What did Annamalai say about Annadurai and what really happened in 1956?
Udhayanidhi Stalin, Tamil Nadu Minister of Youth Welfare and Sports Development, said on 2, September 2023 that Sanatana Dharma is to be eradicated as it is against the idea of social justice. His remarks on ‘Sanatana Dharma’ invited criticism and debate by the BJP leaders and supporters across the country.
Annamalai, Tamil Nadu BJP President, took part in a protest organised by BJP in Chennai on 11, September 2023 against the participation of Tamil Nadu Minister of Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department, Sekar Babu in a rally against Sanatana Dharma.
While addressing the crowd, Annamalai said, “A child named Manimegalai sang a song from Sangam era in an event in Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple in June 1956. Annadurai appreciated the child and then said that a story would have been created to say that she sang as she consumed holy milk provided by the goddess Umayaval if this event had happened a century back. He further said that people do not believe such stories now as they are able to take a rational decision”.
Annamalai further said, “Muthuramalingam Thevar was supposed to talk on 6th day of the same event, but he came to the stage on 5th day even after he was refused by PT Rajan to talk. He questioned on who spoke against the goddess Umayaval for which none answered including PT Rajan. Annadurai was kept hidden in Madurai as he could not leave the town.
Then Muthuramalingam Thevar said that if anyone who doesn’t believe in god speaks about those who have belief in god, blood abhishegam will happen in place of milk abhishegam for Madurai Meenakshi amman. After this PT Rajan and Annadurai apologised and ran away from Madurai”.
Annamalai’s remarks on Annadurai invited criticism and debate by ADMK leaders. Multiple ADMK leaders including Sellur Raja, C.V.Shanmugam, Jayakumar condemned Annamalai saying that he should not speak bad about the leaders from the past. They also said that the incident mentioned by Annamalai did not even happen. They further questioned from where and what did Annamalai read regarding this.
Annamalai reverted saying that what he spoke is real and the speech of Muthuramalingam Thevar, PT Rajan and Annadurai can be found in the archived copies of The Hindu dated 2,3 and 4, June 1956.
Lol. So Annadurai had to run away from Muthuramalinga Thevar to hide at some party man’s house & realising he can’t escape sought mercy & left Madurai apologetically? DMK & DMK Leaders’ history is so funny! DMK Twitter hacks are the same ones who take lessons on machoism! 😂😂😂 pic.twitter.com/O8ebLoHQw7
— Dr.SG Suryah (@SuryahSG) April 9, 2019
This is not the first time BJP is spreading that Anna apologised to Muthuramalingam Devar in Madurai. Earlier, in 2019, S.G. Surya of BJP had posted a similar information that Anna apologised and escaped from Madurai.
What is truth ?
We, from Youturn spoke to Tharasu Shyam, a Journalist and author of ‘Veerathirumagan: Nethaji – Pasumpon Thevar Oppeedu’. He said that what Annamalai spoke is not true except for the information about year, location and the child’s name. He further said, “I wrote around 150 magazines including the one regarding the issue in talk. A book was also published on this, in fact, a lot of books were published. Annadurai was not kept hidden and he did not apologise.”
Similarly, in an interview given by the former state president of Indian Forward Block Party VS Navamani, he said that there was an incident where Muthuramalingam Thevar came to the 5th day of the event after hearing Anna’s speech in Madurai. He had an alternative view to Anna’s opinion and said that henceforth this ceremony should not take place inside the temple. The events that were scheduled to take place thereafter were cancelled after that. Navamani clarified that Anna was not asked to apologise.
In the book ‘Pasumpon Muthuramalingam Thevar – Oar Aayvu Kannottam’ published by the Pasumpon Muthuramalingam Thevar Research Center at Madurai Kamarajar University, “Thevar came to the meeting with a saddened face because of the events of the first day. He went to the Golden Jubilee Organizing Chairman PT Rajan and said that Mr. Annadurai’s blasphemous speech on the first day is not good. He also said that apart from regretting to this incident, it should be ensured that it does not happen again, if not he asked not to hold the ceremony in the temple”.
The Hindu reported on what really happened in the golden jubilee celebration of the Madurai Tamil Sangam in 1956 and what ‘The Hindu’ published during May 31 to June 4, 1956. It is stated, “Thevar took exception to Annadurai’s speech. But there was no reference in a report carried on June 4, 1956 or subsequently to any statement of regret or apology made by the DMK founder.”
Therefore, it is clear that the incident narrated by Annamalai indeed happened in Madurai in 1956. But Annadurai was not asked to apologise nor he ran away from Madurai as Annamalai claimed.
Links
https://www.hindutamil.in/news/tamilnadu/1125726-anna-devar-clash-what-happened-in-1956.html
