Author: Gopu Mohan
Publication: The Indian Express
Date: February 3, 2009
URL: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/rationalist-dmk-turns-religious/418394/
Introduction: Will observe atheist icon Annadurai's
death anniversary with 31 special pujas
Observing the death anniversary of late chief
minister C N Annadurai, the ruling DMK will offer 31 special pujas at various
temples on Tuesday. Ironically, Annadurai was an atheist and Chief Minister
M Karunanidhi's son, M K Stalin, named after a Communist leader, will be attending
the maximum number of pujas - three, including one at a temple near the party
headquarters, Anna Arivalayam.
The state Government will also offer free
meals on the day in Chennai. While the feasts at temples on February 3 were
introduced some years ago, it is for the first time that pujas are being held.
The DMK has always been wedded to the idea
of atheism, identifying caste differences and Brahmin supremacy as the major
obstacles to social reform. The founder of the Dravidian movement, E V Ramasamy
Naicker or Periyar, spared no effort in criticising religion, scriptures,
and temples, and propounding an unwavering rationalism.
Annadurai took the lead to form the political
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam out of the social Dravida Kazhagam in September
1949. After becoming the leader of a political outfit, Anna toned down his
philosophy of atheism, adopting the 'one race, one God' principle put forward
by Tamil Saivite mystic Thirumoolar. At a personal level, he remained an atheist
till his death in 1969. One of his earliest decisions as the CM in 1967 was
to legalise marriages that did not require the presence of priests.
Anna's successor in party and power, Karunanidhi,
is a self-proclaimed rationalist, who recently triggered a controversy with
his comments on Lord Ram in the context of the Sethusamudram Shipping Channel
Project.
Playwright-journalist Cho Ramaswamy said,
"The DMK organising pujas means that they have given up rationalism,
the way they have given up their goal of state autonomy and the anti-Hindi
agitation. Their brand of rationalism was directed only towards the Hindus.
The CM never misses an opportunity to ridicule Hindus and temples, and has
been able to get away with it each time."
DMK leaders have argued that feasts inside
temples should be seen as a form of social reform, making everyone equal inside
temple premises.
