Chennai: Was former Tamil Nadu chief minister C N Annadurai, who fought for an independent 'Dravidasthan' and led the anti-Hindi movement, a separatist?
'Dravida Nadu was a hollow concept'
“Annadurai might have striven for more powers for Tamil Nadu, but he had always dwelt on the unity of India in his speeches abroad,” says Minister of State for External Affairs Shashi Tharoor.
Releasing the book ‘Anna: The Life and Times of C N Annadurai’ written by R Kannan, Tharoor said Annadurai’s efforts gave the rightful position for Tamil Nadu at national level.
The Minister said the impact of Annadurai’s life and message still endures. The leader of the Dravidian Movement “deserves to be far better known outside his native Tamil Nadu.”
Anna, who was the first non-Congress leader to form a majority government in India, believed he or the party he formed - Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam – should not be intoxicated by power. He believed that religions should serve the poor, the Minister said.
“This giant of our age defeated my party in election. But I can’t see anything in Anna against the Congress,” Tharoor said.
Speaking on the occasion, N Ram, Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, said the greatest contribution of Annadurai was the “permanent transformation of Tamil Nadu’s socio-political landscape.”
Former state minister S Madhavan, who received the first copy of the book, narrated his personal experience with the former chief minister.
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