Founder Leaders of Justice Party honoured
[Pitty Theagarayr, Dr. T.M.Nair and Dr. C.Natesanar were issued by the Union Minister A.Raja in a colourful function in Chennai on 17 September 2008. The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi received the stamps, and spoke about the need of upholding the ideals and principles for which the pioneers of Dravidian Movement worked and sacrificed in a selfless manner in the first quarter of the 20th Century. He pointd out how they strived to achieve Social Justice through Communal Representation (reservation). He appealed to the Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh to take steps to fully implement the 27 per cent reservation for OBCs i n higher educational institutions under the Union Government. We give here brief acconts of the life andwork of the three founders of the South Indian Liberal Federation) SILF - also known as Justice Party) based on the brouchures issued by the Department of Posts, India.]
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Dr.C.Natesan
Dr.C.Natesan is hailed as the father of the Dravidian movement and he was one among the first person to use the word Dravidian in political and social context. . In the first quarter of 20th century there arose a powerful movement in Madras Presidency against the dominance of the Brahmins. For the upliftment of the oppressed communities Dr. Natesan along with Pitti Theagarayar and Dr.T.M.Nair started ‘South Indian Liberal Federation ’ which later became Justice Party. It became a powerful voice of the deprived and downtrodden.
Dr. Natesan was born in 1875 at Tiruvallikeni in Chennai. He studied in the village school and subsequently graduated from Madras University. He worked as a Lecturer in Pithampuram Maharaja College and later as Dubashi in Gordon Woodrof Company. But these jobs did not provide him with the challenge he was looking for. He wanted to take up medical profession, and went on to get a medical degree.
He was exceedingly successful as a doctor. He treated his patients with compassion and care. He provided free medical care to the poor and the deprived people.
The plight of poor and the downtrodden people suffering at the hands of the strong Brahminical upper castes moved him to action. Some of the employees of the Revenue Department approached him with horrendous tales of suffering of weaker sections at the hands of the highest varna. Dr. Natesan organised “The Madras United League” and became its Secretary with the sole purpose of providing effective voice to the deprived. Subsequently, its name was changed to ‘Dravida Sangam’.
‘Dravida Sangam’ conducted evening classes for educating senior citizens and government employees. The students suffered at the hands of higher castes in hostels and colleges in Madras. To alleviate the suffering of such students Dr Natesan organized separate hostels for them in the name of ‘Dravidian Association Hostel’. He contributed immensely in running these hostels and collected small fees from those who could afford. The Association also became a platform for meeting of great minds like Dr. T.M.Nair, L.D.Samikannu, Thiru.Vi.Ka. They would often organize lecture series and counselling sessions for the benefit of the students.
Dr. Natesan was twice elected to the provincial council during 1920-26 and 1930-37. He was a powerful speaker and raised many pertinent issues in the assembly on the upliftment of the weaker sections. As member of Madras Municipal Council he opposed the decisions of the Council to dump garbages near residences of scheduled castes living on the periphery of the town.
In the government formed by the Justice Party, important legislations like Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Act and the Legislations for abolishing Devadasi system were enacted. The impact of these legislation on the society has been profound.
Dr. Natesan was a rationalist and he rebelled against superstition, discrimination, illiteracy and exploitation. He devoted his life to the upliftment of the exploited. He worked for achieving equality, social justice, education and eradication of poverty. He awakened and shook the conscience of the people towards the rampant ills of the society of the times. His efforts made the Dravidar Movement a force to reckon with and alleviated the suffering of millions.
Sir Pitti Theagarayar
The tumultuous social political scene in India in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century saw the emergence of new ideas, a bold and fearless approach to social issues and a spirit of questioning moribund norms and practices. There was an all pervasive spirit of contribution to the upliftment of marginalized sections of society. Sir Pitti Theagarayar was one such fearless votary of social change pertaining to this period.
Starting from a smaller canvas of handloom and cottage industries and municipal polities, his area of concern grew into larger socio political issues.
Sir Pitti Theagarayar was born at Egathur near Chennai on 27th April, 1852. He took his B.A.Degree in 1873 from the Presidency College, Madras. Later he entered public life and served as Member of the Madras Municipal Corporation for 40 years since 1882. He supported improved methods of weaving and strongly pleaded for Government help and encouragement to handloom and other cottage industries.
He was elected to the Madras Legislative Council in 1910. It started a new phase in his life. He was in favour of liberalizing the political process from caste monopolies. He started the Justice Party, originally known as South Indian Liberal Federation. In December, 1920 the Justice Party got a decisive majority in the legislative council. He was invited by Lord Willingdon, the then Governor, to form the new Ministry, but he declined the invitation. His colleague Cuddalore (Kadalur) Subbarayalu Reddiar became the Chief Minister.
Thegarayar was elected as Chairman, Chennai Municipality in 1920 and held that post until 1923. His active participation in the promotion of commercial activities led him to establish the South Indian Chamber of Commerce of which he was the Chairman from 1910 to 1921.
