Sri ''Muthuramalainga Thevar,'' a great patriot - this day let us remember him with gratitude

 Statue of  Sri Muthu Ramalinga Thevar, Pasumpon, TN. toptamilnews.com

Nethaji with Sri Thevar twitter.com/

Quote from Geeta quora.com

The annual Sri Muthuramalinga Thevar  ''Guru Puja''  event is being held on  28, 29 and 30th of October every year  and in the southern parts of Tamil Nadu this event is an important one. The  59th Guru Puja takes place to day (30th October) at   Pasumpon village, Kamuthi circle, Ramanathapuram district and  his day also marks his 114th birth anniversary - Thevar Jayanthi.  Tens of thousands of people visit his memorial during this event to pay their homage to Sri Thevarji who was a  nationalist and a person of great repute. Though decades have gone-by since his death in 1963 he is being held in great esteem by people from different walks of life. 

 His parents were  Ukirapandiya Thevar and Hindurani  Ammal. A    close associate of  Nethaji Subash Chandra Bose (President of the Indian national Army- INA), Sri Muthramalinga Thevar headed the Forward Block party  in Tamil Nadu and on the national level  he was the Deputy chairman  of the party after 1952.  Both his birth (30-10-1908)  and death (30-10-1963) fall on the same date 30 October.

Sri Muthuramalinga Thevar, TNpinrest.com

Above image: ''One hundred poor people make a rich man; but one wealthy man makes one thousand poor people.'' ...........Sri Muthramalinga Thevar.

His loyalty to Nethaji was quite abiding and deep-rooted.  In March 1939 in the 52 annual session of the Indian National Congress held in Tripuri, though  Nethaji was re-elected the President of INC, he was   forced to resign the presidency of Congress despite support from  many leaders including Thevarji,  Upon  Bose's resignation sri Thevar  quite apprehensive about the way Netaji was treated by  Congress leaders  had  joined the Forward Block party started by him  in 1939. Even prior to his death  Thevarji was in touch with Nethaji.

On 28th morning Guru Puja had begun   in the presence of  Gandhi Meenal Natarajan, Thangavel and other  prominent people  associated with the Thevar memorial. The Guru Puja was done  as per Agama Sastras with Yagasala specially arranged  by the Sivachariars from Pillaiyarpatti  temple. 

On account of COVID-19 pandemic which shows signs of gradual decline across India, this supposedly  great and exciting event is facing restrictions by   authorities to avoid another wave of infection. Taxis, private buses or vans are not allowed to proceed to Pasumpon Village.  Car owners  have to get a permit from the Ramanathapuram District  Collector to proceed to Pasumpon village and must park the cars in specified places  with permit sticker visible to the security people. 

Elected to Parliament thrice and to the state assembly once, Sri Thevarji, coming from a very rich family, could have led an  cozy and comfortable  life. But, it was not to be;  he chose a different path, a path full of hurdles. In this respect he was ready to face challenges  using his innate skill and deep trust in God, in particular Muruga (God Karthikaya). He made a solid contribution toward the welfare of   factory workers and others and never failed to fight for their rights. His successful handling of labor problem won him laurels. 

After the suppression of  thuggee menace by 1870 that was responsible for killing  more than 2 million people over a long period of time  in the northern states,  the Criminal Tribes Act (CTA) of 1871 was introduced by the British. Thanks to Sir William Sleeman (8 August 1788 - 10 February 1856) who finally eliminated the secret band of notorious criminals when William Bentinick was the Gov. General of India.

The CTA was enforced by the  British to cut down criminal activities of some tribes across India. Unfortunately many innocent  tribal groups who had nothing to with these mass murders, were affected by this act. In the Madras Presidency, 19 Maravar villages were forced to register under the CTA and Mr. Thevar vehemently opposed  this draconian act.  Sri Thevar toiled as much as he could to get the law withdrawn by the govt. He made a vain attempt with Justice party and Congress party when they were in power in the Madras Presidency.   The Congress party had failed to revoke the Criminal Tribes Act (ACT)  under which  lots of  innocent tribal communities were classified  and subject to scrutiny without any legal implication.

In the Madras Presidency election  held in March 1946, Thevar won the election from his Muthukalathur constituency and in the same year  Criminal tribes  Act of 1871(CTA) was finally withdrawn. But for Thevarji, this CIA Act would have dragged on for decades without any possible solution in sight.

 If the central government names the Madurai Airport after Thevarji, it will be a great honor for him.  He is equally eligible for posthumous  Bharata Ratna Award  given by the Cental government 

https://tamil.news18.com/news/tamil-nadu/ramanathapuram-district-pasumpon-muthuramalingam-thevar-guru-poojai-jeyanthi-vizha-started-mur-598053.html

https://navrangindia.blogspot.com/2016/09/sri-muthu-ramalinga-thevar-great.html