When Karunanidhi Went Missing On His Wedding Day, The Real Story

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Muthuvel Karunanidhi often said, "For some, life is a struggle; for me, to struggle is my life." He began his political career with protests and his entire life journey was around protests for justice.

First protest as a student

The first protest in his life came when he was a 14-year-old student. The first anti-Hindi movement broke out on 21st April 1938 when Hindi was introduced as a compulsory subject in Tamil Nadu. Karunanidhi was 14 years old 7th grade student at Thiruvarur Higher Secondary School. This was the first protest he participated in.

Campaigning through street plays

In 1944, when Karunanidhi, fondly called as Anna, introduced the 5 feature plan at Salem Conference, the Justice Party bloomed into The Dravidian Party. Karunanidhi was a newly married youngster then. Within a week after his marriage, he began his political campaigns in various districts all around Tamil Nadu. While managing his 'Murasoli' newspaper, he continued his active participation in political campaigns. Even though he needed money to manage his family, he wasn't ready to go for a 9 to 5 job.

So, he decided to earn his livelihood through his writings, like dialogue writing jobs for plays, and dramas and continued his political activities. He used most of his earnings for his newspaper which was a tool for his political campaigns. Karunanidhi became famous through his play titled "Shantha or Pazhaniappan" which was staged at Puducherry. With this fame, he got an opportunity to write for Kanchi Kalyana Sundaram's "Thozhilalar Mithran" magazine.

A protest for revival

His first essay was on the topic "That Pen". Next, "What will happen if Gandhi becomes the viceroy?" Both these articles were about Gandhiji which disturbed the cadres of Indian National Congress. At that time, Periyar led a grand conference at Puducherry. It was organised by Karunanidhi. When Anna was about to speak, the conference was disturbed by Congress party members, triggering a riot. Karunanidhi ran away from the mob and took shelter in one of the houses at Puducherry.

Yet, the mob chased Karunanidhi and attacked him. The mob thought that Karunanidhi was dead and left the spot. But the family he took shelter saved him and treated him. After some time, Karunanidhi escaped by disguising himself as a Muslim man. Some people helped him to reach Periyar. Periyar took Karunanidhi along with him to Erode. He worked there for 11 months. He registered his life experience at Puducherry in his dialogues for the movie 'Parasakthi' in 1952.

The missing groom

Karunanidhi's first wife died during childbirth. After a few years, Karunanidhi got remarried to Dhayalu Amman on 15th September 1948. Coincidentally, it was also Anna's birthday on that day. Karunanidhi required Rs 800 for his marriage expenditure. His friends loaned him Rs 500. With this he planned to get a 'respectable' marriage.

But on the same day, Anna announced an anti-Hindi protest in Tamil Nadu. He was supposed to participate in his own marriage. But, he has to be in the protest as well. So Anna didn't come to his wedding. On the day of the wedding, Karunanidhi went missing. The entire family of the bride was in search of him. Later, they found him at the protest that was held in his hometown Thiruvarur.

6 dead & 72 injured

It was the ruling period of Rajaji. DMK was considered to be the separatist party for the nation. Rajaji publicly made a statement that he will crush DMK and bury under the ground. DMK took a vigorous step against Rajaji. It opposed the vocation-based educational system of Rajaji. DMK conducted protests to change the name of Dalmiyapuram to Kallakudi.

The protest was led by Karunanidhi on 15th July 1953 at Manalmedu on Trichy-Salem highways. But two days before the protest, notable leaders like Anna, Nedunchezhian and N.V. Natarajan were arrested. But Karunanidhi managed to escape from the police and reached Lalgudi by 14th July. The second team was led by Ramasubbaiah and the third team was by Kannadasan.

Nearly 31 people were arrested before the protest. Two died in the shootout on the spot at Kallakuri and six people died all over in Tamil Nadu. Whereas 72 were injured and nearly 5,000 people were arrested during the protest. All this happened when Karunanidhi was just 29.

In Palayamkottai jail for 62 days

After that, in 1957, October 13 was announced as the day of the anti-Hindi movement. Karunanidhi was imprisoned in Trichy jail for 4 months. Then in 1965, Karunanidhi was again arrested under National security law for participating in anti-Hindi protests. He was imprisoned in the Palayamkottai prison in a separate cell for nearly 62 days.

Long journey during MGR's rule

In 1982, when MGR was the CM of Tamilnadu, Thiruchendur Murugan temple's Investigative Officer died suddenly. This triggered a huge uproar in the State. Karunanidhi, who was then the DMK president, took a long walk for 200 km in order to seek justice for the deceased officer. MGR government struggled to manage this uproar.

Struggle even after his death

Karunanidhi passed away on 2nd August 2018. His family and the party wished to bury him at Marina Beach near Anna's memorial. But the then AIADMK-led government in the State refused the burial. Protests broke out all over Tamil Nadu. #Marina4Kalaignar was trending on social media. DMK approached the High Court and the court favoured it. Karunanidhi gave a tough fight to his adversaries even after his death.