Aladi Aruna (alias) V ArunachalamNadar (9 July 1933 - 31 December 2004) was an Indian politician. He was the Law Minister of
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
. He was elected to the
Tamil Nadu legislative assembly
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly is the unicameral legislature of the India, Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It has a strength of 234 members, all of whom are democratically elected using the first-past-the-post system. The presiding office ...
as a member of the
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (; ; DMK) is an Indian political party based in the state of Tamil Nadu, where it is currently the ruling party, and the union territory of Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry, where it is currently the main ...
from
Alangulam constituency in the
1967
Events January
* January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair.
* January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...
,
1971 *
The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...
and
1996 elections.
He was elected to the
Lok Sabha
The Lok Sabha, also known as the House of the People, is the lower house of Parliament of India which is Bicameralism, bicameral, where the upper house is Rajya Sabha. Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha, Members of the Lok Sabha are elected by a ...
, the
lower house
A lower house is the lower chamber of a bicameral legislature, where the other chamber is the upper house. Although styled as "below" the upper house, in many legislatures worldwide, the lower house has come to wield more power or otherwise e ...
of
India's Parliament, from
Tirunelveli constituency in the
1977 elections
The following elections occurred in the year 1977.
Africa
* 1977 Afars and Issas Constituent Assembly election
* 1977 Algerian legislative election
* 1977 Gambian general election
* 1976–1977 Guinea-Bissau legislative election
* 1977 Malagasy ...
. He was also a member of the
Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha (Council of States) is the upper house of the Parliament of India and functions as the institutional representation of India’s federal units — the states and union territories.https://rajyasabha.nic.in/ It is a key component o ...
, the
upper house
An upper house is one of two Legislative chamber, chambers of a bicameralism, bicameral legislature, the other chamber being the lower house. The house formally designated as the upper house is usually smaller and often has more restricted p ...
of India's Parliament, as a member of the
Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (; AIADMK, also abbreviated as ADMK), also shortened to Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, is an Indian regional political party with great influence in the state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory ...
. He came into the limelight when he issued a dissent note in the JPC report on the
Bofors Scandal
The Bofors scandal was a major weapons-contract political scandal that occurred between India and Sweden during the 1980s and 1990s, initiated by Indian National Congress politicians and implicating the Indian prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, and ...
against a clean chit to Rajiv Gandhi government.
He was hacked to death in 2004.
Personal life
Aladipatti Arunachalam Nadar, alias Aladi Aruna, was born in
Aladipatti, a village about 30 kilometres from
Tirunelveli
Tirunelveli (), also known as Nellai and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of the Tirunelveli District. It is the fourth-largest munici ...
, to Vaithiyalingam Nadar and Pathirakaaliyammal. His father was a farmer and also owned a provisions store. He was the eldest son in the family with two brothers and two sisters.
After his primary school education at the Primary school in Aladipatti, he completed his high school education from Tirunelveli. He graduated in B.A. (Economics) from St.John's College, Palayamkottai, Tirunelveli and a
Bachelor of Law
A Bachelor of Laws (; LLB) is an undergraduate law degree offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree and serves as the first professional qualification for legal practitioners. This degree requires the study of core legal subje ...
degree from
Madras Law College
Dr. Ambedkar Government Law College, commonly known by its former name Madras Law College, is a law school, located in Chennai
Chennai, also known as Madras (List of renamed places in India#Tamil Nadu, its official name until 1996), ...
.
He was married to Kamala with whom he had five sons and a daughter.
His daughter,
Poongothai Aladi Aruna
Poongothai Aladi Aruna is an Indian politician and former Information and Technology minister of Tamil Nadu under DMK ruling in 2006–2011. In 2016 Tamil Nadu assembly election she contested from Alangulam (State Assembly Constituency) and wo ...
, followed him into politics.
He founded Einstein College of Engineering in Tamil Nadu in 2004 and was also instrumental in the success of Dhanalakshmi Higher Secondary School established in 1913, a 100-year school in North Chennai.
