Saturday, January 22, 2011

Ex-CM from Vanniyar Community N.Rangasamy quits Congress



புதுச்சேரியில் ரங்கசாமி உள்பட 2 காங்கிரஸ் எம்எல்ஏக்கள் ராஜிநாமா

First Published: 21 Jan 2011 01:09:04 AM IST

புதுச்சேரி, ஜன. 20: புதுச்சேரியில் முன்னாள் முதல்வர் என். ரங்கசாமி உள்பட 2 காங்கிரஸ் எம்எல்ஏக்கள் தங்கள் பதவிகளை வியாழக்கிழமை ராஜிநாமா செய்தனர்.

காங்கிரஸ் தலைமையின் கட்டளையின்படி 2008-ல் முதல்வர் பதவியை ராஜிநாமா செய்த ரங்கசாமி, சில காலம் மெüனம் காத்து வந்தார். விரைவில் தேர்தல் நடைபெற உள்ள நிலையில் இப்போது புதிய கட்சி தொடங்கும் நோக்கத்தில் தன்னுடைய எம்எல்ஏ பதவியை வியாழக்கிழமை ராஜிநாமா செய்தார்.

அத்துடன் அகில இந்திய காங்கிரஸ் கமிட்டி உறுப்பினர் பதவி உள்பட காங்கிரஸ் அடிப்படை உறுப்பினர் பதவியையும் ராஜிநாமா செய்துள்ளார் ரங்கசாமி.

அதேபோல அரசு கொறடா பதவியை வகித்து வந்த காங்கிரஸ் எம்.எல்.ஏ. அங்காளன் தன்னுடைய எம்எல்ஏ பதவியை ராஜிநாமா செய்தார். இவர் ரங்கசாமியின் தீவிர ஆதரவாளர்.

சட்டப் பேரவை அலுவலகத்துக்கு வியாழக்கிழமை வந்த ரங்கசாமி சட்டப் பேரவைத் தலைவர் ராதாகிருஷ்ணன் இல்லாத நிலையில் சட்டப் பேரவை செயலர் சிவப்பிரகாசத்திடம் தனது ராஜிநாமா கடிதத்தைக் கொடுத்தார்

அதிமுக எம்எல்ஏக்கள் அன்பழகன், ஓம்சக்தி சேகர் ஆகியோர் ரங்கசாமியை சந்தித்து வாழ்த்துத் தெரிவித்தனர்.

இந்திய கம்யூனிஸ்ட் கட்சி எம்எல்ஏக்கள் மக்கள் தலைவர் வ. சுப்பையாவின் நூற்றாண்டு விழாவைக் கொண்டாட பிரெஞ்சு நாட்டுக்குச் சென்றுள்ள நிலையில், இக்கட்சியின் தலைவர்கள் அ. ராமமூர்த்தி, வி.எஸ். அபிஷேகம் உள்ளிட்டோர் ரங்கசாமியை சந்தித்து வாழ்த்துத் தெரிவித்தனர்.

அரசுக்கு ஆபத்தில்லை: ரங்கசாமி உள்பட 2 காங்கிரஸ் எம்எல்ஏக்கள் ராஜிநாமா செய்திருந்தாலும் காங்கிரஸ் அரசுக்கு ஆபத்து இல்லை. காங்கிரஸ் கட்சி எம்எல்ஏக்கள் மொத்தம் 13 பேர். இதில் ரங்கசாமி உள்ளிட்ட 2 பேர் ராஜிநாமா செய்துள்ளனர்.

இதனால் அக் கட்சியின் எம்எல்ஏக்கள் பலம் 11 ஆக குறைந்துள்ளது. காங்கிரஸ் கூட்டணியில் உள்ள திமுக எம்எல்ஏக்கள் 7 பேர் இந்த அரசுக்கு ஆதரவு கொடுத்து வருகின்றனர். இதனால் அரசுக்கு 18 எம்எல்ஏக்களின் பலம் இருக்கிறது.

பெரும்பான்மை பலத்துக்கு 16 எம்எல்ஏக்கள் போதும் என்ற நிலையில் இப்போதைக்கு வைத்திலிங்கம் தலைமையிலான காங்கிரஸ் அரசுக்கு ஆபத்தில்லை.

