Build a free hospital on land I own in my native village: M Karunanidhi
Chennai: At 14, when many boys of his age will be in school or on the playground or even get excited over going on a picnic on a holiday, M. Karunanidhi had done something remarkable that changed his life and even altered the destiny of Tamil Nadu later on. His sojourn in public life commenced at a tender age.
A young Kurunanidhi
Inspired by the speech of Alagiriswami of the Justice Party, Karunanidhi participated in the anti-Hindu agitations, signaling his entry into politics. He founded an organisation for the local youth of his locality and circulated a handwritten newspaper called ‘Manavar Nesan’ to its members. Later he founded a student organisation: Tamil Nadu Tamil Manavar Mandram, the first student wing of the Dravidan Movement. He started a newspaper for its members, which became Murasoli, the DMK’s organ.
Throughout his life he had held the masses in sway by his oratorical skills, profound knowledge in governance and welfare schemes. Ingenuity and concern for the underprivileged have been his hallmark traits. He also held his party intact till his end.
Perhaps as the Narendra Modi-led government takes pride in providing ten crore LPG connections including four crore free to poor women in the last four years of the BJP rule, as against 13 crore since the last six decades, the poor women of Tamil Nadu, will not forget their Kalaignar who had launched the free gas connection distribution scheme in mid-January 2007. His '1 per kilo rice scheme that he had launched on September 15, 2006, is yet another scheme that still lingers in people’s minds.
When the DMK first came to power in 1967 after defeating the Congress, the slogan was “oru rupaikku moontru padi arasi” (three measures of rice for one rupee). However, after assuming power, the new Government soon realised that it was not possible to provide three padi (one padi is about 1.5 kg) rice for one rupee, and the slogan was dexterously rewritten as: oru padi nitchayam, moondru padi latchiyam (one padi is for sure, three padis is our target).
After launching the ‘Kalaignar’ insurance scheme for life saving treatment in 2009, M. Karunanidhi had said, “the DMK believes in starting schemes that will help the needy.” The former CM had said that after he and his wife dies, he wants a free hospital to be built on the land he owns in his native village. He also wanted his Chennai house to be converted into a free hospital after his wife’s time. His wishes, surely would take him closer to the masses.
He has been elected to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly 13 times (from 1957 to 2016 elections) and once to the abolished Tamil Nadu Legislative Council.
He had held various positions in the party and government during his long career in Tamil Nadu politics, though he faced electoral defeats against his primary opponent iconic leader M.G. Ramachandran’s AIADMK until the latter’s death in 1987.
After a brief stint as Chief Minister during late 1980s his government was dismissed by the Chandra Shekar government on accusations of actively supporting the LTTE.
Karunanidhi became the CM in 1996 following a massive win. After a five-year rule, his party again lost at the charismatic ‘revolutionary leader’ J. Jayalalithaa’s AIADMK in 2001. He was back in the saddle on May 13, 2006 after DMK-led alliance defeated his political adversary Jayalalithaa. Since 2016, he represented the Tiruvarur constituency in the Assembly.
