Tamil Nadu - Others   

The men behind the Pondicherry freedom movement

Deepa H Ramakrishnan

Panch. Ramalingam book deals with freedom movement between 1930 and 1954

PONDICHERRY: Even before Pondicherry became independent, the men and women who led the struggle decided upon an emblem for free Pondicherry. They designed a lighthouse with light emanating from it and a map of India on it as the emblem. The Aayee Mandapam was made official emblem later.

On Kamaraj birthday, a group of freedom fighters came together to remind themselves of their past struggles. They urged the Government to install the statues of Muthukomarappa Reddiar and Chevaliar Sellan Naickar.

Since Muthukomarappa Reddiar's death anniversary falls on July 15, a book describing the leader's role in independence movement, written by Panch. Ramalingam, a lecturer at the UGC Academic Staff College, was released. Born on September 16, 1906 to Balakrishna Reddiar, a landlord, Muthukomarappa Reddiar was inspired by Mahatma Gandhi and joined the freedom movement. After becoming a member of the Representative Assembly, he held the agriculture and PWD portfolios.

"In the 1954 October 18 referendum at Keezhur, he voted for freedom from French rule. However, after independence he quit politics as he felt that his job was done when his homeland became free, and took up his family business. He even produced several Tamil films, including Kanchi Thalaivan", says his daughter M.K. Sayeekumari, who along with Mrs. Goubert, was present at the function.

"In 1954 even before the French decided to leave Pondicherry, E Goubert, Muthupillai and Muthukomarappa Reddiar quit the Representative Assembly, which was formed by the French government, and established a parallel government at Nettapakkam, Reddiar's native village.

They hoisted the Indian flag and ran the Liberation Government for 8 months. During which time they started 25 schools and several primary health centres. Many citizens left government service and joined them in their endeavour" says Mr. Panch. Ramalingam.

Not stopping with the 60 villages around Nettapakkam they also took over Thirubuvanai Commune, which consisted of 22 villages.

The Liberation Government had a separate police force with 2000 men of them 200 were from Tamil Nadu.

The book, which deals with the freedom movement between 1930 and 1954, has a lot of interesting information like how the Indian government created unrest among mill workers. "They collected a group of poor men and made them clamber on the wall of the Savana Mills and made them wave the Indian flag when the workers came out. The police, who knew some mischief was afoot, didn't realise that the workers weren't at fault, beat them up," explains the author, the son of Panchalan, himself a freedom fighter.

Speaker of the Pondicherry Assembly M D R Ramachandran, and Leader of Opposition R V Janakiraman urged the government to install statues of the leaders.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Six injured in fire at cracker unit
The men behind the Pondicherry freedom movement
Move to merge Assembly segments opposed
Naxal leader, two women killed in encounter
`Divert effluents to outskirts of Tirupur'
Call to draft a `vision and mission document'
`Disburse assistance to students in time'
CBI court restrained in Lexus car case
Centre should withdraw ESMA
Many development works over in panchayat
Cookie festival
Councillors stage walkout
Major reservoirs in Cauvery basin get heavy inflows
Bleaching units call off strike

Copyright © 2005, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu