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Vaiko

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Vaiko
File:UK Vaiko speech.jpg
Born
Vai Gopalsamy

22 May 1944
Kalingapatty, Tirunelveli district, India
NationalityIndian
Occupationprominent politician in Tamil Nadu
Political partyMarumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK)
WebsiteMDMK.org.in

Vai Gopalsamy (Tamil: வை. கோபால்சாமி), popularly known as Vaiko (Tamil: வைகோ), is a prominent politician in Tamil Nadu, in south India. He was born in Kalingapatty, Tirunelveli district, Madras Presidency, in 1944 to a Telugu speaking Kamma Naidu family who descended from the Nayaks of Gandikota.His origin is not clarified in the links provided. While he could be a Kamma there is no evidence that proves his quoted antecedents.[1][2][3] He is the founder of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), 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 organization in 32 countries including India, and 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.[4]

Political career

Vaiko was formerly seen as the ideological protege of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M. Karunanidhi. He entered the Rajya Sabha in 1978 and has been member of the Upper House for three terms. He has also been elected to the Lok Sabha twice.[5]. He was praised by many notable parliamentarians such as, Atal Bihari Vajpayee, L. K. Advani are among the few. Vaiko's thundering speech on the need for a separate land for Tamils, melted the heart of then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, who promised him that necessary action would be taken.

Around 1990s, Vaiko became very popular among the DMK cadres for his clean image, fore-thoughts, vision, efficient oration and self-disciplined character.

In 1993 Vaiko started MDMK . Later on, changing political circumstances didn't give proper changes to Vaiko's political fortune. Irrespective of his political ups and downs

Positions Held

1978-96 Member, Rajya Sabha (three terms)

1982-84 Member, Railway Convention Committee (two terms)

1983-84 Member, Committee on the Welfare of Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes

1986-87 Member, Committee on Petitions

Member, Committee on Papers Laid on the Table

1994 General-Secretary, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (M.D.M.K.)

1998-99 Member, Committee on External Affairs and its Sub-Committee-I Member, Consultative Committee, Ministry of Industry

1999 Re-elected to 13th Lok Sabha (2nd term) Leader, Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Parliamentary Party, Lok Sabha

1999-2000 Member, Committee of Privileges Member, Committee on Defence Member, Committee on Science and Technology, Environment and Forests

2000-2001 Member, Committee on Ethics

Parliament

Vaiko was a sitting member in the Rajya Sabha for 18 years continuously when he became a prominent second leader of the party. He was known as the "Tiger of Parliament" among the other MPs in appreciation of his good manners in the Parliament.

Praises

Vaiko is among the few who always come forward to convey some issue of great national importance or the other relating to the common man, the aam aadmi; to discuss issues affecting the lives of our people and the affairs of state. He always thinks of the welfare of his people.[6]

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.[7] In 2002, he was arrested by the Government of Tamil Nadu, when J. Jayalalithaa was the chief minister, for making a speech supporting the LTTE, under the controversial POTA,[8] and spent 18 months in prison.[9] After the end of the Sri Lankan Civil War he stated that India should retract its ban on the LTTE, claiming the ban was "a shield to suppress freedom of expression and stifle the voice of the Opposition".[10] He and his party still urge lifting the ban on LTTE as unjust.[11].

Arrests

In the 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.[12] He contested the 2006 assembly elections with All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam led by J. Jayalalitha.[13]

In 2008, the 'Q' Branch of the CID of the Tamil Nadu police arrested Vaiko on charges of sedition.[14] The MDMK presidium chairman and former Union Minister, Kannappan, was also arrested on the same charges.[14] 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 21 October 2008.[14] Vaiko warned that helping Sri Lanka would hurt India and added that he would be willing to fight for the Tamils in Sri Lanka.[14] The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam General Secretary Jayalalithaa described the arrests as political revenge.[14] After 14 days in judicial custody, Vaiko and Kannappan were released.[15]

Other Information

Won:

  • Gold Medal in Economics and Best Speaker award in St. Xavier’s College, 1964;
  • First Prize in Inter-Collegiate-Tamil Oratorical Competitions, 1964-65 and 1965-66, representing Presidency College, Madras;
  • First-Prize-Silver Cup in Inter-Collegiate Elocution Competition conducted by Madras City Police to celebrate Road Safety Week in 1965;
  • Best Orator Award in Law College, Madras,1969;

Detained:

  • Under MISA from 1 February, 1976 to 2 February, 1977; and
  • Again for 40 days for organising Black Flag Demonstration against Late Smt. Indira Gandhi’s visit to Tamil Nadu, October, 1977;

Jailed:

