Following in the footsteps of late party general secretary K. Anbazhagan, DMK president M.K. Stalin on Saturday vowed to adhere to the Dravidian ideology and serve the Tamil community and language.
Unveiling Anbazhagan’s portrait in the presence of party leaders and the stalwart’s family members, Mr. Stalin said Anbazhagan was the one who proposed his name for the party’s leadership.
Recalling his father and DMK president M. Karunanidhi’s words that it was difficult to get respect and acceptance from Anbazhagan, he said he had the honour of gaining both. Mr. Stalin said the death of Kalaignar had a bearing on Anbazhagan’s health.
“When Kalaignar died, we took solace from his [Anbazhagan’s] presence. We wanted to celebrate his centenary. But he is no more. Had Kalaignar survived, he also would have survived,” he said.
Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani said for Anbazhagan, politics was about sticking to ideology and the government instrumental in implementing the ideology.
Party treasurer Duraimurugan said Anbazhagan used to be a very angry man and called a spade a spade. “His fury was apparent in his speeches in the general council of the party and had even led to Ministers losing their positions,” he said. He said Anbazhagan did not accept the leadership of Kalaignar in the beginning, but subsequently accepted him and praised him.
“I once asked him about his speech at Chintadripet against Kalaignar’s leadership. He told me that he would accept anyone who was ready to fight and work for the Tamil language and Tamils. Kalaignar is doing it,” he said, adding that the two never had a difference of opinion in the last 43 years.
TNCC president K.S. Alagiri said the friendship between Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh could be likened to that of Kalaignar and Anbazhagan. The meeting proved to be an occasion to introduce Anbazhagan’s grandson Vetriazhagan, who extended his family’s support to party president Mr. Stalin.
MDMK general secretary Vaiko, CPI(M) State secretary K. Balakrishnan, CPI State secretary R. Mutharasan, VCK leader Thol. Thirumavalavan and alliance leaders participated.
