Tamil Nadu Students Challenge State & Centre

By S. Sivathasan –January 27, 2017

S. Sivathasan

“When it concerns our revered Motherland
We shall no longer wring our impotent hands”- Bharathi

The eruption in Tamil Nadu had assumed volcanic proportions last week. Even as it was scoring an epic victory, it was throttled at the neck before it could reach the vent and spew out it’s molten lava. Yet history was made in the legislative Assembly by the Tamils, with students in the forefront, populace in support and the legislators in tow. At the sensible insistence of the students and the youth the state and centre acted responsively and enacted the desired legislation. This was an act of political triumph.

Over Two Million Demonstrators

A vast concourse of students, adults and children assembled in 132 locations across the whole state was unprecedented. They numbered over 2 million and Chennai Marina alone accounted for 1 million. Commitment to a cause – demand for legal recognition of their rights by Centre and State – brought them together. Peaceable protest and orderly demonstration were their weapons of choice. With food and drinks given liberally by the community as a gesture of participation and support, crowds swelled by the day. In a show of persistence, they stayed put for 6 consecutive days.

Purpose Driven Discipline

Did Tamil Nadu see a surge of the students in anger and wrath with verve and determination for a mere prosaic Jallikattu – embracing the youthful bulls? That would be to look at a pointed finger but failing to see the direction. The Tamil nation knew the underlying reason and India admired the motivation, depth of feeling, gigantic organization and self-discipline. In passing it may be said social media had placed in their hands, modern instruments for facile communication and an unprecedented phenomenon was seen.

On the second day of the protest, as is standard practice lights were cut off at night to sow chaos. A lakh of mobile phones flashed instantly and lit up the Marina. There wasn’t a single instance of hurt for a man, woman, girl or child. In keeping with national programme of ‘Neat India’, garbage accumulating at 100 tons a day at the Marina was cleared by volunteers without a break. All these acts won the admiration of the Indian polity.

A view of the Marina with its protesters

Clear Direction

All for what? To secure a worthwhile objective. Among protests and demonstrations in Tamil Nadu since independence, three stand out in scale, intensity and result orientation. They are: 1) Anti – Hindi agitation of January 1965, which resulted in a regime change from Congress to DMK in1967. The change secured the language demands of Tamils through a legislative amendment in December 1967 for “virtual indefinite policy of bilingualism” ie use of English and Hindi in official transactions. 2) Students in Ferment of March 2013, which galvanized the youth and 3) The Student Movement of January 2017, which brought in the desired legislation to the statute book, in respect of Jallikattu.

Such developments were in the logic of progress and were foreseen. In an article – ‘Tamil Nadu in Ferment’ – published in the Colombo Telegraph of April 13, 2013 this writer said “The significance of the struggle defines an altogether new political direction in the state. The change in its incipient stage as of now portends great challenges to Delhi”. In the week following Thai Pongal, Tamil Nadu was constrained to enact legislation to sanction Jallikattu. Delhi sensed the dead heat of Chennai Marina and responded proactively.

In the march of time, a journey is continuous. This writer added further in that article, “The groundwork is laid for a new forceful formation to emerge. It will not raise plaintive cries to Delhi. A new equilibrium is in the making and fresh bearings have to be taken therefrom.” This shift has come to pass and Delhi has been challenged not with a plaintiff plea but with an aggressive demand. The very sequence of events and the supersonic speed with which the legislative arrangements were executed have left many an Indian citizen aghast.

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