  • Four times, during 1978-81 for peaceful demonstrations and picketing against Tamil Nadu State Government;
  • Four times during 1982-83 for organising Volunteer Camps of DMK;
  • Three times during 1984-86 for participation in agitation against the State Government;
  • During 1986-87 for anti-Hindi agitation;

Other Posts Held:

  • Presidency College Victoria Hostel Tamil Association, 1965-66;
  • Land Development Bank, Kuruvikulam, 1971-75;
  • M.D.K. Co-operative Supervisors’ Training Institute, 1971-76;
  • President, District Central Cooperative Bank;
  • President - Panchayat Union, Kuruvikulam, Tirunelveli District, 1970-76;
  • President - Tirunelveli District Co-operative CentralBank
  • 1972-73; Propaganda-Secretary, DMK Party for Tirunelveli and Kanyakumari districts,
  • 1977-79; Secretary, Election Campaign, DMK headquarters, 1983;
  • Convenor, Dr. Karunanidhi Voluntary Blood Donors’ Association, Tirunelveli;
  • Organiser, Youth Forums; and State Joint Organiser, DMK Students wing, 1970

Social work

In 2005, Vaiko started the Marumalarchi Blood Donors' Club.[16]

He launched a three-day Tank Desilting Program in his village with the participation of villagers.[17] He has undergone a month long padayatra in Tamil Nadu for the interlinking of inter state rivers in India.[18]

During the Paramakudi violence in September 2011, he visited the hospital to see the injured. He saw a 19-year-old boy injured in police firing and admitted the boy to a hospital.[19]

Life saver

India has the highest number of road accidents in the world.[20] Within India, according to the Government of India report, Tamil Nadu is among the top three states with highest number of road accidents, deaths and injuries.[21] One of the reasons for high death rates is the poor infrastructure to take the injured to the hospitals, and most people are afraid to get themselves involved in helping the injured. In many incidents, even the cops, district collectors and ministers present at the spot don't try to help the injured. In an incident, the ministers of Tamil Nadu didn't even get down from their cars.[22] Contrast to that, when Vaiko notices any accident on his trip, he gets down, and many times, admits the injured to the nearest hospital in his car. Some incidents in the recent times include, Vaiko saved two accident victims in Madurai [23][24][25]

In another incident, a car hit a truck carrying Gas cylinder, in which the diesel tank of the truck got damaged and the diesel started leaking. Due to fear of explosion, people around stayed far without trying to help the victims. Vaiko was travelling in the road, on seeing this accident, rescued the only survivor, a 14 year old, and admitted him at the nearest hospital. The doctor's informed Vaiko that since the kid suffered brain injury, he must be taken to a multi-specialty hospital in Chennai, and Vaiko made the arrangements for the treatment in Apollo and arranged the ambulance for transferring. [26]

References

  1. ^ Vaiko keen to keep votebank[dead link]
  2. ^ Interview with Vaiko
  3. ^ http://www.uyirmmai.com/Uyirosai/ContentDetails.aspx?cid=1206 (in Tamil)
  4. ^ http://www.asianage.com/presentation/leftnavigation/news/india/vaiko-arrested-for-sedition.aspx [dead link]
  5. ^ Interview with Vaiko
  6. ^ PM's remarks on release of book by Vaiko "From the Portals of a Prison"
  7. ^ 'Indians must celebrate if Jaffna falls'
  8. ^ Vaiko arrested from Chennai airport[dead link]
  9. ^ Vaiko released from prison
  10. ^ No justification for extending ban on LTTE, says Vaiko The Hindu - September 27, 2010
  11. ^ Lift ban on LTTE, demand MDMK lawyers
  12. ^ Unfolding political alliances in Tamil Nadu
  13. ^ MDMK inks pact with AIADMK, gets 35 seats[dead link]
  14. ^ a b c d e Kumar, S. Vijay (24 October 2008). "Vaiko arrested on charges of sedition". The Hindu. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  15. ^ http://www.ptinews.com/pti%5Cptisite.nsf/0/964B5450510EE02D652574F90048007E?OpenDocument [dead link]
  16. ^ "Marumalarchi blood donors save boy's life". The Hindu. 23 February 2006. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
  17. ^ More about Tank Desilting Program
  18. ^ Padayatra boosted MDMK's image: Vaiko
  19. ^ The Hindu september13,2011
  20. ^ India has the highest number of road accidents in the world
  21. ^ Road Accidents in India
  22. ^ Policeman attacked on road, ministers stare from cars, don't help
  23. ^ விபத்தில் சிக்கியோரை காப்பாற்றிய வைகோ
  24. ^ Vaiko's timely help saves youth’s life
  25. ^ Good Samaritan Vaiko helps accident victims
  26. ^ http://nagoori.files.wordpress.com/2012/09/chidhambaram-accident-2.jpg
Wikiquote has quotations related to Vaiko.


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