Once when I announced erasing Hindi letters in public as a mark of protest, a friend came to me and asked in wonder – “I do not think you are really interested in erasing Hindi letters. You have revealed your identity in the announcement. You have made the job easy for the police. They may easily arrive at your house and take you away. In your absence, who is to erase Hindi letters during the agitation? What kind of an agitation is this? Why did you frankly expose yourself?”
I said to him, “Ours is not like the ‘August Agitation’ of the Congress, a violent protest causing devastation and violent destruction. We are not agitating stealthily or secretively. Our protest is a sign of our courage and quest for the truth. It would be a brave struggle to show our hatred and absolute rejection. If this protest does not yield a good result, I shall call it quits and withdraw from it. Let people who believe in other modes of protest go ahead and do as they like it.”
I further said, “During the past 30 years of my public life and service, I had never held any agitation secretively. I did nothing stealthily and never allowed my people to do so. I have faced nearly 20 cases in my public life. A few cases were related to my personal life too. I never appealed against any of such cases. I never even failed to admit what I did.”
For instance –
In 1903 when I was about 24, I was involved in the trade of my father. We had obtained a decree for one thousand rupees owed by a customer. I went to Trichy with a copy of the decree, placed my father’s signature and handed it over to the attendant paying the charges applicable. The defendant later paid the advocate the amount of the decree and asked for a receipt. He has also requested to waive the other charges. The advocate said to the person – “The plaintiff came here and just left. If you had come a little early, you could have paid him the amount and obtained a receipt. He might have even waived the other charges.”
The defendant revealed the truth and said – “The one, who met you was not the plaintiff but the son of the plaintiff, – Ramasamy Naicker.”
The advocate was furious when he heard it. He issued a receipt and sent off the defendant. On the following day, he submitted an application at the Munsiff Court and remitted the amount. On the application he had stated that I had deceived him by impersonation and forged signature. I received a show cause notice from the Munsiff asking me to explain why a case should not be filed against me for impersonation and forgery?
When we received the notice the entire South Indian Trade and Commerce world was startled and shocked because we were reputed traders in the field. My father rushed with the notice to two of the eminent advocates in Salem – P.T. Subramania Iyer and C. Vijaya Ragavachariyar. Both of them offered the same advice
— “Let your Son deny that it is his signature.” My father was bold enough to go to any extent to prevent my imprisonment. Hence, the gave them his consent to do as per their advice. He came to Erode and advised me to act as per the advice of those advocates but I refused to obey him. I boldly said – “I shall not tell a lie. I will face the consequence.”
My brother-in-law went with the notice to Lord Norton. He refused to handle the issue and said –
“Denying having signed is the only way for defence. Why do you want to pay me Rs.2,000/- or Rs.3,000/- and waste money over this simple matter? Let him stress that he had not signed.”
Inspite of all the efforts of my father, there was no relief. I removed my bracelet and ear studs and grew beard out of sheer frustration. I began to consume simple porridge avoiding regular food. I used to sleep on a mat without using a pillow. I prepared myself for an uncomfortable prison life because I was sure of getting imprisoned.
I decided to lead a care free life though my food and bed were quite simple. After 2 months, the case reached the Assistant Collector of Trichy, Mr.Macpherland. We arrived at the court. Including reputed traders, there were nearly 500 people in the Court watching the hearing.
The Collector heard 5 or 6 other cases and pronounced his verdict. He awarded punishments in all those cases. He was a young man of 28 or 30. He called me by my name after that.
Public Prosecutor Ganapathi Iyer appeared to argue on my behalf. We reached the court together. The sub-collector looked at him and asked – “How can a public Prosecutor argue on behalf of the defendant? This is quite strange!”
Ganapathi Iyer said that he had obtained special permission from the Chief Collector to appear on my behalf. He further said that he was permitted as it was a sensational case.
When the hearing proceeded, I boldly told the Collector that I had signed the name of my father. I explained further that I had always been placing the signature of my father since he was too old to sign properly. I added further that I have been taking care of the business and that I had been signing his name on important papers. I admitted that this had been in practice for a long period.
The Collector made my father Venkata Naicker appear on the witness box. He confessed that I had told the truth. Advocate Jambunatha Iyer was the witness against me. When the Collector asked him –
“Do you have anything to say?” — he stood speechless.
The case was ultimately quashed and I was permitted to leave the Court. The verdict was pronounced thus:
“The defendant had not signed his father’s name with any evil motive. Hence he is being acquitted.”
There were some more instances of this sort where I had spoken the truth fearlessly. I never had trust in God or salvation. I have always placed my trust in truth, honesty and righteousness. My integrity makes me feel proud of myself at all times. I believe, truth would triumph at last. Failures never weaken me.
I advise others to be truthful and honest. Hence, I practise all that I preach. I always tell my cadres, well-wishers, friends and followers –
“Speak your mind at all times. Never conceal the truth.”
On many occasions I have been free, frank and plain. The list would be endless. I may seem to be boastful if I narrate all such incidents. But I can say that there is some selfishness even in being honest and truthful because it makes us feel proud of ourselves and we relish that sense of pride.
I might have erred unintentionally sometimes in my public life but I survive and exist by my integrity. I carefully conserve my righteousness. That makes me undeterred and unperturbed. I told my friend that I announced my anti-Hindi protest without concealing my identity because I have always been far away from stealth and falsehood.
Source: ‘Viduthalai’ Editorial : 26th July1952
