Monday (October 10), which marked the 50 th anniversary of the suspension by the DMK of its treasurer M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), would not have gained significance if “peace efforts” made by key personalities of Tamil Nadu politics had succeeded.
Among those involved in the rapprochement exercise were Dravidar Kazhagam founder E.V. Ramasamy (EVR), hailed by his admirers as Periyar; the then floor leader of the DMK in the Lok Sabha, Nanjil K. Manoharan; MP Murasoli Maran; and the then Minister for Adi-Dravidar Welfare in the DMK Cabinet, Sathyavani Muthu. Interestingly, Manoharan and Muthu subsequently joined the AIADMK, founded by MGR, only to return to the DMK.
Two days after MGR’s suspension, Manoharan, who initially termed the decision hasty, called on the rebel leader along with Kangeyam MLA Kovai Chezhian, at what was then called Sathya Studio in Adyar (now housing Dr MGR-Janaki College of Arts and Science for Women). Earlier, he had a half-an-hour discussion with the then DMK president and Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi. As the deliberations of the party’s executive were on in the city during October 12-13, Manoharan, being a member of the executive, later joined the discussion with his party colleagues, according to a news item published in The Hindu on October 13, 1972.