புதிய கட்சி: காங்கிரஸ் பெயரைக் கொண்டு புதியக் கட்சியை ரங்கசாமி விரைவில் தொடங்குகிறார். அவ்வாறு உதயமாகும் கட்சியின் கொடியும் காங்கிரஸ் கொடியின் சாயலில் இருக்கும் என்று தெரிகிறது.

புதிய கட்சியின் முறையான அறிவிப்பு பிப்ரவரி முதல் வாரத்தில் அறிவிக்கப்படும் என்றும் கூறப்படுகிறது. அதற்குள் தேர்தல் ஆணையத்தில் பதிவு செய்வது உள்ளிட்ட விஷயங்கள் முடிக்கப்படும் என்று விவரம் அறிந்த வட்டாரங்கள் கூறுகின்றன.

அதிமுக அணி முதல்வர் வேட்பாளரா? வரும் சட்டமன்றத் தேர்தலில் அதிமுக கூட்டணியுடன் ரங்கசாமியின் புதிய கட்சி இணைந்து தேர்தலைச் சந்திக்கும் என்றும், அப்போது இக்கூட்டணியின் முதல்வர் வேட்பாளராக ரங்கசாமியை அதிமுக பொதுச் செயலர் ஜெயலலிதா அறிவிக்க வாய்ப்பு இருக்கிறது என்றும் ரங்கசாமிக்கு நெருங்கிய வட்டாரங்கள் கூறுகின்றன.

வேட்பாளர்கள் தயார்: இதற்கிடையில் ரங்கசாமியின் புதிய கட்சியில் இணைந்து தேர்தலைச் சந்திக்க ஏற்கெனவே பல்வேறு தொகுதிகளிலும் வேட்பாளர்கள் தயாராகவே இருக்கின்றனர். ரங்கசாமி பெயரில் செயல்படும் பேரவை சார்பில் இவர்கள் ஏற்கெனவே நல திட்ட உதவிகளை வழங்குவது உள்ளிட்ட செயல்களில் ஈடுபட்டு வருகின்றனர்.

மேலும் பாமகவின் அதிருப்தி எம்எல்ஏக்கள் அருள்முருகன், பன்னீர்செல்வம் ஆகியோர் ஏற்கெனவே ரங்கசாமியை சந்தித்துப் பேசியுள்ளனர். இதைத் தவிர காங்கிரஸ்- திமுக கூட்டணியில் தொகுதி ஒதுக்கீடு செய்யும்போது சீட்டு கிடைக்காத ஒரு சில எம்எல்ஏக்களும் ரங்கசாமியின் பக்கம் வருவதற்கான வாய்ப்பு இருக்கிறது.

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Also read the related stories

Rangasamy quits Congress, resigns as MLA

RAJESH B. NAIR

PUDUCHERY, January 21, 2011

 Former Chief Minister N. Rangasamy submitting his resignation letter to Legislative Assembly Secretary M. Sivaprakasam in Puducherry on Thursday. Photo: Special Arrangement

After maintaining distance from the Congress ever since he was removed from the Chief Minster's post in 2008, N. Rangasamy on Thursday tendered his resignation from the primary membership of the party and as Member of the Legislative Assembly.

Government whip in the Legislative Assembly P. Angalane also submitted his resignation from the party and as MLA in support of Mr. Rangasamy.

Even as senior Congress leaders were trying to persuade him to stay on in the party, Mr. Rangasamy with his supporters, including Chairman of the Oulgaret Municipality N. S. J Jayabal, came to the Assembly at around 11. 30 a.m and submitted the resignation to Legislative Assembly Secretary M. Sivaprakasam.

Later, former AICC member V. Balan handed over a copy of the resignation letter, which Mr. Rangasamy and Mr. Angalane had sent to Congress president Sonia Gandhi, to Chief of Pradesh Congress Committee A. V Subramanian at the party office. Mr Balan too tendered his resignation from the primary membership of the party.

Mr. Sivaprakasam told The Hindu that he had forwarded the resignation letters to Speaker R. Radhakrishnan. Officials in the Speaker's office said the Speaker was yet to go through the letters.

Talking to reporters after tendering the resignation, Mr. Rangasamy said he will reveal his plans at an appropriate time. When asked about the reason for his resignation, he said: “I was not happy with the way the government treated my constituency.”

