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The Scheduled Castes (SCs) relationship for 20% of Tamil Nadu’s population, according to the 2011 census. Yet, their practice successful governmental powerfulness has not been commensurate with their numerical strength. Even if 1 considers the findings of the State-level caste survey undertaken successful the aboriginal 1980s (as the caste data, compiled during the 2011 nationwide socio-economic and caste census, person not been made public), the Vanniyakula Kshatriya, a constituent of the Most Backward Classes (MBCs), constituted 13.01% of the past colonisation of astir 5 crore.
The State, which is considered a frontrunner successful respective quality improvement indicators, is yet to person a Scheduled Caste Chief Minister, though galore different States person had Dalit Chief Ministers. Andhra Pradesh made D. Sanjivayya its Chief Minister successful 1960. Eight years later, Bhola Paswan Shastri became Bihar’s archetypal SC Chief Minister. Ram Sundar Das and Jitan Ram Manjhi reached the apical station successful the bluish State successful 1979 and 2014. Uttar Pradesh saw Mayawati getting into the station successful 1995 for the archetypal time. She subsequently held the station connected 3 much occasions. Sushil Kumar Shinde of Maharashtra and Charanjit Singh Channi of Punjab made it successful 2003 and 2021 respectively. In Tamil Nadu, the highest presumption that a SC person could scope was that of Home Minister, held by P. Kakkan during 1963-67 erstwhile M. Bakthavatsalam of the Congress was the Chief Minister. In 1967, erstwhile the nationalist enactment was dislodged from powerfulness by the DMK, Kakkan, known for probity successful nationalist life, excessively was vanquished successful the erstwhile Melur (South) constituency of Madurai district.
A talking point
It was against this backdrop that the Tamil diagnostic movie Maamannan, featuring seasoned histrion Vadivel and Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is present the Deputy Chief Minister, was released a fewer years ago. It became a talking constituent arsenic the quality played by the seasoned histrion resembled erstwhile Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal, who besides hails from the community. Contrary to the conception entertained successful definite quarters, Mr. Dhanpal was the 2nd SC Assembly Speaker. The archetypal was J. Sivashanmugam Pillai (1946-1955), who had built up precocious traditions and was known for impartiality. C.K. Tamizharasan, four-time subordinate of the Assembly and person of the Republican Party of India (RPI), erstwhile clarified to this analogous that erstwhile Pillai was alive, determination was a signifier among the Dalits to support specified a surname.
A follower of Gandhi
Born successful February 1901, Pillai, a postgraduate successful humanities and an alumnus of the Loyola and the Presidency Colleges, was an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi. At the property of 31, helium became a councillor successful the Chennai Municipal Corporation. Five years later, helium went connected to inhabit the coveted station of Mayor. In July 1937, helium joined the Congress. He was besides elected to the Legislative Assembly from the Chennai (South-Central) constituency. On November 9, 1937, connected a question moved by Congress stalwart S. Satyamurti, Pillai was unanimously elected Mayor, frankincense becoming the archetypal Dalit to clasp the office. (At present, the station is being occupied by R. Priya of the DMK, who besides belongs to the community). A study of The Hindu published connected November 10, 1937, stated, “A ample gathering was contiguous extracurricular the Council Chamber and the announcement of the effect of the predetermination was greeted with large cheering.” On proceeding of Pillai’s election, Gandhiji, who was past successful Kolkata, sent him a message: “My warmest congratulations connected your predetermination to Mayoralty, which, I person nary doubt, you volition adorn with distinction.”
Despite being successful the Congress, helium did not boycott committees constituted by the British authorities to see law reforms. For example, helium had represented issues and problems of the SCs to the Simon Commission. At the aforesaid time, helium took portion successful the deliberations of committees established by different bodies. When salient jurist Tej Bahadur Sapru headed a committee successful 1944 to moot law proposals, Pillai made a beardown lawsuit for securing economical independency for “Depressed Classes”, the operation utilized past to mean the Dalits oregon the SCs. On the contented of exclusive electorate for the SCs, helium told the Sapru committee that successful the erstwhile Madras Presidency, determination was capable ineligible extortion for his assemblage with respect to nationalist places and nationalist wells; but, successful practice, it was of “very small use”. What was required was not ineligible enactment but “change of heart” among caste Hindus, helium said.
On May 23, 1946, an predetermination took spot among Congress legislators to take the party’s campaigner for Speaker. Pillai and Tenneti Viswanatham were successful the fray. Pillai secured 109 votes against Viswanatham’s 69. Two days later, Pillai was unanimously elected the presiding serviceman of the House. In the people of felicitations, erstwhile a subordinate remarked that helium was occupying the spot due to the fact that helium belonged to the SC, Pillai, during his reply, disagreed and emphasised that helium was occupying the station “because I americium acceptable to inhabit it”, The Hindu reported connected May 26, 1946.
As the Speaker, his rulings became lawsuit studies. His behaviour arsenic the presiding serviceman could beryllium gauged from the certificates of commendation of erstwhile Chief Ministers K. Kamaraj and C. Rajagopalachari (CR) erstwhile Pillai demitted the bureau successful 1955 to go Member of the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC). Kamaraj had said: “Though a Congressman, helium held the scales even,” portion CR hailed Pillai for having discharged the onerous duties “justly and with humility”.
Independent candidate
After completing his duty astatine the UPSC, Pillai was elected to the Rajya Sabha successful 1962. Six years later, erstwhile the Congress did not renominate him, helium chose to contention the predetermination arsenic an Independent and lost. Pillai had authored a fewer books, including 1 connected a salient person of the SCs, M.C. Rajah, besides known arsenic ‘Perunthalaivar’. On January 1, 1975, Pillai died astatine his residence successful Nungambakkam aft a little illness. A nonmigratory of the country says immoderate members of his household inactive unrecorded successful the house.
D. Ravikumar, Villupuram MP, concedes that determination are nary statues successful Chennai for Pillai and Rajah, though determination is simply a hostel astatine CIT Nagar named aft the latter.
