Misplaced Pages

Aladi Aruna (alias) V Arunachalam (9 July 1933 - 31 December 2004) was an Indian politician. He was the Law Minister of Tamil Nadu. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly as a member of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam from Alangulam constituency in the 1967, 1971 and 1996 elections. He was elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of India's Parliament, from Tirunelveli constituency in the 1977 elections. He was also a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of India's Parliament, as a member of the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. He came into the limelight when he issued a dissent note in the JPC report on the Bofors Scandal against a clean chit to Rajiv Gandhi government. He was hacked to death in 2004.

Personal life

Aladipatti Arunachalam, alias Aladi Aruna, was born in Aladipatti, a village about 30 kilometres from Tirunelveli, 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 degree from Madras Law College.

He was married to Kamala with whom he had five sons and a daughter. His daughter, Poongothai Aladi Aruna, 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 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 (DMK) candidate in 1962. He was later elected to the Assembly on two occasions in 1967 and 1971 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 and was elected to the Lok Sabha, from Tirunelveli and later M. G. Ramachandran nominated him to the Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu 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. 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. 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 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 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 on 31 December 2004. He was 71. His friend R. Ponraj who also accompanied him was killed and Socrates, TASMAC 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 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

1. ^ Who's Who in Asian and Australasian Politics. Bowker-Saur. 1991. p. 17. ISBN 978-0-86291-593-3.
2. "1967 Tamil Nadu Election Results, Election Commission of India" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 20 March 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
3. "1971 Tamil Nadu Election Results, Election Commission of India" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2010. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
4. Volume I, 1977 Indian general election, 6th Lok Sabha Archived 18 July 2014 at the Wayback Machine
5. The Illustrated Weekly of India. Published for the proprietors, Bennett, Coleman & Company, Limited, at the Times of India Press. 1989. p. 57.
6. AK Bhattacharya (2019). The Rise of Goliath: Twelve Disruptions That Changed India. Penguin Random House India Private Limited. p. 233. ISBN 978-93-5305-597-4.
7. "Rajiv Gandhi favoured Bofors, says ex-JPC member". Rediff. Retrieved 15 September 2019.
8. "Aladi Aruna murdered". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 1 January 2005. Archived from the original on 3 January 2005.
9. ^ "Aladi Aruna murdered". The Hindu. 1 January 2005. Archived from the original on 17 September 2008.{{cite news}}: CS1 maint: unfit URL (link)
10. Kolappan, B. (21 April 2016). "Descendants shine in party of rising sun". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 21 April 2016.
11. "Rajiv Gandhi favoured Bofors, says ex-JPC member". Rediff. 1997.
12. Election Commission of India (12 May 2001). "Statistical Report on General Election 2001" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2010.
13. Election Commission of India. "1996 Election Statistical Report" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 7 October 2010. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
14. Election Commission of India. "Statistical Report on General Election 1989" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 October 2010. Retrieved 19 April 2009.
15. "Form panels for poll activities, DMK functionaries told". The Hindu. Chennai, India. 7 March 2004. Archived from the original on 11 April 2004.
16. "Three found guilty of Aladi Aruna's murder". Thaindian News. 16 April 2008.
17. The Hindu,Two guilty of Aladi Aruna murder, charges against S.A. Raja not proved, April 17, 2008
18. The Hindu, Court reverses S.A. Raja’s acquittal, August 06, 2009
19. The Hindu, S.A. Raja acquitted in Aladi Aruna murder case, July 31, 2010
20. Judgement,2010
21. "Aladi Aruna murder: 2 get death rap". Rediff. 17 April 2008.

• Aladi aruna -Sila ninaivugal :Author :Selvamuthu

External links

• "RAJYA SABHA MEMBERS BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES 1952 - 2003
• Official biographical sketch in Lok Sabha website

• 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