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Friday, January 21, 2011

List of Vanniars


Political leaders
Dr. S. Ramadoss, Founder president of the PMK party.J.GURU, LEADER vanniar sangam
Mr. S.S. Ramasamy Padayachi, Former Minister TN Government, leader Tamilnadu Toilers Party.
Mr. Vazhapadi K.Ramamurthy,Ex MP, TNCC President and Union Minister.
Dr. Anbumani Ramadoss, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare.
Mr. R Velu,IAS, Union Minister of State for Railways, MP Arrakonam.
Mr. S. Jagathratchagan, Educationalist and Industrialist, Former MP Arakkonam.
Mr. (Late) Thellur M. Dharumarasan, JournalistFilm maker,Lyricist, President, Tamil Nadu national agriculturalist forum.
Mr. Kaaduvetti J Guru, Vanniar Sangam Leader, Ex MLA Andimadam.
Mr. Veerapandi S Arumugam, Agriculture Minister of Tamil Nadu, MLA Veerapandi.
Mr. Durai Murugan, TN Minister for Public Works. Tamil Nadu, MLA Katpadi.
Mr. V.C.Govindasamy Ex.M.L.A Kaveripattinam
Mr. R.Chinnasamy Ex.M.L.A and Former District Seceretry,Dharmapuri DMK
Mr. Krishnasamy, Tamil Nadu EX-Congress Committee President.
Dr. M.Latchumanan, Puducherry Founder, Marumalarchi Vanniar Sangam & Vazhapadiar Desaya Peravai.
Mr. A.K. Natarajan, Founder Vanniar Sangam.
Mr. Vazhapadi Rama Suganthan, Congress leader & Managing Trustee ,Rajiv Gandhi-Vazhapadi K.Ramamurthy Charitable Trust.
Mr. Manickavelu Naicker, Former Minister of Government of Tamilnadu, Founder Commonwheel Party.
Dr. S.S.R. Ramadoss Ex MP, S/o S.S. Ramaswamy Padayachi.
Mr. T.Velmurugan MLA Panruti.
Mr. T.Arivuchelvan, BSc,(BL), PMK - TN State Youth wing Secretary, Ariyalur.
Mr. MRK Pannerselvam, Tamil Nadu Health Minister, MLA Kurinjipadi.
Mr. Panruti Ramachandran, Presidium Chairman Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam.
Mr. Tindivanam K. Ramamurthy, National Congress Party, former TNCC President.
Mrs. Vijayalakshmi Palanichamy, Former TN Social Welfare Minister, Ex MLA Panamarathupatti.
Mr. N.T. Shanmugam, Former Union Minister of State for Health and Family Welfare, EX MP Vellore.
Mr. R. Ramamurthy, Ex-leader Janata Party Pondicherry.
Mr. P.R. Ramesh Tigala, former Mayor of Bangalore.
Mr. Gingee N. Ramachandran, Former Union Minister of State for Finance, MP Vandavasi.
Mr. G.Kulothungan, Editor - Ganyam
Mr. A. Govindasamy Padayachi, Tamilnadu Toilers Party MLA. Former Minister of Government of Tamilnadu, First MLA of DMK. Donor of " Rising Sun" to the DMK.
Mr. Sankarapuram K.Srinivasan, Former Organising Secretary of Tamil Manila Congress.
Mr. Veerapandi. A. Raja, M.L.A
Sevai Chemmal. E. Kandasamy D.M.K. Mettur
Mr. Ku. Si. Venkatachalam, M.D.M.K
Mr. Radhakrishna Padaiyachi, Minister , SouthAfrica
Dr. R Senthil M.P Dharmapuri , an M.P and Distinguished Nephrologist
Mr.M.Rajasekar Bsc.,B.L.,Vanniyar Sangam Leader Thanjavur District.
Mr.S.Semmalai Former Minister of Government of Tamilnadu,
Mr. A.Rajaretinam Armuggan Gounder, Founder & President - Malaysia Indian Youth Council (MIYC)
Mr. A.Rajaretinam Gounder, Founder & President - Federation of Malaysian Indian Organisations
Mr.K.Ayyappan BE,BL State youth wing secretary Vanniar sangam.Jayankondam
Mr.Delta Narayanan. Tanjavur Farmers Union Leader.
Mr.Suryamoorthy. Leader. TN State Govt. Staff Union.


