Panagal Raja
Encyclopedia
Sir Panaganti Ramarayaningar KCIE
, (July 9, 1866 – December 16, 1928), also known as the Raja of Panagal, was a zamindar
of Kalahasti, a Justice Party
leader and the Chief Minister or Premier
of Madras Presidency
from July 11, 1921 to December 3, 1926.
Ramarayaningar was born in Kalahasti on July 9, 1866. He did his schooling in Madras and obtained degrees in Sanskrit
, law, philosophy and Dravidian languages
before plunging into politics. He was one of the founder-members of the Justice Party and served as its President from 1925 to 1928.
From December 17, 1920 to July 11, 1921, Ramarayaningar served as the Minister of Local Self-Government in the first Justice Party government led by A. Subbarayalu Reddiar
. He served as the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from July 11, 1921 to December 3, 1926. He introduced a number of reforms during his tenure. The Theagaroya Nagar
locality in Chennai
was developed during his Chief-Ministership. Ramarayaningar resigned as Chief Minister in 1926 when the Justice Party failed to obtain a majority in the 1926 elections to the Madras Legislative Council. He, however, continued to remain active in politics and served as the President of the Justice Party until his death on December 16, 1928.
Ramarayaningar was regarded as an advocate of democracy and a staunch supporter of empowerment of the depressed classes. Historians generally attribute the decline of the Justice Party in the mid 1930s to the absence of charismatic leaders in the Justice Party following his death.
s. He belonged to the Velama
community. The Velamas claim to be the earliest Kshatriyas to settle in the Telugu country. Ramarayaningar's family, in particular, patronised Brahmins and the Raja had his early education
in the household of Calamur Sundara Sastri, the father-in-law of C. P. Ramaswami Iyer. He completed his schooling from Triplicane
High School in 1886 and graduated in Sanskrit from the Presidency College
in 1893 with Advanced Chemistry
as his optional subject. He graduated in B.L. and M.A. (Philosophy and Dravidian Languages) in 1899. In 1919, he was appointed a fellow of the Presidency College.
. In 1912, he was nominated to the Imperial Legislative Council of India and represented the landlords and zamindars of South India
. He served as a legislator until 1915. During this period, Ramarayaningar earned the praise of the Viceroy
, Lord Hardinge. He actively supported reforms in the Hindu society. In 1914, Ramarayaningar moved a legislation for the creation of separate Provincial departments for the welfare of depressed classes. In 1915, he was elected President of the Third Andhra Congress.
In 1914, the Madras Dravidian Association was established by C. Natesa Mudaliar
. Ramarayaningar was elected as the first President of the Association. On July 19, 1917, at a conference in Coimbatore
presided over by the Ramarayaningar, the four different non-Brahmin associations got together to form the South Indian Liberal Federation, unofficially known as the Justice Party. In 1921, Ramarayaningar was sent along with Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu
and Koka Appa Rao Naidu to lobby on behalf of the Justice Party before the authorities in England
.
Ramarayaningar was also active in the All-India Non-Brahmin movement. He was a friend of Shahu Maharaj
and was closely associated with the former's Satya Shodhak Samaj
. He attended the All India Non-Brahmin Conference held at Belgaum
on December 26, 1924 and presided over the Second All-India Non-Brahmin Conference held at Victoria Hall, Madras on May 25, 1925.
When the Government of India Act
was passed in 1919, provisions were made to hold elections in the Madras Presidency for the first time in history. The Justice Party unanimously decided to contest the elections and was elected to power in the province. A. Subbarayalu Reddiar
became the first Chief Minister of the Madras Presidency. Ramarayaningar served as Minister of Local Self-Government in the Subbarayalu Reddiar Government. When Subbarayalu Reddiar resigned, citing health reasons, Ramarayaningar was appointed Chief Minister.
of Berhampur
was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by Subbarayalu Reddiar's resignation, and he took the portfolio of education
.
erupted in the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills
in Madras. This strike was led by V. Kalyanasundara Mudaliar, a leader of the Indian National Congress
. The strike lasted for over six months during which around 10,000 workers struck work. A crackdown was ordered. Eventually, two factions emerged; one group of workers desired to return to work while another wished to continue the strike. Violent riots broke out when striking workers prevented the others from returning to work. The riots began to assume communal colors as the workers who wished to continue the strike were mostly caste Hindus
while those who desired to end it were largely untouchables or Dalits.
Ministers in the Madras government and ruling party members supported the strike. On August 29, 1921, the police opened fire killing six of the workers on the spot. Top Justice Party leaders like O. Thanikachalam Chetti
severely censured the police for the measures they adopted. The main reason was the fact that the police was under the control of the Governor and the government was looking for an opportunity to harass the executive. Another probable reason was that the striking workers had the caste sympathies of the Justice Party Government whose ministers and chief whips were caste Hindus like themselves.
