For hundreds of DMK cadres, September has always been a special month. Their joy knew no bounds as they converged for the annual festivity – celebration of the birth anniversary of party founder leader Arignar Anna, the birthday of the party and the birth anniversary of Thanthai Periyar (Rationalist leader Periyar E.V Ramasamy) at the 'Mupperum Vizha' in Chennai.
For over seven decades, the three-in-one event had been a gala function celebrated from September 15-17. This year the celebration was held indoors in view of Covid-19 imposed restrictions but turned out to be a special event for more than one reason. Party men were elated as DMK President M.K Stalin addressed the function for the first time as Chief Minister and dedicated the party’s victory in the Assembly elections to the cadre who worked relentlessly without expecting anything in return.
Mr Stalin made a passionate address, saying “I bow my head in reverence to party men who never aspired for any post in the party but took pride in being an ordinary worker. But for you, this victory (party’s victory in the Assembly elections) would not have been possible. You shed your sweat and blood and this victory became possible through your hard work."
"Henceforth, the DMK should permanently be in power in the State and you should lay the foundation for this. We are children of Periyar, brothers of Perarignar Anna and brethren of Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar, and we should prove this both in the party and governance. Let us also take a pledge in this ‘Muperum Vizha’ to create a prosperous and colourful Tamil Nadu.”
Pointing that the DMK is the offshoot of the Justice Party, Mr Stalin said this year’s function assumed greater significance as it came amid the centenary celebration of the Justice Party, which came to power in 1921 in the then Madras Presidency. This year also marked DMK’s coming to power for the sixth term and his assumption of office as Chief Minister for the first time
At the function, Mr Stalin has released ‘Murasoli, Sila Ninaivalaigal’ (Murasoli – Some Memoirs), compilation of essays penned by Murasoli Selvam, Editor, 'Murasoli'. The essays appeared in the party organ for 100 days. The DMK General Secretary Duraimurugan received the first copy. Showering praise on Mr Selvam, the DMK Chief said he was one of the many who shaped him to grow to this stature. "I see Mr Selvam as my elder brother and he fills the void in my life after the demise of Kalaignar", Mr Stalin said.
“Murasoli is not just a Daily but a sword in the hands of party men and this book bore testimony to this,” he said. 'Murasoli' is a treasure for party men, a calendar of events for the elders, a future guide for the youth, a text book for Journalist friends, a compilation of secrets for investigative Journalists and in a word, it is Kalaignar’s another ‘Nenjukku Needhi’,” Mr Stalin said.
Replying to the felicitations, Mr Selvam said the book would again remind some truths to the world loud and clear when distorted historical facts were thrusted in a section of the media. His eyes turn moist whenever he recalls his association with his mentor, Kalaignar and guide Murasoli Maran who taught him the nuances of running the party organ.
Mr Stalin on the occasion also gave away the DMK’s annual awards to five distinguished party leaders. Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi had instituted the awards in 1985 to honour party functionaries, who toiled for the party's development, he said
The Awardees this year were: Misa P Mathivanan, Theni L Mookaiah, Gummidipoondi K Venu, Vasuki Ramanan and P.M Mubarakh. They were honoured with Periyar, Anna, Kalaignar, Pavendar and Perasiriyar awards respectively in recognition of their outstanding contributions to the party.
The five iconic leaders on whose names the awards have been instituted are not just individuals but identities of five great philosophies. Periyar stands for Social Justice, Anna for State Autonomy, Kalaignar for 'Rights of the Suppressed', Pavendar for 'Mozhi Patru' and Perasiriyar K. Anbazhagan for Inamaanam (Tamils Self-Respect), Mr Stalin said.
Brief profiles of the award winners:
Misa P Mathivanan: Hailing from Thanjavur, Mathivanan is the contemporary of ‘Mannai’ Narayanasamy, former Minister Ko Si Mani and Vilanagar Ganesan. He took part in the language agitation in 1965 and was imprisoned. He earned the sobriquet ‘Misa’ for his year-long detention under the Maintenance of Internal Security Act (MISA) during the emergency. Mathivanan had been part of the DMK family. Kalaignar presided over his marriage, while Mr Stalin performed his daughter’s wedding.
Theni L Mookaiah: Two-time MLA from Periyakulam, Mookaiah worked in the party like a honeybee and was lauded as the breath of the party by Kalaignar. Always sporting black and red towel, he never hesitated to actively take part in party’s agitations and court arrest, whether the issues related to anti-Hindi, Sri Lankan Tamils or MISA.
Gummidipoondi K Venu: A fierce frontline leader from Tiruvallur district and two-time MLA from Gummidipoondi, Venu was in jail with Mr Stalin after his detention under MISA during the emergency and with Kalaignar in the Central prison after being arrested in a black flag agitation. He made the Gummidipoondi Union and Tiruvallur district a DMK’s fortress.
Vasuki Ramanan: A lawyer by profession, Vasuki Ramanan had fought for the party both in people’s forum and courts. Her car was set ablaze in the 1991 riots (after the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi) but continued the party work, remaining unperturbed. She bore the brunt of police fury in front of the Central prison after Kalaignar’s arrest in 2001. She suffered fractures in the brutal police attack and was hospitalized for two months.
P.M. Mubarakh: A product of the party's youth wing, Mubarakh, took Mr. Stalin, the then youth wing leader, to Nilgiris and made him hoist party flags in about 300 places in the hill station. He stood firm like a rock in upholding party principles and remained a role model for others.
