that a pill had been invented by Aberdeen University Professor John Speakman if taken once a day will keep a person healthier and able to work longer and would extend his lifespan by 30 years. Injecting life into nerve cells The team at Boston’s Children hospital and Harvard University had identified a molecule that is helping injured nerve cells regenerate and it might be used to develop new treatments for spinal chord injuries, brain diseases and stroke damage. The molecule called inosine acts as a master

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switch to turn on a number of genes involved in the growth of nerve cells. Designer gene Cure The journal of American Heart Association “Circulation” in a study states “It might be possible to design and construct genetically engineered designer gene therapy for selectively delivering genes to any part of the body. We can’t do it now because much of what is injected would be sequestered by liver said AndrewH.Baker, Reader in Molecular Medicine at University of Glasgow in Scotland. New form of Matter Deborah Jin a physicist at the National Institute of Standards and Technology’s joint lab with the University of Colorado had announced that they have found new form of matter called fermionic condensate and it is sixth known form of matter after gases, solids, liquids, plasma and a BioEinstein condensate created only in 1995. It is not a superconductor but it is really something in between these two that may help us in science to link these two interesting behaviors. Her team’s new form of matter uses fermions the building blocks of matter that include protons, electrons and neutrons. Fermions are your independent thinkers; they don’t copy your neighbors. Nano-Drugs Smart drugs that can travel through your body, diagnose the problem and deliver nano-doses straight to the diseased cells is possible within 5 years in India, if Governments act fast in helping research. Dr.B.M.Choudry Deputy Director of the Inorganic and Physical Chemistry division of Indian Institute of Technology Hyderabad on July 24-2004 had told that targeted drug delivery would be more efficient in fighting diseases with fewer side effects. A patient suffering from throat cancer could be given a nano drug that can kill cancer cells. A single nano capsule injected into the subcutaneous tissue lungs or stomach is enough to cure

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some of the ailments, which might normally take dozens of pills in conventional treatment. Pulsating Pants to pump blood to Heart If you have heart problem go to the ready-made shop and buy a pulsating pant. These vibrating trousers work like a pump to increase blood flow to the heart. The vibrating leg wear meant to be worn for an hour a day over seven weeks have in built inflatable cuffs around the calves, thighs and buttocks which inflate and deflate with each heart beat, thus pushing the blood up the leg towards the heart. The garments are part of new non-invasive heart treatment technique called External Enhanced Counter pulsation. Unlike procedures like by pass surgery, angioplasty; EECP involves no surgery, drugs or needles. Well all these may indicate the march of our science let us also take a look back at wherefrom we came from? Where we came from? Panspermia: Seeds Everywhere NASA and European and Italian Space Agency spacecraft Cassini is beaming telemetry and images back from Titan the massive planet sized moon of Saturn. The conditions in Titan resemble our earth millions of years before life ultimately evolved. It has an environment rich in carbon based molecules that are capable of spawning self replicating DNA. Panspermia literally means seeds everywhere. It is a theory, which maintains that life bearing proto spores is prevalent throughout the Universe. Life on Earth originated when some of them landed on its surface and propagated. It also suggests that life could have existed in another planet and moved to Earth. Humanity is one: All languages came from one Humanity is one, yet we notice divisive tendencies. Dr.Russel Grey an evolutionary biologist at the University of Auckland in New Zealand published his results in Nature 76

magazine co-authoring with his colleague Quentin Atkinson. In his submission he expressed confidence that a family tree of human languages could be constructed and its branching points dated. If this happens a wonderful new window will be opened into human past.

As biologists had drawn the family tree of genes and species, linguists too have started to use same mathematical tools to build a tree, which traces to the only one language spoken once upon a time which now had divided into 6000 and more languages. Dr.R.Madhivanan, a great Tamil scholar is emphasizing the need for language archaeology to dig at the roots of the first human language

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Ultimate Universal Theories Times of India in its editorial on 12 th October 2004 titled “Ends and Means” explain how Universal theories are coming to the fore in the following words. Quote: “Einstein wanted to end it all, scientifically speaking. After his special and general theories of relativity earlier in the last century had revolutionized physics, he spent his last 30 years of life till his death in 1955 trying to find an even more generalized concept that would unite all the forces of Nature. Called the unified theory it was an attempt to understand every physical interaction and present it in as simple a form as e= mc2. He was only partially successful. Since then, though researchers around the world have striven hard in their efforts to lay their hands on what has come to be known as theory of everything-something that would comprehensively explain the entire universe from the smallest subatomic particles to the most massive galactic structures. OUR FUTURE IS BRIGHT Well the future is full of hope. Human Race is marching ahead of other species. It is scientific temper and rationalism that is motivating mankind to scale greater heights in understanding our existence better.Univeral brotherhood had always been the goal of Tamil civilization. Poet Kaniyan Poongunran wrote 2000 years ago that every country is my country, all kumans are my kinsmen. Let us walk towards a new dawn. Fundamentalism must be laid in its catacomb. [Paper presented at the National Seminar on the Concept of Scientific Temper organized by True Rationalistic Union of Samaj-seva Trainers (TRUST) led by Nihar Acharya at Jayadev Bhavan Bhubaneswar on 18 th December 2005]

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INDIAN TRADITIONAL KNOWLEDGE THEFT

by dravidaperavai @ 2006-01-09 – 11:21:23 Blog Post BUREAUCRACY SLEEPS JUSTICE WEEPS

Indian government inherited a bureaucracy from the colonial legacy. Other countries are marching ahead in the road to progress whereas in India every initiative to help people is curbed, twisted to benefit bureaucracy which aims of making hay while it shines. They teach politicians the game of graft and create a regime of corrupt for the corrupt. Instead of encouraging Indian knowledge the bureaucracy drives best brains out of the country. Brain drain becomes a topic of lament to journalists. Innovators never get encouragement, and we all know out of frustration the Late G.D.Naidu broke to pieces all his discoveries. Our NEEM is spreading in China, which encourages Neem based products, whereas we use neem to drive ghosts and had given it as a weapon to priests. Now it is the case of our wheat for which United Kingdom had obtained patent. Union Government is responsible for this grave mistake. The Supreme Court of India expressing worry on patent over wheat had sought Governments status report on Preventive Measures. A report in The Times of India: January 8-2006 “Is India Government doing enough to protect Indian products like neem, haldi and basmati rice, strains of which have been patented in foreign countries? Observing that it could have serious repercussions for India a Supreme Court bench comprising Justices Arijit Pasayat and S.H.Kapadia made the inquiry from Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramanyam on Friday during the hearing of a Public Interested Litigation. The PIL had sought a direction to the Center for taking steps to revoke the patent granted on the naphal variety of wheat commonly used in India.

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The Court sought a status report on the efforts made so far by the Government in this regard as well as the preventive measures it intended to take. The Department of Agricultural Research and Education made light of the patent on "nap hal" taken by a UK firm from the US saying it pertained to soft milling variety. The variety used in India is hard variety suitable for making chapathis, it said. “Since new varieties of soft milling wheat can be developed in India as and when required, contesting the case in UK will not be any benefit to India in the present circumstances, it said. However it appeared that the prohibitive cost of challenging the patent has played a major role in the decision of the Government. Moreover the patent is only till 2010, said the ASG. There is little merit in seeking revocation of the patent as it would cost $3-5 million dollars or even more to contest the case in the US, DARC said. As for preventive measures DARC said “Government has already taken adequate measures and put legislative instruments in place to prevent piracy of biological material from India, through the National Bio-Diversity Authority established under Biological Diversity Act 2002. Justice Kapadia had come prepared and handed over to Subramanyam an article painting a gloomy picture about the efforts made by the Government in protecting geographical products. It gives a complete break up of Indian products being lost due to the inaction of Indian government, especially basmati rice, he said.

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KUMARI KANDAM NEEDS UNDERSEA RESEARCH TO ESTABLISH TAMILS PAST by Annaist @ 2006-09-17 – 12:49:03

TIGER PHOBIA AND TAMIL PHOBIA HAUNTS INDIAN HISTORIANS The word Tiger is allergic to Indian masters of North India. It is in their subconscious and tiger-phobia translates into spitting venom at the freedom fighters of Tamil Eelam.I was deeply pondering how India sidelined the freedom struggle led by Nethaji and India’s reluctance to resurrect the historical role played by Nethaji, made me arrive at a conclusion that India prefers to have doctored history. Asoka, Harsha and Chandragupta are well known throughout India but how come Chola, Chera. Pandya Kings are kept under veil in history books? I pondered. There is something wrong at mental plane with the descendents of invaders or the mixed race of the invaders, whose subconscious tells truth about their past and resultant inferiority complex makes them purposely work overtime to suppress the true history of Tamil greatness. I would appeal to those with such complexes to shed their hatred towards Tamils, Tamil Music, Tamil scriptures, and Tamil history since they too belong to our common hoary past. Let me request them to view the World Map published by Reader’s Digest. In page 71 a mountain range between Sikkim and Tibet is mentioned as Chola Pass. Unless Chola armies have crossed that pass or Cholas had trade links with China, either way the Pass in Himalayan ranges would not have been named as Chola Pass. Tamil Nadu government and its historians must update the history books with more inputs about the Chola Pass. Dr.S.Padmanabhan of Kanyakumari Historical and Cultural Research Center in a paper presented in the 57 th Session of Indian History Congress held on December 1996 in the University of Madras states that “a hill near the Kargil is

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known as Tiger Hill which reminds us the insignia of Karikala Chola. A waterfall in the District of Cholakumbha in Nepal is called Chola Khola. This needs further research” the scholar opines. It is nothing new. Deputy Election Commissioner of Election Commission of India Mr.Balakrishnan had done extensive research on names of places all over India with Tamil as prefix. The highest peak in Himalayas is called Mount Everest, but quoting scholars, I have written in my blog clearly establishing that Mr.George Everest never set his foot on Mount Everest. An engineer from Ambur Mohammed Mohsin alone manufactured the survey instruments with precision and carried the task. I had even urged that Mount Everest be renamed as Mount Mohammed Mohsin.This is to make clear whatever Tamils do, be it Cholas or Mohsins, it is being suppressed in history. Great epics like Iliad and Odyssey speak about Tyre, Byblos and Troy. Nobody brushed aside what epics said. Oceanic explorations brought to light the greatness of those cities. Yes literary evidences were corroborated by under water research. To establish that Mahabharata is not fiction National Institute of Oceanography, Chennai undertook underwater research in Gulf of Cambay near Gujarat and its findings said an old city of 7500 years existed there. It hit the front pages of India Today. We all know that Kannan is a Tamil king with only one wife Nappinnai, and since he was black was called “Krish” na, which meant a black man.”Vembai” a land ruled by Tamil Velir with “Vembu” [neem] as Tree of Protection got its corrupted version Bombay and Mumbai according to Deveneya Paavanar. In another book a scholar wrote that "Kambanna Gounder of a village near Kanchipuram was the mastermind who planned Bangalore city [Vengalur became Bangalore] and in remembrance of our Kambanna Gounder there is Kempe Gowda circle in Bangalore". This may be a matter of rejoice to Dr.S.Ramdass led PMK.Kalikottam, a place where Temple for Kali existed became Calcutta and now Kolkatta. 82

Same period when Gulf of Cambay was explored researches took place near Poompuhar too and its findings appeared in Dinamani. Unfortunately the exhibition of the unearthed artifacts under the sea had to be exhibited in Bangalore and not in Chennai due to lack of patronage here by then Government. Poompuhar was established to be a city older by 9500 years in a scientific scrutiny. Yet India Today did not come out with a cover story. Sun TV did not highlight these achievements in spite of its mentor Dr.Kalaignar M.Karunanithi scripting Poompuhar film to propagate the greatness of Tamils apart from erecting a statue to Kannagi in Chennai and constructing a Museum at Poompuhar. There is a need to engage in under water research on Kumari Kandam. In act Dravida Peravai wrote to the then Chief Minister J.Jayalalitha who forwarded our request to Archaeological Department, which replied that the matter was under consideration. Nothing happened. Now in Tamil Aaraichi Egroup with more than 4000 members I posted the following message, which got response. One such letter mentions how this dream of Father Thaninayagam did not materialize since Nehruvian days. MY POST IN TAMIL AARAICHI EGROUP: KUMARIKANDAM RESEARCH National Institute of Oceanography for 10 days searched near Poompuhar and found 2000 pieces of ancient artifacts and it hit headlines in Dinamani that Poompuhar is 9500 years old. It is a scientific discovery. Yet our Tamil poets who never read new inputs or who fail to upgrade their knowledge will be speaking about 2000 years old civilization of ours. I have criticized in many articles and speeches about this attitude. We all know about three Tamil Sangams and our literature gives enough hints about lost continent and submerged civilization. Yet we do not undertake scientific research to prove our past. This has led to a situation wherein " avaal" have started writing books denying the Kumari Kandam's 83

existence or it being the cradle of Tamils. One such book about which in my blog you can read my condemnation, made me think about demanding Under Water Archaeological Search in Indian Ocean close to Kanyakumari.Fabulous Geographies and Catastrophic Histories by Sumathi Ramasamy, assistant Professor in Michigan University says Kumari Kandam is not the homeland of Tamils. The author finds fault with Late M.G.Ramachandran for his efforts in financing and producing a film on Kumari Kandam in 1981 at the time of World Tamil Conference. We know Deveneya Paavanar was behind the idea and enrichment of that documentary. This film helped Tamil place seekers to fit a theory about Tamils homeland, the book ridicules Tamils and assaults their history. To press for Government of India and Government of Tamil Nadu to engage in Underwater Research on Kumari Kandam and to press Tamil Nadu Government to allot more funds for doing research on Kumari Kandam, we urge all Tamils and Tamil associations across the world to post demands to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. Since 1 crore allotted for Poompuhar Research went waste with 10 lakhs spent daily on ship and other needs, very little went to research. It is amazing that with little funds so much had been found in Poompuhar mid seas. I posted message in Tamil AAraichi Egroup to ponder over and to suggest any fresh idea in this connection. RESPONSE FROM A TAMIL FROM COLOMBO I agree with Nandhivarman that we do little regarding history. Way back in 1964 I was just a school teacher when I alerted the scholars about marine archaelogy relating to Silappadikaram period. It was when Fr. X. A. Thaninayagam held a meeting to introduce the concept of IATR at Bambalapitiya Saraswathy Hall in Colombo. I had earlier written to Mr. Rodney Jonklaas, an expert diver, and got him interested in a project to explore the 84

shores of Poompuhar. On and off some artifact is recovered by fishermen and a scientific study of the areas is a must, I told then. Jonklaas is an expert in the field and a co worker along with Sir Arthur C. Clarke who had explored Trincomalee Swamy Rock area. I was inspired by a letter written by Dr. Manawala Ramanujam in the "Tamil Culture" in the early fifties. He had then written to Prime Minister Pandit Nehru asking for Indian Naval research vessels for the purpose. There was no reply forthcoming. Later around 1968 I wrote to the then Chief Minister of Tamilnadu Mr. C.N. Annadurai as well as then Home Minister Mr. M. Karunanidhi and got no response from them.Fr. Thaninayagam came to stay in Colombo in 1972 after his tenure at Kuala Lampur University and I approached him with all the papers. He too tried to get the Indian government interested in this and everything failed. Every now and then I hear of some odd findings in the area and I cannot but recollect all these efforts that proved nothing. At that time, Mr.Jonklaas wanted no money for his efforts but only the transport cost of his diving equipment assessed by government authorities. Now, turning 62, I look back at the lack of interest of a people about their past. Will somebody take over from me? S. Devotta IS IT NOT OUR DUTY TO DEMAND PROPER RESEARCH ON KUMARIKANDAM? In my article in Thelitamizh current issue I had urged upon Tamil Nadu Chief Minister to ask his policemen to find out and recover the short film on Kumarikandam produced during Maruthur Gopalamenon Ramachandrans' regime. I have requested him even to update this film by his script, if necessary. N.Nandhivarman, General Secretary, Dravida Peravai

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ANNA DMK ARCHIVES: HIDDEN FILES Miss.J.Jayalalitha had not founded Anna DMK nor is she one of the founding members of Anna DMK. She joined the party nearly a decade after its formation. Then who announced the formation of Anna DMK? Dinamani Tamil daily dated October 17 th of 1972 in its front-page top news states “In Tamil nadu and Pondicherry the followers of M.G.R had formed a new party” the headline said. It detailed various moves in many places of Tamil nadu but declared that Anagapathur Ramalingam from Chennai and N.Nandhivarman and his friends in Pondicherry had announced the name Anna DMK for the new yet to be formed party. Dinamani, Indian Express and all newspapers of the day had reported this event. Mr.M.G.Ramachandran later accepted it. Actually Anna DMK name was announced in Pondicherry two days earlier. Along with news from Chennai it was clubbed together and the new party came into existence.

