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Vaiko

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V. Gopalsamy (Tamil: வை. கோபாலசாமி), also known as Vaiko, is a prominent politician in Tamil Nadu, in south India. He was born in Kallingappatti, Tirunelveli district in Tamil Nadu in 1944. He is the founder of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, a political party that espouses the cause of the Tamil people and Tamil nationalism. He is known to be a supporter of the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) which is banned as a terrorist organisation in 32 countries including India, as a result he was arrested under the Prevention of Terrorist Activities Act (POTA) in 2002 and once-again on 23 October 2008 for sedition [1].

Political career

Vaiko was formerly seen as the ideological protege of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) co-founder and present Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi. He formed the MDMK in 1993 after he was expelled from the DMK because of his popularity in the party thereby threatening Karunanidhi's son Stalin's position.[2]


Political views

He is well-known for his unequivocal support for the banned LTTE and other organizations fighting for a separate Tamil state in Sri Lanka.[3] In 2002, he was arrested by the Government of Tamil Nadu for making a speech supporting the LTTE, under the controversial POTA[4] and spent 18 months in prison.[5]

Arrests

In the following election in 2004, the MDMK split from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance that it was part of since 1999, and joined a coalition led by the Indian National Congress.[6] After an emphatic win in the polls, and the subsequent repeal of POTA, Vaiko was released from prison.[7] He contested the 2006 assembly elections with All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led by J. Jayalalitha.[8] But AIADMK alliance lost in the 2006 Assembly elections and Vaiko's party could get only 6 seats. However it is worth noting, that before this election, MDMK had not won a single seat in the assembly elections, since it didn't ally with any major party in Tamil Nadu.

In 2008, officials of the ‘Q’ Branch of the CID of the Tamil Nadu police arrested the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) general secretary on charges of sedition. The MDMK presidium chairman and former Union Minister, Kannappan, was also arrested along with Vaiko on the same charges. Both the party leaders were charged under Section 124 (A) IPC ("Whoever brings or attempts to bring in hatred or contempt or excites disaffection towards the government") and Section 13 (1) (b) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 ("Whoever advocates, abets in, advises or incites the commission of any unlawful activity"). The charges stemmed from speeches Vaiko made at a party meeting on the Sri Lankan issue and the government's raids into LTTE-held areas on October 21. He warned that Indian help to protect Sri Lanka’s integrity would jeopardise India’s own unity and integrity. He also added that he would be ready to take up arms and fight for the Tamils in Lanka. Kannappan, on the other hand, warned the Centre not to force Tamils in Tamil Nadu to struggle for a separate country. A general alert had been sounded across Tamil Nadu following the arrest. TN CM Karunanidhi said the law would take its course in this case, saying that whatever happened had occurred as per the letter and spirit of the law. Conversely, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa described both arrests as simple political vendetta.[9] After 14 days in judicial custody Vaiko and Kannappan, arrested on charges of sedition on October 23, were released by a chennai city court following the Tamil Nadu Government's submission that investigations into the charges against them were complete and there was no need for a further remand.[10]

Social work

He ran 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.[11]

He 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.[12] He has undergone a month long padayatra in Tamil Nadu, to establish communal harmony, to prevent caste clashes and to create awakening for the interlinking of inter state rivers in India.[13] He has conducted free medical camps for physically challenged for years and has been instrumental in bringing a welcome change to their lives.

References

  1. ^ http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/news/india/vaiko-arrested-for-sedition.aspx
  2. ^ Hurdles in Tamil Nadu
  3. ^ & raised his voice for the sedhu-samuthram project.'Indians must celebrate if Jaffna falls'
  4. ^ Vaiko arrested from Chennai airport
  5. ^ Vaiko released from prison
  6. ^ Unfolding political alliances in Tamil Nadu
  7. ^ POTA repeal
  8. ^ MDMK inks pact with AIADMK, gets 35 seats
  9. ^ http://www.hindu.com/2008/10/24/stories/2008102458440100.htm
  10. ^ http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/964B5450510EE02D652574F90048007E?OpenDocument
  11. ^ Here is the example of the Club's work
  12. ^ More about Tank Desilting Program
  13. ^ Padayatra boosted MDMK's image: Vaiko
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