Political career
Though born into a family that traditionally held the priestdom of the famous Vaithiyalingasamy Kovil in Aladipatti, he was strongly influenced by the rationalist movement spearheaded by Periyar and greatly enchanted with the silver-tongued oratory of
C. N. Annadurai
Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai (15 September 19093 February 1969), also known as Perarignar, was an Indian politician who was the founder and first general-secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). He served as the fourth and last chi ...
and
M. Karunanidhi. These influences soon became his guiding forces and he entered the political movement even as a young student and actively participated in the "
Anti-Hindi agitation". His book "Hindi Egathipathiyam" is considered a treatise on the movement.
He started his political career by unsuccessfully contesting in the Assembly elections from
Alangulam as a
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (; ; DMK) is an Indian political party based in the state of Tamil Nadu, where it is currently the ruling party, and the union territory of Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry, where it is currently the main ...
(DMK) candidate in
1962
The year saw the Cuban Missile Crisis, which is often considered the closest the world came to a Nuclear warfare, nuclear confrontation during the Cold War.
Events January
* January 1 – Samoa, Western Samoa becomes independent from Ne ...
. He was later elected to the Assembly on two occasions in
1967
Events January
* January 1 – Canada begins a year-long celebration of the 100th anniversary of Canadian Confederation, Confederation, featuring the Expo 67 World's Fair.
* January 6 – Vietnam War: United States Marine Corps and Army of ...
and
1971 *
The year 1971 had three partial solar eclipses (Solar eclipse of February 25, 1971, February 25, Solar eclipse of July 22, 1971, July 22 and Solar eclipse of August 20, 1971, August 20) and two total lunar eclipses (February 1971 lunar eclip ...
as a DMK candidate. He was greatly responsible for the organisation of cooperatives for the beedi workers during this period. He also won Lok Sabha election in 1977 from Tirunelveli.
He later joined the
Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (; AIADMK, also abbreviated as ADMK), also shortened to Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, is an Indian regional political party with great influence in the state of Tamil Nadu and the union territory ...
and was elected to the Lok Sabha, from Tirunelveli and later
M. G. Ramachandran
Maruthur Gopalan Ramachandran (17 January 1917 – 24 December 1987), popularly known by his initialism M.G.R. and as Makkal Thilagam/Puratchi Thalaivar, was an Indian actor, politician, and philanthropist who served as the chief minister of ...
nominated him to the
Rajya Sabha
Rajya Sabha (Council of States) is the upper house of the Parliament of India and functions as the institutional representation of India’s federal units — the states and union territories.https://rajyasabha.nic.in/ It is a key component o ...
from
Tamil Nadu
Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
in 1984. He also served as the leader of the AIADMK in the Rajya Sabha. During this tenure, he served as a member of the Joint Parliament Committee that probed the
Bofors scandal
The Bofors scandal was a major weapons-contract political scandal that occurred between India and Sweden during the 1980s and 1990s, initiated by Indian National Congress politicians and implicating the Indian prime minister, Rajiv Gandhi, and ...
. He raised a dissent note on the report of the Joint Parliamentary Committee which examined the Bofors Scam, which was a death-knell to the Rajiv Gandhi government. Aladi Aruna's comment in the dissent note said "The son (Rajiv Gandhi) has surpassed mother (Indira Gandhi) in corruption and abuse of power".
After the death of Ramachandran, he rejoined the DMK and was appointed its spokesperson. He was the first person to hold office as spokesperson in the DMK.
He became a Law Minister of Tamil Nadu after winning the assembly election contesting as a DMK candidate in
1996
1996 was designated as:
* International Year for the Eradication of Poverty
Events January
* January 8 – A Zairean cargo plane crashes into a crowded market in the center of the capital city of the Democratic Republic of the Congo ...
.
He was instrumental in the establishment of the law university in Chennai and setting up the High Court branch in Madurai, bringing a law college to Tirunelveli.
