Dravidian movement loses another proud son

Born as Ramaiah on December 19, 1922, in a remote Kondathur village, near Mayiladuthurai in the composite Thanjavur district, K Anbazhagan needed no formal introduction to either Gandhian simplicity or self-respect principles, thanks to his father Kalayasundaram, popularly called “Khadar kadai” Kalayanasundaram, who ran a khadar shop in strict adherence to the Gandhian principles espoused by the Congress party till Periyar quit and launched the self-respect movement later.

Self-respect, love for Tamil and Dravidian principles came naturally to him owing to his father’s newspaper business (agent) which had exposed him abundantly to Periyar’s ‘Kudiyarasu’, Thiru Vi Ka’s ‘Navasakthi’ and Varadarajulu ‘Murpokku’ magazines even before he entered his teenage, something he had publicly admitted himself many a time. Probably, it was because of the early exposure that Anbazhagan had never compromised on his ideology till his last breath.

Keen on joining the Dravidar Kazhagam, Anbazhagan was made to join Pachaiayappa’s College as a lecturer, courtesy Periyar, who gave him a recommendation letter, a career which lasted till the 1957 election for which he quit professorship to contest the party’s maiden Assembly election.

However, the name ‘Perasiriyar’ stuck to him, partly because Anna had always addressed him as “Perasiriyar thambi” because of his professional capacity and proficiency in Tamil, which, old timers say, had prompted Anna to famously say, “When Anbazhagan, kural (Thirukkural) comes with him.”

Anbazhagan had served as MLA for nine terms and as Member of the Legislative Council and the Lok Sabha MP once. Anbazhagan was the last leader of the DMK old guard who had walked with rational leader Periyar and Anna equally alike the first half of the previous century.

A professor-turned-politician, Anbazhagan had held various posts in the DMK, including the first secretary of the party’s labour wing LPF, before becoming the general secretary in 1977 when ‘Naavalar’ Nedunchezhian had quit the party and floated his Makkal DMK before joining MGR’s AIADMK.

He had also served as Health, Education and Finance minister during the five DMK terms since 1967.

Given his outspoken nature, he never ceased to be a gentleman politician. Anbazhagan had set a new benchmark for politicians. He was genteel as well as straightforward, a rare quality among the current breed of politicians, and that too if one were honest.

He never spoke a harsh word. There was even an instance when Anbazhagan, as leader of the House, disciplined his own members on the treasury benches when their choice of language was not to his or viewers liking.

Former deputy speaker VP Duraisamy aptly recalled an incident from the distant wherein both Anbazhagan and Karunanidhi ‘advised’ him for declining a demand for a floor test during DMK tenure on legal grounds.

“Though I was legally right in making the decision, both leaders told me that I should have allowed the motion. They told me that the debate should have happened.”

True to his name Perasiriyar, the deceased DMK general secretary had always been choosey in picking words for his speeches, which were almost devoid of personal attacks.

In a political culture fraught with nepotism, Anbazhagan had never introduced anyone to politics. Survived by two sons and a daughter from each of his two wives, Anbazhagan has not got even one member of his family elected as MLA or MP, let alone party position, which stands testimony to his selfless politics. Unsurprisingly, he did not believe in flaunting his power or position either in or out of power. 

Anbazhagan himself had summarised it once when he said, “Firstly, I am a man. Secondly, I am Anbazhagan. Thirdly, I am a self-respect driven person. Fourthly, I am Anna’s brother. Fifthly, I am Karunanidhi’s friend,” the order, which never changed till his last breath.

In a hectic political career spanning over seven decades, Anbazhagan had never lost his zeal for literature and theatre. Author of over 40 books, especially many on Dravidian principles and separate statehood, Anbazhagan had also stole substantial time for drama.

Anbazhagan, in fact, had played the part of Neethi devan (God of Justice) in Anna-penned drama Neethidevan Mayakkam. He also played a role in the renowned play Thookumedai (Podium of Death) penned by Karunanidhi, which also earned him the title Kalaignar.

The play was a proof of his poetic and oratorical excellence. Produced and directed by legendary playwright-cum-actor MR Radha, Anbazhagan had expressed dissatisfaction towards a dialogue written for his role.