Much before Mr.M.G.Ramachandiran raised the question at Thirukazhukundram meeting about all branch secretaries of DMK showing accounts Pondicherry DMK State Committee 89

representatives were deliberating to form a new party. There was resentment in DMK that a Congressman had been imported into DMK to head the DMK-CPI coalition ministry formed in 1969.N.Nandhivarman, State Convener of Students DMK and the DMK”mavatta prinithigal” were for 15 days discussing the new party formation. The then Lt.Governor of Pondicherry Mr.B.D.Jatti, who later became Acting President of India, told Nandhivarman that DMK is going to split and a new party will be born soon. Since this indicated that Central Government is engineering a split in DMK, to be first in race N.Nandhivarman and his friends announced the birth of Anna DMK, more or less few days ahead of Tamilnadu. But media reported both in one day. Anna DMK Convener meets Pondy Congress [O] leader: Indian Express 24.10.1972 There was flurry of activity here today involving representatives of Anna DMK started by expelled DMK Treasurer M.G.Ramachandiran, the Old Congress and former Mayor Edward Goubert. Their parleys are considered significant in the wake of the split in the DMK, which rules the Union Territory in coalition with CPI. Two ADMK representatives also met Lt.Governor Jatti and Pondicherry assembly speaker Selvaraju to demand an immediate session of the assembly. Mr.N.Nandhivarman, Convener of Tamil Nadu Students ADMK federation who met Mr.Selvaraju with P.Sivalingam Convener of the Pondicherry ADMK, told ENS the assembly speaker promised to examine their demand. Mr.N.Nandhivarman had a meeting with Old Congress leader of the Opposition, Mr.P.Shanmugam lasting nearly an hour. He and Mr.Sivalingam had met Mr.Goubert yesterday to discuss the political situation in Pondicherry. Mr.Goubert, a former Chief Minister broke away from the DMK during 1969 elections. Mr.Sivalingam alleged that supporters of ADMK were lath charged on Sunday near the venue of DMK public meeting called to explain the action taken against MGR. At the 90

Sunday meeting Chief Minister Farooq Maricar asserted that the split in the DMK would not affect his ministry. Eight of the 15 DMK MLA’s attended the meeting. [Express News Service]

Well to report all press stories of the day will be taken up when a book is written. Now after having stated how Anna DMK is formed it will be appropriate what differenced cropped between Pondicherry Anna DMK and its high command especially Thiru.M.G.Ramachandiran. Communist Party of India was opposing DMK in Tamil Nadu at the same time remaining with DMK in a coalition ministry in Pondicherry. In the newly formed Anna DMK nearly six legislative members were willing to join. Congress Opposition leader P.Shanmugam with 1o M.L.A’s was ready to support ADMK –Congress coalition. The strength thus was 16 in the 30-member assembly. If the CPI with three members were ready to toe the Tamil Nadu line in opposing DMK, within few weeks of party formation Anna DMK would have formed its ministry in Pondicherry. These double standards of CPI invited criticisms from all quarters. Tamil nadu Congress Committee [O] President 91

Mr.P.Ramachandiran addressing a Congress [O] workers meeting in Pondicherry on December 17 of 1972 deplored the CPI’s double standards in fighting the DMK in Tamilnadu and continuing in the alliance government in Pondicherry with the DMK. He said the CPI was always an opportunist party. {The Hindu Dec 23/1972] Mr.M.Kalyanasundaram, General Secretary of Tamil nadu unit of the Communist party of India today justified the continuance of the DMK-CPI coalition ministry in Pondicherry and said no corruption charges had been leveled against any Minister in the cabinet there. Mr.Farook Maricar, the Chief Minister of Pondicherry, he added had given the assurance that if there was any charge of corruption he [Mr.Maraicar] would place the concerned files before him [M.Kalyanasundaram] and abide by his verdict. Mr.Kalyanasundaram said that the DMK party in Madras had decided to treat its Pondicherry unit as a separate one and added “we are dealing with Farook Maricar and not either with Mr.M.Karunanithi or Mr.N.V.Natarajan. The political situation in Pondicherry he said was complicated and it would not be in the interests of CPI to fall a prey to the combined campaign by the Congress, Congress [O] and Anna DMK is that state. There was no better alternative to the Maraicar ministry, he said {Courtesy: Indian Express December 18 of 1972 with Madras dateline] ANTICS OF CPI IN PONDICHERRY Pondicherry Anna DMK convener N.Nandhivarman said on Tuesday that” there is a difference of opinion between Pondicherry CPI Health Minister V.Subbiah and M.Kalyanasundaram, general secretary of Tamil Nadu CPI, on corruption charges against DMK-CPI alliance government here.” Mr.N.Nandhivarman said while Mr.Subbiah challenged opposition parties to place corruption charges in the assembly, Mr.Kalyanasundaram had said Chief Minister Farrook Maricar had assured him of prompt action if

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corruption charges against any Minister were brought to his notice. Agreeing with Mr.Kalyanasundaram’s contention that DMK in Pondicherry is a separate entity and that it could adopt a different stand Mr.Nandhivarman said “It is however meaningless and undesirable on the part of the CPI unit here to continue its alliance with DMK, because the Pondicherry CPI unit is only a district unit which cannot but toe the line of Tamilnadu State unit of CPI. Mr.P.Shanmugam, Leader of the opposition in Pondicherry assembly and Mr.Dayanand general secretary of Pondicherry Territorial Congress in a joint statement reminded Mr.Kalyanasundaram that the Chief Minister of Pondicherry was one of the 36 signatories to the memorandum seeking removal of MGR from DMK. The Pondicherry unit of DMK was part and parcel of the Tamilnadu DMK and Party President M.Karunanithi himself had declared so on Tuesday, they said. “Then we do not understand how Mr.Kalyanasundaram could be satisfied with Maricar’s assurance that he would take prompt action if any corruption charges were brought to his notice. “ These antics of CPI present a humorous spectacle for the public,” they said [Courtesy December 20 of 1972 Indian Express] NANDHIVARMAN EXPELLED FOR PERSONAL WORK. Pondicherry Anna DMK convener wanted to install Anna DMK in power, while he worked towards this goal CPI was adopting double standards of opposing DMK in Tamilnadu but being in DMK coalition in Pondicherry. Since this was exposed in media, Communists went to MGR and told that Nandhivarman is an American spy. They should pictures of foreigners and Nandhivarman and poisoned MGR’s mind. The grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and Rajaji, Mr.Rajmohan Gandhi was running a social service organization called Moral Re-Armament. The foreigners seen with Nandhivarman belong to that association; But MGR trusted the communists and issued the first expulsion order from State Convener ship. In that order MGR stated that 93

Pondicherry State Anna DMK convener Nandhivarman is suspended to attend to personal work. The Tamil daily Navasakthi in its editorial criticized the “Progressive Suspension” within three months of party formation. Malaimani, DMK organ too wrote editorial.

The Statesman of April 10 of 1973 in a central page article by V.S.Maniam titled “Towards a grouping of Political forces “wrote: The Anna DMK in Pondicherry was being organized by a young politician who once belonged to a faction within DMK whose leader was considered anti-communist. It also seemed as if the entire faction has been brought into the new party. The convener of the Anna DMK began attacking the CPI for its ambivalent policy of opposing the DMK in Tamilnadu and supporting it in Pondicherry. He also made independent approaches to the Congress [O] for support and met Mr.Kamaraj in Madras at least once. This was not welcomed by the party, which removed him from office. He is now back in the DMK and reports suggest that he has been welcomed with open arms. His exit has however left the Anna DMK in Pondicherry without a leader” [courtesy; The Statesman]

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Having founded Anna DMK and having worked hard to install Anna DMK in power N.Nandhivarman was expelled on false charges. Nandhivarman rejoined DMK. But Anna DMK had to bring leaders on deputation from Tamilnadu. Mr.Gopalakrishnan, a cine director and Anagaputhr Ramalingam were sent from Madras to lead Anna DMK in Pondicherry. Till date Anna DMK which comes to power in Tamil Nadu is not a major player in politics in Pondicherry. It is history.

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POETS MEET TO AWAKEN MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT FROM SLUMBER A novel kind of protest by the Poets and Tamil scholars of Pondicherry disturbed the lethargy of our political class and it left an imprint on Tami lhistory pointing an accusing finger at the Parliament Members of Tamil Nadu, with an exception of a few, for their utter failure to stand united on the issues pertaining to Tamil Nadu in the floor of the Parliament. This protest also charged the political parties for not giving a free hand to the members of parliament to raise issues of concern to Tamil Nadu and also had a dig at the parties for not choosing competent persons to represent their constituencies. The poets of Pondicherry were brought under an umbrella to air their poems in a THERU MUNAITHIRUPALLI EZHUCCHI organized jointly by a political party Dravida Peravai and a Tamil association namely Senthamizhar Iyakkam. Thirupalli Ezhucchi , in Tamil is a poetic form which was used by devout followers to awaken their favorite god or goddess from slumber. Saint Andal's Thiruppavai falls under this category. Today poet after poet used this form to awaken the parliamentarians and political parties and urged them to stand united on issues like Cauvery waters to Tamil Nadu. Poets in their poems condemned the saffronization of the education and the deletion of the word "Dravida" from the text books published by NCERT and also the suppression of the history of Chera, Chola, Pandian and Sathavahana rule. The poets also condemned the attempt in these text books to describe the Bolshevik revolution as a "Coup led by Lenin". The poets also condemned the downsizing of the Sethu Canal project, which according to the Union Minister for Shipping Ved Prakash Goel is going to be a mini-canal at a cost of 200 croes and completable in a year’s time. The uncertainty of the lives of plantation labour in Srilanka, whose fate remains still unsettled decades after SrimavoSastri pact was signed also found mention in these poems.

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Dravida Peravai General Secretary N.Nandhivarman, Tamil Valarchi Nadavadikkai Kuzhu President Dr.Era.Tirumurugan,Bi- Lingual Poet Professor M.Lenin Tangappa, Senthamizhar Iyakkam President N.M.Tamizhmani, Poets Pugazenthi, Ramakrishna Bharathi, Poongunran, Janakiraman, PattaringnarIlakkiyan, Thamiziyakkan, Veera.Madurakavi, ProfessorSambandam, Reader of the International School of Economics Pondicherry University etc were the notable poets who participated in this STREET CORNER POETS MEET (Therumunai Pattarangu) which is for TAMIZHAR KATCHIGALUKKU TIRUPALLI EZHUCCHI. Speaking at the meet N.Nandhivarman said that Pondicherry assembly in order to fulfill the legal requirements had met for two days and had deliberated for 3 hours and 6 minutes in these two days. It is high time that hourly pay is fixed for our legislators, and compulsory attendance insisted for our parliamentarians to get their salary. Otherwise they have no right to claim salary while they commit dereliction of duty by not attending sessions and not airing peoples concerns. In a joking manner he said that if he is made ORU NAAL MUDALVAR AS IN CINEMA MUDALVAN, his first order will be cancellation of the order that waived 60 crores to two distilleries. His next order will be to arrest the 26 absconders who had taken 487 crores from various financial institutions in Pondicherry and had vanished. By these two orders all monetary demands of various people agitating for various reasons could be met. This novel protest is a warning to all Parliamentarians in this country. People may demand right to recall as the last option, if such protests fail to awaken the political class.

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CALENDARS GALORE [Nandhivarman, though is in the field which is the last resort of the scoundrel, in spite of being a politician he continues to write in Tamil and English. His articles started to appear in Tamil from 1962. In English from 1966 he left his imprint .He served as Associate Editor of New Times Observer during 1994-1995.He regularly writes a column in The New Indian Express, Week End pages for the Pondicherry, Cuddalore, Vellore, Chingelpet region. The collections of articles here have appeared in The New Indian Express. ]

Happy New Year2005 has begun with tears in every eye. Greetings were not exchanged by the grief stricken Asians. Prayers and mourning marked the mute celebrations. But if Chithirai 1st day comes in middle of April, Tamils will again celebrate Tamil New Year’s Day. Among the Tamils there are scholars who prefer January 15 th as beginning of Thiruvalluvar Aaandu 2036. Telugus celebrate Ugadhi, their New Year. So it becomes evident that various calendars and New Years exist for various cultures. There were two Mayan Calendars. One had 260 days and was a sacred calendar used for worship. The other one consisted of 365 days and was a seasonal calendar used for farming and normal daily life. The year was made up of 18 months of 20 days each with five additional days to bring the total to 365. This calendar defines a year of 18 months, each of 20 days, and five extra days, 365 days in total. These extra days were considered unlucky and so very little was done on them. Each year had a name and number combination as did the days in the The Tzolkin (Mayan sacred calendar) but this time there were only 52 such combinations before repeating. This series was known as a 'bundle' or a 'Calendar Round'. The two calendars of 260 days and 365 days run simultaneously and after a period of 52 years they will once more start on the same day. This is one of many cycles, which the Mayans kept track of. They were great astronomers and recorded the sunspot cycle and various planetary cycles. The longest cycle they discovered was the orbit of our solar system around Pleiades, a cycle of 26,000 years. 98

Most of the recorded dates, which have been found, begin with ‘9’, which means between (9 x 144000) days and (10 x 144000) days since the start of the long count, which would equate to 436 AD to 829 AD. It is thought that when the long count reaches 13.0.0.0.0 it is reset to 0.0.0.0.0 thus giving a period of 5125.37 years. This brings us to 22 Dec 2012 AD when either time ends or we start a new Maya Era. By combining the long count and the Tzolkiun and Haab dates it is possible to quote a date, which will be unique for a period of 374,152 years, or 73 Maya Eras. So perhaps we will be safe after 2012 AD after all. An information leaflet from the Royal Greenwich Observatory details the history of the calendar as a method for keeping track of the passage of time. L. E. Doggett speaks about the history of various calendars, including the Gregorian, Julian, Hebrew, Islamic, Indian, Chinese and explains the astronomical bases of calendars, calendar reform movements, and historical eras and chronologies. Chinese calendar states 1996 as the Year of the Rat and 1997as the Year of the Ox. Christian calendars calculate when Easter and its attendant Christian holidays (Ash Wednesday, Good Friday, and others) will fall in a particular year and also when other feast days in the Roman Catholic tradition will occur. Various algorithms used to calculate Easter's date, discuss when certain cultures adopted the Western method for determining the Easter date, and even posits that current formulas for determining the Easter date might not be valid in the far future. Another 13-month calendar propositions are 13 months of four weeks and 28 days. In this way, January 1 falls on the same weekday, year after year, unlike the current calendar, in which January 1 falls on a different day from one year to the next. In “The Triple Triumph of the Moon,” Isaac Asimov’s second triumph spoke about how Neolithic man might have come up with calendars and how this necessitated the gradual increase in mathematical and intellectual ability. Having grasped the concept of the lunar month, it is easy to see that twelve months roughly correspond to one cycle of 99

seasonal changes. This is a lot easier than counting 365 days. Such knowledge is important in calculating the time one has till winter or a dry/rainy season. Such knowledge is essential to the development of agriculture. Realizing that this system of time keeping becomes less accurate over time, more complicated methods are developed e.g. leapmonths. A connection between the study of such celestial patterns and the fortunes of mankind is established. Hence, the rise of New Moon and Harvest Moon religious festivals followed in time by the flowering of astronomy and astrology. Courtesy: The New Indian Express-weekend-8.01.2005

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INVENTOR OF NEW MUSICAL INSTRUMENT Music through ages has seen many ups and downs. Many instruments faded away and new ones invented. “During the Sangam age and in 3 rd century A.D the lifetime of Karaikal Ammaiyar we learn through her poems that there existed 21 musical instruments in Tamil Nadu.”Yazh" the prime musical instrument was prominent till 7 th century A.D while Veena slowly captured its prime place. The Veena first found its mention in the Mootha Thirupathigam of Karaikal Ammaiyar and Thirugnanasambandar’s Thevaram. "Yazh” type of musical instruments still exists having emanated during the time of old Greek, Egyptian and Sumerian civilizations. Whereas in Tamil Nadu Yazh disappeared. Vipulananda Adigal who wrote Yazh Nool and Abraham Pandithar who wrote Karunamirtha Sagaram much before him have written how Yazh vanished from circulation but they have not stated why it disappeared and have not cited reasons." Laments Professor A.S.Gnanasambandan, a great Tamil researcher. But P.T.R.Kamala Thigarajan in his book Isai thamizhin Unmai Varalaru had explained valid reasons.” The biography of Thirugnanasambandar marks an important stage in the development of the concept of gamaka and incidentally of the fretted veena. The strings of the yazh were tuned to the shruthi of the notes of suddha scales. Since it was plain instrument there were no provision to manipulate the grace and quarter tones figuring in megharaga kurinchi" explains Dr.Premalatha in her Doctoral thesis Music through Ages. These observations of researchers in music give us a clear picture with valid reasons for the disappearance of Yazh as prime instrument in Tamil musical world. On how Veena developed and gained prominence, Dr.V.Premalatha says “From the description it is evident that Veena that was common during the time of King Harsha was an instrument with open strings like the bowshaped harp. Therefore in the technique of Veena playing in the early stage the plectral technique was developed. This

