24 April 1995, Madurai
N. G. M. Kavitha, DMK Head Speaker and Associate Secretary, DMK Women’s Wing, Kamarajar District. Photo ca. 1995.
I. Introductory Salutations
I. INTRODUCTORY SALUTATIONS
Capable of protecting Duty, Dignity, and Self-control,
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capable of opposing laws such as TADA and MISA¸ the powerful Dravidian Progress Association’s
leader of this enormous public meeting occurring today,
to the 24th Ward Youth Wing Assistant Secretary S. Murugan;
to A. Jeyaram who stands at the head of the audience, to Ganesan, to Pandi, to Gopal, to Sinnamuthu, to Jeyaram;
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to he who raised the Association’s flag, the Honorable Elder Brother Braveheart Mu. Ka. Alagiri;
to the man for whom you are waiting with great interest to bestow his presence and deliver the featured speech for this evening, a most distinguished head party speaker, Elder Brother
Nannilam Natarajan;
to the honorable Elder Brother Theepori Arumugam;
to Madurai City/District Secretary, Party Advocate
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Elder Brother Kaverimaniyan;
to Former Member of the Legislative Assembly
Elder Brother Cho. Balraj;
to Elder Brother Bakyanathan;
to Madurai City Youth Wing Secretary,
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beloved Elder Brother –;
to he who will give the Welcome Address,
24th Ward Secretary, and 24th District Sectretary,
my beloved Elder Brother—;
Women’s Wing—to Madurai City Women’s Wing Assembly Leader,
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Beloved Mother
Parvathi Annamalai;
to Cevattiyammal; and to my other dear sisters in the Women’s Wing;
to Elder Brother Mr. Suresh, who will deliver the Vote of Thanks;
and to the Party’s pioneers;
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to the Party Siblings; to the women, to the men, and to those of the middle classes who live in this area;
to our friends from other parties who are listening to this meeting on the sly via the loudspeakers;
to the members of the police department who have come to protect this meeting;
to all of you:
on behalf of the Kamarajar District Women’s Wing I offer my greetings.
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Vanakkam.
II. Jayalalitha’s Fears vs. Kalaiñar’s Deeds
II. JAYALALITHA’S FEARS VS. KALAIÑAR’S DEEDS
[ca. 2:08] Our Tamil people’s leader, who stands in protection of our party after chopping to pieces the plots of that cabal of traitors—
I face the place where that leader resides and honor him,
and I will put to you just a few thoughts and then take my leave.
All the Elder Brothers who have orated before me
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have very clearly placed among you lists of corruption that are taking place in the administration of the woman who rules today, lists of prices, and have sat down again.
But what is the cause of the trouble/confusion that has emerged today in the Dravidian Progress Party that was founded by Perariñar [the Great Sage] Anna?
Think about it a little bit, O, my dear gentlemen.
The Palanai Parliamentary and Ranipettai Legislative Assembly by-elections occurred, right?
But in 1991, in the Palanai Parliamentary district,
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[ca. 3:00] our DMK lost by a difference of 260,000 votes.
In the last by-election, 220,000 votes were cast,
and the party lost its chance to win by a mere 40,000 votes; [we know] therefore [that because]
the DMK has gained influence in the by-election, the DMK will achieve victory in the general election.
The DMK will gain power, and the DMK will enter the Fort; these fears, this nausea
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that have emerged for Tamilnadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha, that our Party will emerge [victorious],
this woman Jayalalitha is today preoccupied.
It is not this movement, the Dravidian Progress Party, that exists only for the sake of elections, for seizing authority, for shows of pomp, for stealing, for office.
Our Dravidian Progress Party is the movement that exists with Self-Respect.
Among how many scores of people in Tamilnadu
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why have we accepted only our leader Kalaiñar as leader?
What does our leader Kalaiñar have [to offer]?
[ca. 4:00] He has the ability to write, the ability to speak for the sake of the Tamilian,
for the sake of Tamil, for the sake of the Tamil people.
The atrocities of injustice that are occurring in Tamilnadu,
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in what other country is there (such a leader) as our leader Kalaiñar? Only in this Tamilnadu.
In this movement there were five great leaders:
There was Thanthai Periyar.
There was Perariñar Anna.
Holding this movement together after the death of Anna,
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that Fearless Heart that accepts the responsibilities of leadership,
we only accepted as our leader the one who has a heart that will bear anything, who bestows self-honor.
[recording unclear]
In all of the world—He who competed nine times for membership in the Legislative Assembly, without losing even once;
we accepted as our leader the leader who achieved the world record of winning nine times.
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How many Chief Ministers have ruled this land?
