Senior Communist Party leader D Pandian passes away due to ill health: Leaders mourn.
Coimbatore: Leaders mourn as senior Communist Party leader D Pandian passes away due to ill health. The demise of D Pandian, a senior leader of the Communist Party and was a social activist, writer and farmer. D Pandian was admitted to a government hospital due to poor health and continued to receive treatment. His health worsened yesterday and he died tragically shortly before 10.5am as treatment failed.
From an early age, he was active in social affairs, participated in various struggles, joined the Communist Party, became a vibrant young writer and militant. Communist Party leaders from various states, including the Prime Minister and Chief Minister, have expressed deep condolences over his death.
Pandian's biography
D Pandian (18.5.1932) was the fourth son of David and Navamani w in Vellaimalaipatti village near Usilampatti in Madurai district. His parents were teachers at a school started by a Christian missionary and served as an educator for the oppressed Pramalai Kallar community, branded as criminals at the time. Primary education at Kamakkapatti Kallar Rehabilitation Department School. Later, he attended Usilampatti Board High School.
Excellent speaker
When he was in 8th grade in Usilampatti, the teacher made him participate in the speech contest without asking him and said, "Your father is a teacher, ask him to write and you can speak". His father said, "No one who has ever been on the stage at school age has ever prospered in life." His brother D. Sellappa helped him write the speech. He later became a college professor. At one point, Pandian became the best speaker as he was encouraged by his brother to prepare for the competition by himself. Karaikudi Kamban Corporation also has a major role to play in this.
Diligent student
He joined the party when he joined Intermediate (1953) at Alagappa College, Karaikudi. He also won the student council election. Later, after becoming an English teacher at the same college, he worked at the Art Literary Congress and party. His real name came up in a newspaper though he spoke under a pseudonym at a 1957 election campaign meeting. The college principal asked him to resign because of this. At that time, Alagappa Chettiar called him and said, how did he get caught being a Communist and gave the books written by Marx, which he had bought while studying in London, to D. Pandian.
He surprised him by saying that no student has won the elections without having arrears but he was able to pull it off which surprised all and hence gave him that gift.
Excellent Democrat
He does not think that only one party can save this world. He also respects the policies of alternative parties and leaders. He was condemned as '[Dravidar kalagam' when he spoke in praise of Periyar. He will be the first to go wherever a party holds a public meeting. Although he spoke against Anna on his platform, he was the one who went and sat in the audience and watched when the DMK victory ceremony was held on the Chennai beach in 1967. Even now, when criticizing the rule of the Dravidian parties, he does not miss out on their achievements.
Late realisation
His father David married Joyce, a woman who lost her father at the age of two, in order to keep his promise. They have a son, David Jawahar, and daughters, Aruna and Prema. Soon after, he left his job as the Secretary of State for the Arts and Literature Congress and went to Chennai. He studied law in Chennai for politics and wrote articles in 'Janashakthi'. He spent his life on the salary sent by his wife who was a school teacher in Karaikudi. "I never bought her even the flowers she desired as a newly-wed. She expired in 2012 and now I am garlanding her picture. ”
The helping hand
When he was expelled from the party, he started the Iykkiya Communist Katchi along with Dange and Kalyanasundaram. He was its Secretary of State from 1983 to 2000. Pandian, who has contested a total of 9 elections, 6 times for the Legislative Assembly and 3 for the Parliament, has never won under his party symbol. However, he has twice contested the hand symbol in North Chennai and has become an MP during the tenure.
Excellent translator
He has translated the speeches of Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi on stage. Rajiv Gandhi was assassinated in a bomb blast on May 21, 1991. D. Pandian's name appeared first on the list of 19 people who were dead. Police officers also called home and informed he was dead. He was admitted to the Government Hospital in Chennai and miraculously survived. Since Rajiv's body was kept there, he was responsible for naming the hospital after Rajiv Gandhi. After this incident, he vehemently opposed the LTTE. But he continued to speak with Nedumaran for the rights of Eelam Tamils.
Stubborn
Along with 58 day laborers at the Chennai port sought court action and obtained a permanent work order in 1992. As the then director he appealed against it and indulged in an indefinite fast condemning it. The ruling AIADMK and its allies, the AIADMK and the Congress, did not give up their stubbornness. Eventually, the case was withdrawn and all 58 were laid off by the Ports Authority. He is still receiving treatment only at a government hospital.
Three times Secretary
He dissolved the Ikkiya Commmunist Katchi in 2000 and rejoined the Communist Party. In 2005, he was elected Secretary of State for the party and was elected to the post three times in a row, he held the post for 10 consecutive years until 2015. He was a member of the party's national committee at a young age and is still in charge.
Personal history
When a statue of a Communist leader (Jeeva) was erected for the first time in the history of Tamil Nadu, D. Pandian was the leader of the group. In the Communist Party, which says movement is bigger than individuals D. Pandian had the courage to argue that an individual also has a place in history!