fHk tPuu; fhkuh[H gw;wp rpy thpfs;;

fHk tPuu; fhkuh[H gw;wp rpy thpfs;;….        மண்ணில் பிறக்கும் ஒவ்வொருவரும் தங்களின் பிறப்பிற்கான அர்த்தத்தை நிலைநாட்டிவிட்டு செல்லவேண்டும் என்பார்கள். தனது பிறப்பையும், செயலையும் அர்த்தமுள்ளதாக மாற்றியவர்தான் பெருந்தலைவர் காமராஜர். இந்தியாவின் கிங்மேக்கராக திகழ்ந்து இரண்டு பிரதம மந்திரிகளை உருவாக்கியவர் படிக்காத மேதை காமராஜர். அவரது பிறந்தநாளில் அவரைப் பற்றி சில சுவாரஸ்மான தகவல்களை தெரிந்து கொள்வோம். உலகப் படிப்பை படிக்கவேண்டும் என்பதற்காகாத்தான் தன் பள்ளிப் படிப்பை பாதியிலேயே நிறுத்தினாரோ என்னவோ? காமராஜர் படித்தது வெறும் ஆறாம் வகுப்புதான். ஆங்கிலம் தெரியாமலும் 6 ஆண்டுகளே கற்ற கல்வியுடனும் முதல் அமைச்சர் பதவியேற்ற அவர் தான் தலை சிறந்த தலைமைத்துவத்தை 9 ஆண்டுகளாக தமிழ் நாட்டுக்கு வழங்கினார். காமராஜர் பட்டபடிப்பு படிக்காதவராக இருந்தாலும் அவரைச்சுற்றி எப்போதும் படித்த மேதைகள் இருப்பார்கள். அவர் முதல் அமைச்சர் ஆன உடன் நாட்டு மக்களின் கல்வியில்தான் முதல் அக்கறை செலுத்தினார். உணவின்மையால் மாணவர்களின் கல்வி கெட்டுப்போகக்கூடாது என்பதற்காக பள்ளிகளில் இலவச உணவுத்திட்டத்தை அறிமுகம் செய்தார். "நாம் பெறத் தவறிவிட்ட படிப்பை, வரும் தலைமுறையாவது பெற்று, வளர்ந்து வாழட்டும். அன்னதானம் நமக்கு புதியது அல்ல. இதுவரை வீட்டுக்கு வந்தவர்களுக்குப் போட்டோம். இப்போது, பள்ளிக் கூடத்தை தேடிப்போய் போடச்சொல்கிறோம். அப்படி செய்தால் உயிர் காத்த புண்ணியம், படிப்பு கொடுக்கும் புண்ணியம் இரண்டும் சேரும்.......என் மனதில், எல்லோர்க்கும் கல்விக் கண்ணைத் திறப்பதை விட முக்கியமான வேலை இப்பொதைக்கு இல்லை. நான் இதையே எல்லாவற்றிலும் முக்கியமானதாகக் கருதுகிறேன். எனவே மற்ற வேலைகளையும் ஒதுக்கி வைத்து விட்டு, ஊர் ஊராக வந்து, பகல் உணவுத் திட்டத்திற்க்குப் பிச்சையெடுக்கச் சித்தமாக இருக்கிறேன்" என்று பேசியவர் பெருந்தலைவர். எழுத்தறிவு இன்மையை போக்க 11 ஆம் வகுப்பு வரை இலவச கட்டாய கல்வியை அறிமுகப்படுத்தினார். அனைத்துப் பள்ளி குழந்தைகளுக்கும் இலவச சீருடை வழங்கினார் . அரசியலில் தன்னை எதிர்த்தவர்களையே தன்னுடன் சேர்த்துக்கொண்டார் . அவர் முதலமைச்சர் ஆனவுடன் அதே பதவிக்கு தன்னை எதிர்த்து போட்டியிட்டவர்களையே அமைச்சர் ஆக்கினார். தான் முதல் அமைச்சராக இருந்த போது வறுமையில் வாடிய தன் தாய்க்கு சிறப்பு சலுகைகள் தராதவர் . அவரது காலகட்டத்தில்தான் இந்தியாவிலேயே மிகச்சிறந்த முறையில் நிர்வகிக்கப்பட்ட மாநிலம் என்ற பெருமையை தமிழ் நாடு பெற்றது . தமிழுக்கு நல்ல அங்கீகாரத்தை பெற்று கொடுத்தவர் காமராஜர். நீதி மன்றம் அரசு அலுவலகம் அனைத்திலும் தமிழை கொண்டுவந்தார். மூத்த தலைவர்கள் அரசியலில் பதவி வகிக்ககூடாது,பதவி விலகி கட்சி நலனுக்காக செயல்ப்பட வேண்டும் என்று கூறியதோடு நிற்காமல் தானும் பதவி விலகி முன் உதாரணமாக இருந்தார். இரண்டு முறை பிரதமராகும் வாய்ப்பிருந்தும், லால்பகதூர் சாஸ்திரி, இந்திரா காந்தி ஆகியோரை பிரதமராக்கிய கிங்மேக்கர் அவர். சினிமா என்றால் காமராஜருக்கு எட்டிக்காய். சினிமாவில் நாம் பார்த்து ஆச்சரியப்படும் ஹீரோக்களைப் போல அல்லாமல் ரியல் ஹீரோவாக வாழ்ந்தவர் அவர். அவர், இறக்கும்போது மிச்சம் இருந்தது பத்து கதர் வேஷ்டிகள், சட்டைகள் மற்றும் நூறு ரூபாய்க்கும் குறைவான பணம்தான். என்றைக்கும் தான் ஏழைப்பங்காளன்தான் என்பதை வாழ்நாளில் நிரூபித்துவிட்டு சென்ற உத்தமர் அவர். அவரது நீங்காத நினைவுகளை அவரது பிறந்தநாளில் நினைவுகூர்வதில் பெருமிதம் கொள்வோம். தமிழகத்தை ஆட்சி செய்யும் அரசியல் தலைவர்கள் பெருந்தலைவர் காமராஜரை கட்சி சார்பற்ற தலைவராக பார்க்காமல் அவரது பிறந்தநாளினை தமிழ்நாடு முழுவதும் சிறப்பாக கொண்டாட முன்வரவேண்டும் என்பதே சமூக ஆர்வலர்களின் கோரிக்கையாகும். இன்றைக்கு தமிழகம் கண்டுள்ள பல வளர்ச்சிகளுக்கும் பிள்ளையார் சுழி போட்டவர் இந்த கருப்புத் தங்கம்தான். நல்ல தலைவர் கிடைக்காமல் தத்தளித்து வரும் இன்றைய தமிழகத்திற்கு, உண்மையிலேயே பெரும் தலைவராக விளங்கியவர் காமராஜர் மட்டுமே. தமிழகத்தின் உண்மையான பொற்கால ஆட்சி என்றால் அது காமராஜரின் ஆட்சி மட்டுமே. மீண்டும் காமராஜரின் ஆட்சி வருமா... கண்ணுக்கு எட்டிய தூரம் வரை அது பெரும் கனவாகவே தோன்றுகிறது.. Life History Of Kamarajar  … Childhood… Kamraj was born on July 15, 1903, in a family of traders at Virudunagar. His real name was Kamakshi Kumaraswamy Nader but was affectionately shortened to Raja by his mother, Sivakami Ammal. His father, Kumarswamy Nader, was a coconut merchant. Kamaraj was enrolled at the local elementary school, the Nayanar