P. Kakkan
Encyclopedia
P. Kakkan (June 18, 1908 – December 23, 1981) was a Dalit
leader, freedom fighter and India
n politician
who served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India
, Member of Parliament
, President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and in various ministerial posts in Congress Governments in the erstwhile Madras state
between 1957 and 1967.
, in Kanyakumari district
of Madras Presidency
. His father Poosari Kakkan was a "pujari" in the village shrine.
. When the Rajaji Government brought forth the Temple Entry Authorization and Indemnity Act 1939 which removed restrictions on Dalits and Shanars entering temples, Kakkan led the temple entry at Madurai. He also participated in the Quit India Movement
and was sent to Alipore jail
. In 1946, he was elected to the Constituent Assembly. and served from 1946 to 1950.
from 1952 to 1957. When K. Kamaraj
resigned as the President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee in order to take office as the Chief Minister of Madras state, Kakkan was elected as the President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee. Following the 1957 elections when the Indian National Congress was re-elected to power in the Madras state, Kakkan was sworn in as the Minister for Public Works (excluding Electricity), Harijan Welfare, Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes on April 13, 1957 From March 13, 1962 to October 3, 1963, Kakkan served as the Minister of Agriculture. On April 24, 1962, he was appointed as a member of the Business Advisory Committee. and as Home Minister
on October 3, 1963 and served till 1967 when the Indian National Congress was defeated in the Assembly elections.
candidate O. P. Raman. Following his defeat in the 1967 elections, Kakkan retired from politics.
and Vaigai reservoirs and the formation of the Harijan Seva Sangh for the upliftment and welfare of Dalits. As Minister of Agriculture, he established two Agriculture Universities in Madras state. In 1999, the Government of India
released a postage stamp
commemorating Kakkan and his contributions to the nation.
. When Periyar
, the leader of the Self-respect movement
publicly declared his intention to organize a Dravidar Kazhagam
procession to the Marina in order to burn pictures of the Hindu God Rama, Kakkan warned Periyar that the desecration of images would constitute an "anti-social act" that would forsake the strong faith in God by which Gandhi won independence for India. When Periyar tried to ignore the warning, he was arrested and confined in prison though the Government was not able to stop Dravidar Kazhagam activists from burning pictures of Lord Rama
.
, was a former Vice-President of the Hindu Munnani
and a well-known devotee of the Shankaracharya
of Kanchi
, Jayendra Saraswathi
. He unsuccessfully contested the 2006 Assembly election in Tamil Nadu from Perambur
as a candidate of the Janata Party
.
Dalit
Dalit is a designation for a group of people traditionally regarded as Untouchable. Dalits are a mixed population, consisting of numerous castes from all over South Asia; they speak a variety of languages and practice a multitude of religions...
leader, freedom fighter and India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
who served as a member of the Constituent Assembly of India
Constituent Assembly of India
The Constituent Assembly of India was elected to write the Constitution of India, and following independence served as the nation's first Parliament.-Nature of the Assembly:...
, Member of Parliament
Member of Parliament
A Member of Parliament is a representative of the voters to a :parliament. In many countries with bicameral parliaments, the term applies specifically to members of the lower house, as upper houses often have a different title, such as senate, and thus also have different titles for its members,...
, President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee and in various ministerial posts in Congress Governments in the erstwhile Madras state
Madras State
Madras State was the name by which the Indian districts in Tamil Nadu, Andhra, Northern Kerala, Bellary and Dakshina Kannada were collectively known as from 1950 to 1953....
between 1957 and 1967.
Early life
Kakkan was born in a Scheduled caste family on June 18, 1908 in NagercoilNagercoil
Nagercoil is the 12th largest city in the southernmost Indian state of Tamil Nadu and a municipality and administrative headquarters of Kanyakumari District...
