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New Indian Express
06-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
CM Stalin, leaders pay tributes to Tamil scholar Perungavikko
CHENNAI: CM M K Stalin, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan, and several political leaders on Saturday paid floral tributes to renowned Tamil scholar Perungavikko VM Sethuraman, who passed away late on Friday at the age of 89. Upon hearing the news of his demise, Stalin, accompanied by Health Minister Ma Subramanian, visited the scholar's residence to offer floral tributes and console his family members. In a condolence message, Stalin expressed deep grief and recalled Sethuraman's contributions to Tamil literature, including a poem he had penned for the DMK's mouthpiece Murasoli. He also cited former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's praise for Sethuraman, who had described him as a scholar who devoted his entire life to Tamil. As a mark of respect, Stalin ordered police honours to be accorded at Sethuraman's cremation. VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan also paid his respects in person. TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai, MDMK general secretary Vaiko, PMK president Anbumani Ramadoss, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan, TMC(M) president G K Vasan, and AMMK general secretary TTV Dhinakaran, issued condolence messages.
Time of India
05-07-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Vaa Mu Sethuraman, who devoted life to propagating Tamil pride, no more
Chennai: A close associate of former chief minister M Karunanidhi , Vaa Mu Sethuraman, famous for his poems that were regularly published in party organ 'Murasoli', died due to age-related illness on Friday at his residence in Chennai. He was 90. His association with Karunanidhi and DMK was such that Murasoli published his poems regularly to instill Tamil pride in cadres. Three days after DMK launched its membership drive on July 1, ahead of the 2026 assembly poll under 'Oraniyil Tamil Nadu (Tamil Nadu in unison)' campaign, Sethuraman had penned a poem, praising the campaign, and it was published in Murasoli on July 4. It remained the last poem he penned before his demise. Born in Aandanayagapuram in Ramanathapuram district, Sethuraman was known for his movements such as 'Tamil Munnetra Kazhagam' and 'Pannaattu Tamilunarvu Mandram' which were founded for Tamil language development both in India and outside. He was also one of the earliest sympathizers of Sri Lankan Tamils and organized a hundred-member Tamil scholars' walkathon from Chennai to Kanyakumari in 1993, covering 1,330km. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Why seniors are rushing to get this Internet box – here's why! Techno Mag Learn More Undo For efforts like that, he was called 'Perungavikko'. You Can Also Check: Chennai AQI | Weather in Chennai | Bank Holidays in Chennai | Public Holidays in Chennai He joined DMK in 1960 and his first book 'Tamil Muzhakkam' had the foreword by Karunanidhi. Interestingly, his last book was on Karunanidhi titled, 'Kalaignar Kaaviyam'. Sethuraman organized international Tamil relations conferences in Trichy, Chennai and Germany. He edited 'Tamilppani', a Tamil literary magazine. He is survived by four sons and a daughter. The wedding ceremonies of all his children were presided over by Karunanidhi. "In Jan 1991, a day before the dismissal of his govt, Kalaignar came all the way to Madurai to attend my son's wedding. He could have stayed back in Chennai. But because of the friendship we shared, he attended our function. I see it more as a respect shown by him to Tamil than to our friendship," Sethuraman said in an interview to Murasoli.
The Hindu
05-07-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
T.N. CM Stalin condoles death of Tamil scholar Sethuraman and industrialist Mohamed Hashim
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday (July 5, 2025) expressed condolences over the passing of Tamil scholar Perungkavikko V.M. Sethuraman. He also condoled the death of Janab Haji Malak Mohamed Hashim Sahib, chairman of K.H. Group and patron of the South India Tanners and Dealers Association. In his condolence message, Mr. Stalin said Mr. Sethuraman had devoted his entire life to the cause of the Tamil language. He also recalled the late scholar's literary contributions and his writings in Murasoli, the DMK's mouthpiece. Mr. Sethuraman was a recipient of several honours, including the Tamil Nadu government's Kalaimamani and Thiruvalluvar awards. His contributions would be remembered for as long as the Tamil language exists, the Chief Minister said. In a separate message, Mr. Stalin described Mr. Hashim as a pioneer of the leather tanning industry in the Ranipet region. He said Mr. Hashim provided employment to many and earned great respect within the Muslim community. The Chief Minister extended his condolences to the families of both Mr. Sethuraman and Mr. Hashim. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee (TNCC) president K. Selvaperunthagai and Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) president Anbumani Ramadoss also extended their condolences over the passing of Mr. Sethuraman.
