Date:23/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/23/stories/2008092355640600.htm

Tamil Nadu - Tiruchi

Periyar Award conferred on Chief Minister

S. Ganesan and R. Rajaram

— Photo: M. Moorthy

Well done: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi receiving the Periyar Award from Finance Minister K. Anbazhagan in Tiruchi on Sunday.

TIRUCHI: Emphasising the need for strengthening and expanding the friendship between the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the Congress, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, however, said that a power sharing arrangement between the two parties should include Puducherry also.

Speaking after accepting the Periyar Award here on Sunday, Mr. Karunanidhi also underlined the need to prevent communal forces from coming back to power. Fundamentalism and communal hatred were the reasons for terrorism rising its head in the country. There was a need to protect the country from communalism and terrorism, which would consume all.

Both the DMK and the Congress were firm that communal forces should not be allowed to stage a comeback. “I and Sonia Gandhi are firm on this,” he said. But only because a few parties were opposed to secularism being given importance terrorism was rearing its head.

Only when fundamentalism and terrorism were checked, the country would be peaceful and could grow. Even when the DMK had aligned with the BJP, it had got an assurance in the common minimum programme from the latter that it would not deviate from the path of secularism.

When the BJP deviated, the DMK had pulled out and struck a new alliance accepting Sonia Gandhi as the leader. Though the ties between the parties were strong and needed no renewal, we should not allow our differences to allow communal forces to stage a comeback. The alliance should and will continue.

On Mr.Chidambaram’s plea to him to launch a revolution against social evils, Mr. Karunanidhi said that the party was already engaged in spreading the rationalist ideals of Periyar to fight those evils Mr. Karunanidhi commended Transport Minister and Tiruchi district secretary K. N. Nehru for having successfully completed the Kalaignar Arivalayam within a year and recalled his own efforts to build the Anna Arivalayam at Chennai.

Felicitated

Leaders of the DMK and its allies, including the Congress, felicitated the awardees.

Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, expressing awe at M. Karunanidhi’s hard work in his 73-year political career, appealed to him to lead a revolution against social evils such as majoritarianism, superstition, usury, untouchability and female infanticide.

Minister of State for Statistics and Programme Implementation G. K.Vasan described Mr. Karunanidhi as a multi-faceted personality, who steadfastly followed the social justice policies advocated by Periyar.

TNCC president K. V. Thankgabalu, MP, said Mr. Karunanidhi had safeguarded Periyar’s movement through his writings, actions and ideals.

He had championed the 27 per cent reservation. The Congress would support the DMK’s policies for uplift of the backward and oppressed sections.

He welcomed Mr. Karunanidhi’s statement that the party was willing to share power with the Congress, provided that the party high command requested.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalavan said his party had already conferred the title of Samathuva Periyar on Mr. Karunanidhi for implementing Periyar’s ideals, from which he had never wavered, despite many hurdles. , Mr. Karunanidhi had not wavered from the ideals of Periyar.The VCK will stand behind him.

Indian Union Muslim League leader Khader Mohideen, MP, said the UPA government was working under the guidance of the Chief Minister, and Tamil Nadu was a model State in upholding secular, democratic and socialistic principles. He was a leader of all communities.

MGR Kazhagam leader R. M. Veerapan recalled his long association with the Chief Minister and said Mr. Karunanidhi was at the forefront of the campaign for State autonomy.

Dravida Kazhagam leader K. Veeramani said it was apt that Mr. Karunanidhi had been conferred with the award named after Periyar.

Hyder Ali of the Tamil Nadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam; Pon. Kumar of Vivasayigal Thozhilalar Katchi; Puvai Jaganmoorthy of Puratchi Bharatam; L. Ganesan, MP; Kundarakudi Ponnambala Adigalar and Ministers spoke.