Electoral performance
DMK
He participated in and led various agitations against Hindi during 1962 - 1967, was imprisoned for more than a year during that Anti Hindi Movement. He organized Beedi rollers of Tirunelveli to come under a forum and made them powerful. It is his efforts that got the beedi rollers separate ID cards and getting benefits from State and Central Governments. He was always a star speaker in all meetings and conferences, it was said that Aringar Anna will tell the meeting organisers to make Aladi Aruna speak after his arrival as he wants to listen to the speech of Aladi Aruna. Never in his political life accused of any allegations in any form. Even the apposition political party leader admired him for his honesty, integrity and service. He was one of the respected politicians in New Delhi. He was suspended from DMK party for alleged anti-party activities. He accused the party of sidelining those who oppose
M. K. Stalin
Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin (born 1 March 1953) is an Indian politician and former actor serving as the 8th and current List of chief ministers of Tamil Nadu, chief minister of Tamil Nadu since 2021. He is the third son of the former Chief Min ...
emerging as a potential candidate for Chief Minister. He also said that Stalin was unfit to become Chief Minister or lead the party headed by stalwarts such as
C. N. Annadurai
Conjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai (15 September 19093 February 1969), also known as Perarignar, was an Indian politician who was the founder and first general-secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). He served as the fourth and last chi ...
and
M. Karunanidhi.
Books
Aladi Aruna was one of the foremost Dravidian writers in English. He has authored several books in English and Tamil.
He has written several books on varied topics.
''Unfederal Features of the Indian Constitution'' is notable among his books
Defend Our Rights - which discusses center state relationship
Voice for the States - A compilation of his various speeches in Parliament. He was the editor of weekly "Ennam" .
His other works in Tamil include,
* Hindi Egathipathiyam (இந்தி ஏகாதிபத்தியம்)history of Anti Hindi Agitation Movement
* Aladi Aruna Sirukathaigal (ஆலடி அருணா சிறுகதைகள்) his writings in Ennam News Magazines
* Inthiya Arasiyal Amaippum koothachiyum (இந்திய அரசியல் அமைப்பும் கூட்டாட்சியும் )
* Kamarajar oru vazhikatti (காமராஜர் ஒரு வழிகாட்டி).
* Incomplete works on Moondru muthalvargaludan naan
Death
Aladi Aruna was murdered during a morning walk near Alangulam, in
Tenkasi district
Tenkasi () is one of the 38 districts of Tamil Nadu, India, separated from Tirunelveli district on 22 November 2019. The Government of Tamil Nadu announced its creation on 18 July 2019. The district headquarters is at Tenkasi.
Geography
The ...
on 31 December 2004. He was 71. His friend R. Ponraj who also accompanied him was killed and Socrates,
TASMAC
The Tamil Nadu State Marketing Corporation (TASMAC; ) is a company owned by the Government of Tamil Nadu, which has a monopoly over wholesale and retail vending of alcoholic beverages in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It controls the Indian Ma ...
bar attendant from Aladipatti survived the attack.
Trial
According to police, Aruna was attacked by a gang instructed by his friend and local educationist
S. A. Raja, with whom he had fallen out over setting up of educational institutions in the southern districts of Tamil Nadu. Raja was arrested in January 2005 but was bailed by the
Supreme Court of India
The Supreme Court of India is the supreme judiciary of India, judicial authority and the supreme court, highest court of the Republic of India. It is the final Appellate court, court of appeal for all civil and criminal cases in India. It also ...
in July 2006. The district court acquitted Raja on 15 April 2008. The High Court reversed the verdict on 5 August 2009. The Supreme Court then again acquitted and released him on 30 July 2010, writing that the high court could not establish that he was guilty.
Two of the accused, Balamurugan and Azhagar, were convicted in Tirunelveli principal sessions court and sentenced to death in April 2008. A third, Veldurai, was convicted for a violation of the Arms Act and sentenced to three years in prison. Six others were acquitted, including Raja.
References
*Aladi aruna -Sila ninaivugal :Author :Selvamuthu
External links
"RAJYA SABHA MEMBERS BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 1952 - 2003
{{DEFAULTSORT:Aruna, Aladi
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam politicians
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam politicians
2004 deaths
1933 births
Tamil Nadu ministers
Lok Sabha members from Tamil Nadu
Rajya Sabha members from Tamil Nadu
India MPs 1977–1979
Tamil Nadu MLAs 1996–2001
People from Tirunelveli district
Tamil Nadu MLAs 1971–1976
Asian politicians assassinated in the 2000s
Indian politicians assassinated in the 20th century
Politicians assassinated in 2004