[ca. 5:00] Dr. Radakrishnan ruled this land,
Bhaktavachalam ruled this land, too. An achievement unattainable by Gomandur Ramaswamy Reddiyar,
an achievement unattainable by Rajaji,
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an achievement unattainable by Kumaraswamy, the Raja of Rajapalaiyam,
an achievement unattainable by the Great Leader Kamarajar, why even
an achievement unattainable by M. G. Ramachandran,
an achievement unattainable by his wife Lady Janaki,
an achievement unattainable by Madam Jayalalitha, who had an affair with MGR in our leader Kalaiñar’s administration.
A good scheme was done for the Tamil people.
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He brought a Free Electricity Scheme for the farmers.
He wrote-off ten thousand rupees from the loans taken out by farmers for their crops.
He gave a concession of half-price for materials used by farmers.
He has bestowed free bus passes for students studying in the 8th Standard.
[ca. 6:00] During Kalaiñar’s administration, he even instituted a law bestowing either an egg or a vitamin A pill, along with a healthy fortified dumpling, for 8,600,000 children under the Nutritious Noon Meal scheme.
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Hearts beating to see the spring time while living under the scorpionsting of poverty,
to [these] poor women he gave 5,000 rupees for their wedding expenses.
During his two-year administration [1989–1991] he gave 5,000 rupees for wedding expenses to 35,000 poor women.
200 rupees a month for poor pregnant women because he wanted the children in their wombs to grow up healthy –
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during his two-year administration he gave 400,000 pregnant women 200 rupees.
[For] old people, handicapped people, abandoned women,
he did good works for widows without support, and for hundreds of thousands of poverty-stricken people. During Kalaiñar’s administration
he created the Marina Beach on India’s most famous shore during our leader Kalaiñar’s administration.
During our leader Kalaiñar’s administration a memorial was established for Great Leader Kamarajar.
[For] he who held up one finger saying he would live for one year,
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[ca. 7:00] a memorial for our movement’s highest leader Perariñar Anna was established during our leader Kalaiñar’s administration.
[For] he who showed two fingers, destroyed our land and died,
a memorial for that M. G. Ramachandran was established during our leader Kalaiñar’s administration.
A memorial for Virapandi Kattaboman was established during our leader Kalaiñar’s administration.
Valluvar’s Memorial was established during our leader Kalaiñar’s administration.
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A statue by the sea for Kannaki and a statue for the Ship-Driving Tamilian [V. O. Chidambaram Pillai] were cast during our leader Kalaiñar’s administration.
A statue for Rajaji [C. Rajagopalachari] was built during our leader Kalaiñar’s administration.
Jawaharlal Nehru, who was forgiven by our movement’s leader Perariñar Anna,
that very Nehru’s daughter,
Indira, who threw all of India into turmoil by utilizing the cruel law MICA
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in the Cirani Arangam on Chennai’s shore,
our leader Kalaiñar asked forgiveness in front of many hundreds of thousands of people, saying, “I regret the errors committed by me. Please forgive me.”
And that Nehru’s grandson,
[ca. 8:00] Madam Indira’s dearest son, then India’s Prime Minister Rajiv,
came eight times to this Tamilnadu during our leader Kalaiñar’s administration.
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Did any untoward incident occur?
O, gentlemen! This DMK is the DMK—this is the true DMK!
What was the cause of this great DMK being dissolved in 1976?
Think about it a little, O gentlemen!
Jeyaprakash Narayanan, who struggled for many years for India’s independence and spent many years in jail, was jailed at that time.
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Ashok Mehta was jailed at that time.
Moraji Desai was jailed at that time.
When Kalaiñar was asked by Kamaraj, “Will you jail me if you can?”
what answer did Kalaiñar give?
“This is a democratic country.
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I will never jail Kamarajar,”
because he said this,
in 1976 during Madam Indira’s emergency order
the DMK government was dissolved for saying “Long live Democracy.”
[ca. 9:00] Afterward, what was the reason that the peacefully conducted 1989 DMK government was dissolved in 1991?
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Then, the [ADMK] Secretary for Propaganda Jayalalitha
and Tamilnadu Congress leader Valapadi Ramamurthy joined together, and because [the DMK] said “Long Live Tamilians!” the DMK government was dissolved in 1991.
Again, when the 1991 general election was conducted, the DMK government
did not return—what was the reason?
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A very great sadness for the DMK, no?
That [people] said that Rajiv’s murder was caused by the DMK,
because Kalaiñar had to bear the malicious sacrifice,
today this actress who can take or leave this land,
Lady Jayalalitha who can not give 290,000 in loans to those who deserve them,
Santhiya’s daughter, the daughter of a servant of the Mysore Maharaja is ruling this land today. 130
But let us not fret over that.