A sarcastic Radha had advised an articulate Anbazhagan to let loose his oratorical skills. “Why do you need dialogues? You speak your dialogues as you normally do. They will enjoy.”

Radha’s hunch had proved right as the dialogue received thunderous applause. The Tamil professor had even run a magazine “Pudu vaalvu” (New life), mostly propagating Dravidian self-respect and rationalist ideals of Periyar and Anna, early in his political career.

His unwavering love for Tamil did not stop with drama and books either. It was so intense that he did not mind running the risk of expulsion from the Assembly to fight Hindi imposition. 

In MGR’s last tenure, a motion was moved against Anbazhagan and a few other party MLAs for burning a copy of the Constitution in opposition to imposition of Hindi by the Centre in PIB.

A seasoned politician who did not mince matters, Anbazhagan did not hesitate to be upright even on the question of succession in Karunanidhi’s family.

Incumbent DMK president MK Stalin has every reason to be crestfallen by his ‘Periyappa’ (uncle) Anbazhagan’s loss. Wonder why? Perasiriyar was the first to propose Stalin for succession even when Karunanidhi did not give serious thought to the question.

Whenever the sibling rivalry seemed to disturb the peace of his beloved friend in Gopalapuram, Perasiriyar had comforted his younger brother Karunanidhi by putting his weight behind Stalin.

And he did not do it now or a few years prior to Karunanidhi’s death. Anbazhagan had first proposed Stalin two decades ago in the Villupuram conference of the DMK in 1999. 

A decade later, Anbazhagan was instrumental in Stalin donning the role of deputy chief minister, which was necessitated by Karunanidhi’s ill-health in his fifth and final tenure as chief minister (2006-11 tenure).

Though Anbazhagan had proposed Stalin many a time since then, even during the hay day of Karunanidhi, the real push from ‘Perasiriyar’ had happened in January 4, 2017, the day Stalin was appointed working president of the DMK, months before Karunanidhi’s demise on August 7.

Like he did for his life-long friend Karunanidhi decades ago in 1970, Anbazhagan had proposed Stalin for DMK president in Kalaignar Arangam on August 28, 2018.

DMK president MK Stalin has penned an emotional poem to bid farewell to his departed ‘periyappa’ K Anbazhagan, who was the party general secretary for 43 years. 

Describing the demise of their “beloved mentor” as the “fall of Dravidian peak”, Stalin, in his poem, wondered how would he console the crores of DMK cadre?

Seeking to know how he would console himself on the demise of the sky, which let his wings take flight, and land which harboured Karunanidhi and Anna, Stalin said the he was groomed by Perasiriyar. “Kalaignar gave me life and feeling. Perasiriyar gave me motivation and encouragement. Those four factors have put me wherever I am,” the DMK president lamented.

Borrowing the words of his late father Karunanidhi who said, “I have elder sister, but no elder brother. Perasiriyar is my elder brother,” Stalin added, “I too have aunts, but no Periyappa (uncle - father’s elder brother). I have lived all my life accepting Perasiriyar as periyappa.”

“Earning the goodwill of periyappa was more difficult than father. But I was lauded more by Perasiriyar periyappa. He was the first to declare me as president (of DMK) after Kalaignar,” Stalin said, ensuring that he recalled the push the DMK general secretary gave for him to rise by ranks in the party.

“During my father’s demise, I consoled myself with the presence of Perasiriyar. Now, how will I console myself after periyappa has also left me. I was hopeful that Perasiriyar was alive. Now. Who will I approach for suggestions and appreciations,” the poem read?

“We have the feeling of pride of Tamil race, language and party taught by you. What else will I need?” he remarked, before tearfully adding that their journey would continue on the path of knowledge set by him. 

Not content with venting his sorrow through the poem, a crestfallen Stalin wailed, inconsolably, along with octogenarian party treasurer Duraimurugan moments before the funeral pyre was lit at the crematorium in Kilpauk.

Earlier, DMK leaders led by Stalin took a procession, leading the mortal remains of Anbazhagan, who was draped in the black and red party flag, from the latter’s residence in Kilpauk to the crematorium. 

Later in the evening, the DMK headquarters issued a statement, advising the party units to cancel the organisational polls till the seven-day mourning gets over. All party activities have been suspended owing to the mourning.

His famous walkout from the conference of education ministers during AB Vajpayee’s reign is a case in point.

