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V. Gopalsamy (Template:Lang-ta) also known as Vaiko, is a prominent politician in Tamil Nadu, in south India.

Born in Kallingappatti, Distt. Tirunelveli (Tamil Nadu) in 1944. He is the founder of the MDMK, a political party that espouses the cause of the Tamil people and Tamil nationalism. He is a well known orator, known for his fiery political speeches. He embraced the Tamil nation and championed its cause.

Political Career

Vaiko was formerly seen as the ideological protege of DMK co-founder and present Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi. He was admired and loved by the rank and file, particularly the youth of the DMK. Unable to tolerate the growing popularity of Mr Vaiko among the cadres and masses, Dr. Karunanidhi, who was nurturing his son to make him as his political heir, hatched a conspiracy and framed diabolical charges against Vaiko, as if he plotted with LTTE, to liquidate Karunanidhi. He expelled Vaiko from the party. Opposing this despotic decision, five of the puppet DMK cadres committed self-immolation (the only self-expression they are capable of) and sacrificed their lives. Out of this meaningless sacrifice, MDMK was founded by Vaiko on 6th May 1994.

Vaiko is well-known for his unequivocal support for the LTTE, a fascist organisation that deploys children in warfare and other organizations fighting for Tamil nationhood in Sri Lanka. Since the LTTE is legally a banned terrorist organization in India, and it is illegal to publicly support it ideologically or financially, Vaiko has often been at odds with the law. In 2001, Vaiko was arrested by the Government of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at that time, J. Jayalalitha, for making a speech supporting the LTTE, under a controversial law called Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act (POTA). Vaiko refused to back down, and spent 19 months in prison. It is interesting that his party, the MDMK, was a member of the ruling coalition at that time. It is also intriguing that Vaiko and MDMK are now back in the fold of the same entity that threw him in prison.

In the following election in 2004, the MDMK split from the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance that it was part of since 1999, and joined a coalition led by the Indian National Congress. After an emphatic win in the polls, and the subsequent repeal of POTA, Vaiko was released from prison. He is currently actively engaged in strengthening his party and preparing for the next Tamil Nadu Assembly elections for which he has left the alliance with Indian national Congress and has joined All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led by J. Jayalalitha. But AIADMK alliance lost in the 2006 Assembly elections and Vaiko's party could get only 6 seats.

Vaiko has never sought the post of a minister, though he was as instrumental in being the appropriately minister maker making his colleagues cabinet ministers and minsters of state.

Vaiko started a blood donors club which is run by the MDMK party with the name Blood Donors' Club. Till date, more than 80,000 units of blood has been donated to the poor people. Here is the example of the Club's work.

Vaiko launched a 3 day tank desilting program in his Village, with the participation of villagers. Along with the villagers, he took clay soil in baskets and loaded it in tractors when the work began under the scorching sun. More about Tank Desilting Program.

MDMK is known for its commitment to peace and non-violence. Even when Vaiko was arrested, MDMK cadres fought patiently without creating any riots and disturbance to the people. An interesting event that happened in 1992 during the rally against DMK and Stalin, an MDMK cadre threw a stone on a public transport bus, immediately Vaiko caught him and sent him back to the village, after removing him from his party, at the same spot.

Vaiko stated in a public speech on Aug 21,2006 "Not all youth will be patient like Vaiko and MDMK cadres. Don't convert Tamil Nadu into another Kashmir, by giving arms to the Srilankan Army." The senior Congress leader Peter Alphonse rephrased this statement as "Vaiko said, 'A Kashmir will be created down south if the Eelam Tamils (Sri Lankan Tamils) suffer'" and brought this issue in Tamil Nadu assembly, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister corrected Alphonse that, Vaiko didn't say what Alphonse said and gave the correct statement again. He referred to the assassination of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi by LTTE and asked know "how long will this (public demonstration of sympathy for the Eelam) be allowed?" The chief minister Karunanidhi responded, "Whosoever speaks, threatening the integrity and sovereignty of the country will be dealt with according to the provisions of the law".

In Dec'2006 Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Vaiko has "temporarily" relieved the party's presidium chairman L. Ganesan and deputy general secretary Gingee N. Ramachandran of all posts and responsibilities for indulging in "anti-party activities."