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plectral technique by fingers of one or two hands continued till the time of Sarangadeva of 13 th century. It was only after Ramamatya of 16 th century constructed the modern Veena that Veena playing involved both plectral technique as well as manipulation of the strings by the fingers of the left hand". So researchers have explanations on how certain instruments disappear and how new instruments make its appearance and undergo changes during passage of times. In our time we have an innovator in Pondicherry S.Gopakumar who had invented a percussion instrument and named it as Arumughanam. Arumughanam is more or less an Mrudangam but of six individual pieces, assembled together in half circled frame. It is easy to fix or unfix these heads. Out of these six faces one serves as Toppi. In the ancient Tamil musical treatise Koothanool the great scholar of those ages have mentioned about 9 faced Muzhavu. From one to nine faces they had musical instruments, but all lost in ravages of time. And our Gopakumar, on whom the Government of Pondicherry had conferred the prestigious Kalaimamani award for 2003-2004, had invented Arumughanam earning the praise of scholars. Padma Vibushan Dr.M.Balamuralikrishna in his tribute to the innovator says as follows tracing his ancestry to achievements." It is well known to all musicians of South India that Mullamoodu Bhagavatas were musicians, hereditarily attached to the Royal court of Maharaja Swathi Thiunaal of Travancore, a king among composers. Members of this Mullamoodu family like Thiru Manikutti Bhagavata and Thiru Pichandi Bhagavata continued music as their career, both performing and teaching, they being vocalists, violinists or mrudangists. The latter’s grandson Thiru. S.Gopakumar working as Mrudangam Lecturer in Bharathiar Palkalaikoodam Pondicherry is a good mrudangam player and teacher but also an innovator. I witnessed his recent innovation, a new percussive instrument named as Arumughanam and appreciate his skills, noteworthy," says Dr.Balamurali Krishna. “This is a percussive instrument with six faces placed on a seat of semi circle resembling the rising sun wit its rays 102

surging upward. On the players left side is the first face, which will be in low pitch. It is being called dommugham because it produces rhythmic syllable "dom". The second face, which produces the syllable "tha", is called thamugham, which raises a high pitch. The musical note madhyama sounded in third face and it is called madhyamam. Fourth face is Tara shadjam, which is known as Dheemmugham because the rhythmic syllable "dheem" is produced. The musical note panchama, the perfect fifth is produced in pamugham, which is the fifth face known as panchamam. Madya sthayi shadja comes out of 6 th face called as samugham. This percussion instrument can be used for solo or can be played with thalavathiyam, classical music and folk music. For both classical and folk dance this can be played with western instruments" says Kalaimamani Gopakumar. Innovations are welcome at all times and innovators need recognition in their lifetime. Thiru. Gopakumar is lucky with Government of Pondicherry Arts and Culture Department Director Miss N.Sumathy encouraging his performances through various programmes in and around Pondicherry while Kalaimamani title conferred recently proves his achievement. Courtesy: The New Indian Express-weekend-6.11.2004

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MAYYAZHI: THE FRENCH COLONY The French wanted a foothold in the Arabian Coast. Pepper and cardamom were their main attractions. In order to be closer to sources of these spices French obtained permission from the Prince of Badagara to set up their establishment in Mahe by a treaty signed on 2 nd April 1721. Mahe is a word derived from “Mayyazhi” a river in which small boats could navigate up to 3 kilometers inland from the estuary. The possession of Mahe does not come easy to the French. The French had to face the fury of the British and hostility of the Iruvalinad Nambiars. Rulers of Badagara drove French out soon after giving it to French. But in December 1721, Marquis of Paradillan recovered Mahe for the French. Again in 1726 another peace treaty was signed between French and Molladin, the ruler of Badagara with 16 articles. In spite of the treaty the Nayar Chiefs especially the ruler of Badagara seems not to have been happy with the French. It reached a culminating point when the ruler of Badagara blockaded Mahe for 18 months. The French fleet under Mahe de Labourdonnais recovered Mahe and a peace treaty of 24 th January 1742 was inked. Earlier on December 1741 a peace treaty was signed with the four Nambiars (Local chiefs) who ruled over the territories on the right of the Mayyazhi River. Kunhi Nayar gave the small territory of Kallayi to the French in the same year. The Nayar of Kurungod became an ally of the French and with his help French were able to defeat all the neighboring Nayar and Nambiar chiefs. British captured Mahe and Pondicherry in 1761. Mahe was razed to ground and when recovered in 1765 French had to rebuild. Hyder Ali visited Mahe in 1766 April and ten years later he gifted villages of Pallur, Pandakkal and Nallathura and adjoining areas. This is how Mayyazhi came under French colonial rule explains J.B.P.More in his recent book on Mahe. And still Mahe fails to regain its old name and remains content with

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being Mahe, a version corroborating the name of French Chief Mahe de Labourdonnais. Numerous books on freedom struggle in French India are Pondicherry centric, and the struggles of enclave territories have missed their due place in history. To fill up this vacuum Dr.J.B.P.More had brought out a beautiful book FREEDOM MOVEMENT IN FRENCH INDIA, which speaks about the enclave in the Arabian coast namely Mahe. Dr.J.B.P.More the historian and social scientist is a Tamilian living in France who obtained his Doctorate degree from Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales in Paris. His book places on record the Mahe Revolt of 1948 against the French regime under Governor Baron. “The role of nationalist leaders of Mahe like I.K.Kumaran and P.K.Usman stands testimony to the fact that ideals and principles rather than power and profit can be great motivating factors in the struggle for freedom and the manifestation of nationalism” opines JBP.More. J.B.P.More specializes on Muslims and Dravidian inter cultural actions. His book “Muslim Identity, Print Culture and the Dravidian Factor in Tamil Nadu” focuses on “Muslim Politics in Tamil Nadu in the context of Colonialism and their response to modernity in the two decades before India’s freedom. In this book the author recapitulates some of the themes and information but expands upon them in the backdrop of print in Tamil Nadu and in relation to Tamil identity politics as championed by the Dravidian movement under Periyar E.V.Ramasamy and Anna” opines A.R.Venkatachalapathy in a review of this book in the columns of The Hindu dated 12 th October 2004. His first book “Political Evolution of the Muslims of Tamil Nadu and Madras 1930-1947” published by Orient Longman Limited in 1997 won the prestigious Book Room International Award for the year 1998. In view of his French nationality and permanent residence at France, though yearly visits to his home next to Raj Niwas in Ponduicherry keeps his contacts with his roots alive, JBP More has the opportunity to frequent the libraries of Paris. In the “Bibliotheque Nationale” of Paris he found a 105

book on Bhagawatha Purana written by Maridas Poulle in 1769. More was astonished to find the first Indologist’s book. Maridas Poulle is the first translator of a Tamil classic into French. Maridas Poulle (1721-1796) is a name unknown till J.B.P More unearthed his manuscripts from the Paris library. It must be noted that J.B.P.More is not a blood relative of Maridas Poulle. More reedited this book in 2004 and published in Pondicherry, which was widely distributed in France. J.B.P.More also proposes to publish further works of Maridas Poulle including his essays on Indian history. J.B.P.More translated 40 poems of Mahakavi Bharathiar into French and brought out a full-scale book in French “L’Inde face a’ Bharati, Le Poet Rebelle” This book speaks about Bharathis life, his literary activities with a special emphasize on the French influence in his writings. The writings of Voltaire, Victor Hugo, Proudan, and age of enlightenment had left a deep imprint in the poet’s vision. J.B.P.More traces these influences from Bharathiar’s works. One of the illustrious sons of Pondicherry’s soil had earnt recognition with his books. The book speak will place his name on high pedestal among social scientists and historians of Pondicherry. Courtesy: The New Indian Express-weekend 18.12.2004

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HIDDEN MASTERMINDS WITHIN CONGRESS:

RAJIV GANDHI MURDER MYSTERY The spokesperson of the Congress party in charge of Tamilnadu affairs had sought Srilanka to hand over LTTE supremo Mr.Velupillai Prabakaran which is the top story in Deccan Chronicle on 4th January 2009.So the cat is out of the bag. All these days the United Progressive Alliance government headed by Mr.Manmohan Singh had been pretending to be heeding to the unanimous resolution passed by the Tamilnadu assembly to stop the genocidal war and also making false promises to depute the Minister of External Affairs Mr.Pranab Mukherjee to advice Srilankan government to halt the war. Its real motive is revenge, and nothing else. It wants millions of Tamils to be annihilated to avenge the death of a Former Indian Prime Minister. It has neither humanitarian concern to intervene to stop the genocide nor it has geo-political interests to uphold Indian interests in the region. China which has no access to Indian Ocean, has got that access with the help of Srilanka by firmly entrenching its foot in Hampanthotta harbor it builds in Southern tip of Srilanka to watch the sea routes of the Indian Ocean. Actually by building harbors for Mynmar, Bangladesh, Maldives and Pakistan, China had encircled India. China has foothold in Bay of Bengal, thanks to the red carpet welcome of Bangladesh and Myanmar. Srilanka had tied its fate to Chinese designs by offering on platter Hampanthotta to have total control of the sea lanes of the Indian Ocean. Maldives and Pakistan had provided a foothold for China in Arabian Sea. China arms the Srilankan government in its genocidal war. India too strangely is an accomplice of China and Pakistan in the war theatre of the killing fields of Tamil Eelam. The hatred towards LTTE had even blinded India about the harm it inflicts on its own geo-political interests. The Rajiv Gandhi murder mystery needs to be solved, if at all for present government or any future government in India to come out of a phobia and to arrive at a balanced mind. It is high time to recall that in the aftermath of

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Mrs.Indira Gandhi’s murder by misguided Sikhs, Congress leaders and cadres went on for teaching Sikhs a lesson, and that ended the lives of few thousand Sikhs. The needle of suspicion pointed out leading Congress leaders as responsible for those killings. Sikhs did not demand that Congress party as an organization is guilty of those revenge killings. Neither the Congress condemned Sikhs as criminal race as it treats Tamils in Eelam. Congress in fact has its government headed by a Sikh. The reasonable logic that is applied with regard to Sikhs goes on missing eaten by some sudden invasion of hate virus in the minds of the Congressmen that looses its mental equilibrium on handling Tamil affairs. Hence a national debate on Mr.Rajiv Gandhi’s murder becomes necessary. It is not a new wine but in fact an old wine served in new bottle. Yes, the national debate of past is brought out again. OUTLOOK, India’s News magazine in its 24th November 1997 issue has the wrapper story titled: THE MISSING FILES, on crucial files concerning the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case have either been lost or suppressed. Outlook investigated that mystery. In the lengthy story within the magazine the title is: THE DEADLY DUO. It would be historically important to tell who the Deadly Duo is? They are not in LTTE, the banned organization but they belong to the Congress, which had not been banned nor initiated action even posthumously on the key beneficiary of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination. We reproduce the Outlook story here, as it appeared. We urge the world community to carefully read in between the lines the role of the real murderers of Rajiv Gandhi. We urge for the awakening of the conscience among the Congressmen, and if that hate virus infected Congress brains have to be formatted before installing the Anti-Tamil virus programme, let it be done. The curse India casts on all Tamils as criminal race and need to be done to death by genocidal Sinhalese army is a historical blunder. The Nazi Hitler was taught a befitting lesson by USA, USSR, GB and other democratic forces of the world, but the Neo-Nazi Hitler Rajapakhshe thrives on the support of extreme opposite poles in geo-politics, namely 108

India and Pakistan, India and China. Also the man who invaded Iraq in search of Chemical weapons, which were not found till date, but only shoes are found at the fag end of his time, Mr. George Bush is forcing India to repeat his Iraqi mistake in Srilanka, at least in the limited context of blaming LTTE and TAMILS for Rajiv Gandhi murder, to use it as reason to turn blind eye to genocide. N.Nandhivarman, General Secretary, Dravida Peravai.

OUT LOOK STORY: THE DEADLY DUO Crucial evidence linking Chandraswami to the Rajiv case went missing from Rao’s PMO, OUTLOOK investigates. • File No: 8-1-WR/JSS/90/Vol III – containing notings of bureaucrats regarding security arrangements for Rajiv Gandhi from November 1989 was lost from the Prime Ministers Office in 1991. Later, it was doctored and reconstructed by the Narasimha Rao Government before it was submitted to Jain Commission. • File No: 1/12014/5/91-IAS/DIII reported missing since 1995.It pertained to the terms of reference of the Verma and Jain Commissions of Inquiry. • File containing intercepted messages from foreign intelligence agencies, said to be addressed to Chandraswami and Janata Party President Subramanian Swamy, destroyed by senior officials in the PMO. • File on IB’s assessment of the role played by Zail Singh and Chandraswami in 1987 to topple Rajiv Gandhi missing. • File with records of official briefings by intelligence agencies on the assassination to Rao’s Home Minister S.B.Chavan missing. The former Minister confirms he was briefed orally. • The April 20, 1991 wireless intercept with the leading question, should Rajiv be killed in Delhi or Madras? Missing • File relating to the Rao governments attempt to wind up the Jain commission is still withheld from the panel. Do these files/messages and other sensitive informationcategorized as untraceable , missing, destroyed or cannot be revealed due to security reasons- hold the key to the mystery that shrouds Rajiv Gandhi’s assassination ? The 109

Jain Commission thinks so. The AICC [All India Congress Committee] has been pressing for these files and documents. And intelligence officials admit in private that vital evidence seems to have been suppressed to ensure that the largest conspiracy behind the May 21, 1991 assassination does not come to light. It is these missing files, documents and intercepts that have kept alive the basic question – Who killed Rajiv Gandhi? Who participated, plotted or silently abetted in the act? Right through his 5 year term, Narasimha Rao fuelled the intrigue by losing, misplacing, reconstructing, denying the existence and even allegedly destroying key files. His government did everything it could do to place stumbling blocks and even allegedly tried to wind up the Jain Commission inquiring into the conspiracy. After interviewing serving and retired IB ,RAW, CBI and Home Ministry officials Outlook has learned that the Rao’s government’s extreme reluctance to part with crucial files and wireless intercepts seems to have been aimed at protecting god-man Chandraswami, whose links with international arms traders is an open secret. Whenever the trial led to him, every effort was made by the government not to cooperate with the Jain Commission. Accordingly, the file on Chandraswami’s links with the LTTE prior to the assassination was never made available to the commission. Says AICC appointed lawyer R.N.Mittal, closely associated with the Jain Commission’s proceedings “At every stage, we have been denied documents. Our investigations have been like a personal effort against all odds.” Political circles are well aware of the reason why Chandraswami was being protected. The god-man has close links with Rao-the two have been friends for 25 years. It’s common knowledge that the tantrik was treated as a VIP when Rao was Prime Minister and had special access to Rao’s official residence, 7, Race Course Road. Reliable sources say, when the Commission, in face of resistance from the Government, insisted that it be provided with certain documents, Rao ordered a sorting operation. A 110

top Cabinet Secretariat official was asked to divide the documents into three categories :innocuous ones which could be passed on to the commission ,documents on which privilege could be claimed before handing them over, and highly sensitive intelligence reports, wireless intercepts and other documents which could not be given to the commission at any cost. The crucial third category, says sources, contained wireless intercepts of messages between foreign intelligence agencies to Chandraswami and Subramaniam Swamy. They were passed on by the RAW to the Cabinet Secretariat. A RAW official confirmed to the Jain Commission that the transcripts had indeed been passed on by the intelligence agency. What did some of these missing files have? Intelligence sources say one file contained intercepted messages as well as details of the movements of Subramaniam swamy and Chandra swami on assassination day. It also contains a crucial intercept from Jaffna to LTTE operatives saying that funds have been provided for carrying out the assassination. It refers to god-man having made the payment. Interestingly the fact that the Rao government had actually doctored a file came to light when Vinod Pande , who was the Cabinet Secretary in V.P.Singh’s government, deposed before the Jain Commission that file No.8-1WR/JSS/90/Vol III in which he had made notings on Rajiv Gandhi’s security – had been tampered with. “The file which has been placed in my hands does not contain an official copy of my note dated January 30, 1990.The first few paras of the draft are not mine.” Pande told the commission. Hard pressed, the Rao government had to give an explanation. It told the commission that the file had been missing since 1991.It had been sent to the PMO on July 27, 1991 and had since disappeared. P.Chidambaram, the Minister in charge of the assassination investigation and the probes, told the commission that despite “going over a toothcomb” in the PMO, Home Ministry as well as Prime Minister’s residence, the file had not been located and 111

therefore had to be reconstructed. Strangely, it took the government 4 years time to own it up that it had submitted a file which was not the original. Clearly, had the Jain Commission not demanded these files and documents, it would have been given a free run by Rao to continue with its slow, meandering enquiry. Indeed, with the Special Investigation Team of the CBI restricted to inquiring into the actual killing and the larger conspiracy left to the Jain Commission, nothing much was expected to emerge. But it was Jain’s insistence that the commission be given access to the suppressed files that made Rao panic and provoked the subsequent cover-up operation. Details available with Outlook suggest there were enough intercepts with Indian intelligence agencies that a hit on Rajiv was imminent. On April 20, 1991 RAW intercepted a message from Jaffna with the leading question, should Rajiv be killed in Delhi or Madras? Four days before Rajiv was killed, the same intelligence agency intercepted what is regarded as the LTTE’s final okay to its team led by Sivarasan or the one-eyed Jack. The message came in an eight line Tamil doggerel identifying the place and timing of the assault. The message was conveyed to the IB head quarters in Delhi, but unfortunately for Rajiv, it was a week end and the doggerel was decoded much after the damage was done. But there had been enough warnings that there was a larger plot to kill Rajiv. Yasser Arafat, chairman of the Palestine Liberation Organization had warned Rajiv of an international plot to assassinate him. He had conveyed this information to then Prime Minister Chandrasekar. But no follow up investigation was ever carried out. According to PLO spokesperson contacted by Outlook, Arafat had concrete information about the plot. His source “people in Lebanon and Europe “Arafat, through his Ambassador in Delhi, Khalid El Sheikh told me that LTTE and Sikh organizations are planning to kill Rajiv Gandhi during his election campaign on May. Sheikh had met Rajiv on March 13, 1991. A week later he called on the Congress 112

