Karunanidhi was deeply attached to DMK cadre, says Chief Minister
Rajnikant requests a film on the life of Karunanidhi
Actor Rajinikanth receiving the first copy of the book, Kalaignar Enum Thai, from CM M.K. Stalin in Chennai on Saturday. N. Ram, Udhayanidhi Stalin, and E.V. Velu are seen.
| Photo Credit: S.R. Raghunathan
Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said on Saturday that he became emotional when he read the passages from the book, Kalaignar Enum Thai (Kalaignar, the Mother), describing the manner in which the late DMK leader Kalaignar [M. Karunanidhi] functioned during the Emergency.
Mr. Stalin, who released the book penned by Minister for Public Works E.Ve. Velu, said that when the family members of the DMK leaders and cadre were not allowed to visit them in jail, Karunanidhi took up the issue with the jail authorities. “They said he could meet me. But he made it clear to the officials that he would meet me only if the family members of the party men were granted permission. He met me only after that,” he said.
The Chief Minister said, Uyirinum melana anbu udanpirappukale, uttered by their dear leader at every meeting, was not just lip service. “He really meant every word, as he considered the party men to be even more important than himself.” He said the book was special because it had treated the history of the DMK inseparable from the life of Karunanidhi.
He said DMK men could take pride in the fact that the Union government had released a coin in memory of Kalaignar, who was born in a small village.
N. Ram, Director, The Hindu Group Publishing Private Ltd., said Karunanidhi’s greatness was explained by his all-round capability. “He was a relentless worker and reader. He had firm faith in State autonomy and federalism. He was not born with a silver spoon. A self-made man, who plunged into politics when he was a student. He had the commitment to the cause he believed in. He had courage and honesty, and self-respect was his asset,’’ he said.
Mr. Ram added that the title of the book, Kalaignar Enum Thai, was appropriate because he, like a mother, safeguarded the party and the Dravidian movement. Actor Rajinikanth, who received the first copy, said Karunanidhi, as a leader, was a rare man. He made out a case for making a film on his life. “Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke for half-an-hour in praise of Kalaignar. He would not have done it without a direction from the high command… Kalaignar withstood everything like a banyan tree because his followers supported him like roots,” he said.
Mr. Rajinikanth said Karunanidhi was able to sustain the party for 13 years when the party was not in power, while others struggled when out of power for five years,” he said. The actor also said the DMK’s continuous victory in elections spoke for Mr. Stalin’s personality, hard work, and political skills.
Mr. Velu said he drew inspiration for the book from Nenjukku Neethi, the autobiography of Kalaignar, in which he had made a reference to Russian writer Maxim Gorky’s novel Mother. “It took 11 years for me to write this book. I wrote whenever I had time…,” he said. Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development Udhayanidhi Stalin welcomed the gathering. Kundrakudi Ponnambala Adigalar, Gowra Rajasekar, publisher of the book, Ministers, MLAs, MPs, senior DMK leaders, and officials took part at the event.
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