Vidyalaya but was later shifted to the high school Kshatriya Vidyalaya. Unfortunately his father died within a year of Kamaraj’s enrollment in school. Kamaraj’s mother sold all jewelry except her earrings and deposited the money with a local merchant and cared for the entire family on the monthly interest that the money earned. Kamaraj was not a good student in school and dropped out when he was in the sixth grade. When he entered mainstream public life he felt handicapped and realized the importance of a good education. He educated himself during his periods of imprisonment and even learned English from his co-worker. Kamaraj joined as an apprentice in his maternal uncle Karuppiah’s cloth shop after dropping out of school. He would slip out from the shop to join processions and attend public meetings addressed by orators like Dr. Varadarajulu Naidu and George Joseph. His relatives frowned upon Kamaraj ‘s budding interest in politics. They sent him to Thiruvananthapuram to work at another uncle’s timer shop. Even there Kamaraj participated in the Vaikom Satyagraha led by George Joseph, of the Congress, against the atrocities of the higher caste Hindus on the Harijans. His elders had him called back home and pressured him to marry. Kamaraj resolutely refused to bow to the dictates of his elders. At the age of 16, Kamaraj enrolled himself as full-time worker of the Congress. He participated in inviting speakers, organizing meetings and collecting funds for the party. He also participated in the march to Vedaranyam led by Rajagopalachari as part of the Salt Satyagraha of March 1930. Kamaraj was arrested and sent to Alipore Jail for two years. He was twenty seven at the time of arrest and was released in 1931 following the Gandhi-Iriwn Pact. Kamaraj was implicated in the Virudhunagar Bomb Case two years later. Dr. Varadarajulu Naidu and George Joseph argued on Kamaraj’s behalf and proved the charges to be baseless. Kamaraj was arrested again in 1940 and sent to Vellore Jail while he was on his way to Wardha to get Gandhiji’s approval for a list of satyagrahis. While still in jail, Kamaraj was elected Chairman to the Municipal Council. Nine months later upon his release, Kamaraj went straight to the Municipality and tendered his resignation from his post. He felt that “one should not accept any post to which one could not do full justice.” Kamaraj was arrested once more in 1942 and sentenced to three years in the Amaravathi prison for spreading propaganda material for Quit India movement initiated by Gandhiji. While in prison, Kamaraj read books and continued his self-education. Kamaraj’s political guru and inspiration was S. Satyamurti, orator and parliamentarian. Satyamurti found in Kamaraj “an efficient, loyal, indefatigable worker and skillful organizer (p. 147, Pakshirajan).” Both developed a deep friendship and complemented each others’ skills. In 1936, Satyamurti was elected President of the Provincial Congress and he appointed Kamaraj the General Secretary. Four years later they swapped positions. The party base was strengthened under their leadership. So deep was Kamaraj’s devotion for Satyamurti that when India gained independence, he first went to Satyamurti’s house and hoisted the Indian flag there. On his election as Chief Minister, Kamaraj went to Satyamurti’s house and garlanded his photo and paid his respects to the leader’s widow. On April 13, 1954, K. Kamaraj reluctantly became the Chief Minister of Madras. To everyone’s surprise, Kamaraj nominated C. Subramaniam and M. Bhakthavatsalam, who had contested his leadership, to the newly formed cabinet. Kamaraj gave simple advice to his ministers, “Face the problem. Don’t evade it. Find a solution, however small… . People will be satisfied if you do something.” The State made immense strides in education and trade. New schools were opened, better facilities were