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III. THE PARTY TRAITOR
[ca. 9:55] What is the cause of the confusion that has arisen in the DMK in 1993–94?
[ca. 10:00] Who is that Party Traitor?
When did he come to this movement?
In 1953, along with our leader Kalaiñar, for the Kallakudi Agitation,
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did this Party Traitor lie down placing his head on the train tracks?
In ’62 did he go to jail with our leader Kalaiñar during the Commodity Price Agitation?
In ’65 did he go to the Palayamkottai jail with our leader Kalaiñar during the Language Agitation?
When did he come to this movement?
In the year 1967
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Sinivasan, a candidate opposing an all-India leader—
for the sake of a close relative from his own community
the Party Traitor came to this movement as an agent of Sinivasan.
In 1967 Anna was Chief Minister.
After Anna died, our leader Kalaiñar was made Chief Minister.
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Anticipating a post for himself, the Party Traitor
gained the post of Kalingapatti Panchayat Union Leader.
[ca. 11:00] He gained the Headship of Nilavala Bank. He gained the Headship of the Tirunelveli District Central Cooperative Bank.
The Party Traitor, after gaining all these posts
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in 1989 when the Party was ruling,
created a bad predicament for the party, when, without telling our leader Kalaiñar, in an illegal boat
went to Sri Lanka, and then recieved forgiveness from Kalaiñar, this Party Traitor.
Afterward, he could not sit as a DMK man in Parliament because
he was ousted from Parliament by a woman, this Party Traitor.
Among his own community people in the Sivakasi District
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by a difference of one hundred fifty thousand votes with Elder Brother Kalimuthu—when I say “Elder Brother” Kalimuthu, please don’t think I mean my own elder brother.
To that chameleon Kalimuthu he lost by a difference of one hundred fifty thousand votes, that Party Traitor.
[ca. 11:47] These days he gets up on stages wearing a black shawl and gives heroic orations.
Did he ever see Thandai Periyar in person?
Did he ever hear Anna’s voice, or see him in person?
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[ca. 12:00] All of those who saw our leader Kalaiñar never said that he stammered in Tamil.
The Party Traitor from Kalingappatti says so. The Tamil Leader stammers in Tamil, he says!
Who stammers in Tamil?
Does [one] stammer when discoursing on Sangam Tamil?
Will one raising a brush to paint a painting stammer in Tamil in poetic two-line stanzas?
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“Hey, Da, look at Ceran, at Senkuttuvan, at that Pandyan King, at the Colan King, at the Pallavan King,”
Will one stammer in pure, ancient Tamil when pointing [these kings] out?
Having groomed and decorated [her son], having placed a blood thilagam on [his forehead] and given him a sword, and turning to the battlefield sent him to war, saying, “Go and come, O, my son!”—
will one stammer in Tamil pointing this woman out to us all?
Doesn’t the Party Traitor know that even Kalaiñar’s spittle has Virgin Tamil in it? 170
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Is there a mountaintop Kalaiñar has not climbed, a crown of fame not acknowledged, a flower garland he has not worn, a sacred street on which he has not walked triumphantly?
[ca. 13:00] Is there a throne upon which Kalaiñar has not sat, a crown he has not worn, a stage on which our leader Kalaiñar has not spoken, music not composed,
literature not written, ideas not considered, Tamil not formed, poetry not composed;
stories, essays, short stories, novels, plays, films, art competitions, debates,
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hundreds of thousands of letters, poems—Does the Golden Tamilian who is able to write [all these things] stammer in Tamil?
O, you crazed fool, Kalingappatti Traitor!
If you speak of stammering in Tamil, it is only you and I who stammer in Tamil.
Why?
[A Telugu speaker who speaks in Tamil] stammers in Tamil.
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Our mother tongue is Telugu.
Our leader Kalaiñar’s mother tongue is the Tamil language. That golden Tamilian never stammers!
I don’t have time to speak any more about you.
IV. RAPE AND CORRUPTION
[ca. 13:37] In the administration of a woman chief minister, who should be able to provide protection for women,
wherever one looks murder, robbery, rape, and highway robbery today occur on a regular basis.
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What is the reason?
O, my dear gentlemen, laws dealing with the law and (order) problem have been destroyed.
[ca. 14:00] No protection for an I.A.S. woman officer, Chandraleka;
no protection for innocent poor women either.
Viduthalai Rathinam, who spoke before me, put it to you beautifully:
For seven-year-old girls
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there is no protection,
neither is there protection for seventy-year-old women.
Wearing khaki shirts, members of the police department are raping women.