New Indian Express
05-07-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Poet Perungavikko Sethuraman no more
CHENNAI: Perungavikko V M Sethuraman, a well-known Tamil scholar and poet who has penned thousands of poems and authored many books, passed away on Friday. He was 89. Sethuraman is the founder of the International Tamil Integration Society. Taking to X, Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed deep sorrow over the demise, and recalled Sethuraman's poem that had appeared in the DMK organ 'Murasoli'. Stalin also recalled the words of former CM M Karunanidhi, who hailed Sethuraman as a scholar who dedicated his entire life to Tamil. The state government had honoured Sethuraman with Kalaimamani and Thiruvalluvar awards in the past. The CM said Sethuraman has penned over one lakh poems and numerous poetry collections.
The Print
12-05-2025
- Politics
- The Print
More than ‘petty quarrel over petrol'—behind Vadakadu caste violence, a long-simmering temple dispute
Tamil Nadu police played down the Pudukottai incident, saying the clash arose from a petty quarrel between two groups of youths over filling fuel at a petrol pump. The incident occurred as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's government marked four years in office, a period that has seen a series of caste-related clashes across Tamil Nadu. Chennai: Over 20 people were injured and a Dalit family's house was allegedly torched in a clash between members of the Most Backward Community (MBC) and Scheduled Caste (SC) community in Pudukottai's Vadakadu village last week on 5 May. But people from the Dalit community said it was the result of longstanding caste tensions between the MBC and SC communities in the area. People in Vadakadu's Scheduled Caste hamlet said caste tensions had been simmering between the people belonging to the Muthuraiyar caste, an MBC community, and the Paraiyar community, a Scheduled Caste, for at least 20 years over a temple land dispute and the sharing of rights at another common temple in the village. According to Sethuraman from Vadakadu's Scheduled Caste, two temple disputes have long divided the village. One was over the ownership of a land belonging to the Adaikkalam Katha Ayyanar temple, which is predominantly worshipped by Scheduled Castes. The other was over access to participate in the Muthumariamman Temple festival in the village. 'People belonging to the Mutharaiyar community wanted the land in front of the Adaikkalam Katha Ayyanar temple to play volleyball, where we used to keep Pongal during the Chithirai month, the first month of the Tamil year. Similarly, we are denied access to perform rituals at the Muthumariamman temple, where every other caste in the village is allowed,' Sethuraman said. A senior police official in Pudukottai district, who did not want to be named, confirmed the longstanding issue between the two communities. 'But this particular incident was the outcome of a petty quarrel between the youths from two groups,' he said. As caste tensions flared, 100 people allegedly vandalised houses and vehicles at Thiruvalluvar Nagar, a Scheduled Caste residential area in Vadakadu village, on 5 May. The house of 58-year-old Mallika was among those targeted, and several vehicles—including two-wheelers and cars belonging to Dalits—were set ablaze by a mob allegedly belonging to the Mutharaiyar community. 'We had to endure all this, just because we questioned our right to access the Muthumariamman temple rituals during the annual festival of the temple during Chithirai month,' said Sethuraman, a resident of Thiruvalluvar Nagar. According to Scheduled Caste residents, while all castes in the village are allowed to participate in the Mandagapadi ritual—which symbolises a community's presence in the village by hoisting a white umbrella and displaying sacred weapons—only Dalits are being denied this right. 'For every caste in the village, one day is allocated to perform this ritual. Although it is a common temple belonging to Tamil Nadu's Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment department, we continue to face discrimination,' Sethuraman told ThePrint. However, temple trustee K. Devaraj denied the allegations of discrimination against the Dalits in the village. 