Karunanidhi: A Life in Politics , a new biography of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader, tracks his political rise and years as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. The book talks of the people who influenced Mr. Karunanidhi, his literary bent of mind, and his complex relationship with supporter-turned-political rival M.G. Ramachandran and the impact that it had on the State’s politics. An excerpt from the book on his formative years:
It was a 50-page book in Tamil, part of the syllabus, titled Panagal Arasar that caught the teenager’s fancy. Karunanidhi remembers that only he in the entire class knew that book by heart. This was his introduction to politics and political thought.
Panagal Arasar was one of the founders of the Justice Party, which many see as the precursor to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). With Periyar’s launch of the Self-Respect Movement in 1926, students across the State were captivated — one of them, C.N. Annadurai, studying in Madras’s Pachaiyappa’s College, began to be noticed as a firebrand orator as he debated on the movement and its ideology. In 1930, Annadurai formed the Self-Respect Youth Body in the college.
When Karunanidhi joined the fifth standard in Tiruvarur, the Justice Party lost the election. The next year, the first Congress government was elected in Madras, defeating the Swarajya Party. Rajaji became the Chief Minister and ushered in a law to make the learning of Hindi in schools compulsory.
There was furore among the intelligentsia of the State. Periyar and his followers raised the flag of rebellion against the imposition of Hindi on a Dravidian populace. Meetings, marches, pamphlets and magazines were distributed by the followers of Periyar’s ideology, urging the people to oppose Hindi.
On June 3, 1938, the first anti-Hindi protest was held in Saidapet, Madras, led by Maraimalai Adigal. Pattukottai Azhagirisamy, the ‘ suraavali pechaalar ’ (whirlwind speaker) of the Self-Respect Movement, led a march all over the State in protest against the imposition of Hindi.
Karunanidhi devoured the developments keenly and was roused. “The compelling arguments of Periyar’s speeches, the bravery and courage in Azhagiri’s sentences, Anna’s beautiful Tamil — these mesmerised me,” he writes.
Such was the impression made by Azhagirisamy on the young Karunanidhi that many years later he would name his son after him.
The interest in politics which began when he was merely 14 years old grew as he got closer to his 20th year. In 1942, C.N. Annadurai started a magazine called Dravida Nadu . An eager Karunanidhi was desperate to write for it. Having asked around and not being able to find an address to send his submission to, Karunanidhi simply posted it to ‘Dravida Nadu, Kanchipuram’. Miraculously, his article was published under the title ‘ Ilamai Bali’ (Sacrifice of Youth) the very next week. He writes that he was overjoyed. “Until then, only four or five people would read my work. Now, hundreds, thousands would read.”
Two weeks later, Annadurai visited Tiruvarur for a function on Nabigal Naayagam, an Islamic ritual. This was the first time the mentor and the protégé would meet. “Who is Karunanidhi in this town?” asked Anna. “Please bring him, I want to meet him.”
Karunanidhi recalls that Anna was stunned when he looked at him. “Are you studying?” he asked Karunanidhi. In a trembling voice came the response – “Yes I am.” Anna’s response threw the young boy: “Hereafter do not send me any articles.”
Although the two would become closer than blood brothers over the years, Karunanidhi was shattered at that first meeting. He began to write and stage dramas in Tiruvarur that propagated and publicised the ideology of the Dravidian movement.
Karunanidhi had little money. The resourcefulness of the young, upcoming politician was honed as he went about with a firm resolve to stage the plays at any cost — by begging for loans, selling any old item in his possession or charming a rich man into paying for the drama.
Excerpted with permission from HarperCollins India