The Justice Party leaders were extremely vociferous in their attacks on Dalits and the Labour Department. Their views were endorsed by the Raja of Panagal who joined Thanickachalam Chetti in admonishing the Dalits. The party's organ Justice blamed the riots on the "pampering" of Dalits by the Labour Department. M. C. Rajah
, the leader of the Dalits in the Justice Party, in turn, retorted by describing the criticism of Dalits by Justice Party members as "the high-handed poisonous action of members of a party who after inflicting all known and unknown injury on our community shed crocodile tears and pose as friends of the Depressed classes". Though the B & C mills strike was eventually settled through the mediation of C. Natesa Mudaliar
, the communal riots which had accompanied it estranged Dalits from the Justice Party. and was one of the reasons for Rajah quitting the party at a later stage.
and Telugu
members of the Justice party. Ramarayaningar assumed office as Chief Minister on November 19, 1923 and retained the same Cabinet with one change – K. V. Reddi Naidu
, the Minister of Development was replaced with T. N. Sivagnanam Pillai
. In 1923, the British government bestowed upon Ramarayaningar, the honorific title of "Raja of Panagal".
". The dissidents were led by C. R. Reddy, a leader of the Justice Party, who complained of the dictatorial rule of the Raja and his insensitive, unimaginative policies. On November 27, 1923, a no-confidence motion was introduced against the government of the Raja of Panagal. The no-confidence motion was defeated by a margin of 65 votes to 44.
Hindu Religious Endowments Bill
In 1921, the Raja of Panagal introduced the Hindu Religious Endowments Bill. As per this bill, trusts were established to maintain temple funds and given complete power over the administration of temples. This act evoked severe protests from some sections of the assembly which felt that this was an intrusion in the religious affairs of the populace. However, the Shankaracharya of Kanchi gave his support to the bill even while expressing his concern over some of its provisions.
Madras State Aid to Industries Act
In 1922, the Madras State Aid to Industries Act was passed. Through this act, the government made it a state policy to advance loans to developing industries. It received less opposition in the assembly. This eventually became Madras Act V of 1923.
Educational reforms
The Madras University Act was passed in the year 1923. The bill was introduced by Education Minister Sir A. P. Patro. As per the provisions of this bill, the governing body of the Madras University was completely reorganized on democratic lines. The bill asserted that the governing body would henceforth be headed by a Chancellor who would be assisted by a pro-Chancellor who was usually the Minister of Education. Apart from the Chancellor and the pro-Chancellor who were elected, there was to be a Vice-Chancellor appointed by the Chancellor. In 1925, the Andhra University Act was passed which included similar reforms in Andhra University.
However, the tenure of the Justice Party government of the Raja of Panagal is largely remembered for the introduction of caste-based reservations in 1921. In August 1921, the First communal Government Order (G.O. No.613) was passed. As per the order, 44 percent of jobs were reserved for non-Brahmins, 16 percent for Brahmins, 16 percent for Muslims, 16 percent for Anglo-Indians and Christians and eight percent for the Scheduled Castes.
In 1923, M. C. Rajah, a Justice Party leader from the Dalit
community protested against the government order arguing that the act did not guarantee adequate representation of Dalits who he felt deserved 30% reservation in the administration and the services. When the Justice Party failed to respond, he resigned from the primary membership of the party.
Dr. Gour's Bill
Dr. Gour's Bill, introduced in 1921, brought about an amendment in the Special Marriages Act, sanctioning the legal validity of inter-caste marriages.
Municipal development
The rapid growth of the population of Madras necessitated the expansion of the city and the creation of more residential colonies. In order to fulfill this requirement, the Madras Town Planning Act of 1920 had been passed on September 7, 1920 before the dyarchy was established. As per the provisions of this Act, numerous town planning measures were taken during the tenure of the Raja of Panagal. The 5 km (3.1 mi) long and 2 km (1.2 mi) broad Long Tank, which extended from Nungambakkam
to Saidapet
, forming an arc along the city's western frontier, was drained out in 1923. The development of the tract to the west of the Long Tank had been initiated by the British Government in 1911 with the construction of a railway station at the village of Marmalan or Mambalam
. Following the draining out of the Long Tank, the Justice Party government of the Raja of Panagal conceived the creation of a residential colony adjoining this little village.
The residential colony was named Theagaroya Nagar
after Justice Party stalwart Sir Pitti Theagaroya Chetty
, who had died shortly before the township was inaugurated, and was centred around a park named Panagal Park
after the Raja of Panagal. The streets in this new locality were named after prominent members of the Justice Party or officials in the municipal administration.
Other reforms
The Raja of Panagal reorganised the Public Works Department in the Presidency, improved medical facilities, water supply and communications in rural areas and patronized Siddha
medicine. Sir Muhammed Usman
, later minister in the government of the Raja of Bobbili was appointed Secretary of the Committee on siddha medicine.