Academic
Dr.(PORKO)Pon.Kothandaraman,MA,MOL,MPhil,PhD,D-Lit,Former Vice Chancellor of Madras University, Chennai.
Dr. Vishwanathan, Former Anna University Vice Chancellor.
Dr. K.M. Tamizhmani, Ph.D. Fellow of the Indian Academy of Sciences, Pondicherry University.
Dr. K. Jeyaraman, Anna University Registrar.
Dr. P. Kangueane, Ph.D BioInfomatics. Worked as Professor in NTU Singapore. Published nearly 50 papers. Currently got in entreprenuership. (http://www.bioinformation.net/kangs/kangueane.htm)
Dato' G. Raja Gopal, FRGS. Who's Who in The World 2007. Academician (Malaysia)
Mr. N. Kesavan, Founder & chairman, Sri Manakula Vinayagar Educational Trust, Pondicherry
Dr.M.Latchumanan,Founder & Chairman, SMG Anjalai Ammal Educational Trust, Puducherry
Dr.Pagandai.V.Pannirselvam,Phd.(Biochemical.Engg), Associate Research Professor of Bioenergy Project, Federal University, Natal, RN, North East,Brazil.WIKI Home page
Prof. Dr. N.S. Rajendran Gounder, UPSI- Malaysia
Thiru B.E.SENTHIL KUMAR Director Adhiparasakthi Engineering College Melmaruvathur
Thiru. Kannappa Boopathy BA.BEd.,Rtd Head master of a government school. He received National and State award for his profession.

Entrepreneurs
Vedhapuri Agathiyan, Founder-Chairman, Helios Solutions Limited.agas@heliossolutions.biz
Murugavel Janakiraman, Founder of world's largest matrimony portal, Bharatmatrimony.com
Murugesa Naicker, Industrialist who constructed the first largest mansion and office complex in Chennai, Murugesa Naicker Office Complex.
Chengalvarayar Naicker, Businessman and educationalist, PT Lee Chengalvaraya Trust, 1886.
Kandasamy Kandar, Educationalist, Kandasamy Kandar Trust, 1890.
Thiru.A.S.MANI,Editor&Publisher NAVEENA NETRIKKAN TAMIL WEEKLY MAGAZINE,Chennai.
Mr.E.Thirugnana Sambandam Director Infonet Asia Pvt Ltd
Mr.V.Natarajan & V. Sureshkumar. Managing Director. SiliconHouse.net Pvt Ltd
Mr.R.Murugan & Brothers. Managing Director. Squarebrothers.com Pvt Ltd & General Secretary, TNYC.
Mr.Thirugnanam. Managing Director. Ascenders Technologies Pvt Ltd.
V.Ashok chakaravarthy, Director,VCAN management services Pvt Ltd "VCANjobs",Chennai www.vcan-ms.com

Artists
Thangar Bachchan, Cinematographer turned director and actor in movies.
Pushpavanam Kuppuswamy, renowned Tamil Folk Singer.
Chinna Ponnuswamy Padayachi, theatrical Actor and Guru of Sivaji Ganesan.
Kali.N.Rathnam, Actor and Guru of M.G.R.
Janakaraj, Actor.
Vadivukkarasi, Actress.
Marumalarchi Bharathi, Cinema Director.
Rajakumaran, Cinema Director (Actress Devayani's husband).