President with a letter from Arafat. And a fortnight before the assassination, he called on Rajiv yet again. Arafat provided details of the conspiracy to Chandrasekar when he attended Rajiv’s funeral. The Indian Ambassador to one of the North African countries was asked to contact Arafat. Then Foreign Secretary Muchkund Dubey was also sent to see Arafat separately. In this June 1991 meeting Arafat confirmed the international conspiracy. Dubey and the Ambassador then filed a report on their meetings with the PLO Chairman. But again, no action was taken on this lead. When asked about the files by Justice Jain, Rao feigned ignorance. “I don’t remember about it. The matter was not brought to my notice.” Meanwhile the Report of William Carry, who headed a US Senate Sub-Committee to probe into the BCCI bank scam, confirms that the bank had accounts of arms dealers Adnan Khashoggi and Ernie Miller. Both are known disciples of Chandraswam. Crucially, the Carry report also notes that $ 84 million was transferred to the LTTE from their accounts. Carry says the money was used for the Rajiv Gandhi assassination. Senate investigations also revealed that Mossad, CIA and LTTE had accounts in the BCCI. Interestingly in a statement before the Commission R.Velusamy, then President of Tamilnadu Janata Party contended that Subramanian swamy had checked into Trident Hotel in Madras while Chandrswami was lodged at Sindoor Hotels owned by Apollo Hospitals on May 21, the day Rajiv was assassinated. Both left for Bangalore by car through Sriperumbudur before reaching Delhi on a special flight. He told Outlook: “May I also state that Dr.Swamy went via Sriperumbudur and stopped at the venue of the meeting, ostensibly to look at the role of Maragatham Chandrasekar, Congress candidate in the Parliamentary polls, for whom Rajiv went to campaign in Sriperumbudur- in selecting the site. I declare that Swamy told me about the role played by one JP Builders in persuading Maragatham Chandrasekar in selecting the site for Rajiv’s meeting.” 113

Veluswamy claims he called Swamy’s residence in Delhi at 10.45 AM on May 21 and Swamy’s wife told him that he was indeed in Madras. Recalls Veluswamy, “My efforts to reach him proved futile. According to senior party colleagues, Dr.Swamy had an hour long meeting with S.C.Chandrahasan, a Srilankan Tamil ideologue, at Hotel Trident before he vacated the room and proceeded to meet Chandraswamy at Hotel Sindoori owned by Chandraswami’s disciple Dr.Pratap Reddy. While I could confirm that a room was booked for Dr.Swamy on May 21st at Trident, I could not get any details about Chandraswami’s stay. Sindoori never maintains any documents to show Chandraswami’s visits and he stays there as a personal guest of Pratap Reddy.” Swamy has been denying that he was in Madras on May 21. But his Tamilnadu unit Chief has given details of his itinerary. Stated Veluswamy before the Jain Commission. “Dr.Swamy admits arriving at Madras on 19.5.1991.He admits traveling with me by my car and he admits that we had a halt at Kanchipuram and that I was his translator. He admits that I was with him at Salem at 8.30 PM in the evening on 20.5.1991 and I am his translator in the Salem Town meeting. He admits that he was to return to Madras on May 22 and then fly to Madurai via Trichy and that I was to join him at Trichy. He is however silent on where he stayed in Madras on the morning of May 21 and how long he stayed there. But in the next paragraph of the affidavit, Swamy does a volte face.” On 21.5.1991, I was not in Madras at all or in Bangalore or indeed in South India but I was in Delhi” He continues “The issue is, while Swamy contends he gave a statement to the Delhi PTI on May 21, he is very vague about his time of arrival at Delhi. The facts are very clear from even available documents. He was with me well past midnight on the 20th, which is actually the wee hour of the 21st. It takes 6 hours to reach Madras by road. If he had reached Delhi by any morning flight, there would be any number of records to show the flight and its time of departure. I have already given proof that a room was booked in Dr.Swamy’s name in Trident.” 114

It’s is significant that there were several attempts to keep the conspiracy angle out of the ambit of a probe into the assassination. When the Chandra sekar regime, in which Swamy was Law Minister, appointed the Verma Commission of inquiry, its scope was limited to investigating security lapses. The more closely one examines the Rajiv assassination case, the curiouser it becomes. For instance the most significant evidence with the SIT linking the LTTE to the assassination is photographs clicked by Haribabu, the photographer who also died in the blast. The first pictures released by the SIT to the media showed three women-Kokila, a 15year old who went to recite a Hindi poem to Rajiv, her mother and Dhanu, later identified as human bomb. It was only after the DMK organ Murasoli reproduced with a caption “where is the missing man?’’ – that the SIT reproduced the full frame. The missing man turned out to be Sivarasan. No explanations were offered as to why the SIT masked part of the frame. Even more intriguing is the role played by SIT, DIG Srikumar, who had gone to London to collect additional information on the witnesses as well as the background of some of the accused. He not only failed to make any progress, but also had his briefcase snatched. The case contained vital information about LTTE’s arms procurement and delivery routes, their points-men in Europe and their nexus with global arms dealers. When the SIT arrested key witness Mirasdar Shanmugam on July 17- 1991, it chanced upon messages and transcripts of some coded messages. Shanmugam, according to the charge-sheet received Sivarasan and his killer squad on the TN coast on May 1-1991.The coded messages not only spoke about the assassination, but also about the high level people connected with the plot. Shanmugam escaped from SIT custody and hung himself from a tree under mysterious circumstances. K.Mohandass, a former DGP of Tamilnadu, says Shanmugam’s case was clear murder and the CBI had done a clumsy cover up job. “Shanmugam was wearing a white dhothi when he was 115

taken for interrogation. How come when his body was found, he was wearing a lungi?” he asks. The circumstances leading to the suicide of the main accused Sivarasan or one-eyed Jack-for whom a high pitched manhunt had been launched across Tamilnadu and Karnataka on the outskirts of Bangalore, are equally mysterious. While the other accused Shobha, and Sivarasan both reportedly consumed cyanide, in classic LTTE manner, Sivarasan also seemed to have shot himself. But according to state intelligence sources, Sivarasan knew too much and there is a possibility that the bullet wounds were not self inflicted. The case gets curiouser –Sivarasan’s body was immediately cremated, while Shobha’s was preserved as an exhibit. It becomes clear from this sequence of events that most of the key players in actual plotting and execution of the killing have died under mysterious circumstances. And with the main accused LTTE chief Prabakaran still ensconced in LTTE strongholds in northern Lanka, the SIT has none of the crucial players in the case in custody. Adding to this mess is the cover up orchestrated by Rao’s regime. Rao’s persistent amnesia before the Jain Commission on the question of taking action on the Verma panel’s observation on official lapses makes interesting reading. “I would not be able to say off hand what all happened in connection with the steps taken for the implementation of the action taken report. The job was entrusted to a group of Ministers, I expected them to do the needful. I do not remember whether there was any timeframe for the group of ministers. As per reports, there was a stalemate. So the matter came up before the cabinet. What decision the cabinet took; it is a matter of record. I do not remember.” Interestingly, a PIL was filed in the Delhi High Court by a little known lawyer, Mustaq Ahamed, demanding the scrapping of the Jain Commission. After this was turned down, the central government approached the Supreme Court with a Special Leave Petition. When questioned about 116

this by the commission, Rao said “The PIL initiated in the Delhi High Court did not come to my knowledge. The question must have been looked into by P.Chidambaram and therefore SLP’s were filed. If Chidambaram wanted to consult me, he could have, but Chidambaram did not consult me. “However it is well known that P.Chidambaram who was made Minister in charge of the Rajiv Gandhi assassination probe, was acting on Rao’s instructions. Ahmed’s PIL, according to political circles, also had the blessings of the then Prime Minister. An important missing link is the file containing records of the official briefings to the then Home Minister S.B.Chavan, when he talked about the involvement of CIA in the assassination. Not surprisingly Chavan’s stand on the subject was in complete variance with what Rao had to say. Said Chavan in his affidavit before the Jain Commission: The LTTE was just an instrument in the hands of some foreign powers.” Then reacting to the charge made by former Congress Minister K.K.Tiwari, who has been meticulously following the Jain Commission’s proceedings, Chavan said “The general impression which K.K.Tiwari gave is not altogether wrong because there are forces who are trying to create destabilizing conditions.” In the ongoing snafu, the Ministry of External Affairs chose to deny the Home Minister’s statement that the Americans were involved in the killing. Chavan told the commission: “It is correct that the very day the American Ambassador in India met the Indian Prime Minister, the foreign minister, foreign secretary and the spokesperson of MEA held a press conference and contradicted the statement regarding the involvement of a super power. It is abnormal that a spokesperson of the MEA held the press conference contradicting my statement.” Then again “I am still of the view that some foreign power is involved. It is not the job of LTTE. The general impression is that some other powers may be involved.” Whether the LTTE acted on its own or whether there was an international conspiracy is still a grey area- Justice Jain had not been able to make any definite conclusions about 117

this aspect. But the manner in which Rao sought to hold back information from the Jain Commission, coupled with the shoddy investigation indicates there was a concerted attempt to protect key players. Evidence is absent, but joins up the blank spaces and a pattern emerges. Courtesy: OUTLOOK magazine dated 24th November 1997.

CONCLUDING THE STORY: BUT LET YOUR CONSCIENCE AWAKEN Those who read the OUTLOOK’s investigative story published a decade ago must be baffled at the outburst of the spokesperson of Congress party Mr.Veerappa Moily asking Srilanka to hand over LTTE leader Prabakaran, if caught. Why it is Congress wants Prabakaran? Is it to unearth the mystery behind Rajiv’s murder? The role of Chandraswami and Narasimha Rao dubbed as deadly duo by OUTLOOK has not come to the minds of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Chairperson of the United Progressive Alliance Madam Sonia Gandhi. The then Indian Home Minister S.B.Chavan’s statement before Jain Commission pointing accusing fingers at foreign powers did not awaken Madam Sonia Gandhi’s conscience. Mrs.Priyanka Gandhi visited Vellore prison to know the truth. Recent report in Junior Vikatan states that Bengaluru Ranganath asserts that the killing squad was blessed in a pooja by Chandraswami. Yet none from Congress party wants to unearth the truth, to find out if any black sheep existed in its ranks. It is understandable that the black sheep of those days want to bury truth. The fate of mysterious dead caught for the crime is to bury evidences. Now the demand to fix Prabakaran is also to put the blame on his shoulders and crucify him. There is no real attempt to find truth even under the Government remote controlled by Rajiv’s widow. It would be left to western authors to investigate and write books on the Rajiv Gandhi murder mystery. 118

Even if some LTTE cadres are involved, in what way it is morally correct to blame one organization of a crime. The same OUTLOOK before one general election brought out a list of 72 Parliament Members involved in crimes, cutting across party divide. Is it justifiable to ban those political parties that had nourished criminals? Organizations banned for the murder of the Father of the Nation, are freed from bondage, and such bans are only for limited periods. Lifelong Tamils have to be enslaved, no organization should exist to give protection to Tamils, and this sadistic resolve of the Government headed by Manmohan Singh and the political party that props him, is a curse for a noble land like India. In every metropolis, be it Mumbai or Chennai, kangaroo courts exist, instant justice is delivered not by the law of the land but by the unlawful mafia, not even underground but openly paraded by all political parties shielding that party interests. This is legal but for Tamils facing genocide if brave youth sacrifice their lives, those martyrs have to be exterminated. After Negroes attained liberation from slavery, right before our eyes Tamils of Eelam are forced to become slaves. If even that could be forgotten, how about Tamils of Colombo, who are not separatist but subscribe to one nation concept, are asked to register, as reported by Deccan Chronicle dated 5th January 2009. Mr.R.Bhagwan Singh, the descendent of the illustrious Raja Desingh who ruled Gingee writes with tears the woes of Tamils under Rajapakshe’s regime, in its own capital. Indian ruling party will ignore the resolution of the Tamilnadu Assembly, just because it remains blind to truth in the Rajiv Gandhi’s murder. Indian ruling party still believes that George Bush will search and find chemical weapons in Iraq before he steps down this month and prove to the world that USA invaded Iraq on justifiable grounds. Like Bush, the Rao loyalists, Trojan horses within Congress, hope after hope that LTTE should be finished and its leader exterminated, so that posthumously Rao’s ghost or foreign 119

hands in Rajiv Gandhi’s murder will remain unexposed before world history. N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai5.1.2009

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Public Interest Litigation Against Land Grab [The fight against land house grabbing in Puducherry where I led a 15

party struggle committee, in midway got truncated into 8 party committee initially succeeded in bringing India’s Central Bureau of Investigation to probe the crime. But the probe went to cold storage. So once again to activate the probe, I thought of drafting a Public Interest Litigation petition. This is not actually the word by word of the petition filed by our advocate. It is my rough draft. Instead of a story, I thought readers will understand the sequence of the events better, if they read this draft petition… N.N]

IN THE SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Civil Original Jurisdiction Writ Petition © No:

of 2004

In The Matter N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai Having its office 28 Romain Rolland Street Pondicherry 605001 …Petitioner VS 1.The Union of India Service through the Cabinet Secretary to Government of India Ministry of Home Affairs New Delhi 2. The Government of Pondicherry Represented by its Chief Secretary to Government Pondicherry 605001 3.The Director of Central Bureau of Investigations New Delhi .Contesting Respondents

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A PETITION FILED UNDER ARTICLE 32 OF THE CONSTITUTION OF INDIA To THE CHIEF JUSTICE OF INDIA AND HIS COMPANION HON’BLE JUSTICES OF SUPREME COURT OF INDIA Most Respectfully Sheweth : 1. The petitioner is a citizen of India by birth and resides permanently in Pondicherry. He is the General Secretary of Dravida Peravai, a political party, registered a regional political party with the Election Commission of India. 2. This writ petition is being filed in public interest to invoke the extraordinary jurisdiction of this Hon'ble Court for the protection of the civil rights and property rights of the Indian citizens born in Pondicherry and Pondicherry born French nationals to preserve the quality of life guaranteed to every citizen under Article 21 of the Constitution. The facts leading to the filing of this Writ Petition are as follows: 3. The petitioner humbly states National media apart from regional dailies and weeklies brought to light a massive land house grabbing scandal in Pondicherry The petitioner humbly states that the leaders of political parties cutting across party lines including BJP, AIADMK, PMK, MDMK, DRAVIDA PERAVAI, SAMATA, LOK SAKTHI, TAMIZHAGA RAJIV CONGRESS, CPI (ML), CPI (ML led by Kathir Su Mani)GKNC, DK, DK(R), RJD Janatha and PUCL jointly presented a memorandum to the LT.GOVERNOR OF PONDICHERRY Mrs.RAJANI RAI on 2.12.1998. These parties jointly organized a one-day token hunger strike on 1.12.1998 demanding CBI probe into the land house grabbing that has taken place in Pondicherry. (Annexure 1.News Clippings of fast and Annexure 2.Joint memorandum given to the Lt.Governor) Subsequently the Lt.Governor recommended for a probe by Central Bureau of Investigations.