He also sponsored endowments to the University of Madras to produce scientific literature in Telugu.
on June 5, 1926. In the Assembly elections which took place on November 8, 1926, no party was able to get a clean majority. The Swarajya Party won 41 of the 98 seats and emerged as the single largest party while the Justice party won 21. The Raja resigned as the Chief Minister of the Presidency as the popular verdict appeared to be against the Justice Party. As no party had a clean majority and the Swarajya Party which was the single largest party in the assembly was reluctant to form the government, the Governor appointed P. Subbarayan
as the independent Chief Minister and nominated 34 members to the Council to support him.
In 1927, the Simon Commission
which was appointed to report on the working of the progress of the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms landed in India. The Swarajya Party moved a resolution to boycott the Commission and this was passed 61 to 50 with 12 remaining neutral. The Justice Party and the Swarajists supported the resolution while the Chief Minister P. Subbarayan
opposed it and requested his ministers to resign. However, Lord Goschen
, the Governor, was able to obtain the support of the Raja of Panagal by making a Justice Party member, M. Krishnan Nair
, a Cabinet minister. Led by the Raja of Panagal, the Justice Party switched sides and lent its support to the Subbarayan government. Soon afterwards, the Justice Party passed a resolution welcoming the Simon Commission. The Simon Commission visited Madras on February 28, 1928 and February 18, 1929 and was boycotted by the Swarajya Party and the Indian National Congress. However, the Justicites and the Subbarayan Government accorded the Commission a warm reception.
. On his death, leading newspapers and magazines poured accolades on him. S. Srinivasa Iyengar, a political opponent of the Raja, said of him:
The Hindu
paid rich tributes to the Raja:
The Justice Party began to decline with the death of the Raja of Panagal. The lack of efficient leadership in the party is regarded as the main reason for its decline.
Ramarayaningar, however, strongly opposed what he perceived as the monopolisation of education by Brahmins. On being interviewed by Katherine Mayo, he responded:
Order of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
, (July 9, 1866 – December 16, 1928), also known as the Raja of Panagal, was a zamindar
Zamindar
A Zamindar or zemindar , was an aristocrat, typically hereditary, who held enormous tracts of land and ruled over and taxed the bhikaaris who lived on batavaslam. Over time, they took princely and royal titles such as Maharaja , Raja , Nawab , and Mirza , Chowdhury , among others...
of Kalahasti, a Justice Party
Justice Party (India)
The Justice Party , officially known as South Indian Liberal Federation, was a political party in the Madras Presidency of British India. The party was established in 1917 by T. M. Nair and Theagaroya Chetty as a result of a series of non-Brahmin conferences and meetings in the presidency...
leader and the Chief Minister or Premier
Premier
Premier is a title for the head of government in some countries and states.-Examples by country:In many nations, "premier" is used interchangeably with "prime minister"...
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...
from July 11, 1921 to December 3, 1926.
Ramarayaningar was born in Kalahasti on July 9, 1866. He did his schooling in Madras and obtained degrees in Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Sanskrit , is a historical Indo-Aryan language and the primary liturgical language of Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism.Buddhism: besides Pali, see Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Today, it is listed as one of the 22 scheduled languages of India and is an official language of the state of Uttarakhand...
, law, philosophy and Dravidian languages
Dravidian languages
The Dravidian language family includes approximately 85 genetically related languages, spoken by about 217 million people. They are mainly spoken in southern India and parts of eastern and central India as well as in northeastern Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Nepal, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Iran, and...
before plunging into politics. He was one of the founder-members of the Justice Party and served as its President from 1925 to 1928.
From December 17, 1920 to July 11, 1921, Ramarayaningar served as the Minister of Local Self-Government in the first Justice Party government led by A. Subbarayalu Reddiar
A. Subbarayalu Reddiar
Diwan Bahadur Agaram Subbarayalu Reddiar was a landlord, Justice Party leader and Chief Minister or Premier of Madras Presidency from December 17, 1920 to July 11, 1921....
. He served as the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from July 11, 1921 to December 3, 1926. He introduced a number of reforms during his tenure. The Theagaroya Nagar
T. Nagar
Theagaraya Nagar , popularly known by its abbreviated form T. Nagar, is a neighbourhood in the city of Chennai, India. Though originally conceived as a residential locality, it is presently one of the principal shopping districts of the city....
locality in Chennai
Chennai
Chennai , formerly known as Madras or Madarasapatinam , is the capital city of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu, located on the Coromandel Coast off the Bay of Bengal. Chennai is the fourth most populous metropolitan area and the sixth most populous city in India...
was developed during his Chief-Ministership. Ramarayaningar resigned as Chief Minister in 1926 when the Justice Party failed to obtain a majority in the 1926 elections to the Madras Legislative Council. He, however, continued to remain active in politics and served as the President of the Justice Party until his death on December 16, 1928.