Public service
Thiru. R.SEKAR, Former Commissioner of Police, Chennai
Thiru. Natana Kasinathan, Former Director of Archaeology, Tamilnadu.
Thiru Chandrasekar, Election Commissioner of Tamil Nadu.
Dr. C. Chinna Swamy, Joint Director of Medical Services, Tamil Nadu.
A.N. Sattanathan IAS, Chairman 1st TN Backward Classes Commission, TNPSC.
Ambasankar IAS, Chairman 2nd TN Backward Classes Commission, TNPSC.
D.Krishnan Traffic Police,introduced traffic umbrellas in pondicherry.
ThiruA.M. Kasi Vishwanathan IAS, Chairman , TNPSC.
Thiru S.Kosalaraman IAS,Commissioner,Dept.of Agriculture, Tamil Nadu Govt.
Thiru T.Gopalakrishnan,Deputy Director,Dept.of Agriculture,Tamil Nadu Govt.
Thiru.Gopalakrishnan IPS, DIG, Tamil Nadu Govt.
Thiru.Elangovan IPS,DIG Rtd.,Tamil Nadu Govt.
Thiru Vazhapadi R.Karnan,President,Indian National Rural Labour Federation (INRLF), Tamil Nadu.
Thiru.Vengai Manickam,Executive Director,LIfe Ins Corporation of India
Thiru.K.Senthil kumar IAS District Collector Munger Bihar
Thiru.Pandiyan IPS,SP Rtd.,Tamil Nadu Govt.
Thiru.E.Dasarathan IAS Rtd. Served in Various Departments of Government of Tamilnadu.


Kings/Rulers
Sambuvaraya Kings
Koperunchingan Kings
Pallavas
Vannia Cholas
Chieftains of udayarpalayam, sivagiri, pitchavaram etc
Adhiyaman King
Courtesy_

Govt. can't give Exclusive Reservation to Vanniyar: Karunanidhi


Government cannot give Exclusive Reservation to Vanniyar Community: Karunanidhi


Sathyalaya Ramakrishnan reporting from Chennai
Chennai, 28 April, (Asiantribune.com):
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today turned down the Pattali Makkal Katchi's (PMK) plea for exclusive reservation for the Vanniyar Community, which enjoyed the status of Most Backward Class (MBCs) in the state.
The Chief Minister was reacting to Mr T Velmurugan, who urged that the government must provide exclusive reservation for Vanniyar community after introducing compartmental reservation system in the state.
Mr Velmurugan contended that there were as many as 108 castes, which came under the MBC category and the Vanniyars could not benefit much by the 20 per cent reservation for MBCs in the state.
Intervening the debate, Mr Karunanidhi said there may be 108 castes in the MBC category, but not all the castes had the size of the population of Vanniyar community.
He said some of the castes, which were included in the list of MBC, had a total population of just 1000. It would be wrong to state the inclusion of these castes in the list of MBC had cut into the quota for the Vanniyars.
The Chief Minister said he could assert that after the exclusive 20 percent reservation for MBCs the Vanniyars were benefitting much. This was evident as more Vanniyar students got admission to professional courses.
Agreeing to this, Mr Velmurugan said there could be no doubt that more students were being benefited after the introduction of 20 per cent quota. That was why the PMK had honored the Chief Minister, hailing him as the protector of social justice. However, forward class people from neighboring districts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala who migrated to Tamil Nadu had obtained MBC status, cutting into Vanniyars' quota, the PMK leader said.
He suggested that the government must take a caste-based survey and introduce compartmental reservation in proportion to the size of population of different castes.
Rejecting the suggestion, the Chief Minister said even after introducing the system, the member could not give a guarantee that people from the neighboring districts would not come and settle in the state.
He said if there was any lacuna or problem in the existing system of reservation, the government would not hesitate to remove them.
- Asian Tribune -
Courtesy_

PMK demands for separate state for Vanniyars

The Vanniyar separatism
Pattali Makkal Katchi leader S. Ramadoss' demand for carving out the Vanniyar-dominated districts of Tamil Nadu into a new state is based on a set of spurious claims and constitutes nothing but a desperate bid to remain politically visible in the shifting sands of politics.

P. RADHAKRISHNAN

DR. S. RAMADOSS, the founder of the Pattali Makkal Katchi, the political outfit of a major section of the Vanniyars, now has the dubious distinction of uniting the entire political spectrum in Tamil Nadu towards a common cause. The only other person who has so far been able to do so is J. Jayalalithaa.

As this comparison may sound odious, the difference between the cause celebre of the two needs emphasis. The unity in Jayalalithaa's case was one of strong support to her well organised and widely publicised campaign, which she as Chief Minister conducted with much aplomb, in order to protect the 69 per cent reservation in Tamil Nadu in government jobs and admissions to educational institutions and the creamy layers among its beneficiaries from the Supreme Court ruling of November 16, 1992. The unity in Ramadoss' case has been one of strong condemnation and opprobrium, which he has incurred in response to his casus belli.

