When Karunanidhi fought for autonomy for states over 50 years ago invoking DMK icon Annadurai

Chennai: While Chief Minister M K Stalin days ago announced the formation of a panel led by former judge of the Supreme Court, Kurian Joseph to recommend measures to strengthen autonomy for the states, his father M Karunanidhi had fought for the same over 50 years ago when he helmed the state as chief minister.

Batting for state autonomy, Karunanidhi had on April 16, 1974, moved a resolution in the State Assembly and it was adopted. No doubt, DMK founder C N Annadurai (1909-1969), who championed the cause of state autonomy, and who served as the chief minister between 1967 and 1969 was a big inspiration for Karunanidhi.

Piloting the resolution, Karunanidhi, popularly known as 'Kalaignar' extensively quoted Annadurai and it includes the DMK icon's last article that appeared in 1969 in English journal Home Rule.

Anna, as Annaudrai was fondly addressed, was quoted as having written: "Dear Brother, Never have I been mad after power. Nor am I happy of being the chief minister of our State under a Constitution which on paper is federal but in actual practice tends to get more and more centralised. On that account, I do not like my good friend EMS (Communist leader, Namboodiripad) declare that it is my intention to irritate the Centre or pick up quarrels with Delhi."

On April 8, 1967, at a press conference in New Delhi, Anna had said: "It will be sufficient if the Centre retains only such powers as are necessary for preserving the unity and integrity of the country leaving adequate powers to the states. In order to distribute the powers and to suggest the method of working out the Constitution, a high power commission should be appointed."

Underscoring all these aspects, Karunanidhi recalled that he had on August 19, 1969 announced setting up of a 3-member panel led by PV Rajamannar, with AL Mudaliar and P Chandra Reddy being its members. Accordingly, on September 22, 1969, the committee was constituted to examine the question of the relationship between the Centre and the states on the basis of autonomy for the states, "without in the least impairing the integrity of the country." The 1971 election manifesto of the DMK demanded Constitutional amendment for optimal autonomy and the April 1967 presser of Annadurai on this subject formed the operative part of the party's manifesto.

The report of the Rajamannar Committee was received on May 27, 1971 by the state government and it was sent to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi who acknowledged it on June 22, 1971. Gandhi had said the Administrative Reforms Commission also had dealt with the question and its report was under the Centre's consideration.

Interestingly, HV Hande (Swatantra Party) moved an amendment to add the following: "This House, however, calls upon the state government not to unleash divisive forces and encourage fissiparous tendencies in the name of State autonomy."

Hande also mooted action, if necessary against those who threaten division of the country if the demand of state autonomy is not conceded and also wanted the government to be vigilant of the tendency among some to show Pakistan and Bangladesh as example to strengthen the demand for autonomy.

Muslim League's V M Abdul Jabbar referring to the "yet to be resolved Cauvery river water dispute," wondered whether the "all powerful" Central government could not have determined the quantum of water release; which has such high powers.

"Only the God knows as to when the Cauvery water issue with neigbouring Karnataka will be resolved. Given the attitude of the Central government, the situation is such that it may not be resolved even after 10 years." He also cited the example of Ukraine, a state of Russia and its exalted status as it was also a member of the United Nations.

Legislator K Kandaswamy (Forward Block) quoted from an article in a daily which said, "this pattern of settling Centre-State relations at the Congress high command level, cannot possibly be extended to conditions now prevailing when non-Congress ministries are in power in some of the states."

Karunanidhi moved the resolution (State autonomy-Rajamannar Committee Report on Centre-State Relationship) which said: "The House, taking into consideration the Tamil Nadu government views on state autonomy and the Report of the Rajamannar Committee; resolves that, in order to secure the integrity of India with people of different languages, civilisation and culture, to promote economic development and to enable the state government having close contact with the people to function without restraints, and in order to establish a truly federal set up with full state autonomy, the central government do accept the views of the Tamil Nadu government on state autonomy and the recommendations of the Rajamannar Committee and proceed to effect immediate changes in the Constitution of India."

Karunanidhi initiated the discussion which took place for five days from April 16 to 20, 1974. In total, 37 members took part in the discussion. The members of AIADMK (known at that time as ADMK) walked out of the House. The amendments proposed were either withdrawn or negatived and the motion was adopted.