Ramarayaningar was regarded as an advocate of democracy and a staunch supporter of empowerment of the depressed classes. Historians generally attribute the decline of the Justice Party in the mid 1930s to the absence of charismatic leaders in the Justice Party following his death.
Early life
Ramarayaningar was born in a family of landlordLandlord
A landlord is the owner of a house, apartment, condominium, or real estate which is rented or leased to an individual or business, who is called a tenant . When a juristic person is in this position, the term landlord is used. Other terms include lessor and owner...
s. He belonged to the Velama
Velama
Velama or the Velama Doralu is a social group found mainly in Andhra Pradesh. Velamas are classed as "Upper Shudras". The history of Velama's is as old as Telugu bravery. Military exploits of Velamas form an important part of Telugu tradition, history and folklore...
community. The Velamas claim to be the earliest Kshatriyas to settle in the Telugu country. Ramarayaningar's family, in particular, patronised Brahmins and the Raja had his early education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
in the household of Calamur Sundara Sastri, the father-in-law of C. P. Ramaswami Iyer. He completed his schooling from Triplicane
Triplicane
Triplicane also has the famous powerful Ellamman temple in SMV Koil street. A beautiful Sundaramurthy Vinayagar temple is right opposite to the Ellamman Temple....
High School in 1886 and graduated in Sanskrit from the Presidency College
Presidency College, Chennai
Presidency College is an arts, law and science college in the city of Chennai in Tamil Nadu, India. Established as the Madras Preparatory School on October 15, 1840 and later, upgraded to a high school and then, graduate college, the Presidency College is one of the oldest government arts colleges...
in 1893 with Advanced Chemistry
Advanced Chemistry
Advanced Chemistry is a German hip hop group from Heidelberg, a scenic city in Baden-Württemberg, South Germany. Advanced Chemistry was founded in 1987 by Toni L, Linguist, Gee-One, DJ Mike MD and MC Torch...
as his optional subject. He graduated in B.L. and M.A. (Philosophy and Dravidian Languages) in 1899. In 1919, he was appointed a fellow of the Presidency College.
Early political career
Ramarayaningar got his first taste of politics when he was appointed to the district board of North ArcotNorth Arcot
The Indian District of North Arcot was split on 30-09-1989 into Tiruvannamalai-Sambuvarayar and North Arcot Ambedkar .- History :...
. In 1912, he was nominated to the Imperial Legislative Council of India and represented the landlords and zamindars of South India
South India
South India is the area encompassing India's states of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala and Tamil Nadu as well as the union territories of Lakshadweep and Pondicherry, occupying 19.31% of India's area...
. He served as a legislator until 1915. During this period, Ramarayaningar earned the praise of the Viceroy
Viceroy
A viceroy is a royal official who runs a country, colony, or province in the name of and as representative of the monarch. The term derives from the Latin prefix vice-, meaning "in the place of" and the French word roi, meaning king. A viceroy's province or larger territory is called a viceroyalty...
, Lord Hardinge. He actively supported reforms in the Hindu society. In 1914, Ramarayaningar moved a legislation for the creation of separate Provincial departments for the welfare of depressed classes. In 1915, he was elected President of the Third Andhra Congress.
In 1914, the Madras Dravidian Association was established by C. Natesa Mudaliar
C. Natesa Mudaliar
C. Natesa Mudaliar , also known as Natesan, was a politician and activist of the Dravidian Movement from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He was one of the founders of the Justice Party along with Theagaroya Chetty and Dr. T. M. Nair....
. Ramarayaningar was elected as the first President of the Association. On July 19, 1917, at a conference in Coimbatore
Coimbatore
Coimbatore , also known as Kovai , is the second largest city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is a major commercial centre in Tamil Nadu and is known as the "Manchester of South India"....
presided over by the Ramarayaningar, the four different non-Brahmin associations got together to form the South Indian Liberal Federation, unofficially known as the Justice Party. In 1921, Ramarayaningar was sent along with Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu
Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu
Rao Bahadur Sir Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu KCSI was an Indian lawyer, professor, politician and Justice Party leader who served as the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from April 1, 1937 to July 14, 1937...
and Koka Appa Rao Naidu to lobby on behalf of the Justice Party before the authorities in England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
.
Ramarayaningar was also active in the All-India Non-Brahmin movement. He was a friend of Shahu Maharaj
Shahu Maharaj
Shahu IV was the first Maharaja of the Indian princely state of Kolhapur between 1894 and 1922...
and was closely associated with the former's Satya Shodhak Samaj
Satyashodhak Samaj
Satya Shodhak Samaj is a religion established by Mahatma Jyotirao Phule on September 24, 1873. This was started as a group whose main aim was to liberate the social Shudra and Untouchables castes from exploitation and oppression....