Jayalalithaa must be still rejoicing. For she circumvented - that too indefinitely if you wish - the court rulings and the legal challenges to her political manoeuvres through parliamentary legerdemain and thanks to the disgustingly slow grind of the judicial juggernaut. In contrast, Ramadoss must be rueing the day he went 'gaga' with what he thought was his unique formula. The reference is to his public demand on July 17 for the bifurcation of Tamil Nadu by carving out the Vanniyar-dominated northern districts into a separate state.

In a democratic polity, articulation of aspirations should neither be a crime nor a matter for outright condemnation, as democracy even at the best of times has been only a rhetoric of expectations. Seen thus, what is important in the context of Ramadoss' demand and the uproar caused by it is for him and the supporters of the cause espoused by him to establish the legitimacy, feasibility and effectiveness of the cause, and for the opponents of this cause to call his bluff without allowing anyone on either side of the fence to claim any high moral ground.

K. PICHUMANI

PMK leader Dr. S. Ramadoss.


Among the claims made in support of the bifurcation, at least six need dissection. One is administrative convenience. Tamil Nadu has already been on a bifurcation spree, if not of the State into Vanniyar Nadu, Kongu Nadu, Dalitstan, and so on, at least into its constituent districts. This bifurcation spree has been undertaken apparently for administrative convenience, though the overriding consideration may be political. The result is there for all to see, namely, a more-than-two-fold increase from 13 to 29 in the number of districts in a short span of time. So the claim for bifurcating the State for administrative convenience does not wash.

A second claim relates to the development of backward districts. The northern districts as a whole may not be as developed as some other districts in the State. In fact, about 50 per cent of Vanniyars are still agricultural labourers. What is, however, more to the point is that Vanniyars are not the only denizens of these districts. They only constitute about one third of the population of these districts. The numerically larger Dalit community, which stands immediately below the Vanniyars in the traditional caste hierarchy, is the most backward. As a Dalit leader said, if it is just and proper for the dominant Vanniyars to demand a separate State, it would be a far more valid claim for Dalits who still constitute the most oppressed and backward section of society.

It is also important to note that over the years the rise in Vanniyars' access to resources has been impressive. This cannot be said about Dalits. To cite some instances, Vanniyars have been the main beneficiaries of land transfers by the upper castes such as Reddiars, Naidus and Mudaliyars, consequent on the migration of their members to the urban areas; Vanniyars, who seldom owned houses in upper caste streets until a few years ago - reflecting the spatial pattern of the traditional social hierarchy - have of late been proud owners of such houses because of sale and other transfers by the upper castes. If the present trend is any indication, they now own about 50 per cent of the lands of the traditional landowners, while Dalits have only a negligible share, say, 1 to 2 per cent. As Dalits have been victims of oppression, exploitation and every conceivable form of social indignity perpetrated on them by Vanniyars, Ramadoss' concern for the development and social well-being of the northern districts can only remind one of the devil quoting the scriptures.

A THIRD claim is that bifurcation would give a chance to a large number of communities that have so far remained under-represented at Fort St. George. Partly in response to the violent and destructive agitations in the late 1980s by the Vanniyar Sangam (founded in 1980 by Ramadoss), partly in fulfilment of one of its poll promises, and partly in order to outwit its adversary, the Congress (I), the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Ministry introduced compartmental reservation after assuming office in January 1989. Out of the overall 50 per cent reservation for 201 communities listed as Backward Classes, or B.C.s, (over and above the 19 per cent reservation for Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes) accounting for an estimated 67 per cent of the State's population, the DMK Ministry set apart 20 per cent for 39 communities listed as most backward within the B.C. list and 68 communities listed as denotified tribes, together accounting for about 36 per cent of the B.C. population.

As the largest community among the most backward classes listed, accounting for about 53 per cent of their population, and probably the least backward among them, Vanniyars have been cornering the lion's share of the benefits. That makes the third claim spurious. No doubt, the organised network of other castes such as Thevars helped them gain access to Fort St. George (read public service) well before and in larger numbers than Vanniyars. But the system of compartmental reservation has substantially improved their access as well.