An avowed rationalist, Anbazhagan, as education minister of Karunanidhi’s cabinet, had walked out of the Delhi conference in protest against then union human resources minister Murali Manohar Joshi’s proposal to recite a song in devotion to Goddess Saraswati.

Like his peers, especially Dakshinamurthy alias M Karunanidhi, he had also changed his original name Ramaiah to Anbazhagan because of his love for Tamil and Dravidian principles.

His commitment to Dravidian principles did not waver, instead it only strengthened, when Kalayanasundaram shifted his base from Mayiladuthurai to Chidambaram, where Anbazhagan did his BA (honors) in Tamil from Annamalai University, which was the hotbed of student movement. 

Joined by fellow Tamil lover Nedunchezhian, who later went on to become his predecessor to the party general secretaryship and his brother Chezhian, Anbazhagan left no stone unturned to somehow get CN Annadurai to address the varsity students, which used to be a preserve of the Congress-led students union then.

Such was commitment to the Dravidian principles that Anbazhagan had waited for a Vice Chancellor to change to get his favourite Periyarist CN Annadurai to address the students.

It would not be overstatement to describe his migration to Chidambaram as crucial in shaping his ideological verve. For, both Periyar and Anna had only stayed in Anbazhagan’s residence when they visited Cuddalore where his father Kalayasundaram had started the local unit of the Justice Party then. 

Years later, Anbazhagan had even reminisced how he had heard the speeches of Periyar without a beard in close quarters. In fact, Periyar was instrumental in him becoming Perasiriyar (professor).

Ironically, the same admirer of Periyar turned a sharp critic as well. So much so that Periyar had embargoed the use of Anbazhagan as well as Karunanidhi’s name in his party organ. Love turned hate when the duo, as members of the Dravidar Kazhagam, blamed the leadership for not taking good care to the movement’s chief propagandist ‘pattukottai’ Alagirisamy in the DK meetings. Alagirisamy died due to illness in the months leading to formation of the breakaway faction or rather political wing the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Alagirisami was not the sole bone of contention even. Much earlier, Anna’s younger brothers like Anbazhagan had criticised for engaging a few Brahmins and elite. Periyar’s stay in a Brahmin friend’s house during Mavur meeting and hosting of feudal lord Rathinasabathi were dubbed as compromises by the to be formed DMK members.

It was Annamalai University which had also introduced Anbazhagan to a then nondescript Muthuvel Karunanidhi. Invited to address a meeting during sikandar vizha, organised by Islamic youth in Thiruvarur, a curious Anna who went to meet the author (Karunanidhi) of Ilamai pazhi story, introduced the student of Annamalai University as Ramaiah. Captivated by his clarity of thoughts and commitment to self-respect ideology, Karunanidhi had immediately ‘invited’ a learned Ramaiah for his next meeting. The friendship revived years later when they had met under the banner of DK and later DMK.

A gentleman politician known for his simplicity and oratory, Anbazhagan had one bad quality, if it were appropriate to call so, for a politician.

It was speaking his mind out. Anbazhagan had never held back his views. He always called a spade a spade. Even Karunanidhi had recorded his frankness in his autobiography Nenjukku Neethi (second volume) in which the former chief minister had recalled how Anbazhagan had refused to accept his leadership after Anna’s death in 1969. “I can accept Karunanidhi as commander, but not as president,” Anbazhagan had famously said then. However, the peers patched up in no time. The same Anbazhagan had done the role of the party treasurer after ‘rebel’ MGR’s expulsion from the party.

1957- Won his maiden Assembly election from Egmore constituency and became deputy legislature party leader of the DMK
Sept 25, 1960: Elected secretary of the party
1962 – Lost to Congress’ Jothi Venkatachalam in polls, but was sent to Legislative Council
1967 – Elected MP for the first time from Tiruchengode
1971 – Won from Purasawalkam and became state health minister
1977 – Became general secretary after Nedunchezhian quit and floated own party
1983 – Quit Assembly in protest of Eelam Tamils killing
1989 – Elected from Anna Nagar and became education minister
1991 – Lost Assembly poll after Rajiv assassination
2006 – Elected from Harbour constituency and served as finance minister
2011 – Defeated in Villivakkam assembly seat