Tamil Arasu Kazhagam
Encyclopedia
Tamil Arasu Kazhagam was an India
n political party founded by M. P. Sivagnanam (Ma. Po. Si) in Tamil Nadu
. It was established as an association in 1946. Its goals were to pressurize the Indian National Congress
Government of the Madras Presidency
to increase the use of Tamil
in administration and education, to create an autonomous Tamil state out of a composite Madras Presidency and to soften the pro-Hindi stance of the Congress. The association was allied with the Congress during 1946-54 and worked against the Dravidian Movement. However, it grew closer to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
(DMK) over time. During 1946-54, Sivagnanam was a member of the Congress. He left the Congress in 1954 and turned the Tamil Arasu Kazhagam into an independent political party. During 1957-60, it was involved in various protests over the drawing of state boundaries
when Andhra Pradesh
split from the composite Madras State. It eventually became a part of DMK's electoral alliance in the 1967 assembly elections. It was also involved in the movements to change the name of the state from Madras State
to Tamil Nadu
and to promote the use of Tamil over Sanskrit
for conducting Archanai (Offerings to God) in Hindu
temples. In the 1967 elections, two candidates of the party (including Sivagnanam) were elected to the assembly contesting under DMK's "Rising Sun" Symbol. The party was also an DMK ally in the 1971 assembly elections. In 1972, it opposed the DMK chief minister M. Karunanidhi
's decision to scrap prohibition laws and switched its allegiance to DMK's splinter group - the M. G. Ramachandran
led Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK). The party did not directly contest in elections after 1971 and Sivagnanam was nominated to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council
in 1972. He remained as the member of the legislative council till its disbandment in 1986. The party stopped functioning after Sivagnanam's death in 1995.
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 political party founded by M. P. Sivagnanam (Ma. Po. Si) in Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
. It was established as an association in 1946. Its goals were to pressurize 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...
Government of the 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...
to increase the use of Tamil
Tamil language
Tamil is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly by Tamil people of the Indian subcontinent. It has official status in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu and in the Indian union territory of Pondicherry. Tamil is also an official language of Sri Lanka and Singapore...
in administration and education, to create an autonomous Tamil state out of a composite Madras Presidency and to soften the pro-Hindi stance of the Congress. The association was allied with the Congress during 1946-54 and worked against the Dravidian Movement. However, it grew closer to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Dravida 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...
(DMK) over time. During 1946-54, Sivagnanam was a member of the Congress. He left the Congress in 1954 and turned the Tamil Arasu Kazhagam into an independent political party. During 1957-60, it was involved in various protests over the drawing of state boundaries
Andhra Pradesh and Madras Alteration of Boundaries Act
Andhra Pradesh and Madras Alteration of Boundaries Act, enacted in 1959 by the Parliament of India under the provisions of article 3 of the constitution, went into with effect from April 1, 1960...
when Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh
Andhra Pradesh , is one of the 28 states of India, situated on the southeastern coast of India. It is India's fourth largest state by area and fifth largest by population. Its capital and largest city by population is Hyderabad.The total GDP of Andhra Pradesh is $100 billion and is ranked third...
split from the composite Madras State. It eventually became a part of DMK's electoral alliance in the 1967 assembly elections. It was also involved in the movements to change the name of the state from 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....
to Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu is one of the 28 states of India. Its capital and largest city is Chennai. Tamil Nadu lies in the southernmost part of the Indian Peninsula and is bordered by the union territory of Pondicherry, and the states of Kerala, Karnataka, and Andhra Pradesh...
and to promote the use of Tamil over 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...
for conducting Archanai (Offerings to God) in Hindu
Hindu
Hindu refers to an identity associated with the philosophical, religious and cultural systems that are indigenous to the Indian subcontinent. As used in the Constitution of India, the word "Hindu" is also attributed to all persons professing any Indian religion...
temples. In the 1967 elections, two candidates of the party (including Sivagnanam) were elected to the assembly contesting under DMK's "Rising Sun" Symbol. The party was also an DMK ally in the 1971 assembly elections. In 1972, it opposed the DMK chief minister M. Karunanidhi
M. Karunanidhi
Muthuvel Karunanidhi is an Indian politician and a former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. He is the head of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam , a Dravidian political party in the state of Tamil Nadu. He has been the leader of the DMK since the death of its founder, C. N...
's decision to scrap prohibition laws and switched its allegiance to DMK's splinter group - the M. G. Ramachandran
M. G. Ramachandran
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran , popularly known by his initials , was an Indian film actor, director, producer and politician....
led Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (ADMK). The party did not directly contest in elections after 1971 and Sivagnanam was nominated to the Tamil Nadu Legislative Council
Madras Legislative Council
Tamil Nadu Legislative Council is the upper house of the bicameral legislature of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It began its existence as Madras Legislative Council, the first provincial legislature for Madras Presidency. It was initially created as an advisory body in 1861, by the British...
in 1972. He remained as the member of the legislative council till its disbandment in 1986. The party stopped functioning after Sivagnanam's death in 1995.