Given the skewed distribution of reservation benefits, even the system of compartmental reservation would not have offered any succour to the numerous minuscule castes such as those of barbers and washermen and denotified tribes, which are clubbed along with Vanniyars as most backward; and Dalits as a category still remain mostly under-represented especially in posts in the higher echelons. It is unlikely that Ramadoss has suddenly developed such an abiding concern for these under-represented and disprivileged castes so as to mean that his reference to "a large number of communities" includes these castes, and not merely Vanniyars. If Ramadoss has any concern for them, what he should do is insist on excluding the creamy layer among all castes from the reservation benefits, aiding these sections, thereby also helping the State implement the relevant Supreme Court rulings.

The fourth claim in support of a bifurcation is that Chennai, the State capital, is about 800 km away from the southern most tip of the State, Kanyakumari. As Vanniyars are concentrated in the northern districts, which are close to Chennai, this 'distance claim' is inane, and indeed distant as a cause for bifurcation.

The fifth claim is that the Vanniyar community, which dominates 13 of the 29 districts in the State, has yet to have its member as Chief Minister. No doubt Vanniyars constitute the largest single community in the State, accounting for about 12 per cent of its population, and for one-third of the combined population of the northern districts. But any demand in a federal democratic polity to bifurcate a State just to have a Chief Minister from a particular community is ludicrous. Even if this demand culminates in the formation of a separate State, there is absolutely no guarantee that in a multi-caste, multi-party democratic political set-up such separation would result in a Chief Minister materialising from that particular community.

A variant of the previous claim suggests that a bifurcation of the State would afford a chance to a large number of communities from which no representative has been elected to the Chief Minister's post. Whether the reference is to the largest community, or to a larger number of communities, this claim also does not hold. Politics in Tamil Nadu has been caste-based from the beginning of the last century because of the strong caste idiom of political articulation used by the non-Brahmin, backward class, Self-Respect, and Dravidian movements.

Despite this and despite the existence of mainstream castes such as Mudaliyar, Nadar, Thevar, Vanniyar and Vellala Gounder, and the three major Dalit castes (Parayar, Pallar, and Chakkiliyar, which together account for about 17 per cent of the 20 per cent Dalit population in the State), except for K. Kamaraj and C.N. Annadurai, Tamil Nadu Chief Ministers have not come from the mainstream and major castes. This clearly shows that while caste has been important for political articulation and alignments in a democracy, which works through vote banks, it is not the numerical preponderance of any single caste but the political standing of the person, that has made or marred Chief Ministers. This also explains the chief ministership of M. Karunanidhi, M.G. Ramachandran and Jayalalithaa for more than one term each.

In this context, it is relevant to note that the high noon of Vanniyars in politics, and not Vanniyar politics under the leadership of Ramadoss, was in the 1950s. Unable to secure any guarantee from the Congress party on representation in the services and local bodies proportionate to their population, Vanniyars contested as independents in the 1949 elections to the district boards. They secured 22 out of the 52 seats in South Arcot district, defeating many Congress candidates. Pursuant to the State conference of the Vanniyakula Kshatriya Maha Sangam convened in 1951, anticipating elections to the State Assembly, the Sangam formed the Tamilnadu Toilers' Party under the leadership of M.A. Manickavelu Nayakar and S.S. Ramasamy Padayachi and decided that Vanniyars should contest the elections in cooperation with the toiling masses.

Although this party soon split, the Toilers' Party of Padayachi remained strong in South Arcot and Salem while the new Commonweal Party of Nayakar was powerful in North Arcot and Chengalpet. In the elections the former won 19 seats, and the latter six seats. Responding to the overtures of the Congress party, which failed to secure a majority in the State Assembly, the Commonweal Party, and later the Toilers' Party, supported it in return for ministerships for both their leaders in the eight-member Cabinet. After this event both the parties were dissolved, and their members joined the Congress. The moral of this for Ramadoss should be that in a democratic polity it is integration and not separation that makes leaders and Ministers.

IF all the claims made by Ramadoss in support of his demand for a separate State are spurious, one might ask why he has suddenly stirred up a hornet's nest. The answer to this question lies in his rise and, subsequently, increasing feeling of irrelevance. Ramadoss has always had a single-point agenda. As president of the Vanniyar Sangam, this involved getting separate reservation for Vanniyars. When he formed the PMK with the cadre built up for the Sangam, this agenda necessitated getting himself sworn in Chief Minister in either Tamil Nadu or Pondicherry.