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4. The petitioner further states that leaders of various parties with the petitioner as Coordinator called on the Prime Minister 17.12.1998 and handed over a memorandum (Annexure 3. Memorandum to Prime Minister). The delegation met the Union Home Minister and Union Defence Minister, Leader of the Opposition and presented their case.

5. The petitioner states meanwhile in French Parliament by way of Call Attention Motion No: 12957 dated 17.12.1998 French Senator Mrs. Monique Cerisier ben Guiga drew the attention of the French government over the massive land, house grabbing’s of French citizens living in Pondicherry ( Annexure 4. Xerox copy of the Call Attention Motion ).In that call attention motion Mrs. Monique Cerisier ben guiga drew the attention of the Minister for foreign affairs (France) on the spoliation of the immovable belongings for which French in Pondicherry are the victims. Profiting of the vacancy of the French citizens residences during their stay in France, grabbers install themselves and then, it seems with the support of local Indian authorities continue to stay on those sites and appropriate themselves that residences. She asks him to make representations to the Government of Pondicherry State to redeem those houses to the legal owners and such things should not occur again, the call attention motion in French Parliament thus said. 124

6. The petitioner states that in the Union Territory of Pondicherry, an erstwhile French colony survey records were maintained by the French regime even from the end of 19 th century. They were maintained till 1922, when a resurvey was made and cadastre plan was prepared by the French regime. They were in force at the time of dejure transfer that took place. Under the Pondicherry Settlement Act 1970 as well as Pondicherry Survey and Boundaries Act 1967 during the year 1972 resurvey was done and fresh records given. 7. The petitioner states that by 1998 accidentally through a senior lawyer he came to know that erstwhile revenue officials had stolen these records known as baimash and cadastre records while resurvey was completed in 1972, and thereafter from their houses were manufacturing false and fraudulent documents on the basis of this stolen documents. The petitioner humbly submits that on coming to know of this, he wrote to the Defence Minister Comrade George Fernandes on 15.12 1998. (Annexure 5) The petitioner further states that the political party he heads is the associate party of Samata party and in view of this he wrote to the Defence Minister for immediate action. The petitioner further states that a leading bi weekly in Tamil Junior Vikatan in its issue dated 10.10.1998 exposed this racket. The petitioner further states that by December 1998, the Superintendent of Vigilance and Anti Corruption caught the culprits exactly 5 in number who were fabricating land records. The petitioner further states that the matter is exposed in various papers. For sample (Annexure 6 The Asian Age clippings) (Annexure 7 The Hindu and Dinamani clippings)) (Annexure 8 Junior Vikatan report) 8. The petitioner further states till date this case is in cold storage and the honest Police official who caught the racketeers red handed had been shunted out of the state. The petitioner further states that in the wake of massive cheating going on by way of manufacture of bogus records the Government of Pondicherry promised to computerize the land records and amend registration rules, which till date remains unfulfilled. (Annexure 9)The Treaty of session of the 125

French establishments of Pondicherry, Karaikal, Mahe and Yenam signed between India and France on May 28 th 1956 says a copy of records is preserved in France. The Government of Pondicherry could very well have sought a copy from the French Archives and while computerizing verified all records and could have traced the missing links. The petitioner states that Pondicherry is a tiny state with less than 10, 00,000 population and to cross check the property records of such a small area would not have been a tedious, laborious and un attainable target. 9. The petitioner further states that the promised CBI enquiry did not take off and hence 8 political parties of Pondicherry went to Chennai and agitated before the office of Joint Director of Central Bureau of Investigation (Annexure 9 Dinamalar Daily news report). The agitating leaders also met the Joint Director CBI on 3.5.1999 and presented him a copy of the memorandum urging immediate launching of the CBI probe. (Annexure 10. Memorandum to CBI) 10. The petitioner further states that the CBI did depute a team headed by one Inspector and the probe did start. The petitioner states that the Government of Pondicherry issued a public notice by its Chief Secretary inviting complaints against land house grabbing and had received more than 106 complaints of land and house grabbing and the CBI was asked to probe these cases. Further people thronged to the CBI and lodged fresh complaints. The petitioner states after this eyewash visit no follow up action was taken and the CBI had put all these in cold storage. Meanwhile many citizens of France who could not get justice or fight protracted legal battles here went for an out of court settlement with the grabbers themselves and parted their properties for a paltry pittance. (Annexure 11. Malai Malar daily on arrival of CBI team) 11. The petitioner further states that in all cases of trespassing a private property police stations did not take it as criminal offence but taking sides with the grabbers asked the losers and real owners to take recourse to local courts. This caused immense delays running into years and peace 126

loving citizens after having lost their properties had to shed tears and blood to recover them legally. The petitioner wishes to state the case of a property of a former Late DMK Rajya Sabha member’s daughter which had been grabbed by the sons of the then Chief Minister. The petitioner brought this to the notice of the Union Government through Union Defence Minister George Fernandes. (Annexure 12. Fernandes letter to L.K.Advaniji ) ) 12. The victim, a lady had been engaged in an unwinnable battle against the might of the grabbers cum political mafia leaders. The local courts had dismissed her plea on the ground that her property is situated in a different survey number and the grabbers are in different survey number. The petitioner states that the victim Mrs.Poungody Parangusam approached the authorities umpteen number of times to come and survey the area so that she can claim her property. The lady approached the High Court of Madras that directed the Land and Survey authorities to survey and show which property exists in which survey number. The failure of the Land Survey department to just measure and says which survey number ends and begins where, the lady could not get her property back. Meanwhile the grabber had constructed a multi storied building in her plot, and here too her petitions in the High Court against Town Planning Authorities and electricity department for giving approval in unauthorized area to unauthorized persons did not get her property as the officials are floating the orders of the judiciary bending rules to please the grabbers. The petitioner had brought this to the notice of the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India by way of forwarding the memorandum of the victim through George Fernandes (Annexure 13; Poungody Parangusams file and letter) 13. The petitioner wishes to state that while very few Indian citizens are fighting to recover their properties most of them had given up their fight having lost faith in our system. The petitioner in order to bring pressure on the authorities at least with regard to the properties of the Indian born French nationals presented detailed memorandum to French Senator Jean Pierre Cantegrit. Nothing was done to get justice and many have parted 127

crores worth properties to political mafias .The media too had expressed its anguish as nothing came out of the cases caught by Vigilance and anti Corruption S.P (Annexure 14 New Indian Express story) 14. The petitioner further states that for years since CBI and all authorities did not come to their rescue the peaceful possessors of properties and peace loving citizens of Pondicherry were at the receiving end. A fresh spurt of land grabbing is reported from December 2003. The political leaders including the current Rajya Sabha member and Pradesh Congress Committee President V.Narayanasamy , Former Rajya sabha member and Vice President of Pondicherry DMK Senior Advocate C.P.Thirunavukkarasu, and the petitioner had stated that the high level police officials with the connivance of two media men are engaged in house grabbing. (Annexure 17 Dinakaran report). The government of Pondicherry had ordered into an inquiry by revenue officials in one case, but everyday number of cases is being reported. The needle of suspicion in investigative media is against the Senior Superintendent of Police (Law and Order) who had been accused in media as heading a land mafia. Though this has to be proven, the Government of Pondicherry is currently letting the main accused himself to handle these cases. In certain cases the High Court of Madras had given directions to file FIR, since local police refuse to file FIR at the instance of the SSP (Law and Order).The petitioner states that even after filing F.I.R at the directives of the High Court of Chennai, Pondicherry police had refused to arrest the criminals bringing the law enforcement in Pondicherry to become a laughing stock giving a free hand and field day to criminals. Being aggrieved by and dissatisfied with the actions as well as inactions of the Public Servants and authorities the petitioner is moving this petition on the following grounds. a. The right to property and peaceful living and possession of properties belonging to Indian nationals must not be disturbed in illegal manner by organized land grabbing’s with the help and active assistance of authorities b. The Indian born French nationals do have special rights to be treated on par with Indian nationals in the 128

Union Territory of Pondicherry with regard to possession of properties and its peaceful possession and that should not be hindered anyway by organized crime syndicate. c. The law enforcement authorities in Union Territory of Pondicherry must file F.I.R once a trespass is committed and should not push it to become a civil suit delaying deliverance of justice and to bring the law enforcement agencies compulsion to arrest the criminals named in F.I.R’s filed after the High Court of Madras had ordered to file d. The Survey department of Union Territory of Pondicherry to be made to survey areas in dispute without fear or favour in order to establish the authenticity of the area in possession by claimants to that property e. The Central Bureau of Investigations to complete a probe undertaken after a mass upheaval and cross country debate and media exposure f. To computerize after verifying all original records, by bringing a copy from France and to set at rest the missing documents and end the era of bogus land records behind land house grabbing g. To probe the Police connection to the Grabbing episode to restore the confidence of the people in our system and life assured under our Constitution. PRAYER In the premises, the petitioner most humbly prays that Your Lordships may graciously be pleased to a) issue a writ of or in the nature of mandamus directing the Union Home Ministry under whose control the Union Territory is being administered to complete the probe by Central Bureau of Investigation and to probe all land grabbing cases reported till date in media or pending as civil suits in local courts and to bring the culprits to book irrespective of their political or official connections b) issue a writ of or in nature of mandamus directing the Government of Pondicherry to call for original records from French Archives and to compare it with whatever un-stolen records we have to trace the missing links to fill the gaps and to restore proper land survey and property records in a 129

computerized manner ensuring clean records for the holders of title thereby ending the circulation of bogus and manufactured documents in circulation and the unnecessary civil suits caused by clashes over title by legal and illegal owners of properties c) issue a direction to the Union Home Ministry to probe into the massive wealth amassed by Senior Superintendent of Police and his gang of grabbers and to bring all culprits to book by sending a special team to take immediate action on errant officials involved in aiding abetting promoting and shielding land grab/house grab in Pondicherry d) pass any other order and orders as Your Lordships may deem fit and proper Drawn on 14.01.2004 Filed on 01.2004 Vinai Singh A.O.R for petitioner Operation Land Grab Phase I 1970-1997 The manufacture of bogus land records by retired officials of Revenue Department marks the Phase I of the “operation land/house grab”. My complaint to then Defence Minister George Fernandes is the first exposure. The then Superintendent of Police Vigilance and Anti Corruption caught red handed the 5 criminals, erstwhile revenue officials who were manufacturing bogus land documents. My complaint stood proven by this raid. That is the end of the matter. The criminals escaped law by getting acquittal in local courts against which Pondicherry Government did not go for an appeal; the reasons of politics behind land grabbing could thus be understood. Operation Land Grab Phase II 1998-2001 This land grabbing issue ignited a massive public agitation. 15 political parties sat for one day hunger strike before RajNiwas demanding CBI probe. 12 political leaders led by me called on the then Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, then Home Minister L.K.Advani on 17.12.1998 and 19.12.1998 and handed over memorandum running into many pages. Pondicherry Administration sought complaints by gazette notification. 130

More than 108 complaints were received. The investigative journals Out Look and The Week did investigative stories. CBI inquiry came which is sent to cold storage. Most complainants had to settle with the grabbers, thereby absolving criminals from their guilt. In one case High Court of Madras directed Pondicherry Land Survey Department to do the needful to measure and mark the area of dispute, so that which area belongs to original owner and which to grabber could be known. More than 7 directions, I hear, were ignored. Operation Land Grab Phase III. 2004-2006 Various news organs have carried out in detail about this phase involving senior police official and was brought to Central Vigilance Commission’s notice. Now too the end will be closing the file or sending to cold storage. Our faith in investigation and punishments stands totally eroded, due to system failure. Dravida Peravai approached the Supreme Court through W.P. no 70 of 2004 seeking time bound CBI inquiry into the Land grab matter but our writ was dismissed with the observation that we should go to High Court under 226 instead of coming to Supreme Court. A public spirited person can fight a public cause only up to certain limit. When my property is not involved when I have no personal enmity against anyone, I have fought till last, I believe. That is the end.

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BUREAUCRATIC BLUNDERS AND BORDER WARS India had spent crores of public money to safeguard our borders; thousands of our brave men have given their lives to secure our borders. The War with our neighbour is not a footnote in history, but a chapter of sacrifice made by our army men. The cat on the wall Maharaja Harisingh’s clan till today enjoys patronage from the ruling establishment as reward for bartering their loyalty to India. The Indian Army only needed a nod from Indian Prime Minister at a crucial period of Indian history to drive Pakistan out of Kashmir. The Indian Home Minister Sardar Vallabai Patel was urging Indian Prime Minister to give green signal to our Army Chief Major General Kariappa to secure Hyderabad and Kashmir at one go. While Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru consented for army intervention in Hyderabad, which fell for Indian arm in a day, hesitated to give his consent with regard to Kashmir. This indecision resulted in ever bleeding never-ending Kashmir dispute between India and Pakistan. It is not treason to look back at history. Similarly it is not a sin to pin point the blunders committed by our bureaucrats. Only politicians are portrayed as villains but bureaucrats enjoy immunity. This is bad practice. While workforce of the country, the real masters in a democracy are subjected a hire and fire policy, why not hire and fire policy be framed for bureaucrats and only such a whip will make them deliver goods without delay to the people. We reproduce a letter addressed to then Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on 5.1.2004. His government did not act nor do I hope any government by bureaucrats and for bureaucrats will punish the guilty. But people of the country, the supreme power in a democracy have the right to know where and how it went wrong.

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Hon’ble Prime Minister of India Thiru.Atal Bihari Vajpayee Respected Atalji Subject: A white paper sought on the Kashmir issue to evolve national consensus and fix responsibility for faulty maps All Indians will echo your feelings with regards to the Pakistan’s bartering away of Kashmiri territory to China, our neighbour. At the moment out of the total area of 222.336 square kilometers of Kashmiri state the possession is as follows: Area of Jammu and Kashmir in possession of India: square kilometers. Illegally occupied by Pakistan: square kilometers Illegally handed over to China by Pakistan: square kilometers Illegal occupation of China and Pakistan: square kilometers

101,387 78,114 42,735 120,849

All this is shown as total area of Jammu and Kashmir 222,336 square kilometers. This figure is shown from 1988/89 to 1999 in all manuals brought out by the Ministry of information and Broadcasting. So while with spirit of nationalism and patriotism we are ready to share your feeling of hurt for Pakistan’s handing over an area of 42,735 square kilometers to China. But let me request your office to trace out my letter-dated 24.8.1999 in which I had complained first about the following grave mistake. I humbly submit that from the Source of INDIA: A REFERENCE MANUAL 1953 brought out by the Publications Division of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in page 1…. “THE AREA OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR STATE WAS GIVEN AS 92,780 square miles this is equivalent to 240,300.20 square kilometers. How could this become 222.336 square kilometers in 1988?

