Date:05/01/2009 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2009/01/05/stories/2009010550330200.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

“Breaking the stereotype image of women”

Special Correspondent

A Collection of interviews of poet Tamizhachi Thangapandian released

— Photo: R.Ravindran

Anthology: K.Anbazhagan, Finance Minister releasing ‘Pecharavam Kettilayo,’ a book by Poet Thamizhachi Thangapandian (left), at a function in Chennai on Saturday. Members of Parliament Kanimozhi and Tiruchi Siva receive the first copy.

CHENNAI: The Dravidian movement never propagated fundamentalist ideas, Finance Minister K.Anbazhagan said here on Saturday. “The oppressive forces unleash fundamentalist ideas whenever they fear they are losing their hold,” he said at a function organised to release ‘Pecharavam Kettilayo,’ a collection of interviews of poet Tamizhachi Thangapandian.

Mr.Anbazhagan said the Dravidian movement never indulged in the act of destroying its enemies. “On the contrary it believes in engaging its enemies in a dialogue and conversation,” he said. DMK Member of Parliament Kanimozhi, who received the first copy of the book, said the interviews had broken the stereotype images of women. Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers Association general secretary Tamilselvan said that writers like Kanimozhi and Tamizhachi Thangapandian had narrowed the seeming gap between the Dravidian movement and modern trends in literature. PWD Minister Durai Murugan, DMK MP Tiruchi Siva, Tamil University Vice-Chancellor Ma. Rajendran, writer S. Ramakrishan, advocate Arulmozhi and Uyirmai publisher Manushyaputhiran participated.