However, he (like many other politicians of his ilk) failed to develop a democratic mindset. When the Vanniyar Sangam spearheaded rounds of agitation in the late 1980s, its main slogan was 'Vanniyar ottu anniyarukillai' (Vanniyar vote is not for the non-Vanniyar). Even after developing a cadre base and forming a political party he did not outgrow this parochialism and develop a national perspective. Unable and unwilling to democratise himself and his party cadres, and integrate them with non-Vanniyars, the PMK has persisted till now as a caste organisation with a mere party label. Predictably, the non-Vanniyars refashioned the Vanniyar slogan of the 1980s as 'anniyar ottu Vanniyarukillai' (non-Vanniyar vote is not for Vanniyar) to use against the Vanniyars and the PMK.

Devoid of any rallying point (unlike during the reservation-related agitations) to keep Vanniyars together in the PMK, its Vanniyar vote-base that might have existed earlier and as perceived by Ramadoss has already been considerably eroded by the multi-caste, multi-party system of Indian democracy. The Vanniyars do not any longer vote for Vanniyars alone. In this context, Ramadoss' vain and vexatious political brinkmanship - joining and switching alliances as he fancies, throwing to the wind democratic norms, niceties and the interests of the electorate - has only made him and his party a laughing stock, increasingly irrelevant even to Vanniyars.

The political strength of the PMK emerges only when it is in alliance with major political parties. Realising this, albeit belatedly, and with his party now in disarray, Ramadoss should have done a Vaiko in order to remain in the political limelight despite the discomforts of the jail. Since Vaiko outwitted him in this, though he must also be rueing the day he uttered what the inimitable Jayalalithaa and her establishment could interpret as falling within the 'POTA lexicon' - notwithstanding the Sri Lankan Minister for Community Development, P. Chandrasekaran, hailing the jailed Vaiko with his wish of 'let thousands and thousands of Vaikos bloom in Tamil Nadu' - Ramadoss is now desperate, if not to become a Chief Minister immediately, at least to remain politically visible in the shifting sands of Tamil Nadu politics, and continue to keep his head above in the State's political quicksand.

In these circumstances, it is premature and even far-fetched to give any importance to his demand for a bifurcation of the State, which is best dismissed as a red herring, though it has certainly helped Ramadoss to remain in the political limelight even without going to jail.

It is, however, important for the State and for political parties committed to democracy and democratic governance and to India's integrity as a nation to take the concluding observations of an editorial, titled "Dangerous and Destructive" in The Hindu (July 23, 2002) as the writing on the wall, especially the statement that "the 'bifurcation' demand of the PMK is nothing but a scarcely veiled attempt to promote the Tamil separatist campaign with Mr. Prabhakaran as the icon".

Dr. P. Radhakrishnan is a Professor at the Madras Institute of Development Studies, Chennai.


Vanniyar Federation supports AIADMK


Vanniyar Federation C N Ramamurthy support to back AIADMK

The Vanniyar Federation president C N Ramamurthy said here on Wednesday that they would support the AIADMK in forthcoming Assembly elections, even if the latter did not give them any seat to contest.

He said the chief minister had signed a pact with him in 1989 and assured to fulfil the demand for separate quota for Vanniyars, after 18 people lost their lives in an agitation for the same. “I was Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) general secretary at that time. Karunanidhi offered 20 per cent quota for 109 castes, including Vanniyars and considered them as Most Backward Classes. Since that was a big injustice, I filed a suit in the High Court seeking 15 per cent exclusive quota for Vanniyars within the MBC. Till date, the government has not responded in the High Court,” he rued.

“When 69 per cent quota for Backward Classes, Most Backward Classes, Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes was under threat, former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa passed a resolution in the Assembly and also forced the Centre to amend the Constitution and include the quota under the Ninth Schedule of the Constitution. Karunanidhi has not taken similar steps to protect the quota,” he alleged.

“Both Karunanidhi and PMK president Ramadoss have not helped Vanniyars. So we have decided to support Jayalalithaa,” he said.

Courtesy_