Leaders pay rich tributes to Moopanar

By Our Staff Reporter

BANGALORE, OCT. 14. Several senior politicians and ministers paid rich tributes to the Founder-President of the Tamil Maanila Congress, G.K.Moopanar, here on Sunday.

At a condolence meeting organised by the G.K.Moopanar People's Welfare Trust at the Bangalore Tamil Sangham, the former Prime Minister, Mr. H.D.Deve Gowda, described Moopanar as a ``friend of the dalits.''

``He was a great leader who worked selflessly for the uplift of society. No one can replace him,'' Mr. Gowda said.

Recalling his association with the departed leader, the former Prime Minister said he got to know Moopanar closely from 1996.

Mr. Gowda also unveiled a portrait of Moopanar.

The former Union minister, Mr. C.K.Jaffer Sharief, MP, expressed profound grief over Moopanar's death. He said in Moopanar's death Tamil Nadu and the Congress had lost a treasure.

Recalling the days he spent with Moopanar, Mr. Sharief said he competed with ``the dedicated Congressman'' to gain the former Prime Minister, Indira Gandhi's confidence.

``Moopanar never craved for power or publicity. He never wanted to be in the limelight. Even when we proposed his name for the Prime Minister's post during the United Front Government's tenure, he objected to it,'' Mr. Sharief said.

The Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, Mr. K.H.Srinivas, described Moopanar as a ``great statesman'' and a ``model politician.'' He regretted that money and muscle power had begun to play an important role in present-day politics.

Mr. V.Muniyappa, Minister for Mines and Geology, Mr. R. Roshan Baig, Minister for Tourism and Haj, the Mayor, Ms. Prema Cariappa, Dr. Selvie Das, MP, Mr. J.Alexander, and Mr. Katta Subramanya Naidu, MLAs, and Mr. K.Subramanya, President, Bangalore Tamil Sangham, were present.

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