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Pakistan holds 78,114 square kilometers. China owns 42,735 square kilometers. India owns 101,387 square kilometers. By mistakes committed by our bureaucracy in preparing faulty maps, we have lost 18,036.20 square kilometers. Are we to take it for granted that 18.036.20 square kilometers vanished into thin air? Like Bermuda’s triangle in our earth’s oceans do we have a Bermuda’s triangle in our Ministries, which had swallowed 18,036.20 square kilometers? Who is responsible for this? Who is going to be held accountable for this? Are we going to find scapegoats? Or whether The National Democratic Alliance Government has the moral guts to fix the responsibility on the Congress governments that caused this national loss to our country? While 1953 Manual says 92,780 square miles equivalent to 240.300.20 square kilometers, in 1960 Edition the area becomes 86,024 square miles equivalent to 222.802.16 square kilometers. Official reference journal published by a Ministry of the Government of India in 1960 at page 24-25, a district wise break up of the area of Jammu And Kashmir State is given. The total of this area arrives at a figure of 84,476 square miles, which is equivalent to 218,792.84 square kilometers. In 1964 Edition page 7 has a different story to tell. It contains two different figures. In the column area figure a) shows 86,023 square miles equivalent to 222.799.57 square kilometers. Figure (b) shows 56665 square miles, which is under Indian possession. This amounts to 146,762.25 square kilometers? In 1965 Edition page 7 changes over to 222.896.78 square kilometers? In 1966 Edition page 7 Area of Jammu and Kashmir once again changed to 222,800 square kilometers? In 1968 Edition page 8 area of Jammu and Kashmir once again changed to 222,870 square kilometers .In 1988-89 edition the area of Jammu and Kashmir was shown as 222.236 square kilometers. In the very same edition in a different page693, the area of Jammu and Kashmir was shown as 222.236 square kilometers and 136

a note inserted which stated “That this area includes 78,114 square kilometers under illegal occupation of Pakistan, 5280 square kilometers illegally handed over by Pakistan to China and 37,555 square kilometers illegally occupied by China “ N.Nandhivarman General Secretary 5.1.2004

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NANDHIVARMAN Founder of DRAVIDA PERAVAI General Secretary of Dravida Peravai N.Nandhivarman runs an experimental political party. Dravida Peravai was registered with Election Commission of India from 25.10.1996.It completes a decade of service on 25.10.2006. Code of Conduct for Party men The rules and regulations of Dravida Peravai registered with Election Commission of India contain a code of conduct for party functionaries. a] A party functionary must be proficient in Thirukural and must be secular in outlook. b] A party functionary must consider “Every country is my country; everyone is my kinsmen" as Poet Kaniyan Poongundranaar says. In short gal axial thinking pushing the borders of human consciousness is the single most important duty of the party functionary. c] A party functionary must not fall at the feet of the leaders, must not indulge in flattery, and must not add suffixes or prefixes to original names. d] A party functionary must identify him with the common man and hence adopt simple living and should not even publicize educational qualifications, honorary doctorates, or titles before or after the name, as such high sounding titles degrees and suffixes distances the common man for whose sake party is founded e] A party functionary must disclose his assets and liabilities before public and take an oath that any property in excess of the declared assets is established to be in his possession after his term in the various forums of democracy expires such assets will be transferred to the party trust, which will be floated simultaneously on floating of this party. Such Trust known as Annaist Trust will work

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for unifying Tamil brethren and educate rationalism and proletarian internationalism to the common man. f] Anyone who is an eve-teaser, womanizer or has more than one wife or anyone connected with the crime against woman shall not be admitted into the party. If anyone after becoming a member raises enough suspicion in the minds of the governing committee shall be dismissed from the party immediately. g] Anyone connected with Cofeposa, FERA etc or has criminal records or is known to be a goonda and rowdy in the locality he lives, will not be admitted into the party. Any party functionary availing the services of anti-social elements during public agitations or elections shall be suspended by the General Secretary pending an inquiry by a committee constituted by the governing body. Once that committee confirms the allegation, the suspension will automatically become dismissal. h] To enforce strict adherence to moral, ethical and rational standards a National Disciplinary Committee will be chosen by the General Council. Such a committee of three will decide on all matters of inner party discipline and external social behaviour of a party functionary. i] Any functionary who tries to dilute the rational and scientific temper built by the Dravidian Movement and its leaders like Periyar E.V.R, Aringnar Anna and anyone who espouses religious fundamentalism or embraces castiest outfits or platforms will not be eligible to get party tickets for any elections be it for party posts or for Parliamentary/assembly/Municipality/ Panchayats or whatever posts party has to make a choice.. With such strict code of conduct it is but natural that the usual party seekers have not joined the party. Undeterred by the slow growth in numbers, Dravida Peravai had been in limelight in this decade.

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EARLIER WRITINGS LAID IDEOLOGICAL FOUNDATION Editorials in New Times Observer 1. Farmer's Plight [16.09.1994] 2. Heed to the Engel's Word of Caution [21.11.1994] 3. Indianomics for Emancipation [12.12.1994] 4. English is the Lingua Franca Nature offers [06.03.1995] 5. Workers of the World Unite [01.05.1995] 6. The Impersonal God of Evolution [25.05.1995] 7. Cultivate Galaxy-al Thinking [05.06.1995] 8. Exploitation is the Capitalist Creed [19.06.1995] 9. Panchayat Raj will not succeed in post-Rajiv era [26.06.1995] 10. Religion is Power Mongers Paradise [10.07.1995] 11. Law with Lacunae and Loopholes [07.08.1995] 12. Statehood is for people's good [21.08.1995] 13. Avoid Election Year Gimmicks [04.08.1995] 14. Time for Gandhian Renaissance [25.09.1995] 15. Simple living for Global Justice [16.10.1995] 16. Economic Sovereignty is in grave danger [30.10.1995] 17. Panchayat Raj Beginning of India's Revolution? 06.11.1995] 18. Cooperative Socialism [20.11.1995] 19. Finance Ministry's faux pas [27.11.1995] 20. Pondicherry’s Geo fracture: A warning of Nature [16.12.1995] Articles in New Times Observer 1. Language Adulteration [18.9.1972] 2. We stand for Scientific Socialism [13.11.1972] 3. For a Fair Deal [25.12.1972] 4. Capitalism will give way to [26.07.1993] 5. Link All Rivers [02.08.1993] 6. Let India guide the World [11.10.1993] 7. Protest without causing hardship to people [01.11.1993] 8. Towards a better tomorrow [06.12.1993] 9. Preserve Nature's Treasure Trove [10.1.1994] 10. Global Market Culture [24.01.1994] 11. Few count millions while millions suffer silently [14.01.1994] 12. Law Makers versus Law Breakers [25.04.1994] 13. Is it our fate to be late? [16.05.1994] 14. Umbrella against American Imperialism [18.07.1994] 15. Reservation is no answer to Unemployment [25.07.1994] 16. Vulture Culture [08.08.1994] 17. Science A prisoner of Super powers [15.08.1994] 18. Social Justice or Partial Justice [29.08.1994] 19. Looting Lobbies and helpless have-nots [05.09.1994] 20. Share prosperity and care for tribes [03.10.1994] 21. Classless Casteless Society [10.10.1994] 22. Beware of Graft Craftsmen [17.10.1994] 23. Brain Drain [07.11.1994] 140

24. Plague of Corruption [14.11.1994] 25. Global village with nuclear garbage [28.11.1994] 26. Live in Harmony with Nature [05.12.1994] 27. Economics without Ethics [19.12.1994] 28. One God One Creed [26.12.1994] 29. Let Have-nots Have Smile-lit faces [02.01.1995] 30. Politics of Pollution [23.01.1995] 31. The irreversible Reform-raj [06.02.1995] 32. To redeem Humanity from poverty [13.02.1995] 33. Build on Gandhian Lines [27.02.1995] 34. Dialectics of Technology [13.03.1995] 35. American Spider's Web [13.03.1995] 36. Frozen and Flying Foreign Exchange [20.03.1995] 37. A concept: An Alternate Society for Global Peace [03.04.1995] 38. New Times for Global Peace [10.04.1995] 39. What is Truth? [17.04.1995] 40. Tamil script Reform [24.04.1995] 41. Economic programme to make all people happy [24.04.1995] 42. Evolve single Global currency [29.05.1995] 43. Rational Research on Religions [19.06.1995] 44. Apostles of Change Evolve Cosmic culture [03.06.1995] 45. Emerging Enviro-Consciousness [10.07.1995] 46. Inner party democracy absent in our days [28.08.1995] 47. Stop Boasts: Feed empty stomachs first [23.10.1995] 48. Plans needed for Water Resources Management [20.11.1995] 49 Manmohanomics: Everyone is welcome to exploit [11.12.1995] 50. Economic barbarity [25.12.1995] 51. Mr.Le Batonnier Gnanou Diagou-a Profile [15.11.1996] 52 The Enviro History of Pondicherry [24.01.2000] 53. Pondicherry Port: A Boon to boost our economy [28.08.2000] 54. Is Indus Valley the cradle or catacomb of Dravidian Civilization-I [20.10.2004?] 55. Is Indus Valley the cradle or catacomb of Dravidian Civilization-II [24.11.2004?] 56. Is Indus Valley the cradle or catacomb of Dravidian Civilization-III [12.01.2004?]

[List incomplete and not updated please note.] NEW INDIAN EXPRESS Articles 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.

Home Away from Home: Re Union Tamils [13.04.2004] Man of Letters: Great Litterateur Gnanou Diagou [14.08.2004] Art of Dance [21.08.2004] A Lesson in hygiene [29.08.2004] The Glory of Arikamedu [04.09.2004] A Poet and A musician [11.09.2004] Setting an Example [18.09.2004] The Gingee Fort: A story of Valour [25.09.2004] 141

9. A Slice of Paris in Pondicherry [02.10.2004] 10. Romain Rolland Library: 177 year old Treasure Trove [9.10.2004] 11. Multi Faceted Scholar Chevalier Madana Kalyani [30.10.2004] 12. Inventor of New Musical Instruments [6.11.2004] 13. All Roads go Dutch [13.11.2004] 14. The citadel of Ceylonese scholars [27.11.2004] 15. An artist's aspiration [20.11.2004] 16. Earthquakes, Tsunamis and Continental drifts [01.01.2005] 17. Tamil music through ages [.........2005] 18. Calenders galore [08.01.2005] 19. Universal festival of Harvest [22.1.2005] 20. The Welsh Connection [29.01.2005] 21. Lessons from London [.................] 22. A Life almost forgotten [19.02.2005] 23. French citizens of Pondicherry and their rights [19.03.2005] 24. Saving the Coast [04.06.2005] 25. Brothers in Bondage [11.06.2005] 26. Toponymical Probe Tracing oneness of Humanity [18.06.2005] 25. Language Labour [17.06.2005] 26. Drama on Extinction route [21.06.2005] 27. Mystics and Men of Medicine [28.06.2005] 28. Pope keeps People's Hopes alive 29. Studying Pal lava iconology [02.07.2005] 30. Pondicherry Quake prone says experts [09.07.2005] 31. Historic Atlas of South India [16.07.2005] 32. The Dancing Peacock of Switzerland [23.07.2005] 33. A hero from Pondicherry [06.08.2005] 34. Narayana Guru and Tamil Soil [13.08.2005] 35. Treasure Trove of History [20.08.2005] 36. Poongodi following in her father's footsteps [27.08.2005] 37. Marching Ahead in Tamil based computing [03.09.2005] 38. A journey in rhythm [10.09.2005] 39. Singapore surges Ahead [17.09.2005] 40. Priyan’s Paintings [24.09.2005] 41. An opera of Life [8.10.2005] 42. Log in, to be prepared [15.10.2005]

Blog Posts: Few Titles as sample Dravida Peravai on International Politics: Incomplete list starts from

17. Appeal to America to release Iraqi women prisoners [22.1.2006] 18. Holy war versus Humanist cause [24.1.2006] 19. Lady of the 20 th century: Aung San Sui Kui [25.1.2006] 20. Employment-Empowerment and Equal Treatment [26.1.2006] 21.Save East Africa from Hunger [1.2.2006] 22.Right to question scriptures and Gods [6.2.2006] 23.Nobel Laurette becomes Noble President of Costa Rica [8.2.2006]

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24.Defeat terrorism through neo-opium War [8.2.2006] 25. Hapless women and Heartless men [10.2.2006] 26. Unpardonable violations of child abuse [11.2.2006] 27. United Nations must deliver justice to East Timor [14.2.2006] 28. New Zealand's Last colony on Road to Freedom [15.2.2006] 29. Religion is the real problem [19.2.2006] 30. Turkey must be admitted in European Union [21.2.2006] 31. Microsofts book sized personal computer [12.3.2006] 32. The Final Theory: Theory of Everything [30.4.2006] 33. Chinese lessons to India and Tamils [7.5.2006] 34. Ways to combat Terrorism [8.5.2006] 35. Double standards of Global capitalism [17.5.2006] 36. Voice of World Socialism [23.5.2006]

THE ANNAIST: Voice of the followers of Aringnar Anna Blog: http://annaist.blogs.dk 1.Martyrs Day [25.1.2006 2. The Battle for Tamil Nadu [26.1.2006] 3. Anna and Tamil Nationalism [26.1.2006] 4. Stateless Tamils and Betrayal of Ceylon [28.1.2006] 5. A Moon astrologers don't know [6.5.2006] 6. Capitalist cronies curse Socialism [7.5.2006] 7. Fresh Free thinking on Christianity [29.5.2006] 8. Socialist thought [1.6.2006] 9. Dravida Peravai and National leaders [10.6.2006]

Blog writings in: http//uk.360.yahoo.com/dravidaperavai 1. Grateful India Thanks Green Peace [24.02.2006] 2. Killing Swadeshi spirit and selling India to Videshi [25.02.2006] 3. Tamil and French Connections [10.3.2006] 4. Poetry in 5000 languages of Africa [12.3.2006] 5. Abdul Kalam's three visions [12.3.2006] 6. Madras still not Chennai syndrome [14.3.2006] 7. Indus Script Dravidian [16.3.2006] 8. Brahma’s Face and Black Race [19.3.2006] 9. Donkeys protest march planned [7.4.2006] 10. Dravida Peravai not contesting polls 2006 [20.4.2006] 11. Bureaucrats put spokes in the wheel [25.4.2006] 12. Let us debate God concept: Come on [25.4.2006] 13. Every human in world must fight Taliban [1.5.2006] 14. Fury of Fire and Floods [3.5.2006] 15. Unicode and Tamil [3.5.2006] 16. Let other nations follow Sweden [4.5.2006] 17. Dravidian civilization: New Evidence [6.5.2006] 18. True color of Earth [10.5.2006] 143

19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25. 26.

Search of Submerged Lands [13.5.2006] Bold Experiments in Bolivia [15.5.2006] All Muslims are not terrorists [16.5.2006] Arguing for Atheism [22.5.2006] Interesting quotes from other side [29.5.2006] Amnesty Appeal for Journalist Shi Tao release [30.5.2006] Tamil epics are first in time: History books [2.6.2006] Tracing roots of one Human language [11.6.2006]

Blog writings in: http//360.yahoo.com/nnandhivarman 1. Dravida Peravai General Secretary [18.5.2006] 2. Tamil spread in net-world [22.5.2006] 3. Freedom of Freethinkers at Peril [23.5.2006] 4. New thinking among Indian socialists [23.5.2006] 5. Tallest Woman Leader in our times [28.5.2006] 6. Trace the roots of all Christian myths [29.5.2006] 7. Amnesty against online censorship [30.5.2006] 8. Three religions and three messiahs [31.5.2006] 9. Imprisoned Egyptian bogs on Democracy [31.5.2006] 10. Sexologists exploit Indians [2.6.2006] 11.Pondicherry Burial ground for corruption probes [11.6.2006] 12. Tamil Unicode Alternative [18.6.2006]

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Plundering ECR environment For Power Plants Written by Nandhivarman The need for power should not be met at the cost of plundering our environment in East Coast Road. During the visit of Union Power Minister Shusil Kumar Shinde it was announced that 2 power plants would be set up closer to East Coast Road. Immediately Dravida Peravai sent a detailed memorandum to the Union Minister for Power. Later Dr.S.Ramdass, founder of PMK protested. Thereafter the Tamil Nadu Power Minister Arcot N.Veerasamy had gone on record that Cheyyur Thermal power plant will be dropped but Marakanam project will take off. In this background to awaken the Union Government to evolve a Power Policy keeping in mind of global initiatives in renewable energy quest, Dravida Peravai memorandum dated 10 th September 2007 is given below in verbatim. 0ur objections to the proposed Mega Thermal Power Projects off East Coast Road During your recent visit you had announced that the Union Government will be sending an official team to Tamilnadu to study the possibility of setting up one more ultra mega power project, as reported in the media. Though we agree on the need to enhance our power capacity it should not be at the cost of great human sufferings uprooting people practicising traditional professions practiced beyond 2000 years. In your interview you had mentioned that Tamilnadu Power Minister Thiru.Arcot N.Veerasamy had suggested Marakanam for setting up of 4000 MW capacity ultra mega power project. The Tamilnadu Power Minister had stated that Center had already finalized Cheyyur as the site of one mega power project. We are here opposing the 2-mega power projects and our views are submitted for your perusal. An attempt was made by National Thermal Power Corporation in 1999 to set up a power plant in Cheyyur when Thiru.Rangarajan Kumaramangalam was Union

