The General Council meeting of the Dravidar Kazhagam was held on 25th June 2022 at Madurai. Several current political issues and problems were discussed. Eight vital resolutions were moved, passed and unanimously adopted as listed here below:
Condolences
1. Resolved to condole the death of the dedicated cadres of the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK) who passed away during the period 26th February, 2022 to 19th June, 2022. The General Council pays homage to all of them with a royal salute. Heartfelt condolence is conveyed to their families through this maiden resolution of the General Council.
Commemorating 60 years editorship thro’ 60,000 Subscriptions
2. Asiriyar Dr. K. Veeramani has been the Editor of ‘Viduthalai’ daily for six glorious decades. The General Council commends his contribution for 60 years to the only Tamil Rationalist Daily in the world. It is hence RESOLVED to mobilise 60,000 subscriptions for ‘Viduthalai’ and enhance the readership by the collective efforts of all the General Council members and dedicated cadres of Dravidar Kazhagam.
Revive Sethu Samudram Canal Project for economic prosperity
3. The Sethu Samudram Shipping Canal Project has been an issue of discussion since 1860. Time and again several schemes related to it were being announced, but under the pretext of a myth called ‘Rama’s bridge’, brahminist forces hindered the project. The case pertaining to this dispute was heard by the Supreme Court but was eventually rolled out. The project vital for the development of Tamil Nadu could not be implemented. With the advent of the rule of the coterie who attempted to establish ‘Ram Rajya’, this significant project was at last shelved totally.
It is a matter of shame that a project meant for public welfare and growth has been rolled out on religious grounds. The shelving of the scheme is to be strongly condemned. Many experts and eminent professionals had admitted that the project would be economically beneficial to Tamil Nadu, especially the southern states in our country. Inspite of their supporting views, this project has been shelved.
By the implementation of this shipping canal, the sailing distance between the eastern and western sea surfaces in India would be reduced to the extent of 424 nautical miles. This would save 25 to 30 hours of sailing time. The vessels of overseas countries have to reach Indian harbours by sailing around Sri Lanka. This circuitous sail can be avoided by the formation of this canal. Vessels can directly arrive at Indian harbours by sailing via Indian sea limits. By this the transport of foreign vessels would increase. At present, the vessels have to sail around Sri Lanka when they have to pass from the western sea shore in India to the eastern sea shore, and vice-versa. This circuitous sail makes us pay huge amounts to the Sri Lankan Government towards entry fee and rental charges etc; These payments could be avoided if the canal project is implemented.
Besides, the overseas vessels which have to reach the Indian Ocean from the Arabic ocean and from the Arabic ocean to the Indian ocean, will be able to sail through Indian sea limit itself, without going all around Sri Lanka. Indian harbours could derive benefits directly and also indirectly by this convenient mode. Employment opportunities would increase. Small harbour cities including Rameswaram, Tuticorin and Nagapattinam would develop to a great extent by this canal project.
Tuticorin Harbour could possibly be transformed as a very great harbour. Rameswaram Harbour would also attain growth. By this, marine industries would flourish in Tamil Nadu. Coastal districts like Ramanathapuram, Tuticorin and Nagappattinam would have abundant growth. Trade related to fisheries could also grow to a large extent. In brief, by the Sethu Samudram Canal Project in India, especially in all the coastal districts of Tamil Nadu, economic development would reach greater heights. Trade and commerce would also see growth in abundance.
This highly beneficial and significant project would improve economy and employment opportunities. Hence it is RESOLVED by the Dravidar Kazhagam to urge the parliament members hailing from Tamil Nadu to collectively strive and pester the Union Government to implement the project and pass an order at the earliest for its speedy execution.
Verify and Improve the standard in Tamil learning
4. The X std annual exams of the Tamil Nadu State Board were held recently and the results have been announced. It is indeed a matter of great shock to note that 47000 students have failed in the Tamil language exam. The General council of the Dravidar Kazhagam deeply regrets and views the mass failure as a very serious issue. Failure in Tamil exam to such a large extent is really alarming. The standard of the students’ competence in their own mother tongue is a matter of grave concern. It is hence RESOLVED to urge the Government of Tamil Nadu to verify what actually went wrong and recruit teachers of Tamil, as many as required, to improve the standard of teaching and learning and weed out the lapses.
Prevent Maligning of Dravidian Model by vested interests
5. Ever since the governance of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) commenced in the State of Tamil Nadu, the print and electronic media in North India have been intentionally criticising it in a destructive manner. The media personnel have been spreading among the people, especially in the North Indian States under the rule of the BJP, rumours and baseless reports belittling the, Dravidian Model rule headed by the Hon’ble chief minister M.K. Stalin.
The media of North India published offending reports under the headlines – “Anti-Hindu Party Rule in Tamil Nadu” and “Exorbitant power charges imposed on Hindu temples” etc; They have been criticizing the DMK rule as “misrule and maladministration’. Sudharshan News channel leads such derogatory comments. The real owner of this particular channel is a so called ‘godman’ Adityanath. This channel commenced its telecast in 2012 when he was a member of the parliament. The channel is notorious for telecasting programmes that hurt the sentiments of viewers. The media in North India have thus invariably been indulging in mud-slinging by criticising the DMK headed Government of Tamil Nadu.
The channel owned by Adityanath recently telecast a false report that Rs.2.15 per unit is being charged and collected from churches and mosques. Several other New channels in North India took this as the source of information and spread the fake news through their channels. Thus, a deliberate attempt is being made to tarnish the image of a Government elected by people’s mandate.