, in Kanyakumari district
Kanyakumari District
Kanyakumari District ) is a district of Tamil Nadu state, India and is the southernmost land area of mainland India.The district is the second most urbanised district in Tamilnadu, next only to Chennai and ahead of Coimbatore. It also has the highest literacy and education levels in the...
of Madras Presidency
Madras Presidency
The Madras Presidency , officially the Presidency of Fort St. George and also known as Madras Province, was an administrative subdivision of British India...
. His father Poosari Kakkan was a "pujari" in the village shrine.
Indian Independence Movement
Kakkan was drawn to the independence movement from an early stage in his life. While in school, he joined the Indian National CongressIndian National Congress
The Indian National Congress is one of the two major political parties in India, the other being the Bharatiya Janata Party. It is the largest and one of the oldest democratic political parties in the world. The party's modern liberal platform is largely considered center-left in the Indian...
. When the Rajaji Government brought forth the Temple Entry Authorization and Indemnity Act 1939 which removed restrictions on Dalits and Shanars entering temples, Kakkan led the temple entry at Madurai. He also participated in the Quit India Movement
Quit India Movement
The Quit India Movement , or the August Movement was a civil disobedience movement launched in India in August 1942 in response to Mohandas Gandhi's call for immediate independence. Gandhi hoped to bring the British government to the negotiating table...
and was sent to Alipore jail
Alipore Jail
The Alipore Jail or Alipore Central Jail is a prison in Alipore, Kolkata, where political prisoners were kept under British rule, among them Subhash Chandra Bose. It is still in operation. It also houses the Alipore Jail Press.-Notable inmates:* Sri Aurobindo , imprisoned after the Alipore bomb case...
. In 1946, he was elected to the Constituent Assembly. and served from 1946 to 1950.
Politics of Free India
Kakkan served as a member of the Lok SabhaLok Sabha
The Lok Sabha or House of the People is the lower house of the Parliament of India. Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by direct election under universal adult suffrage. As of 2009, there have been fifteen Lok Sabhas elected by the people of India...
from 1952 to 1957. When K. Kamaraj
K. Kamaraj
Kumarasami Kamaraj better known as K. Kamaraj was an Indian politician from Tamil Nadu widely acknowledged as the "Kingmaker" in Indian politics during the 1960s. He was the chief minister of Tamil Nadu during 1954-1963 and a Member of Parliament during 1952-1954 and 1969-1975...
resigned as the President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee in order to take office as the Chief Minister of Madras state, Kakkan was elected as the President of the Tamil Nadu Congress Committee. Following the 1957 elections when the Indian National Congress was re-elected to power in the Madras state, Kakkan was sworn in as the Minister for Public Works (excluding Electricity), Harijan Welfare, Scheduled Areas and Scheduled Tribes on April 13, 1957 From March 13, 1962 to October 3, 1963, Kakkan served as the Minister of Agriculture. On April 24, 1962, he was appointed as a member of the Business Advisory Committee. and as Home Minister
Minister for Home Affairs (India)
The Home Minister, or more properly the Minister for Home Affairs, is a position in the Indian Cabinet, at both State and Union levels. The Home Ministry is one of the most important, powerful and high profile ministry after the Prime Minister...
on October 3, 1963 and served till 1967 when the Indian National Congress was defeated in the Assembly elections.
Later life and death
In the 1967 Assembly elections, Kakkan stood for elections from Melur (South) constituency and lost to Dravida Munnetra KazhagamDravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam is a state political party in the states of Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry, India. It is a Dravidian party founded by C. N. Annadurai as a breakaway faction from the Dravidar Kazhagam headed by Periyar...
candidate O. P. Raman. Following his defeat in the 1967 elections, Kakkan retired from politics.
