The Blaze

The Blaze :

Contrary to his solemn assurance to the non-Hindi speaking people, in April 1963 Jawaharlal Nehru's Govt. Passed Official Language Act making Hindi as the only official language from 1965 and allowing that English may continue on option. Stung by the dilution of Nehru's assurance and covert imposition of Hindi, DMK entered into direct action by picketing Government offices and burning relevant part 17 of the Constitution of India Dr. Kalaignar was made leader of the agitation. In the first phase, Dr. Anna, was arrested for attempting to burn the part of constitution in public place and with him, frontline leaders entire South, especially Tamilnadu was about to burst into flames.

And in 1965, when the Central Government made Hindi as only Official language, hell broke loose; thousands of young men particularly students, came forward to give up their "life to Tamil and body to the soil" Many courted arrest. Unable to visualize the dark days ahead, 15 volunteers, like Chinnasamy, Sivalingam, Aranganathan, Muthu, Veerappan and Sarangapani committed self-immolation. The flame they raised engulfed entire South.

Dr. Kalaignar was arrested under Defence of India Rules and kept in solitary confinement in Palayamkottai Central Jail.

As the Congress Party failed to protect the language, culture and self-respect of TamilNadu and as it was a party to Hindi imposition, people rejected it outright and overwhelmingly voted DMK to power in the 1967 assembly election. The DMK won 138 seats to the state assembly and captured all the 25 Lok Sabhas seats it contested, thus creating a unique record in Parliamentary Election and Dr. Anna became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Though the tenure of Dr. Anna as Chief Minister was very short, his achievements were far reaching.

On a test basis, he introduced in the major cities Chennai and Coimbatore, a scheme of providing rice to the rate of one kilo for one rupee.

He provided asbestos-roofed houses, free of cost, to the slum dwellors.

However, his historic achievements are:-

He restored the honour of Tamil Speaking people by incorporating the name Tamil Nadu on the map of India.

Wedded to the ideals of self-respect and rationalism, he legalised Self-respect Marriages with retrospective effect.

By a historic legislation. Dr. Anna boldly introduced the two-language formula (Tamil and English ) in schools and erased Hindi from the curriculum of Tamil Nadu for ever.

He crowned mother Tamil by conducting the Second World Tamil Conference with splendour and glory.


Unfortunately, Tamilnadu could not enjoy the boon of his leadership for long, as the end came – like a bolt from the blue and Dr. Anna passed away on 3rd Feb 1968.