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Minister of Power. The Hindu, a national daily with concern for people alerted people and rulers on Sunday March 21, 1999 issue in a front page story by Thiru.Mukund Padmanabhan under the heading: Proposed Power Plant will be in a Lagoon. “The 3000 acres to be made available to NPTC in five villages in the Cheyyur area lie in low lying area into which there is copious flow of rainwater from the surrounding uplands and a little seawater ingress. The picturesque water body which attracts a large number of birds and is used for fishing acts as storm water run off for an estimated 42 villages in Cheyyur area” wrote Thiru Mukund Padmanabhan a senior journalist in The Hindu. Dravida Peravai heeded to the warning signals unleashed by Thiru.Mukund Padmanabhan and wrote to the Indian Prime Minister Thiru.Atal Bihari Vajpayee on April 2 of 1999.Dravida Peravai having been admitted as associate party of Samata party and which remained a special invitee to its National Executive ever since 1997 December, had the moral support of Comrade George Fernandes. Hence our memorandum did in fact act as an eye opener. In our memorandum dated April 2 of 1999, we had urged upon the Union Government to adopt the internationally practiced precautionary principle in preventing pollution.” The term precautionary principle was raised by the German delegation at first North Sea Conference in 1984 when faced with the problem of dealing with one of the world’s most contaminated seas. Since then the approach had been adopted by a number of regulatory regimes including Oslo and Paris Commissions (1989), The UNEP Governing Council (1989), Nordic Council (1989), The Bergen Declaration (1990), The London Convention (1991), The Bamako Convention (1991) The Barcelona Convention (1991) and The UNEP Rio UNCED Declaration (1992). On September 8, 2007-Asia-Pacific leaders agreed and adopted a "long-term aspirational goal" to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the region in support of the U.N global efforts, announced Australian Prime Minister John Howard. Under the Sydney Declaration on Climate Change, Energy Security and Clean Development, the goals are to reduce energy intensity by at least 25 percent by 146

2030 from the 2005 level, and to increase forest cover in the region by at least 20 million hectares of all types of forests by 2020. The non-binding numerical targets indicate that APEC leaders wish to throw their political muscle behind an international push to avert the worst consequences of a warming planet. This is the first year that leaders from the 21 APEC member economies have included climate change discussions in their annual summit. While other countries follow precautionary principle in India we neither have the intention nor the political will to arrest pollution of our seas, rivers and water bodies. While Salman Khan’s are arrested for single killings, in Cheyyur and Marakanam all the migratory birds to these water bodies have to loose their natural habitat and the offenders will go scot-free. LET US HAVE A LOOK AT THE PROBLEMS FACED BY OTHER COUNTRIES THAT HAVE OPTED FOR THERMAL POWER PLANTS: Quoting China Daily news [Sept 9-2007] “ China’s environmental watchdog warned in Beijing that booming thermal power plants may worsen China's acid rain pollution if their sulfur dioxide emission is not well controlled. Pan Yue, vice-director of the State Environmental Protection Administration (SEPA), made the remark when reporting to the press the crackdown against the Guiyang thermal power plant in the southwestern province of Guizhou, which had put the newly built power set into use without the desulphurization equipment. "Thermal power plants discharge a large proportion of the country's total sulfur dioxide emission. If their emissions are not well controlled, the acid rain pollution will probably worsen, “Pan said. Although China's power production and generation capacity reached the second place of the world by the end of 2003, they still cannot satisfy the soaring economy's appetite for energy. Reportedly China will suffer from severe power shortage this summer. There are already 24 provinces and municipalities, which set limits on industrial and civil use of electricity. Thermal power plants, 147

accounting for 74 percent of total power supply, spring up to fill the gap. Exhaust gas discharged by thermal power plants, which are based on coal burning, contains abundant sulfur dioxide a chemical causing acid rain. Statistics show that China's annual sulfur dioxide emission, of which thermal power emission makes up 34.6 percent, exceeds the maximum of environmental capacity by 80 percent. The resulting acid rain costs annual loss of 110 billion Yuan (US$13.3 billion), two or three percent of the annual Gross Domestic Production. China's laws and regulations state that the desulphurization equipment must be designed, built, and put into operation simultaneously with the power sets. Unfortunately, most investors are too eager for instant profits to stick to the rule, according to Pan. SEPA updated the environmental standards for thermal power plants in March, which tightens their sulfur dioxide emission. SEPA also demands all plants install an exhaust gas monitoring system, which could be connected to SEPA's central server. To reduce the thermal power sulfur dioxide emission to 7.84 billion tons in 2020, 80 percent of thermal power plants have to set up the desulphurization equipment before 2005. Besides, SEPA will enforce economic policies including implementing an emission licensing system, add desulphurization cost to the power price and raise the sulfur dioxide emission fee. CHINA FACES A PROBLEM AND IT HAS ACTED TO CONTAIN POLLUTION DO WE IN INDIA, OR DO OUR COMMUNIST COMRADES DO NECESSARY HOMEWORK TO OPPOSE THERMAL POWER PLANTS? After all China shows the way and it is not America, hence they need not feel embarrassed to oppose thermal power plants and the pollution unleashed by such plants. In 1997 the E.U.-15 member states set themselves the task of doubling Europe’s renewable energy sources from 6 percent to 12 percent by 2010. A decade later, even though the contribution from renewable sources had increased in absolute terms by 55 percent, the E.U.’s new Renewable Energy Roadmap admitted that not only was 12 percent 148

unfeasible, but a figure well below 10 percent was more realistic. By January 2007, the original E.U.-15 member states (the E.U. had expanded to 27 states by then) had actually achieved a figure of only 6.4 percent from renewable sources. So when the E.U. summit in March 2007 upped the renewable energy sources target to 20 percent by 2020, its acknowledgment that the target would prove “challenging” was viewed by most energy insiders as something of a gross understatement. The Roadmap stated that Europe’s renewable share was growing too slowly. To speed things up, a plan was devised for the main sectors: electricity bio-fuels for transport, and heating and cooling. The Roadmap sees electricity as the key sector for producing genuine progress. It argues that if all of the 27 E.U. member states made their national quotas on renewable for 2010 in this sector, the proportion of electricity consumption from renewable would be 21 percent. But only nine E.U. member states – Denmark, Germany, Finland, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden, and the Netherlands – are in fact on track. The reality is that unless the present trends change, the E.U. will achieve a target approaching at best 19 percent. IN INDIA: “In Jharkhand about 9,000 tones of fly ash is being generated everyday from the coal based thermal power plants with present generation of about 1500 MW. Fortunately, the state is utilizing over fifty present of the fly ash through environmentally sound techniques such as abandoned mine reclamation, Cement Manufacturing, Brick manufacturing etc. Damodar valley Corporation is reclaiming Central Coalfield Limited (CCL) abandoned mine using its pond ash, Tata Power at Jhamshedpur is feeding all its fly ash to Lafarge Cement, ACC and other cement plants. Jharkhand State Pollution Control Board has taken a lead in the utilization of fly ash in the Sate with the co-operation of Thermal Power Plants, Mining Industries, Cement Industries, Brick manufacture etc” If in 1500 MW Thermal power plant 9000 tones of fly ash is generated in Jharkand as per Jharkand Pollution Control Board’s statistics, In Cheyyur 4000 MW mega power plant will generate 36,000 tones of fly ash polluting the entire ECR road, about which Deepa H.Ramakrishnan of The Hindu wrote as The Road 149

Beckons [Metro plus Sept 8 of 2007]. The Road Stinks may be her article if she travels next year in same ECR Road. The Swedish Energy System: Role Model for India Electricity production in Sweden is basically fossil-free. Approximately half of the electricity production comes from hydropower and the remainder is provided by nuclear power. Swedish scientists were among the first to discover the effects of acid rain; this was a focal point in the first UN Environmental Conference in Stockholm in 1972, twenty years before the following conference in Rio de Janeiro in 1992. Swedish industry was also among early world pioneers in demonstrating the first technological solutions for flue gas desulphurization. We live in a world which is known now as global village. If we fail to follow the footsteps of pioneers and opt for outdated un clean technologies, it is a national shame to the genius of India. Our Planning Commission will have hundreds of committee reports arguing all good things on earth but all remain in paper and only lip service is rendered. Sweden shows the way and our planners will have all blueprints for future ready in their shelves but our Ministers opt for unclean technologies, may be because of other considerations.

DROP CHEYYUR –MARAKANAM THERMAL POWER PROJECTS Dravida Peravai urges the Government of India to have a rethink on starting many more thermal power plants, and we oppose the proposed Cheyyur and Marakanam power projects on the following grounds.· The formal classification in the land registry-adangal records declare that the 2888.06 acres meant for the project is an area comprising salt puramboke and grazing land. In reality it is a waterbody.Survey number 352 at Mudaliarkuppam [274.12 acres] and Survey number 359[ 103.32 acres] under Panaiyur villages where National Thermal Power Corporation plans to have the fly ash disposal plant and main site are in fact are water bodies. We are aware of how fly ash is disposed in Ennore Thermal Power Plant and how 150

Pulicut Lake has become dead lake with pollution and waste dumping. Similar fate will befall Kaluveli Tank.· National Thermal Power Corporation in 1999 short listed 4 sites Kovalam near Chennai, Mahabalipuram, Cheyyur and a site beyond Cuddalore. Two days ago a private company which was planning to set up a Power Project near Cuddalore had to face the people’s anger when the District Collector of Cuddalore convened a consultative meeting. Police lathi charged and arrested many villagers of Thiagavalli near Cuddalore in September 2007.TamilNadu electricity Minister Arcot Veerasamy is uprooting people when their traditional dwellings in order to fill his personal overflowing coffers, people have started to gossip about the fortunes made.Kovalam is a Beach, Mahabalipuram a tourist spot of historical antiquity.Cheyyur where NPTC took the first step, they were halted by our agitations. Now Cheyyur has become once again the target of evil eyes which want to spoil the natural beauty of our coast. Marakanam, an ancient Port known then as Eyilpattinam is the centre of salt pans providing livelihood for thousands for centuries.Dravida Peravai does not see any valid argument for shifting the focus from tourism promotion exploiting the nature’s bounty of our beaches to thermal power generation and converting water bodies as dumping grounds of waste and polluting the air apart from driving salt pan workers out of jobs. The argument advanced by Tamilnadu Electricity Minister to bring coal from Orissa by ships, Marakanam harbour will be of use, is just wishful thinking. Apart from 12 major ports which are governed by Major Port Trusts Act, none of the 138 minor or intermediary ports under the control of various governments are functioning ports. Neither they are economical, viable, profitable for public utility. All minor ports with the exception of minor ports under Gujarat Maritime Board remain monuments of wasteful expenditure. On the way to Chennai in ECR Road we can see Cyclone Shelters in depilated conditions, which are another monument of wasteful expenditure. There had been no plan on how to use these shelters apart from cyclone times; hence they remain without maintenance and use. To 151

develop Marakanam as Port just to bring coal will also meet the same fate. All moneys pumped into development of minor ports by various state governments have led to criminal and wasteful expenditure. This is because the Union Government has no national policy to reduce the traffic congestion in our surface transport. We have the longest coast in east and west of our peninsula. If only the Union Government had heeded to various memorandums/press statements/port trust minutes, wherein Dravida Peravai had mentioned and argued the need to create a National Seaway Authority and frame policies for cargo/passenger ferries interconnecting these minor ports, travel in roads would be eased in congestion. Only on the event of shifting focus from lorry and rail cargo carrying to carrying cargo by ships and only when inducing people to travel by ships with well connected chain between all minor ports of the country, then ventures like developing Marakanam Port will become profitable. Focus on utilizing our ports for people’s usage is missing but focus is on wasting money on port development. Can Government of India order a study on the investments made by various State Governments in the name of developing minor ports and the yields from such investments? If such a probe is made you can find all moneys have created assets which yield nothing draining the public exchequer. · We understand that there prevails a policy wherein the power generating project need not be situated in states where power is consumed but states can set up power projects near coal mines and the power can be routed through the national grid to reach the beneficiary state. Puducherry Government on August 15 th media release had announced about a coal block allotted in Orissa.We presume Puducherry Government will put up the project in Orissa as per this new policy of the Center. Our question is while Puducherry can set precedent why should not Tamilnadu follow that instead of ferrying coal from Orissa to Marakanam and setting up power projects off ECR road which was meant to promote tourism and not pollution. 152

Dravida Peravai has reservations about Puducherry Government not selecting big industrial houses in India or going for cleaner technologies in alliance with multinationals but opting for Dr.Jagathratchagan’s enterprise which has no expertise in power sector as its partner in the Rs7500 crore mega power project, and we will come out in detail soon on this. Throwing dalits and fishermen out of their traditional homes and professions in Marakanam_Cheyyur belt by mega projects which have become outmoded in western countries, is a crime against fellow human beings, the citizens of India, who are the real masters as per the lexicon of democracy. N.Nandhivarman General Secretary Dravida Peravai This blog post in India Interacts.com was read by 3588 viewers till 25th April 2009.

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LANGUAGE LABOUR Pondicherry University, a Central University established the Department of Tamil in 1986, and later upgraded to a School of Tamil. Yes, thus came the Subramania Bharathi School of Tamil Language and Literature. “This school had produced 60 scholars who have done their Ph.D’s and 28 are currently striving to become Doctors of Literature. 181 scholars obtained M.Phil degrees and currently 34 are studying. The research culminates in presentation of scholarly thesis” states Dean of the School Dr. A.Arivunambi. Dr.Arivunambi also functions as Acting Vice Chancellor during the absence of the regular Vice Chancellor. As the leading beacon of Tamil Development he states with pride that Pondicherry University is the first and only one to have got grants for 5 years under Special Assistance Scheme from the University Grants Commission. This recent achievement gives impetus to draw plans for the development of Classical Tamil. “If you want to know about the Tamil computing researchers, www. tamilsoftware.biz lists out only 2 people from the Union territory of Pondicherry. They are Professor Kuppusamy, who heads the Computer Sciences Department of Pondicherry University and Prasanna Venkatesan, Lecturer of same faculty. At one faculty two researchers exist to give impetus for promoting Tamil in the world of web, and the other side we have a Tamil Department which had yet to avail this talent within the campus to equip Tamil scholars and students with adequate knowledge to handle computers and to elevate Tamil to the reach of netizens.” opined a Tamil scholar with anguish. There seems to be fresh plans for inter departmental coordination after such criticisms were aired in scholarly circles. The western experiments to open knowledge to one and all by creating Open Access Online Libraries, from where all scholarly research papers could be availed by anyone interested from any part of the globe is slowly spreading its influence over Tamil scholars. Tamil lovers of Pondicherry are keen to know the subjects of the research undertaken by various scholars in the Pondichery University. “The 154

practice to upload all research materials into Internet is a must and web publishing must be given top priority so that what a researcher in Pondicherry University does becomes known to other researchers all over the world,” said C.P.Thirunavukkarasu, President of Anna Foundation. Though members of the faculty have brought out many books and students too have many books and articles to their credit, in these days of globalization, they have to market their achievements, publicize them and bring it to public notice. A report of the expert committee headed by Va.Suba.Maniccam Former Vice Chancellor of Madurai Kamaraj University had in the initial years suggested for creation of separate faculties for Tamil Studies, Linguistic Studies, Fine Arts and Overseas studies. It had mooted the suggestion that under the faculty of Tamil Studies departments of Tamil Literature, Cultural studies, Religious and Mythological Studies, Comparative literature and Indian folklore could be set up. The committee also had suggested separate department for Bharathiar and Bharathidasan Studies. The Faculty of Linguistic Studies with separate departments of Indian Grammatical Studies, Linguistics, Translation, Dialectology and Tribal languages and The Faculty of Fine Arts with Department of Music, dance, Drama and Painting must have been set up, if the recommendations of the expert committee had been taken into consideration. Much time is lost and because these faculties and departments were not created in spite of the First Central university being started in a Tamil language speaking region. Dr.R.Kothandaraman of Tholkaapiyar Centre for Fundamental Research says that “sixteen years had passed and lots of opportunities are lost. There is a need to review the expert committee’s suggestions and to have an update on its recommendations so that fresh initiatives to develop Tamil studies could be explored”. Incidentally he was one of the members of that Expert committee. Due to non allocation of funds where our representatives failed, all such new departments could not come up till 2007, the time 155

when next five year plan launches. As a prelude for opening Departments of Modern Literature and Religious Literature, two new M.Phil courses have started, thanks to the initiatives of Dr.Ilamathi Janakiraman. This unique Central University must be made into a global meeting place for promoting Tamil as an international language with state-of-the-art technology to connect to the global Tamil community via the Information Highway feel the foreign scholars doing research in Tamil. “To help Tamil communities living abroad to establish a digital network for promoting the study of Tamil language and literature, to establish a grid of learning so that Tamil communities worldwide may exchange Web-based resources, to develop and promote Tamil in electronic form to enable Tamil learners to experience the glory of Tamil language and culture, to promote a sense of Tamil identity both in nations having large Tamil populations and all former French colonies with which still sizeable Pondicherrians are culturally and professionally interlinked, Pondicherry University had lot to do” opines Mannar Mannan, President of Puthuvai Tamil Sangam. “These former French colonies have large population of Tamils who are on the verge of forgetting their mother tongues. Hence online courses to impart Tamil learning to geographically separate Tamil communities becomes the historical mission of Pondicherry University and it is time it reaches out to those who need its help” said Professor M.Lenin Thangappa. But all scholars are hoping that Subramania Bharathiar School of Tamil studies will surge ahead and scale great heights in glory, since the very name of the school will be a source of inspiration for all knowledgeable Tamils to pool their goodwill to make this School known internationally. Courtesy: New Indian Express-weekend: 7.05 2005

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THE WALES CONNECTION Pondicherry is a place, which attracts peoples of various cultures and from Pondicherry a bright student, went to Wales for higher studies in law. He came back deeply impressed by the Welsh culture. Everyone thinks that English is spoken all over England, yet there remains Wales, where people are proud of their regional culture. Cardiff is the capitol of Wales since 1955 and a place of government from 1999 with the opening of the devolved Welsh assembly government. It has a population of 3, 25,000. And out of this 5% speak Welsh one of the oldest languages in Europe. Cardiff University where the Pondicherrian Michael.M.Antony went to study his LL.M has given due place to welsh tongue too, thus bilingual publications are common sight there. And Cardiff University is a place that promotes research. Among the 106 universities and colleges of United Kingdom, Cardiff was placed 7 th by a study. To protect its regional culture the Museum of Welsh life was opened on 7 th July 1948. It is one of the Europe’s foremost open-air museums. The last 500-year history of Wales is depicted in all its facets at the St.Fagans Castle, a 16 th century fort. The statues of wax will make us believe that we are in the presence of the Late Personalities, as could be seen in pictures where Antony will be with Queen Elizabeth, Princess Diana and Mahatma Gandhi. “This museum teaches us on how our Arikamedu museum in Pondicherry should be constructed to be a living demonstration of the bygone centuries. As you all know people who have read about Arikamedu and its archaeological excavations of a hoary past go disillusioned after their visit to that site, since a damaged building and some shrubs and bushes alone remain to be seen. The model of National museum of Wales if emulated and an open air museum is set up it will promote our tourism,” opines M.M.Antony.