. He attended the All India Non-Brahmin Conference held at Belgaum
Belgaum
Belgaum is a city and a municipal corporation in Belgaum district in the state of Karnataka, India. It is the fourth largest city of the state of Karnataka, the first three being Bangalore, Mysore, Hubli-Dharwad....
on December 26, 1924 and presided over the Second All-India Non-Brahmin Conference held at Victoria Hall, Madras on May 25, 1925.
When the Government of India Act
Government of India Act 1919
-See also:*British India*British Raj*History of Bangladesh*History of India*History of Pakistan*Governor-General of India*Government of India Act*India Office*Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms*Secretary of State for India...
was passed in 1919, provisions were made to hold elections in the Madras Presidency for the first time in history. The Justice Party unanimously decided to contest the elections and was elected to power in the province. A. Subbarayalu Reddiar
A. Subbarayalu Reddiar
Diwan Bahadur Agaram Subbarayalu Reddiar was a landlord, Justice Party leader and Chief Minister or Premier of Madras Presidency from December 17, 1920 to July 11, 1921....
became the first Chief Minister of the Madras Presidency. Ramarayaningar served as Minister of Local Self-Government in the Subbarayalu Reddiar Government. When Subbarayalu Reddiar resigned, citing health reasons, Ramarayaningar was appointed Chief Minister.
As Chief Minister of Madras
Ramarayaningar served as the Chief Minister of Madras from July 11, 1921 till December 3, 1926. A. P. PatroA. P. Patro
Rao Bahadur Sir Annepu Parasuramdas Patro KCIE was an Oriya politician, zamindar and education minister in the erstwhile Madras Presidency....
of Berhampur
Berhampur
Brahmapur , nicknamed "The Silk City", is a city located in the eastern coastline of Ganjam district of the Indian state of Orissa, about south to state capital, Bhubaneswar.It is also dubbed as "The Dance City" of Orissa after Prince Dance Group and Harihar Das made the state famous in India's...
was appointed to fill the vacancy caused by Subbarayalu Reddiar's resignation, and he took the portfolio of education
Education
Education in its broadest, general sense is the means through which the aims and habits of a group of people lives on from one generation to the next. Generally, it occurs through any experience that has a formative effect on the way one thinks, feels, or acts...
.
| Ramarayaningar's Cabinet | |
|---|---|
| Portfolio | Minister |
| Local Self-Government | Panaganti Ramarayaningar (later Raja of Panagal) (Chief Minister) (1921–1926) |
| Education, Excise and Public works | Sir A. P. Patro (1921–1926) |
| Development | Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu Rao Bahadur Sir Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu KCSI was an Indian lawyer, professor, politician and Justice Party leader who served as the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from April 1, 1937 to July 14, 1937... (1921–1923) |
| Sir T. N. Sivagnanam Pillai (1923–1926) | |
| Source: Encyclopaedia of Political Parties | |
B & C Mills strike of 1921
In 1921, a labour strikeStrike action
Strike action, also called labour strike, on strike, greve , or simply strike, is a work stoppage caused by the mass refusal of employees to work. A strike usually takes place in response to employee grievances. Strikes became important during the industrial revolution, when mass labour became...
erupted in the Buckingham and Carnatic Mills
Buckingham and Carnatic Mills
Buckingham and Carnatic Mills , popularly known as B & C Mills, were textile mills run by Binny and Co. in the city of Chennai, India. The mills were closed down in 1996 and the site is presently used as a container freight station and is a popular venue for film shootings.- History :Messrs Binny &...
in Madras. This strike was led by V. Kalyanasundara Mudaliar, a leader of the Indian National Congress
Indian 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...
. The strike lasted for over six months during which around 10,000 workers struck work. A crackdown was ordered. Eventually, two factions emerged; one group of workers desired to return to work while another wished to continue the strike. Violent riots broke out when striking workers prevented the others from returning to work. The riots began to assume communal colors as the workers who wished to continue the strike were mostly caste Hindus
Savarna
Savarna are considered part of the Hindu Varna system. Communities which belong to one of the four varnas i. e. Brahmin, Kshatriya, Vaishya and Sudra are called "Savarna". In the present-day context, they include all the forward castes and Other backward communities...
while those who desired to end it were largely untouchables or Dalits.
Ministers in the Madras government and ruling party members supported the strike. On August 29, 1921, the police opened fire killing six of the workers on the spot. Top Justice Party leaders like O. Thanikachalam Chetti
O. Thanikachalam Chetti
O. Thanikachalam Chetti was an Indian lawyer and politician who is considered to be one of the pioneers of the Dravidian Movement.- Early life :...
severely censured the police for the measures they adopted. The main reason was the fact that the police was under the control of the Governor and the government was looking for an opportunity to harass the executive. Another probable reason was that the striking workers had the caste sympathies of the Justice Party Government whose ministers and chief whips were caste Hindus like themselves.
