A cartoon published in the political science text book for class XII has brought all Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu together to protest against it.
A cartoon published in the political science text book for class XII has brought all Dravidian parties in Tamil Nadu together to protest against it. AIADMK supremo and chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday demanded immediate removal of the cartoon from the text book prepared by the National Council for Educational Research and Training.
The cartoon by RK Laxman first appeared in the Times of India in 1965. It depicts C Rajagopalachari and the then chief minister, M Bhaktavatsalam, giving a promise against imposition of Hindi to a group of youngsters pelting stones at them and holding a banner proclaiming “No Imposition of Hindi”. A perplexed Rajaji asks the youngsters, “Don’t you know English too?”
The cartoon has been reprinted in a chapter titled ‘Compatibility of regionalism and nationalism”, which portrays the growth of the Dravidian political parties as a fall out of the anti-Hindi movement of the early sixties. The article pays tributes to the growth of the Dravidian movement and formation of political entities like the DMK and the AIADMK.
Jayalalithaa said in a statement that the cartoon defamed the Dravidian movement leaders like Periyar and CN Annadurai. “Contrary to the photograph that is published in the book that shows the true nature of the anti-Hindi agitation, the cartoon is published hurting the sentiments of the Tamil people,” she said. The anti-Hindi agitation was one of the reasons for the change of rulers in the state, Jayalalithaa said and added the cartoon denigrated the protest.
DMK chief M Karunanidhi and MDMK leader Vaiko have already condemned the cartoon. “The centre should intervene and remove the cartoon respecting the sentiments of the Tamils,” Karunanidhi said in a statement. He also reminded the central government that he has been participating in the anti-Hindi movement since 1938.
Interestingly, no Dravidian leader has acknowledged the essay which eulogised the Dravidian movements and the compatibility of regionalism and nationalism in Tamil Nadu. “I did not read the article though I had a look at the cartoon,” a Dravida Kazhakam leader told DNA.
Yogendra Yadav, who was the chief advisor to the NCERT on the subject, pointed out that the cartoon was a satirical comment on the politics of the day and it is not an official seal of approval on the representation.
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