CHENNAI: The President listed abolition of the Devadasi system, widow remarriage, mid-day meals in schools and distribution of agricultural land to the landless as some of the revolutionary ideas from the legislature that transformed society. Pointing out that Karunanidhi, who ruled the State for the longest period, had left a defining stamp, the President recalled that ‘Kalaignar’ (as Karunanidhi is fondly called), started his political career right in his teen years.
“When as a young boy fired by ideals he had started working for the downtrodden, India was in shackles, exploited under foreign rule for long years, stricken by poverty and illiteracy. When he breathed his last, he must have been satisfied that this land and its people had made astounding progress and development on all fronts,” the President added.
Governor Banwarilal Purohit said, with a political span covering nearly seven decades, Karunanidhi was familiar with all the Presidents and Prime Ministers of India as well as the Chief Ministers of several States and heads of various political parties. “He stands as a role model for the Members of the Legislature at all times,” he added.
The Governor recalled that the first woman Legislator of modern India, Dr. Muthulakshmi Reddy, joined the Madras Legislative Council in 1927. This was made possible because the first Legislative Council voted in favour of the women’s suffrage resolution in 1921
Recalling the victory of the Justice Party in the first election to the Madras legislative council in 1920, Chief Minister MK Stalin said Karunanidhi, his father, in 1997, celebrated the platinum jubilee of the Madras Legislature as well as the diamond jubilee of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
Stalin said the resolution demanding the implementation of the Mandal Commission report, legislation to ensure appointment of all-caste archakas, the law for abolishing entrance examinations in the State, were important milestones in the history of the State legislature.
Assembly Speaker M Appavu said when the Madras Legislative Council was formed in 1921, it was a new beginning heralded by the people of the Madras Presidency, which included TN as well as parts of Kerala, Karnataka, AP, Telangana, Odisha and Lakshadweep. He noted that veteran journalist TJS George, associated with TNIE, had hailed Kalaignar (Karunanidhi) “as the only leader in the State who achieved so much for a generation of people in TN.”
Although the AIADMK skipped the event, its allies, BJP and PMK, attended. BJP State president K Annamalai and floor leader in the State Assembly Nainar Nagenthran were present. Tamil Maanila Congress chief GK Vasan, PMK president GK Mani, TNCC chief KS Alagiri, Dravidar Kazhagam chief K Veeramani, former Speakers of the Assembly Sedapatti R Muthiah and R Avudaiappan were also present.
‘Started off as a teen’
The President recalled how Karunanidhi started his political career as a teen. “He must have been satisfied that this land and its people had made astounding progress,” he added