Detention

Vaiko has suffered detention of four years, the longest period of imprisonment among the dravidian leaders. He has undergone padayatra for 4000 km in Tamilnadu, to establish communal harmony, to prevent caste clashes and to create awakening for the interlinking of inter state rivers in India. He commands affection and respect in the hearts and minds of the Tamils all over the world, particularly the Eelam Tamils. He is also a prolific writer. The book he wrote, From the Portals of a Prison', was released by the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh, who paid richest encomium and tributes to Vaiko.

Book on Obama

Vaiko is writing a book called "Yes, We Can" on Obama, US presidential candidate. On 12 July 2008, he met Obama during a brief meeting in Chicago and described to him about the book.^[1]

References

^ MDMK leader Vaiko meets Obama

External links

Mr.V.Gopalsamy (vaiko), General Secretary of MDMK Official Web site
Official website of MDMK
Online version of Sangoli (weekly) Official magazine of MDMK party.

[1] MDMK leader Vaiko meets Obama

[1]

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 == Political Career ==
-Vaiko was formerly seen as the ideological protege of [[DMK]] co-founder and present [[Chief Minister]] of Tamil Nadu, [[M. Karunanidhi]]. He was admired and loved by the rank and file, particularly the youth of the DMK. Unable to tolerate the growing popularity of Mr Vaiko among the cadres and masses, Dr. Karunanidhi, who was nurturing his son to make him as his political heir, hatched a conspiracy and framed diabolical charges against Vaiko, as if he plotted with LTTE, to liquidate Karunanidhi. He expelled Vaiko from the party. Opposing this despotic decision, five of the DMK cadres committed self-immolation and sacrificed their lives. Out of this sacrifice, MDMK was founded by Vaiko on 6th May 1994.
+Vaiko was formerly seen as the ideological protege of [[DMK]] co-founder and present [[Chief Minister]] of Tamil Nadu, [[M. Karunanidhi]]. He was admired and loved by the rank and file, particularly the youth of the DMK. Unable to tolerate the growing popularity of Mr Vaiko among the cadres and masses, Dr. Karunanidhi, who was nurturing his son to make him as his political heir, hatched a conspiracy and framed diabolical charges against Vaiko, as if he plotted with LTTE, to liquidate Karunanidhi. He expelled Vaiko from the party. Opposing this despotic decision, five of the puppet DMK cadres committed self-immolation (the only self-expression they are capable of) and sacrificed their lives. Out of this meaningless sacrifice, MDMK was founded by Vaiko on 6th May 1994.
-Vaiko is well-known for his unequivocal support for the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam|LTTE]] and other organizations fighting for Tamil nationhood in [[Sri Lanka]]. Since the LTTE is legally a banned terrorist organization in India, and it is illegal to publicly support it ideologically or financially, Vaiko has often been at odds with the law. In 2001, Vaiko was arrested by the Government of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at that time, [[J. Jayalalitha]], for making a speech supporting the LTTE, under a controversial law called [[Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act]] (POTA). Vaiko refused to back down, and spent 19 months in prison. It is interesting that his party, the MDMK, was a member of the ruling coalition at that time.
+Vaiko is well-known for his unequivocal support for the [[Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam|LTTE]], a fascist organisation that deploys children in warfare and other organizations fighting for Tamil nationhood in [[Sri Lanka]]. Since the LTTE is legally a banned terrorist organization in India, and it is illegal to publicly support it ideologically or financially, Vaiko has often been at odds with the law. In 2001, Vaiko was arrested by the Government of the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu at that time, [[J. Jayalalitha]], for making a speech supporting the LTTE, under a controversial law called [[Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act]] (POTA). Vaiko refused to back down, and spent 19 months in prison. It is interesting that his party, the MDMK, was a member of the ruling coalition at that time.  It is also intriguing that Vaiko and MDMK are now back in the fold of the same entity that threw him in prison.
 In the following election in 2004, the MDMK split from the [[BJP]]-led [[National Democratic Alliance]] that it was part of since 1999, and joined a coalition led by the [[Indian National Congress]]. After an emphatic win in the polls, and the subsequent repeal of POTA, Vaiko was released from prison. He is currently actively engaged in strengthening his party and preparing for the next [[Tamil Nadu Assembly]] elections for which he has left the alliance with Indian national Congress and has joined [[All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam]] led by J. Jayalalitha. But AIADMK alliance lost in the 2006 Assembly elections and Vaiko's party could get only 6 seats.