Recent Jallikattu protests can portend fresh potential for Tamil nationalism. But the state's people have developed a stake in the larger federal polity.
The Jallikattu bulls have a contextual link to Tamil Tigers. Back in the early 1980's, droves of Lankan rebels had a free run of the islandnation—with the blessings of India’s prime minister Indira Gandhi. Madras did its back-up, with CM M.G. Ramachandran playing a second fiddle. The motives, though, differed. Indira was driven by certain geopolitical considerations, while the actor-turned-politician had to walk the extra mile to fight taunts of being a Keralite and prove his ‘Tamilness’.
Rajiv Gandhi took over the mantle in New Delhi in 1984, and continued to patronise the Tamil militants. Crackdown came about much later.
True, there were so many groups hotfooting around, but it was Velupillai Prabhakaran and his LTTe that caught popular imagination. Unlike the others who claimed to be driven by larger social vision, Prabhakaran’s approach was far simpler—and deadly too. The Tigers kept inflicting maximum damage on the majority Sinhalese, never mind the possible brutal reaction of the state. On both sides of the Palk Straits, the LTTe fed into the frenzy and thus emerged the sole champion of anything Tamil. Through all the ups and downs of the guerilla war, a strong vocal minority remained fiercely loyal to Prabhakaran.
Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, the founder of the Dravidian movement, did talk of a separate Tamil Nadu, but it did not have many takers. even his own disciples turned their back at some stage, eager as they were to enjoy the fruits of power. They didn’t mind hobnobbing with the ‘Brahmin-Bania nexus’ of the northerners. A logical conclusion was becoming part of the NDA and its deafening silence during 2002 when the BJP-led coalition was in power at the Centre.
Denne historien er fra February 06, 2017-utgaven av Outlook.
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Denne historien er fra February 06, 2017-utgaven av Outlook.
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Layers Of Lear
Director Rajat Kapoor and actor Vinay Pathak's ode to Shakespeare is an experience to behold
Loss and Longing
Memories can be painful, but they also make life more meaningful
Suprabhatham Sub Judice
M.S. Subbulakshmi decided the fate of her memorials a long time ago
Fortress of Desire
A performance titled 'A Streetcart Named Desire', featuring Indian and international artists and performers, explored different desires through an unusual act on a full moon night at the Gwalior Fort
Of Hope and Hopelessness
The body appears as light in Payal Kapadia's film
Ruptured Lives
A visit to Bangladesh in 2010 shaped the author's novel, a sensitively sketched tale of migrants' struggles
The Big Book
The Big Book of Odia Literature is a groundbreaking work that provides readers with a comprehensive introduction to the rich and varied literary traditions of Odisha
How to Refuse the Generous Thief
The poet uses all the available arsenal in English to write the most anti-colonial poetry
The Freedom Compartment
#traindiaries is a photo journal shot in the ladies coaches of Mumbai locals. It explores how women engage and familiarise themselves with spaces by building relationships with complete strangers
Love, Up in the Clouds
Manikbabur Megh is an unusual love story about a man falling for a cloud. Amborish Roychoudhury discusses the process of Manikbabu's creation with actor Chandan Sen and director Abhinandan Banerjee
