The Hindu : Show of unity marks DMK protest

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Saturday, Dec 28, 2002

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Show of unity marks DMK protest

By R.K. Radhakrishnan

The DMK youth wing leader, M.K. Stalin, leading a party rally in Chennai on Friday. — Photo: K.V. Srinivasan

CHENNAI Dec. 27 . The DMK today took out rallies in 29 district and 300 taluk headquarters to protest the ``anti-people policies'' of the AIADMK Government.

The rallies and meetings focussed on the increased burden on the common man, brought about by an across-the-board increase in the rates of commodities and services and the hike in bus fares, and the anti-conversion law.

The rallies were carefully planned, with seniors selected by the DMK leadership fanning out to the district and taluk headquarters days ahead to ensure a good turnout and also 0 make sure that the message got across to the people. ``We wanted to make sure that this was not just another road blockade. We are fighting for the people and we told them days ahead,'' said a leader, deputed to a taluk headquarters down south.

The general secretary, K. Anbazhagan, led the protest in Kancheepuram, while the treasurer, N. Veerasamy, was in charge of the show of strength in Salem; the chief troubleshooter and former PWD Minister, Durai Murugan, took charge of Madurai, while the DMK president, M. Karunanidhi's son and youth wing leader, M.K. Stalin, headed the rally in Chennai. ``The news coming in indicates that people have flocked to the rallies and meetings in large numbers,'' said Mr. Karunanidhi.

There was a visible show of unity all round, especially in Madurai, where all leaders, including Mr. Karunanidhi's elder son, M.K. Azhagiri, took part in the protest. Leaders in many places buried the hatchet, as it was apparently made known that the leadership would not tolerate non-compliance.

But Mr. Stalin rebutted the theory of a rift in the party. ``In any democratic party, leaders and members voice their opinions. This is misconstrued by the media,'' he claimed when asked about the participation by leaders known to owe their allegiance to different camps. Following the success of the agitation, the DMK plans to go ahead with installation of a Kannagi statue in the youth wing headquarters here on January 12. The party believes that while it is important to highlight the immediate concerns of the people, issues of Tamil culture and tradition should not be allowed to fade away from the public memory.

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