MADURAI: LG…these two initials are very familiar in Tamil Nadu politics and for people of the State. Mr.La.Ganesan, a senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP, is reverently called as “karma yogi” which is a rare description in today’s public life and for those in politics. He is an astute thinker and a pragmatic politician who is respected across the political spectrum in the State for his wisdom and knowledge.
LG is an acclaimed scholar in Tamil, a master in English and a supporter of Hindi. His practical out of veil approach makes people to think because of the substance in his message. From being a revenue department staff to a prominent leader of the RSS and later on to the BJP three decades ago, the thinker from Thanjavur has come a long way. In this interview to ‘Lotus Times’ on April 8th, 2017, Mr.Ganesan narrates incidents in his life, about his passion for Tamil literature, the failure of Dravidian parties and how the people of Tamil Nadu are being taken for a ride through the hollow anti-Hindi campaign language policy.
He wants all to think, learn and decide so that Tamil identity and nationalist thoughts go as a perfect blend without hurting each other. EXCERPTS OF THE DISCUSSION:
“The root for my interest in taking part in literary activities lies with my interest in Tamil language. It started in 80s very casually with what we call ‘andhadhri’ in Tamil which is a casual game in the RSS Thanjavur shaka.. My friend Srikanthan always used to end a song in ‘ya’ and I had to search for ‘ya’ songs for the game. What started as a game among a group of persons took me towards serious literature,” narrates Mr.Ganesan.
From the precincts of the famous Big Temple in Thanjavur, he made it big in public life, in the BJP, in literary circles and through his brainchild Tamil literary forum ‘Portramarai’ (golden lotus). “In those days when I was an employee in revenue department, a group of us would go around the Big Temple on the condition that we will speak only in Tamil and do not utter a single English word. Speaking in Tamil without mixing English words was followed and later on it became a serious pursuit in my life,” the lover of Tamil recalls.
QUESTIONS TO DRAVIDIAN PARTIES:
During his conversation with ‘Lotus Times’, Mr. LG focused on his past and the present journey through Portramarai forum and he had a few pointed questions to the Dravidian parties who falsely claim to be champions of Tamil language and misguiding the people that Tamil is a different race with identity distinctly different from the nation and India. “These Dravidian party politicians and some literary writers who are endorsing their views spoke in Tamil, spoke about Tamil but they did nothing for Tamil development. They did only small things but make big claims. Is it not true,?’ he questions.
When RSS deputed him to do the party work for BJP in 1991, Mr.Ganesan went to Chennai where he took up Tamil promotion work in an organised manner by forming a group of like-minded friends who would discuss on various subjects. After a few years of constant involvement in his passion, the literary forum called ‘Portramrai’ took shape and in naming this too he showed his spirit of nationalism because Portramarai means golden lotus.
“Lotus is our national flower and I believe in oneness. Some Tamil writers try to denigrate our gods and Indian culture and they do it only to satisfy the organisers who conduct literary meetings. But in private and in their heart, they are nationalists. Fearing the Dravidian policy, some writers try to hide their true opinions,” the thinker from Thanjavur points out.
The evolution of Mr.Ganesan’s Portramarai literary organisation created progressive minds and thoughts in Dravidian dominated Tamil Nadu where the word nationalist is looked at with contempt. “Our meetings are meant purely for nationalist minded people, nationalist subjects and invitation is only for nationalists. More than 100 eminent persons from literary field came to my programmes. I personally go to their homes and invite for anniversary functions,” he says happily.
The BJP leader debunked the theory and thoughts of Dravidian political parties because he is well-read and an expert in epic Tamil texts such as Thirukkural, Kamba Ramayanam, Silappadhikaram, Tholkappiam and of course the most prominent works of legendary poet Subramania Bharathiyar.
“In Tamil Nadu, systematically certain theories have been propagated, or rather I would say brain-washed. The Dravidian writers say that Tamils, Tamil Nadu and Tamil are separate from India and nationalism. They also say we don’t have anything to do with other parts of the country claiming they are a different race. I put a challenge to these separate race Dravidian voices to quote a single example from Sangam literature where Tamil was shown as separate from India. Unfortunately literature was used a tool to confuse people and let us all understand that Tamil Nadu, India and nationhood are all one. Though the traditions and practices differed, the core culture is same.”
PEOPLE’S MINDS ARE POISIONED BY THREE:
Mr.LG who is well read in history traced the roots from where the poison of separate race of Tamils came from. In the beginning of 19th century, three English men – Collwell, McCaulay and Max Mueller were in Tamil Nadu. These three persons planted the poison that Tamils are different. Max Mueller was a bit better because he did work in the language. “Coming from the RSS, I said that if there is proof in our literature that Tamil race is different I would even leave the RSS. There was no answer and that shows that our younger generation was poisoned in their minds in the name of Tamil identity. Tamil Nadu and India are not different,” he said.
The blame for this entire Dravidian identity in the name of Tamil, Mr.Ganesan says, lies with the Congress party which first gave the impression of separate identity and it was later on taken over by the Dravidian parties. “I say that a nationalist must love Tamil and protecting our language is protecting nation. Language is identity of our culture and it is not separate from nationalism,” he pointed out.
Mr.Ganesan lamented that the Dravidian politics in Tamil Nadu has only created a generation where our youngsters cannot write Tamil, a generation which read Tamil and now a generation which can’t even speak Tamil. “This is the achievment of Dravidian politics. The DML and AIADMK spoiled our youth’s lives and our intelligent young students are prevented from learning Hindi. I want Tamil Nadu students to learn Hindi and six months is enough,”.
From the forum of Portramarai, Mr.LG’s efforts for Tamil language moved to the next stage called ‘Sangha Palagai’ to discuss in depth about the spirit of oneness and nation where Tamil Nadu is a part of it. Well-researched books will be released soon. A band of 100 young orators will be created through Portramarai mission in Tamil Nadu where nationalist thoughts are central theme and youth with oratorical ability are invited.
Mr.LG’s efforts in the literary field in Tamil Nadu had high impact on the way of thinking and pursuits. What was started a decade ago, Portramarai brought together nationalist Tamils and these men of letters are removing the misconceptions.
“I am adjusting my time now for parliamentary work and Tamil literature passion. The work will continue and our appeal to the youth of Tamil Nadu from the BJP is to learn Hindi voluntarily. But, definitely a day will come in Tamil Nadu when people will agitate for Hindi. Then the Dravidian parties will realise that so far they had imposed their anti-Hindi policy on our people,” Mr.Ganesan signs off with a few words in Hindi.