Wearing a saffron shirt, a priest is raping women during the administration of the former actress Jayalalitha.
Looking at the Maharani of Corruption, the Queen of Corruption Jayalalitha,
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O, Kanji Kamachi! O, Madurai Meenakshi! O, Kashi Visalachi! Athiparasakti? Mother Kaveri? Amazon Warrior?
Just who is being praised?
Is it former actress and Queen of Corruption Jayalalitha who is being praised? A list of corruption charges are being placed before you in stacks and stacks.
Meanwhile
Congress corruption is occuring in the state!
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Corruption is occuring. Because I do not have time to speak a long time,
V. KALAIÑAR’S PRAISE
[ca. 14:55] I think I will praise the Golden Leader, the Leader of the Tamil Race, Dr. Kalaiñar, and then take my leave.
[ca. 15:00] O, he who fills the hearts of the world’s Tamilians, who thrills us with emotions calling us, “O, My Siblings! O, My Party Siblings!”
O, he whose heart beats to raise us up, who comes jumps up to run to the Tamil race which suffers here having fallen into an abyss!
O, Lion of the South Pandi Land, born in the earth of Thiruvarur!
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O, Sacred Lamp of self-respect, who has a heart that can bear anything! O, Holy Water of the Temple of Tamil!
O, Mast of the Dravidian Flag which no storm will fell! O, Only Earth that circles the Sun!
O, Lightning Light of the Sky that brightens with eternal colors!
O, Auspicious Hero who brings life in songs of auspicious deeds!
O, Master, O, Sage of the Three-fold Tamil who turned a Kalingappatti bannana tree into a stone of teak, who turned valuelessness to value! 210
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O, Creator of the skills of oration which break the backs of weaklings!
O, Leader of the Tamil Race who gives poems with words sweeter than rock candy!
When hearing your child-like Tamil, budding flowers come bouncing, jumping and running. (For) the Tamil Race Leader’s
[ca. 16:00] diamond words, for his sentences of precious stones, for his thoughts that do not wilt,
for his unbent principles, for the sign of the Rising Sun, for the Black and Red Flag,
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and for the Dravidian Progress Party – while our leader of our kin Kalaiñar is there
will our leader allow us to accept another as leader? What has he done?
Destroying foolishness, weeding out cruelty, felling small-heartedness,
putting that which destroys justice in it’s place, disfiguring the life of weakness, arrogant betraya, l
ripping and throwing (it) away, our leader Dr. Kalaiñar,
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the one who conducts his administration always upholding Anna’s way, upholding (the principle of) Justice for the Heart;
the peerless, honorable leader who has found a place in the hearts of Tamils the world over;
wisdom, clarity, abilty,
unmeasurable skill, unmeasurable work, the finest thought, the highest qualities, perfect deeds,
[ca. 17:00]
principles that live in our hearts, the leader who formed him, Perariñar Anna,
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having faith that matchless leader,
the leader of the Tamil people, in Dr Kalaiñar’s administration how were the (commodity) prices?
How are commodity prices under the administratin of the woman who rules today?
I don’t have time to say. I, in the next meeting –
What should I speak? I, this Kavitha, am ready to speak for as long as you expect. 230
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A people, a people, they say.
I, Kavitha, who speaks Telegu, am speaking on this stage today. What is the reason?
I submit to you that if you say “people,” the Dravidian Progress Party is my only “people.”
VI. CONCLUSION
I have neither the time nor the opportunity to speak for an extended time.
Elder Brother Nannilam Natarajan and Tippori Arumugam today, like thunder and lightning, are waiting to strike!
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Therefore the Tamilian must stand with his head high in our Tamil land.
If (you) want the Honorable Leader Dr. Kalaiñar’s administration to blossom,
the ruby born of the esteemed and honorable Muthuvel and Anjakattay,
[ca. 18:00] the priceless master of the wisdom of the arts, victorious son, their dear child,
raised with elegance and praise, the beloved son, who in our hearts
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glows with lustre as a bejeweled lamp, our highest leader, the one and only leader, the sage of three-fold Tamil, the sage of Literary Tamil, the sage of Musical Tamil,
the sage of Dramatic Tamil, the Master Poet, the Sacred One of Philosophy, the Leader of the Tamil People,
to Dr. Kalaiñar, to the Rising Sun Flag,
to the Dravidian Progress Party, to Talapathi Stalin, give your support! Give your support!
And again, once more, I, on behalf of the Kamarajar District Women’s Wing 245
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express my thanks to Elder Brother – for giving me the opportunity to speak,
[ca. 18:39] and I take my leave. Thank you. Vanakkam.