The Justice Party leaders were extremely vociferous in their attacks on Dalits and the Labour Department. Their views were endorsed by the Raja of Panagal who joined Thanickachalam Chetti in admonishing the Dalits. The party's organ Justice blamed the riots on the "pampering" of Dalits by the Labour Department. M. C. Rajah
M. C. Rajah
Rao Bahadur Mylai Chinna Thambi Pillai Rajah was a Dalit politician, social and political activist from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu....
, the leader of the Dalits in the Justice Party, in turn, retorted by describing the criticism of Dalits by Justice Party members as "the high-handed poisonous action of members of a party who after inflicting all known and unknown injury on our community shed crocodile tears and pose as friends of the Depressed classes". Though the B & C mills strike was eventually settled through the mediation of C. Natesa Mudaliar
C. Natesa Mudaliar
C. Natesa Mudaliar , also known as Natesan, was a politician and activist of the Dravidian Movement from the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He was one of the founders of the Justice Party along with Theagaroya Chetty and Dr. T. M. Nair....
, the communal riots which had accompanied it estranged Dalits from the Justice Party. and was one of the reasons for Rajah quitting the party at a later stage.
Second general elections
Polling for the second general elections in the Madras Presidency began on September 11, 1923. However, owing to heavy rains, polling was not completed until November 10. Though the Justice Party returned to power, its majority had been considerably reduced. Observers attribute this decline in performance to the rift between the TamilTamil people
Tamil people , also called Tamils or Tamilians, are an ethnic group native to Tamil Nadu, India and the north-eastern region of Sri Lanka. Historic and post 15th century emigrant communities are also found across the world, notably Malaysia, Singapore, Mauritius, South Africa, Australia, Canada,...
and Telugu
Telugu people
The Telugu people or Telugu Prajalu are an ethnic group of India. They are the native speakers of the Telugu language, the most commonly spoken language in India after Hindi and Bengali...
members of the Justice party. Ramarayaningar assumed office as Chief Minister on November 19, 1923 and retained the same Cabinet with one change – K. V. Reddi Naidu
Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu
Rao Bahadur Sir Kurma Venkata Reddy Naidu KCSI was an Indian lawyer, professor, politician and Justice Party leader who served as the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from April 1, 1937 to July 14, 1937...
, the Minister of Development was replaced with T. N. Sivagnanam Pillai
T. N. Sivagnanam Pillai
Diwan Bahadur Sir Tinnevely Nelliappa Sivagnanam Pillai was an Indian lawyer, civil servant and politician from the Madras Presidency. He belonged to the Justice Party...
. In 1923, the British government bestowed upon Ramarayaningar, the honorific title of "Raja of Panagal".
No-confidence motion
In 1923, a few prominent members of the Justice Party broke off to form the United Nationalist Party and projected themselves as "DemocratsDemocracy
Democracy is generally defined as a form of government in which all adult citizens have an equal say in the decisions that affect their lives. Ideally, this includes equal participation in the proposal, development and passage of legislation into law...
". The dissidents were led by C. R. Reddy, a leader of the Justice Party, who complained of the dictatorial rule of the Raja and his insensitive, unimaginative policies. On November 27, 1923, a no-confidence motion was introduced against the government of the Raja of Panagal. The no-confidence motion was defeated by a margin of 65 votes to 44.
Reforms
Ramarayaningar introduced a number of reforms during his tenure as Chief Minister.Hindu Religious Endowments Bill
In 1921, the Raja of Panagal introduced the Hindu Religious Endowments Bill. As per this bill, trusts were established to maintain temple funds and given complete power over the administration of temples. This act evoked severe protests from some sections of the assembly which felt that this was an intrusion in the religious affairs of the populace. However, the Shankaracharya of Kanchi gave his support to the bill even while expressing his concern over some of its provisions.
Madras State Aid to Industries Act
In 1922, the Madras State Aid to Industries Act was passed. Through this act, the government made it a state policy to advance loans to developing industries. It received less opposition in the assembly. This eventually became Madras Act V of 1923.
Educational reforms
The Madras University Act was passed in the year 1923. The bill was introduced by Education Minister Sir A. P. Patro. As per the provisions of this bill, the governing body of the Madras University was completely reorganized on democratic lines. The bill asserted that the governing body would henceforth be headed by a Chancellor who would be assisted by a pro-Chancellor who was usually the Minister of Education. Apart from the Chancellor and the pro-Chancellor who were elected, there was to be a Vice-Chancellor appointed by the Chancellor. In 1925, the Andhra University Act was passed which included similar reforms in Andhra University.