In appreciation of his selfless services to the people the Government honoured him with the title of ‘Rao Bahadur’ in 1909. He was also conferred with the title “Diwan Bahadur” in 1919 and “Sir” in 1921.
He who set an example of selfless, courageous, honest and honourable service in public life passed away on April 28, 1925 at the age of 73. Thegaraya Nagar, an area in Chennai was named in his memory.
Dr.T.M.Nair
“Taravad Mahadevan Nair” popularly known as T.M.Nair was one of the prime moving forces of the Dravidian Movement that singularly contributed to the upliftment of poor and downtrodden in South India. A doctor by profession, Dr.Nair was a precocious child. He passed his matriculation examination with flying colours. Born to Shri Taravad Shankar Nair and Smt. Kamini Amma on 15th January, 1868 in Koduvaur in Calicut district in Kerala, Dr. Nair transcended all social economic and political deprivations to achieve his goal with perseverance, intelligence and hard work.
He had his early education in Palghat from where he went on acquire master’s degree in Arts from Madras presidency College. But his urge to become a doctor, led him to achieve degree in Medicine from Madras Medical College. His insatiable quest for knowledge took him to England in 1889 from where he achieved the highest degree in medicine M.B.C.M. in 1894 followed by a Doctorate from Edinburg University in 1896. He specialized in ENT from Paris in France.
Returning home, he dedicated himself to the medical profession with full vigour. He followed a very disciplined life and forever remained a learner. He had an impressive library of his own with books on subjects like medicine, health, literature and politics. He would attend to his patients till noon and thereafter devote much of his time in his library reading and writing on wide range of subjects. He published very popular medical monthly magazine known as “Antiseptic’ for more than sixteen years.
His interest in politics surfaced from his days in college when he actively participated in the student politics. He was elected Secretary of the students union and he published a journal called “University Student”. In England too, he was elected Vice-President of Indian’s Association in London.
He joined Indian National Congress and for quite sometime was one of its prime spokesperson. He later left Congress to join ‘South Indian Liberal Federation ’ and together with Sir Pitti Theagarayar and Dr. C.Natesan formed the ‘Justice Party’ that became the precursor of the Dravidian Movement in India. Millions of lessprivileged, uneducated and deprived souls had found an effective voice in the Justice Party. Dr. Nair published an English newspaper called Justice on behalf of Justice Party for many years. He was also the editor of “Madras Standard” a magazine published from Madras. He regularly wrote on the ideologies of Justice Party in British media and campaigned for the voice of the non-Brahmins.
Following the First World War, Montague-Chelmsford Committee came to India to study the devolution of power to Indians. Justice Party in full force campaigned for communal representation (Social Justice). Dr. Nair was the Chief architect of the communal representation principle. He went to England on 2nd October, 1918 and presented his views in the British Parliament. He cogently presented his arguments with facts and figures on the terrible deprivation and discrimination faced by the non-Brahmins at the hands of the upper castes. British Parliament in great measure appreciated the communal representation principle and gave a sympathetic consideration.
The report of Montague-Chelmsford was placed for study before the British Parliament the next year. Dr. Nair once again travelled to England despite his failing health to seek the opportunity and speak the oppressed voices. Fate willed it otherwise. Dr.Nair passed away in London on 17th July 1919.
Dr. Nair’s untiring efforts and missionary zeal brought about a conspicious consciousness in the unprivileged classes and led to mass movements in every nook and corner of the country. Under his able guidance and leadership Justice Party became a force to reckon with and conferred upon him the status of the legendary leader whose indelible marks are evident even today. His efforts have uplifted millions of Sudras and Panchamas out of the misery of exploitation, discrimination and deprivation.
DMK will not forsake rights of disadvantaged Classes Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Kalaignar M.Karunanidhi
Receiving the postal stamps on Pitty Theagarayar (1852-1925), C.Natesan (1875-1937) and T.M. Nair (1868-1919), founders of Justice Party, released by A.Raja, Union Minister for Communications and Information Technology, at a function held in Chennai on 17th September, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Kalaignar Dr.M.Karunanidhi delivered his address as follows:
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam will not forsake rights of backward, most backward and depressed classes just because it has an understanding with some other party. The Supreme Court has reiterated that vacancies in the reserved category in Central institutions of higher education would go to the General category. We should not lose our rights. Rights are not meant for us. They are for our inheritors, our people and the future of Tamil Nadu. I hope that positive outcome would emerge following my letter the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the issue of reservtion. No purpose would be served merely releasing the stamps of the leaders. We should rescue BCs, MBCs and SCs from the present crisis, which aims at blunting the sharpness of the principle on which the concept of reservation was founded. The system of carry forward could be adopted instead of allowing the transfer of unfilled reserved seats to the general category.
I have received earlier a letter from the Congress leader Kumari Ananthan recalling my earlier assurance of rechristening the name of Pondy Bazaar as Soundara Pandian market place. Though the area got its name from the Self-respect movement leader W.P.A. Soundara Pandian, its name was subsequently shortened. Hereafter, the Pondy Bazaar would be called the Soundara Pandian market place.
