Anna’s works among the best in Tamil Nadu
Picture of DMK president M. Karunanidhi with late chief minister C. N. Annadurai (Photo:DC/File)
Chennai:DMK president M. Karunanidhi on Sunday urged the Centre to confer Bharat Ratna, India’s highest civilian award, on late chief minister C. N. Annadurai, affectionately referred by many as Anna (elder brother). He wrote identical letters in this regard to President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, copes of which were released to the media.
Terming his mentor as “a great social reformer, great writer, orator and litterateur of Tamil Nadu”, Karunanidhi said Anna’s literary works, both in Tamil and English, have been hailed as among the best in the state. “He fully deserves to be honoured with the highest civilian award of India, the Bharat Ratna”, said the DMK chief. He wanted Anna to be conferred with the honour during the ensuing Republic Day.
Asked why the DMK did not try to get the award for its founder from the last two UPA regimes, despite being a constituent, party spokesman TKS Elangovan said, “We are asking now because we see this government is seriously considering conferring Bharat Ratna on some of the well-known leaders like Subash Chandra Bose, who died 50-60 years ago”.
Apart from the BJP getting its Ratna list ready, there have been demands from politicos like RJD’s Pappu Yadav that the award be conferred on Jayprakash Narayan and Rammanohar Lohia and Karpoori Thakoor. He also wanted the award for Kanshi Ram but there is some amusing elements to the case of the late BSP founder BJP leadership does not want it because he had been stingingly anti-parivar whereas BJP-UP is advocating that for the sake of Dalit support; and, Kanshi Ram’s sister has accused Mayawati of sabotaging his Bharat Ratna.
On the whole, there is a clamour from several sections, particularly political parties, urging the Modi government to consider their icons for the Ratna recognition.
( Source : dc )
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