However, the tenure of the Justice Party government of the Raja of Panagal is largely remembered for the introduction of caste-based reservations in 1921. In August 1921, the First communal Government Order (G.O. No.613) was passed. As per the order, 44 percent of jobs were reserved for non-Brahmins, 16 percent for Brahmins, 16 percent for Muslims, 16 percent for Anglo-Indians and Christians and eight percent for the Scheduled Castes.
In 1923, M. C. Rajah, a Justice Party leader from the Dalit
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...
community protested against the government order arguing that the act did not guarantee adequate representation of Dalits who he felt deserved 30% reservation in the administration and the services. When the Justice Party failed to respond, he resigned from the primary membership of the party.
Dr. Gour's Bill
Dr. Gour's Bill, introduced in 1921, brought about an amendment in the Special Marriages Act, sanctioning the legal validity of inter-caste marriages.
Municipal development
The rapid growth of the population of Madras necessitated the expansion of the city and the creation of more residential colonies. In order to fulfill this requirement, the Madras Town Planning Act of 1920 had been passed on September 7, 1920 before the dyarchy was established. As per the provisions of this Act, numerous town planning measures were taken during the tenure of the Raja of Panagal. The 5 km (3.1 mi) long and 2 km (1.2 mi) broad Long Tank, which extended from Nungambakkam
Nungambakkam
Nungambakkam is one of the wealthiest localities in the heart of Chennai, India's fourth largest metropolitan city. The neighborhood is abound with multi-national commercial establishments, important government offices, foreign consulates, sprawling educational institutions, shopping malls,...
to Saidapet
Saidapet
Saidapet is an important neighbourhood in Chennai , India. The Saidapet Court, the only other court of judicature in Chennai city apart from the Madras High Court and the Saidapet bus depot are located here...
, forming an arc along the city's western frontier, was drained out in 1923. The development of the tract to the west of the Long Tank had been initiated by the British Government in 1911 with the construction of a railway station at the village of Marmalan or Mambalam
Mambalam
Mambalam is a working class residential and commercial area in the heart of Chennai , India. It is best known for its shops, bazaars and Hindu temples. It is bounded by Kodambakkam to the north and Saidapet to the south. T. Nagar and Nandanam stretch all along its eastern frontiers while K. K....
. Following the draining out of the Long Tank, the Justice Party government of the Raja of Panagal conceived the creation of a residential colony adjoining this little village.
The residential colony was named Theagaroya Nagar
T. Nagar
Theagaraya Nagar , popularly known by its abbreviated form T. Nagar, is a neighbourhood in the city of Chennai, India. Though originally conceived as a residential locality, it is presently one of the principal shopping districts of the city....
after Justice Party stalwart Sir Pitti Theagaroya Chetty
Theagaroya Chetty
Sir Pitti Theagaraya Chetty KCSI was an eminent lawyer, industrialist and a prominent political leader from the erstwhile Madras province. He was one of the founders of the Justice Party in 1916 along with C. Natesa Mudaliar, Dr. T. M. Nair...
, who had died shortly before the township was inaugurated, and was centred around a park named Panagal Park
Panagal Park
Panagal Park is a park and a locality in T Nagar, Chennai. The park is named after the Raja of Panagal, the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency who created the park. It is an important junction and is the commercial centre of T Nagar....
after the Raja of Panagal. The streets in this new locality were named after prominent members of the Justice Party or officials in the municipal administration.
Other reforms
The Raja of Panagal reorganised the Public Works Department in the Presidency, improved medical facilities, water supply and communications in rural areas and patronized Siddha
Siddha
A Siddha सिद्ध in Sanskrit means "one who is accomplished" and refers to perfected masters who, according to Hindu belief, have transcended the ahamkara , have subdued their minds to be subservient to their Awareness, and have transformed their bodies into a different kind of body dominated by...
medicine. Sir Muhammed Usman
Mohammad Usman of Madras
Khan Bahadur Sir Mohammad Usman, KCSI, KCIE, Kt was an Indian politician, hakim and socialite who served as the Minister of Home for the Madras Presidency in the Justice Party government of the Raja of Bobbili and as the acting Governor of Madras from May 16, 1934 to August 16, 1934...
, later minister in the government of the Raja of Bobbili was appointed Secretary of the Committee on siddha medicine.
He also sponsored endowments to the University of Madras to produce scientific literature in Telugu.