Malicious thoughts about the Government of Tamil Nadu are being spread among the people of North India by these mischief mongers. If this is not prevented by stern action, they would go on bringing discredit to the State of Tamil Nadu by spreading such fake news reports. The Sang Parivar coterie and the BJP backed by it are the only outfit which is devoid of decorum, honesty and morality. M.K. Stalin is being commended as the best chief minister in India. People who envy him are involved in such obnoxious activities with the sole intention of maligning his noble image as an ideal chief minister. The rule under M.K. Stalin is being hailed everywhere as the “Dravidian Model Government”. This term is now in widespread vogue. Brahminist coteries are naturally unable to tolerate the truth. They fear that the name and fame of M.K. Stalin’s rule would have an impact on other States.
Hence it is RESOLVED to urge the Government of Tamil Nadu to intervene and crush the evil forces by appropriate steps, measures and action. The General Council expects the Government to curb the mischief of the envious elements in the early stage itself.
‘Agnipath’ detrimental to Unity
6. The Union Government headed by Narendra Modi announced recently the ‘Agnipath Scheme’ as a recruitment plan for armed forces. Not only the opposition parties, but former Army officers have also expressed that they are upset by the scheme.
The plan of the Union Government that under this ‘Agmipath Scheme’ youngmen from 17.5 to 21 year of age would be recruited in the army for four years has led to wide spread violent protests by the youth all over the country, especially in the State of Bihar, U.P. etc; Trains were set on fire in many cities. The service of more than 600 trains were cancelled. All these are spontaneous outbursts of youngmen who have appeared for the exams concerned, eager to join the armed forces, and are still waiting for recruitment.
According to the Modi Government, 45000 to 50000 soldiers, sailors and airmen would be recruited every year, and relieved from service after four years. Of the total recruits in a year, only 25 per cent would be eventually selected for permanent induction into the regular military cadre for a further period of 15 years.
Such demobilised youngsters would be unable to continue their degree courses. Prevented from continuing their services in the armed forces, they will have to seek employment elsewhere. This imminent danger would be the ultimate outcome. The ex-servicemen who had served the armed forces for 15 years are already in distress, unable to get suitable placement. When the condition is such, the assurance of the Union Government that the relieved personnel would be offered jobs, is certainly a false hope and a promise quite unlikely to be kept.
Kailash Vijay Vargiya, the General Secretary of BJP says that the Agniveers relieved from army services would be placed in security related jobs in BJP offices. Kishan Reddy, a cabinet minister of the Union Government says they would be trained as drivers, electricians, washermen, hair dressers and as candidates for other such careers.
Agnipath plan is the hidden agenda, only to transform legally half of the armed forces as RSS trained youngsters to serve in future, the BJP and the RSS outfit. Many youngmen wielding swords and holding sticks have been trained by the RSS ‘shakhas’. According to a retired army officer, those youngmen would undergo high level ordinance training through ordinance forces. The tax payers’ money of the common public would be utilised to finance the training concerned. The opinion of the retired army officer cannot be ignored. Adolf Hitler too adopted a similar strategy in Germany.
In the armed forces, none from upper caste Brahmins has ever been recruited in coveted ranks. Only young men from the oppressed communities eagerly undergo training to join the armed forces. This recruitment plan is a ploy to cut down the pension-bills. After 15 years of service, the personnel would be denied retirement benefits if this plan is implemented. It is said that the personnel relieved after four years would be given a few lakhs of rupees. This is like offering a honey-coated poisonous candy to ruin the youngsters. This is a malicious strategy of the Union Government headed by the BJP, to incite and instigate religious hatred in society. It is a contemptible political game indeed, by the BJP and the RSS coterie. Youngsters should realise this and be alert. This is the humble request to them by the General Council of the Dravidar Kazhagam (DK). We cannot brush aside the unpalatable truth that the objective behind this scheme is to transform the trained recruits as RSS cadres and achieve their hidden political missions, revolving around religious fanaticism and bias.
Hence it is RESOLVED to urge all the secular forums and movements to co-ordinate and co-operate collectively to voice our protest against this recruitment plan ‘Agnipath’ which is detrimental to the Unity in our country. This General Council stresses this urgent need and urges everyone to strive for achieving success in getting this plan rolled out.
Accomplish the pending tasks
7. On many occasions in the past, during the meetings of the Dravidian Students Federation, Youth Forum, Women’s Barrack, Women’s Wing, Advocates’ Wing, Labourers Wing and anti-Hindi protest meet etc; various resolutions were unanimously adopted. It is now RESOLVED to take steps to accomplish all the pending tasks resolved in the past. This General Council stresses the fulfilling and urges all the dedicated cadres to prepare a check list and see that all the incomplete tasks are completed at the earliest.
Provide adequacy to non brahmins in the Appointment of Judges
8. The number of judges for Madras High Court is totally 75, but the existing judges are only 55 in number. Out of those 55, 12 are Brahmins. This is great injustice from the point of view of social justice. Brahmins who are 3 per cent of the population are enjoying 22 per cent dominance as judges in Madras High Court. It is RESOLVED to urge the Union Government to fill up the vacant posts of judges with non-brahmins who have hitherto been denied opportunities. Deserving people from other classes and communities should be considered. The General Council also stresses that appointing Brahmins as chief Justices in Madras High Court should also be avoided hence forth.