The by-election in Nagarkoil constituency in 1969 was a do or die political battle for Kamaraj. M Karunanidhi (MK) the then Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at any cost wants to defeat Kamaraj to write his political obituary. That was the time Kanyakumari was about to be annexed with Tamil Nadu state. Kanyakumari was dominated by Christian population.
Sensing the opportunity to divide Hindu and Christian community for political advantage, MK made Dr Mathias to contest as DMK candidate against Kamaraj in Nagarkoil in 1969 and MK cleverly crafted and invoked caste and religion based politics to bring division between Hindu nadar and Christian nadar in Nagarkoil constituency in 1969. It was just two years since DMK had formed its first government in Tamil Nadu MK stooped to such politics of caste and religious division.
Further, MK even went to an extent of stating that Kamaraj was from Virudanagar and not from Naragkoil to portray Kamaraj as alien in Nagarkoil and asked the people of Nagarkoil to elect Mathias, the son of the soil and not Kamaraj. The third rate politics played by MK no political leader in the history of India would have stooped down so low for the political advantage. MK was then the chief minister of the state.
To galvanize support to Mathias under Christian tag, MK even did ask the Bishop of Catholic Church to influence the Christian people and may be due to the possible help and support from MK government for various activities of Christian missionaries including running schools, the Church and its Bishop agreed to indirectly campaign for DMK candidate Mathias.
But despite all efforts of MK, Kamaraj won with huge margin which MK had reduced through his statement that the by-election of 1969 in Nagarkoil was an election of “Nadar Mandra therdal” and not “Nadala mandra therdal” (election of Nadar community and not election of assembly). Instead of accepting the victory of Kamaraj gracefully and learn a lifelong lesson from the defeat that he would never indulge in caste hatred for election victory in future, he reduced the election to be a mere mockery by calling it as Nadar Mandra Therdal.
Although MK could not defeat Kamaraj but he could defeat the harmony between Christian and Hindus in down south and also could divide Hindu nadar and Christian nadar unity to a great extent.
As a reward to Mathias, MK made sure that the Kodumudiar dam was built without affecting the land and estate of Mathias. MK reduced the stature of the dam to the level of temple tank. The same MK when proposed to build Vaigai dam, evacuated villagers, acquired the land but while building Kodumudiar, more than the interest of Radhapuran farmers and other adjoining areas, gave utmost importance to protect the interest of Mathias.
Just for the political gain, how MK has infused religious disharmony, invoked the Virudhanagar identity of Kamaraj to portray Kamaraj as foreigner/ alien in Nagarkoil, compromised the Kodumudiar dam for the sake of Mathias, people of the present generation should learn.
Hate politics and politics of negativism against Hindus, God, Hindu culture, Brahmins were the foundations of Dravidian politics. Finally the Dravidian politics has reduced the state to dynastic rule and family politics.
People of Tamil Nadu, especially the first time voters must remember that this is their first and the best chance for them to save Tamil Nadu from the degenerating, dynastic politics of DMK. Tamil Nadu has been totally ruined by Dravidian brand politics and the vision of Amma and MGR along with the continuous guidance of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi alone can save the state. Tamil Nadu must invite the politics of development and sab ka vikas initiatives of PM Modi. Similarly the state must be freed from dynastic rule, rule of corruption and nepotism.