As President of the Justice Party
Theagaroya Chetty, the founder-President of the Justice Party died in 1925 and the Raja, then Chief Minister of Madras succeeded Chetty as the second President of the Justice Party. The Raja served as the President of the party until his death in 1928.| Performance of the Justice Party during the tenure of the Raja of Panagal | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Assembly elections | Seats in Madras Assembly | Assembly Seats won by the Justice Party | Total number of Council seats | Number of Justice Party members nominated to the council | Result | Party President | Office held by Ramarayaningar |
| 1920 | 98 | 63 | 29 | 18 | Won | Sir P. Theagaroya Chetty | Took office as Minister of Local Self-Government |
| 1923 | 98 | 44 | 29 | 17 | Won | Sir P. Theagaroya Chetty | Re-elected as Chief Minister of Madras Presidency |
| 1926 | 98 | 21 | 34 | 0 | Lost | Raja of Panagal | Resigned as Chief Minister of Madras Presidency |
| Source: Encyclopaedia of Political Parties | |||||||
Later years
Ramarayaningar was made a Knight Commander of the Order of the Indian EmpireOrder of the Indian Empire
The Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire is an order of chivalry founded by Queen Victoria in 1878. The Order includes members of three classes:#Knight Grand Commander #Knight Commander #Companion...
on June 5, 1926. In the Assembly elections which took place on November 8, 1926, no party was able to get a clean majority. The Swarajya Party won 41 of the 98 seats and emerged as the single largest party while the Justice party won 21. The Raja resigned as the Chief Minister of the Presidency as the popular verdict appeared to be against the Justice Party. As no party had a clean majority and the Swarajya Party which was the single largest party in the assembly was reluctant to form the government, the Governor appointed P. Subbarayan
P. Subbarayan
Paramasiva Subbarayan was an Indian politician, freedom fighter and diplomat and was the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency, India's ambassador to Indonesia and Union Minister of Transport and Communications in Jawaharlal Nehru's government. He is the father of General P. P...
as the independent Chief Minister and nominated 34 members to the Council to support him.
In 1927, the Simon Commission
Simon Commission
The Indian Statutory Commission was a group of seven British Members of Parliament that had been dispatched to India in 1927 to study constitutional reform in Britain's most important colonial dependency. It was commonly referred to as the Simon Commission after its chairman, Sir John Simon...
which was appointed to report on the working of the progress of the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms landed in India. The Swarajya Party moved a resolution to boycott the Commission and this was passed 61 to 50 with 12 remaining neutral. The Justice Party and the Swarajists supported the resolution while the Chief Minister P. Subbarayan
P. Subbarayan
Paramasiva Subbarayan was an Indian politician, freedom fighter and diplomat and was the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency, India's ambassador to Indonesia and Union Minister of Transport and Communications in Jawaharlal Nehru's government. He is the father of General P. P...
opposed it and requested his ministers to resign. However, Lord Goschen
George Goschen, 2nd Viscount Goschen
George Joachim Goschen, 2nd Viscount Goschen GCSI GCIE CBE VD PC was a British politician who served as Member of Parliament for East Grinstead from 1895 to 1906 and as Governor of Madras from 1924 to 1929....
, the Governor, was able to obtain the support of the Raja of Panagal by making a Justice Party member, M. Krishnan Nair
M. Krishnan Nair (politician)
Diwan Bahadur Sir Mannath Krishnan Nair KCIE was an Indian politician from the Indian National Congress and later, Justice Party who served as a member of the Madras Legislative Council and later, executive council of the Governor of Madras...
, a Cabinet minister. Led by the Raja of Panagal, the Justice Party switched sides and lent its support to the Subbarayan government. Soon afterwards, the Justice Party passed a resolution welcoming the Simon Commission. The Simon Commission visited Madras on February 28, 1928 and February 18, 1929 and was boycotted by the Swarajya Party and the Indian National Congress. However, the Justicites and the Subbarayan Government accorded the Commission a warm reception.
Death and legacy
Ramarayaningar died on December 16, 1928 of influenza. He was succeeded as the President of the Justice Party by P. Munuswamy NaiduP. Munuswamy Naidu
Bollini Munuswamy Naidu was the Chief Minister of Madras Presidency from October 27, 1930 to November 4, 1932. He was conferred 'Diwan Bahadur' by British Government....
. On his death, leading newspapers and magazines poured accolades on him. S. Srinivasa Iyengar, a political opponent of the Raja, said of him:
The Hindu
The Hindu
The Hindu is an Indian English-language daily newspaper founded and continuously published in Chennai since 1878. According to the Audit Bureau of Circulations, it has a circulation of 1.46 million copies as of December 2009. The enterprise employed over 1,600 workers and gross income reached $40...
paid rich tributes to the Raja:
The Justice Party began to decline with the death of the Raja of Panagal. The lack of efficient leadership in the party is regarded as the main reason for its decline.
Ideology
Despite his aristocratic birth, Ramarayaningar was known for his egalitarian views. Despite the fact that he was regarded as a communalist and anti-Brahmin, he nominated a Brahmin, Sadasiva Iyer as the Commissioner of the Hindu Religious Endowment Board.Ramarayaningar, however, strongly opposed what he perceived as the monopolisation of education by Brahmins. On being interviewed by Katherine Mayo, he responded:
See also
- Dravidian movement