Work
Some of Kakkan's achievements as Minister have been the construction of the MetturMettur
Mettur is an industrial Town municipality in Salem district in the state of Tamil Nadu, India. It is best known for the Mettur Dam.However in recent years it has been associated with rampant industrial polluting, with the Chennai-based Community Environmental Monitoring arguing in their report...
and Vaigai reservoirs and the formation of the Harijan Seva Sangh for the upliftment and welfare of Dalits. As Minister of Agriculture, he established two Agriculture Universities in Madras state. In 1999, the Government of India
Government of India
The Government of India, officially known as the Union Government, and also known as the Central Government, was established by the Constitution of India, and is the governing authority of the union of 28 states and seven union territories, collectively called the Republic of India...
released a postage stamp
Postage stamp
A postage stamp is a small piece of paper that is purchased and displayed on an item of mail as evidence of payment of postage. Typically, stamps are made from special paper, with a national designation and denomination on the face, and a gum adhesive on the reverse side...
commemorating Kakkan and his contributions to the nation.
Ideology
Being the son of a priest, Kakkan was deeply religious. He was also a staunch follower of Mahatma GandhiMahatma Gandhi
Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi , pronounced . 2 October 1869 – 30 January 1948) was the pre-eminent political and ideological leader of India during the Indian independence movement...
. When Periyar
Periyar E. V. Ramasamy
Erode Venkata Ramasamy , affectionately called by his followers as Periyar , Thanthai Periyar or E. V...
, the leader of the Self-respect movement
Self-Respect Movement
The Self-Respect Movement was founded in 1925 by Periyar E. V. Ramasamy in Tamil Nadu, India. The movement has the aim of achieving a society where backward castes have equal human rights, and encouraging backward castes to have self-respect in the context of a caste based society that...
publicly declared his intention to organize a Dravidar Kazhagam
Dravidar Kazhagam
Dravidar Kazhagam or Dravida Kazhagam was the first fully Dravidian party in India. It was a radical party formed by E. V. Ramaswamy, also called Thanthai Periyar of erstwhile Madras Presidency...
procession to the Marina in order to burn pictures of the Hindu God Rama, Kakkan warned Periyar that the desecration of images would constitute an "anti-social act" that would forsake the strong faith in God by which Gandhi won independence for India. When Periyar tried to ignore the warning, he was arrested and confined in prison though the Government was not able to stop Dravidar Kazhagam activists from burning pictures of Lord Rama
Rama
Rama or full name Ramachandra is considered to be the seventh avatar of Vishnu in Hinduism, and a king of Ayodhya in ancient Indian...
.
Family
Kakkan's brother Viswanathan Kakkan, an advocateAdvocate
An advocate is a term for a professional lawyer used in several different legal systems. These include Scotland, South Africa, India, Scandinavian jurisdictions, Israel, and the British Crown dependencies of Jersey, Guernsey and the Isle of Man...
, was a former Vice-President of the Hindu Munnani
Hindu Munnani
Hindu Munnani is a religious and cultural organization based in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu which was formed to defend the Hinduism and protect Hindu religious monuments.-History:...
and a well-known devotee of the Shankaracharya
Shankaracharya
Shankaracharya, is a commonly used title of heads of mathas in the Advaita Vedanta tradition. The title derives from Adi Shankara, a 9th century CE reformer of Hinduism. He is honored as Jagadguru, a title that was used earlier only to Lord Krishna...
of Kanchi
Kanchi matha
The Kanchi math is a Hindu monastic institutionlocated in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu, one of the fivepancha-bhUta-sthalas...
, Jayendra Saraswathi
Jayendra Saraswathi
Sri Jayendra Saraswathi Swamigal is the 69th Shankaracharya of the Kanchi Kamakoti Peetham....
. He unsuccessfully contested the 2006 Assembly election in Tamil Nadu from Perambur
Perambur
Perambur , is a locality in Northern part of the metropolitan city of Chennai, Tamil Nadu state, India.It is one of expensive area in chennai with all facilities of needs....
as a candidate of the Janata Party
Janata Party
The Janata Party was an amalgam of Indian political parties opposed to the state of emergency imposed by the government of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and her Indian National Congress...
.