Rationalist DMK breaks free, sits down for temple feasts

Known to be a passionate torchbearer of the rationalist ideologies of Periyar EV Ramasamy Naicker, the Dravidar Kazhagam founder and parent body of the DMK, Karunanidhi, a professed atheist, has little tolerance for partymen indulging in religious rituals or following moodanambikkai superstitious beliefs.

Today, however, he stuck to the long-standing practice, directing his Cabinet members to spread across the city temples and conduct the ritualistic 8216;community feeding8217; on Independence Day.

While his son and the state Local Administration Minister MK Stalin initiated the feast in three temples in the heart of the city, including the Balasubramania Swamy temple, other senior ministers like Ko Si Mani cooperation, Veerapandi Arumugham agriculture, Duraimurugan public works, K Ponmudy higher education and KN Nehru transport were seen barefoot inside pillared temple interiors in and around Chennai.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker, R Avudaiyappan, was also not spared. He was directed to organise a feast for the poor at the popular Kapaleeshwar temple in Mylapore. In fact, all the 29 ministers spent a good part of their day at temples.

Community feeding by state ministers in temples on Independence Day has been in vogue for some years now. But, the practice sits rather uneasily on the DMK, known to rigidly adhere to its rationalistic principles, or at least appearing to do so. While Karunanidhi is known to crack his whip against 8216;8216;religious8217;8217; colleagues, of late the DMK8217;s rationalist image seems to be slipping.

Just a few days after being sworn in to power, Karunanidhi relented to appeals from 8216;Hindu8217; sections that his government8217;s scheme to distribute eggs twice a week should be done so on Mondays and Wednesdays instead of the 8216;8216;auspicious8217;8217; Tuesdays and Fridays.

In May this year, Minister for Cooperation Mani kicked up a storm when he spent a few minutes with the senior Sankaracharya of Kanchi Kamakoti Peetam, Sri Jayendra Saraswathi, prime accused in a murder case.

While Karunanidhi expressed 8216;8216;shock and surprise8217;8217; and said an explanation would be sought from the minister, who even participated in a homam yagna organised by the Sankaracharya at the Mutt in Kumbakonam in Tamil Nadu, which happens to be Mani8217;s constituency, the issue was quietly buried.

During his previous tenure 1996-2001 as chief minister, Karunanidhi was known to be quite unbending when it came to dealing with 8216;8216;religious8217;8217; misdemeanours of his Cabinet and party colleagues. On one occasion Karunanidhi hauled up a minister, Anthiyur Selvaraj, for participating in a religious ritual of walking on burning coals at the famous Bannari Amman temple in Erode district.

Another time, when he saw a former MP, Adi Shanker, sporting a vermillion mark on his forehead, Karunanidhi said he did not expect it from youngsters in the Dravidian movement and regretted that it was 8216;8216;losing its moorings8217;8217;.

However, many of his family members, including his wife Dayalu Aamma and his daughter-in-law, Durga Stalin8217;s wife, are known to be devout and visit temples often.

Known for his 8216;8216;Hindu8217;8217; bashing, Karunanidhi once got into trouble for reportedly calling Hindus 8216;8216;thieves8217;8217;. He hastily clarified that he had merely quoted from a Hindi encyclopedia, published from Varanasi. It defined a Hindu as 8216;8216;cruel, servant and bandit8217;8217;, he said, adding that he chose 8216;8216;to ignore that definition8217;8217;, softening it to mean as 8216;8216;thieves of hearts8217;8217;.