Date:08/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/08/stories/2008090854290400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Karunanidhi says he owes it to ideals of Periyar

Special Correspondent

— Photo: M. Vedhan

SHARING A LIGHTER MOMENT: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi with (from left) K. Veeramani, Dravidar Kazhagam president; Soma. Ilangovan of Periyar International, Chicago; USA, Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, Information Minister; and Paul Kurtz, humanist, after receiving the ‘Veeramani Award for Social Justice’ in Chennai on Sunday.

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Sunday said if he had reached the present position even without completing his school education, the credit should go to Dravidar Kazhagam founder Periyar’s ideals of rationalism and self-respect. Addressing a meeting organised to confer the Veeramani award for social justice, instituted by the U.S.-based Periyar International, the Chief Minister recalled his decision to discontinue his training in nagaswaram because his self-respect was at stake.

“The very next day after attending the class, I told my father that I could not continue my practice because I witnessed my teacher removing the towel from his shoulder and tying it around his waist whenever a bigwig visited,” he recalled.

Mr Karunanidhi said if he had continued his nagaswaram training ignoring such humiliations, he could not have achieved the present status.

Stating that he was accepting the award as a foot soldier of the ‘self-respect movement,’ the Chief Minister said the struggle for social justice was not yet over.

“The award will function as a sword in the struggle for social justice,” he said.

Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani said the award would act as an armour for the Chief Minister in his struggle. The award carries a citation and Rs 1 lakh in cash.

Dr Soma. Ilangovan of the Periyar International and Prof Paul Kurtz, editor-in-chief, Free Inquiry attended the meeting.