added to existing ones. No village remained without a primary school and no panchayat without a high school. Kamaraj strove to eradicate illiteracy by introducing free and compulsory education upto eleventh standard. He introduced the Midday Meals Scheme to provide at least one meal per day to the lakhs of poor children. He introduced free school uniforms to weed out caste, creed and class distinctions among young minds. Under Kamaraj’s administration, a number of irrigation schemes were completed in record time. The Land Ceiling Act and the Tenancy Protection Act benefited small farmers and saved them from being exploited by landlords. Medium and small scale industries prospered in the midst of large industries making Madras one of the leaders in industrialization. Nehru complimented Kamaraj for making Madras (later renamed State of Tamil Nadu) the best administered State in India.” Kamaraj remained Chief Minister for three consecutive terms. On October 2, 1963, he resigned to serve a greater purpose. Kamaraj noticed that the Congress party was slowly losing its vigor . He came up with a plan which was called the “Kamaraj Plan.” He proposed that all senior Congress leaders should resign form their posts and devote all their energy to the re-vitalization of the Congress. A number of Central and State ministers like Lal Bahadur Shastri, Jagjivan Ram, Morarji Desai and S.K. Patil followed suite and resigned from their posts. In 1964, Kamaraj was elected the President of the All India Congress and he successfully navigated the nation through the stormy years following Nehru’s death. On October 2, 1975, Gandhi Jayanti, Kamaraj awoke from his afternoon nap feeling uneasy. His housekeeper, Vairavan, rang up his physician. While he was on his way out, Kamaraj said, “Vairavan, put out the lights when you go out.” K. Kamaraj died that day. He was honored with the highest civilian honor, the Bharat Ratna, posthumously in 1976 Education Unfortunately his father died within a year of Kamaraj’s enrollment in school. Kamaraj’s mother sold all jewelry except her earrings and deposited the money with a local merchant and cared for the entire family on the monthly interest that the money earned. Kamaraj was not a good student in school and dropped out when he was in the sixth grade. When he entered mainstream public life he felt handicapped and realized the importance of a good education. He educated himself during his periods of imprisonment and even learned English from his co-worker. Kamaraj joined as an apprentice in his maternal uncle Karuppiah’s cloth shop after dropping out of school. He would slip out from the shop to join processions and attend public meetings addressed by orators like Dr. Varadarajulu Naidu and George Joseph. His relatives frowned upon Kamaraj ‘s budding interest in politics. They sent him to Thiruvananthapuram to work at another uncle’s timer shop. Even there Kamaraj participated in the Vaikom Satyagraha led by George Joseph, of the Congress, against the atrocities of the higher caste Hindus on the Harijans. His elders had him called back home and pressured him to marry. Kamaraj resolutely refused to bow to the dictates of his elders. Habits Kamaraj proved himself as Chief of all the C.Ms in India. He was the first C.M. who was in the post for a long period of 9 years . ie. from 1954 to 1963 unless he resigned the post voluntarily he would have continued to be the C.M He did his duty boldly and patiently without discourage. He listened the views of the opposite parties. He easily solved the political problems. He attracted every one to his side. He listened others without himself speaking . He never concentrated on his food or dress. He honored the news reporters ,. He affectionately moved with photographers. He never angered with anyone. Replied letters immediately. Listened the grievances and solved them