'You can ask anybody in the village. We have been living in harmony for decades,' Devaraj said. However, when asked about allegations of denying Dalits access to perform rituals during temple festivals, Devaraj dismissed the claims, attributing the unrest to 'educated SC youths influenced by political parties'. 'Ever since I grew up, they never had the right in our temple. Now, very recently, for the last couple of years, they have been demanding their Mandagapadi rights. That is not the tradition of the village and the temple. Hence, we did not give them access,' Devaraj told ThePrint. Earlier, in another incident on 2 May, a 42-year-old Dalit woman, Muthuselvi, alleged that her pushcart was confiscated in Tenkasi municipality at the behest of the municipality Chairman Valli Murugan, who is the son of Congress MLA Palani Nadar. She also alleged that police threatened her not to sell beef in the Tenkasi municipality. Valli Murugan denied the allegations and told ThePrint that he has granted permission to set up the stall. The woman filed a complaint with the National Commission for Scheduled Castes in early May. Also Read: South Indian directors changing the way Dalits are shown in films—out with Brahminical gaze Caste-based discrimination Incidents of caste-based discrimination in Tamil Nadu have continued to surface in recent years, despite legal safeguards. From human faeces found in an overhead water tank supplying drinking water to a Dalit settlement in Pudukkottai district in 2022 and an assault on a Class XII Dalit student Chinnadurai in Tirunelveli in 2023 to three elderly Dalits being forced to prostrate before a kangaroo court in a village in Villupuram for conducting temple festival without permission in 2021—each case points to the persistence of caste-related violence in the state. According to data submitted by the Union Home Ministry in the Lok Sabha in February this year, Tamil Nadu recorded 1,274 cases of crimes against Scheduled Castes in 2020 and 1,377 in 2021. The number rose sharply to 1,761 cases in 2022. Human rights activist Kathir, founder of the Tamil Nadu-based NGO Evidence, alleged that the lack of swift action against perpetrators had contributed to the increase in crimes against Dalits. 'Even in the Vadakadu incident, as many as 300 people belonging to the dominant caste rampaged through the Dalit hamlet. However, cases were filed against only 15 and only 13 were arrested in connection with the incident,' Kathir told ThePrint. 'If this is the case, it is natural that perpetrators of caste crimes won't hesitate to harass Dalits and the Dalits will also start losing their confidence in the police.' However, Senior Minister Regupathy from Pudukkottai district told ThePrint that the number of cases filed under the Prevention of Atrocities (Against SC/ST) Act had increased as the state has been acting swiftly on caste crimes. 'The previous government did not even take the complaints of Scheduled Caste people to solve the issue. But after the DMK came to power, we are acting on every complaint and we ensure that a case is registered. Hence, the data shows an increase in caste crimes,' Regupathy told ThePrint. 'Police inaction' ThePrint spoke to a cross-section of Dalits in the village who said this was the first time violence of such scale had occurred in their village. 'Men belonging to the Mutharaiyar community used to abuse us verbally whenever we happened to meet them on the streets or at common places. But it has never turned into violence,' said Ambethvalavan, another resident. 'Even in the case of the two temple disputes, the land ownership case is before a local court as a civil dispute and we have been democratically demanding the temple trustees over our right to perform rituals.' Mallika, whose house was burnt, told ThePrint her livelihood was completely lost in the village's fight for its rights. 'We never asked for anything big. We did not ask for money, or property, or anything else that belongs to them. We just asked for access to perform rituals, which costs nothing. But, even for that, we have to pay the price of our livelihood,' Mallika said. (Edited by Sugita Katyal) Also Read: Violent clash erupts over temple entry for Dalits in Tamil Nadu 'minutes after peace meeting'