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The present government has acquired land to set up a site museum. The dynamic Minister for Tourism of Government of Pondicherry K.Lakshminarayanan is determined to make Arikamedu Museum a memorable experience for tourists who throng to Pondicherry. And in this hour comes this suggestion from a student of Pondicherry. M.M.Antony during his studies at Cardiff University brought out a beautiful book titled “Environmental Liability: The stretch of company director’s accountability in the United Kingdom”. He became interested in the subject inspired by the words of a British Minister. “It is not acceptable for a company to make highly priced goods for highly paid consumers in the developed world by ruining the health of the children in the sweatshops of the developing world. It is not acceptable for a company to make beautiful furniture for the homes of rich families in the west but leave a devastated forest landscape in Brazil” said then Minister for Corporate Social Responsibility and Member of Parliament Douglas Alexander. Since India is facing lot of environmental problems M.M.Antony applied his mind on researching in environmental law. His forays into the subject made him analyze the impact of European Community’s environmental laws and that of the USA and UK. With such rich experience gained at Cardiff University, he could have opted for a good job overseas, yet he chose to be in India. As only son born after 16 years of wed lock he is even now mummy’s child deeply attached to his mother Mercy and a possessive father K.M.S.Devadasan eager to groom his son in his mould as a fire brand journalist editing the only bi lingual weekly of Pondicherry appearing since 1966. Courtesy: The New Indian Express-week end 29.01.2005

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LESSONS FROM LONDON The British people who once claimed that sun never sets in their kingdom have seen that their glory never faces dusk. The way followed by those who ruled India once must awaken our spirits to preserve our past as they do. London founded by Romans in 43 A.D had been the home of monarchs and governments since 1066. Of many places of tourist interest in London the Westminster Abbey is where for nearly 900 years every King or Queen of England had been crowned and many monarchs are buried there. Britain for centuries was a sea power and in Greenwich, which is 8 kilometers downstream from London Bridge, there is a National Maritime Museum wherein history and relics of the 500-year maritime history is kept preserved. Indians were early sea- farers and centuries before others they navigated around the globe. Yet in India we never preserve our maritime records and history. In fact at 12 major ports at least our country must have maritime museums. Greenwich is famous for being the time-keeper of the globe. The prime meridian of zero longitude, the imaginary line which links the north and south poles was fixed at Greenwich in 1844 and is marked by a plate on the path. A visitor can claim to be straddling the two halves of the globe by placing a foot on either side of the line. We know laksman reka but we are not aware of Greenwich reka. The White Tower of London built by William the Conqueror (1066-1087) has served as royal palace, fortress, prison and place of execution. It also houses the world famous British crown jewels. The Imperial State Crown made for the coronation of George VI in 1937 was altered for Queen Elizabeth II in 1953. It is set with 2868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 5 rubies and 273 pearls. The famous Koh-i-noor diamond from India adorns the British crown. The tower bridge is a miracle of hydraulic engineering. Sir Horace Jones designed it along with Sir John Wolfe Barry. 159

The 1000 tonne drawbridges are raised to allow tall ships to pass between its twin gothic style towers. The construction started in 1886 and completed in 1894 at a cost of 800,000 pounds. The towers are connected by a 142 feet walkway. Such landmarks are necessary to make any Indian town or city as exciting as London. The River Thames of London stands in contrast with River Coovum of Chennai as extreme poles, the former with its scenic beauty and latter with its stinking nasty. The name London itself was derived from a Celtic word Llyn-din which means river place. In India we call rivers holy yet we fail to keep them clean. Civilizations grew in riverbanks all over the world. We have our Indus valley civilization with sanitation and planned cities 2000 years ago. Yet now if we look at our cities and its garbage mountains, we have to think to stem the rot before it is too late. The lessons from a London walk are many. The 18 th century Prime Minister William Pitt described the capitals parks as lungs of London. Saint James Park, Green Park, Hyde Park, Regents Park, Battersea Park, Greenwich Park are some of the lungs that purify the air of London but also remain everlasting attraction to tourists. With much fanfare about tourism promotion except in Delhi and Bangalore we cannot boast of Parks and Chennai remains pathetic in this regard. The amusement parks at east coast road may have tried to attract tourists, but what about corporation parks and spaces left for parks for various colonies, one must ponder over. The exciting London visit must educate our planners to make our cities as excitable; otherwise we will not become one among the developed world. Courtesy: The New Indian Express weekend 5.02.2005

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POPE AND PEOPLES HOPE The new Pope blesses the people. All eyes are on his blessing hand. The people see a golden ring, which carries the picture of fishermen spreading his net to catch. This is one of the two symbols of papacy. To the tsunami struck fishermen, this symbol reminds that all Popes care for fishermen. But it draws a biblical reference too. Once while Jesus was standing beside the lake of Gen-nes‘a-ret, he saw two boats and fishermen washing their nets because they did not get good catches on that day. Jesus gets into the boat and tells to Simon “Put out into the deep water and let down your nets for a catch”. He obeys and nets good catch may be by divine blessing. But this biblical story also stresses the scientific invention of good catches in deep waters. Simon, the fishermen became the first disciple of Jesus assuming the name Saint Peter. In remembrance of that it is customary to give a fishermen ring to the new Pope. A pallium made out of white wool would also be presented to the newly chosen. That symbolizes the shepherd’s treading the footsteps of Jesus, who is also known as Good Shepherd. When Joseph Ratzinger, a 78-year-old German is chosen to lead the 1.1 billion-member Church these two gifts symbolizes the early composition of the followers of Christianity. The new Pope is aware of the challenges in the developing world to declining religious faith in the West. “So many currents, ideologies and different ways of thinking” had shaken the faith of many Christians and the Catholic Church faced an uncertain future threatened by the rise of Christian sects around the world, Ratzinger said in a homily. "Having a clear faith according to the creed of the Church is often labeled as fundamentalism," he said, adding that the Church had to reject "a dictatorship of relativism" that denied the existence of absolute truths. "An adult faith is not one that follows tides of trends and the latest novelties. To be adult and mature the faith must be deeply rooted in friendship with Christ," he said. If we go back to the pages 161

of the past, the first person to study the conditions of the origins of Christianity was Frederick Engels. He pointed out that the “most important condition was the formation of the Roman Empire. The creation of a world monarchy paved the way for a leveling cult. The Roman conquest brought with it the defeat of the individual states. Its despotic and violent regime, oppression of the provinces, high taxes and general absence of civil rights led to apathy and demoralization among the broad masses, not only the slaves, but also the free population”. It was the background that remained conducive for the inception of a global religion. Old religions were tribal and national, hence could not go beyond limited boundaries. To fulfill this vacuum, the rulers of Roman Empire made some attempts to create a world religion. Roman government attempted to create the cult of the emperor’s genius, cult of the guardian of the city of Rome namely goddess Roma, and the cult of Jupiter Capitolius. All these failed. A religion of the slaves and oppressed based on the arrival of a redeemer from their sufferings emerged as many sects. In the Koran the followers of Jesus Christ are constantly referred to as Nazarenes. That was probably the original name given to the sect of Jesus’ followers. Most often his followers called themselves simply believers, brethren etc, in the beginning only their opponents referred to them as Christians. Now that global religion faces challenges, which the new Pope underlines as splitting into many sects, as in the beginning. The father of Christianity, a Jewish philosopher Philo of Alexandria believed that there was a holy mediator between the God and the material world, the Divine Logos (Word). This was common idea in Greek idealist philosophy. The divine Logos, Son of God, became the central figure in Christianity namely Jesus Christ, says Fredrick Engels. In Hindu religion, the word “OM” resembles the divine logos and the son of Shiva called Muruga, fits into the Greek concept. These similarities strengthen the truth that all religions have universal concepts and beliefs. 162

But Pope must be perturbed over the religious intolerance that has brought terrorism to the forefront. The twin towers of America brought down by fundamentalists is the warning signal that cannot be ignored anymore. Clash of religions, cultures ignited by Osama Bin Ladens and men of his ilk, is unnecessary, unwarranted and rests on imaginary and false foundations. All religions emerged to unite people, to offer solace to the oppressed and to bring love and Peace on earth. Standing at the cross roads of history, the new Pope outlines his duties in the first words spoken, which admits the challenges ahead. In Pope, people hope, movements to global peace and equanimity eschewing enmity among fellow human beings will find support and leadership. Courtesy: The New Indian Express: 2005

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Hygienic Fish Markets: Fashion of the Day The wind of globalization is introducing new concepts like air-conditioned vegetable and fish markets by private parties providing jobs to entrepreneurial youth. At the same time we have Pondicherry’s over crowded Main market, a place you have to plough your way in a stream of sweat and foul smell. Ever increasing garbage accumulation poses problems for municipal sanitary workers who toil tirelessly to keep market surroundings clean. The Lorries that bring the daily requirements for market and small vehicles that bring fish struggle to catch space with consumers who in a haste to park as they please in the entrances of the market. This is a scene of chaos with increase in population. In Pondicherry region we have fish markets in Pondicherry, Muthialpet, Ariyankuppam, Nellithoppu, Madukarai and Villiyanur and temporary markets have sprung up in roadsides at many sub urban places. Nowadays people are looking for hygiene in every aspect of life and consumer awareness is at its peak. Further the perishable products must be sold in haste thereby fish vendors loose their revenue. The setting up of cost price shops by private parties and cooperative institutions too jumping into that bandwagon not to be left behind is a telling tale of our times. Vegetable stalls that offer fresh vegetables in airconditioned surroundings have cropped up. Chickens and Mutton are sold in shops making it easy for people to buy at various places. But in spite of all this the fish market, vegetable market, flower market and small shops that sell from provisions to brooms are within a limited space of the main market restricted by various constraints making it impossible to expand. In such scenario a new Air Conditioned Fish for You shop set by an enterprising young educated youth K.Ponnambalam of Vanarapet, that has come up at the

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beginning of the Mahatma Gandhi Road near Railway station is refreshing experiment breaking from past. A student from nearby Veerampattinam fisher-men village of Pondicherry, P.Saravanane who is the 4 th son of a traditional fisherman, doing his second year in doctorate in fish pathology at the Stirling University of Scotland U.K having completed his M.FSc. (Master of Fisheries Science) at Central Marine Fisheries Research Institute Cochin on his visit to his home felt that fish markets here must be improved to make it places of hygiene in order to attract better prices for fish apart from consumer convenience and comfort of buying in a cleaner environment. To wash sands and filth in the fish catches that comes to market, P.Saravanane suggests setting up of a one-ton capacity of filtering steel tank at the entrance of the market. Immediately after washing fresh icing must be done for the preservation. The fish market should be completely closed and centrally air conditioned for maintaining low temperature, which can reduce the quick spoilage of fish. Hygienic and decent dressing for the fish vendors encouraged. Separate cabins with a washable fishdisplaying table should be constructed for selling the fish and be provided with a clear drainage channel, which eventually leads to a common drainage canal. Display table must have fiberglass doors so that fishes can be displayed on an ice layer in the glass cabinet. Each cabin must be given separate pipe connections for easy and quick washing of cabin before and after selling. A hygienic and eco-friendly bag for packing the fish is introduced. There should be a high capacity and quality flake ice machine inside the market for preserving the fish and also for the display unit. Definite control measures should be taken for fly and other insects. It’s also wise to have a cold storage room with two different temperatures like 4°c and -20°c with clear racks and boxes for short time and long time storage of fish respectively. The market should also be provided with two doors each one for entry and exit. A separate fish cleaning room should be constructed with same facility like fish selling area with a washable table with the provision of tap water pipe connection for each fish dresser. Use of clean 165

stainless steel knife and other fish cutting instruments is encouraged. There should be an exit in the fish dressing room so that the customers can directly exit the market, says P.Saravanane who wants to see his hometown and its markets improve to reach the western standards at least stage by stage. Fish lovers are braving all ordeals in fish markets to buy their choice and scared housewives wait for street vendors to bring fish to their doors. Let us make their life not only less miserable but make it pleasant to both sellers and buyers. Let Fish woman who carry head-loads of fish and are frowned upon regain their self respect and dignity in pursuing their marketing with changing needs of our times. Fish is wealth and not filth that comes to markets. Let planners plan ultra modern fish markets, while private stalls come up every where to cater the needs of growing population conscious of cleaner environment. Courtesy: The New Indian Express 28.08.2004

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13 YEAR EXTRAORDINARY INDIAN BOY SCIENTIST FINDS CANCER CURE -WORLD'S SMARTEST BOY

(Tuesday, 04 July 2006) It is difficult, if not impossible, to comprehend his beautiful mind. Akrit Pran Jaswal started reading Shakespeare when he was five, conducted a surgery when he was seven and passed his 10 plus 2 examination at 12. Today at 13, he has cleared his BSc exams with 73 percent marks, astounding both teachers and fellow students alike. And to top it all, the Teenager, a resident of Himachal Pradesh, has acquired the title of the world's smartest boy. In the documentary telecast on Discovery Channel recently, Akrit was heralded as the smartest boy on Earth. Akrit says He has found cure for cancer, but is waiting to be 17 when he can be formally allowed into a medical college. But Akrit has a grouse. Opening up after lot of persuasion, he has been keeping to himself and is most reluctant to come before the media. “I want that my talent should be recognized. I have research potential. I should be allowed to conduct it." he insists. “I want access to CCMB Hyderabad, CRI Mumbai and CBRI Lucknow. I should at least be allowed to enroll in a research training programme so that I can start work” he says. It was only for a month, that I was allowed to be at Tata Institute of Cancer Research. Though they were impressed by my skills, they gave a report to the Directorate of Science and Technology that I should first go to school. Now that I have been to school and am in college, when they will allow me access to research labs, questions Akrit. His mother Anju Raksha too is unhappy." We have met many Ministers and even gave a representation to the President when he visited Palampur but no one understands our anxiety. I came to know about his talent when he mastered V class books in II nd class, she said, 167

adding that Akrits IQ was pegged at 162 after prolonged tests by the US based Gifted Development Center. He was 7 then. THE TIMES OF INDIA HAD REPORTED. DISCOVERY CHANNEL HAD SHOWN Tamil women who watch tele serials are doing great injustice to the intellectual growth of future citizens. Mothers spoil their children to be addicts to television serials, cinema masalas and vulgar songs. If only parents allow Tamil children to watch Geography Channel, History Channel or Discovery Channel, their intellect could be kindled. These channels are dubbed in Hindi, and Hindi people are having better scientific outlook than us. Awake Tamils! Become one among Extraordinary People... ... N.Nandhivarman The Times of India [July 2-2006] Mumbai edition with Chandigarh dateline: Report by Shruti Setia

Aringnar Anna groomed a 15 year school boy who grew in stature to shoulder Anna’s responsibilities after Anna’s demise and proved his leadership blooming into a Kalaingnar. Anna did not nip him in bud , hence encourage talent and follow Anna’s noble path.

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