immediately. He gave more data. Understood the problems easily and keenly studied the files. He did not like luxury , flattering and advertisement. He was very simple . He never uttered harsh words. Because of these habits he ornamented the C.M’s post . It would not be an exaggeration that the post got honored through him. The words of W.R.S.Sathyanathan who was a high official were the evidence of the administration of Kamaraj. He served as Chief Secretary to the state under Kamaraj. He said that Kamaraj’s efficiency made him to respect him. Kamaraj was fast and clean in finalizing the things. He could judge people in a lightning speed who came to meet him. He could solve even a sophisticated big problem within seconds. He approaches the problem directly. Judgment would be very clean. He detected the problems in an astonishing way. He used to read the files kept for his advice completely, then only he used to decide. There was no village in our state which his feet never touched. Whatever the place whether Mountain area or river side he could explain with evidences about the climate of that region. Politics Kamaraj was content for years to remain a rank and file Congress volunteer, working hard for the cause of the freedom movement, unmindful of his personal comfort or career. He was eighteen when he responded to the call of Gandhiji for non-cooperation with the British. He carried on propaganda in the villages, raised funds for Congress work and took a leading part in organising meetings S. At twenty he was picked up by Satyamurthy, one of the greatest orators and a leading figure of the Tamilnadu Congress Committee who was to be Kamaraj’s political guru. In April 1930, Kamaraj joined the Salt Satyagraha Movement at Vedaranyam and was sentenced to two years his first term in prison. Jail-going had become a part of his career and in all he went to prison six times and spent more than 3,000 days in British Jails. Bachelor Kamaraj was forty-four when India became free. Kamaraj was elected President of the Tamilnad Congress Committee in February 1940. He held that post till 1954. He was in the Working Committee of the AICC from 1947 till the Congress split in 1969, either as a member or as a special invitee. Kamaraj was elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly in 1937 unopposed. He was again elected to it in 1946. He was also elected to the Constituent Assembly of India in 1946, and later to Parliament in 1952. He became Chief Minister of Madras in 1954. He was perhaps the first non-English knowing Chief Minister in India. But it was during the nine years of his administration that Tamilnadu came to be known as one of the best administered States in India. In 1963 he suggested to Nehru that senior Congress leaders should leave ministerial posts to take up organisational work. This suggestion came to be known as the ‘Kamaraj Plan’, which was designed primarily to dispel from the minds of Congressmen the lure for power, creating in its place a dedicated attachment to the objectives and policies of the organisation. The plan was approved by the Congress Working Committee and was implemented within two months. Six Chief Ministers and six Union Ministers resigned under the Plan. Kamaraj was elected President, Indian National Congress, on October 9, 1963. Twice he played a leading role in choosing the Prime Minister of India. His defeat in Virudhunagar in 1967 considerably undermined his prestige. It was even said that he was a much disillusioned man. But the landslide victory at Nagercoil revived his political stature. However, the split in the Congress in 1969 (he remained in the Organisation Congress) and the General Elections of 1971 resulted in a set-back to his political prestige and authority. He continued to work quietly among the masses until the last. He was honoured posthumously by the award of Bharat Ratna.