Veteran politician Era Sezhiyan was on Friday felicitated by leaders across the political spectrum on turning 95 years old.
At a felicitation function organised by the VIT University here, speakers recalled how Mr. Sezhiyan — a retired politician, who is now an honorary professor at the Vellore Institute of Technology — was one of the most active parliamentarians they came across. “He is not a politician; he is one of Tamil Nadu’s statesmen. One of our ablest parliamentarians,” said CPI’s national secretary and MP D. Raja.
PMK legal wing head R. Velu talked about Mr. Sezhiyan’s time in Parliament, when the House had vibrant discussions. “Now, when I see sessions on TV, there are so many empty benches. There are no discussions anymore,” he regretted.
Association with Anna
Former Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president M. Krishnassamy recalled how Mr. Sezhiyan was one of the founding members of the DMK as well as the Janata Party. G. Ramakrishnan, state secretary of the CPI(M), wished that Mr. Sezhiyan would live to be 100 years old and more and talked of the latter’s association with former Chief Minister C.N. Annadurai and Jayaprakash Narayan.
“He understood that being a parliamentarian was a full-time job in service of the people,” said TMC president G.K. Vasan. “His work at the Parliament taught us how strong the institution could be,” said G. Viswanathan, chancellor of the VIT.
Former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam feted him.
Former Gujarat Chief Justice P.R. Gokulakrishnan reminisced about being young and knowing Mr. Sezhiyan.
Sriram Panchu, senior advocate at the Madras High Court, said his association with Mr. Sezhiyan began due to their common commitment to the Jayaprakash Narayanan-led movement of the 1970s.
