Karunanidhi's gift of the gab left lasting mark on friends and foes

The late DMK chief's wordplay and pun on Tamil words and phrases, and comebacks indeed added substance to his speeches at public meetings, in the State Assembly and personal conversations.
Late Tamil Nadu chief Minister M Karunanidhi (File photo | EPS)
Late Tamil Nadu chief Minister M Karunanidhi (File photo | EPS)

CHENNAI: To say the gift of gab is DMK president M Karunanidhi’s USP is an understatement! On many occasions, his wordplay and pun on Tamil words and phrases, and comebacks indeed added substance to his speeches at public meetings, in the State Assembly and personal conversations.

It wouldn’t be wrong to say that his ability to give quick and sharp repartees followed by action had earned him the respect of his contemporaries and rivals. His sense of timing had doused tense situations in State Assembly many times. Here are a few...

Decades ago, when former minister HV Hande described the government headed by Karunanidhi as a third-rate government, DMK MLAs vehemently opposed this.

Pacifying his party colleagues, Karunanidhi said: “Mr Hande, please correct yourself. This government is not a third-rate government. Indeed, it is a fourth-rate government. Yes, this is the government of Sudras, the fourth and last in ‘Varnasrama Dharma’.”

During the first term of DMK in government between 1967-70, when Congress veteran Karuthiruman was opposition leader, tried to ridicule Karunanidhi and said: “In the past, you said ‘adaindhaal Dravida Naadu, adaiyavittaal sudukaadu’ (We vow to attain Dravida Naadu, if not we would better choose crematorium). So, are you sitting in crematorium now ?”.

Karunanidhi said: “No, we are not in crematorium. But we are sitting with you…”

When Karunanidhi underwent spinal surgery in 2009 in Sri Ramachandra Hospital, Porur, doctors advised him not to drink water after the surgery. Since he felt thirsty, Karunanidhi asked the nurse for water. But she refused. And Karunanidhi asked her name and she said Cauvery. Immediately, Karunanidhi even in pain said “Cauvery...so you won’t give water,” indicating the existing Cauvery water dispute with Karnataka.

In 1998, in an interview, he was asked to compare Vallalar (Vadalur Ramalinga Adigal) and ‘Periyar" EV Ramasamy, Karunanidhi gave a quick answer: “Erottu Vallalar Periyar; Vadalur Periyar Vallalar” - meaning both are almost close to the heart of other with regard to equality of human beings."

Very rarely, Karunanidhi answers questions in English.

During 2006-2011, when he was returning from Delhi, reporters asked him: “Was there a broad agreement with the Central government ?” Karunanidhi responded: “Yes, there is a broad agreement not a fraud agreement.”

When MGR was CM and K Rajaram was the Speaker of the Assembly, there was a commotion in the House and he could not pacify the DMK members over the issue.

The Speaker resumed his seat saying “inimel ungalai aandavan thaan kaappathanum” (Only God can save you.) But ‘aandavan’ also means those who have ruled the State in the past.

Using the other meaning, Karunanidhi amid laughter, said, “Since the Speaker said aandavan alone can save, I came to his rescue.”

Related Stories

No stories found.
The New Indian Express
www.newindianexpress.com