K KAMARAJ may have once been the Congress national president, but the wishes that poured in on his birth anniversary on Saturday, cutting across party lines, underlined that the Tamil Nadu leader who had a blow-hot-blow-cold relationship with Indira Gandhi now enjoys renewed importance as a prominent backward voice from the south. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who once accused Indira of insulting Kamaraj, tweeted his birthday wishes for “Thiru K Kamaraj on his Jayanti", calling him “a stalwart who devoted his life to India's development”. “Kamaraj’s emphasis on social empowerment is a guiding force for us all,” Modi said. I pay homage to Thiru K. Kamaraj on his Jayanti. A stalwart who devoted his life to India’s development, his emphasis on social empowerment is a guiding force for us all. We reiterate our commitment to fulfilling his vision towards poverty alleviation and public welfare. — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 15, 2023 As Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Kamaraj – who was awarded the Bharat Ratna posthumously in 1976 - was credited with introducing several pathbreaking measures, including mid-day meals in schools to attract children. The free meal scheme was introduced by Kamaraj in all panchayat- and government-run primary schools in Tamil Nadu back in 1956, in order to improve the children’s nutrition and school attendance. The model was later emulated throughout the country. “We reiterate our commitment to fulfilling his vision towards poverty alleviation and public welfare,” Modi tweeted. Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK chief M K Stalin paid floral tributes to Kamaraj and announced donation of over 1.5 lakh books, which he had received as gifts over time, to public libraries, to mark the occasion. VIDEO | Tamil Nadu CM MK Stalin pays floral tribute to former CM K Kamaraj on his 121st birth anniversary in Chennai. (Source: Third Party) pic.twitter.com/t8aoBzPdhS — Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) July 15, 2023 In his tribute, Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge called Kamaraj one of the tallest leaders of the Independence movement and noted his role in coming up with the concept of mid-day meals in schools. Kharge also tweeted that Kamaraj was “widely admired and loved by the people of Tamil Nadu”. Widely admired and loved by the people of Tamil Nadu, Former Congress President and our inspiration, K. Kamarajar was one of the tallest leaders of the Independence movement. He was the first one to launch the Mid Day Meal scheme which plays a pivotal role in bringing free… pic.twitter.com/Y4Gfn9OzEO — Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) July 15, 2023 Congress President Shri @kharge pays floral tribute to the former Congress President & Bharat Ratna K. Kamaraj on his birth anniversary. pic.twitter.com/oM5h43E0O6 — Congress (@INCIndia) July 15, 2023 Calling him the “architect of modern Tamil Nadu” Congress leader Jairam Ramesh lauded Kamaraj’s “twin commitment to economic growth with social development”. In a tweet, he said: “Today is the birth anniversary of the one and only K Kamaraj, one of the greatest political leaders of the 1950s and 1960s, especially, the architect of modern Tamil Nadu.” Today is the birth anniversary of the one and only K. Kamaraj one of the greatest political leaders of the 1950s and 1960s especially, the architect of modern Tamil Nadu with its twin commitment to economic growth with social development. My colleague A. Gopanna has put… pic.twitter.com/C2sYASjNFM — Jairam Ramesh (@Jairam_Ramesh) July 15, 2023 BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai garlanded Kamaraj’s statue in Chennai and called his reign “the golden age of Tamil Nadu”. “An uneducated genius who, due to poverty, made education common to all the poor children, provided mid-day meals in schools and alleviated the hunger of school children,” Annamalai said in his tribute. His tweet said: “He (Kamaraj) was a kingmaker who created many leaders who sought great positions and had no desire for thrones. With many dams and government enterprises, the reign of Perundalai was the golden age of Tamil Nadu. We praise and worship Karmaveera who opened the eyes of education and kept many generations alive.” எளிய குடும்பப் பின்னணியில் பிறந்து, தமிழகத்தின் தொழிற்புரட்சிக்கு வித்திட்ட ஐயா காமராஜர் பிறந்த தினமான இன்று, @BJP4Tamilnadu சார்பாக, சென்னையில் உள்ள அவரது திருவுருவச் சிலைக்கு மாலை அணிவித்து மரியாதை செலுத்தினோம். வறுமையின் காரணமாக, ஏழை எளிய குழந்தைகளுக்கு எட்டாக் கனியாக இருந்த… pic.twitter.com/SjPfxVG26T — K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) July 15, 2023 The Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan, which has been in constant friction with the state's DMK government, also lauded Kamaraj as “the great visionary nationalist leader and freedom fighter”. “He made immeasurable contributions to India's Independence and gave momentum to social development through his landmark initiatives, especially in education,” the Raj Bhavan tweeted.
