When an atheist past didn’t deter DMK from cleaning temple ponds – Times of India (blog)

There were more questions than claps when the DMK in April end announced that the party will desilt water bodies on temple premises. With atheism being a core value of prominent DMK leaders, it came as a surprise when the party chose temples as its place of public service. Barbs came flying from rival political parties including the AIADMK and the BJP. Their target was DMKs working president M K Stalin, who has been criticising the Centre and the state government for neglecting the state. DMK is desilting temple tanks as God has made them to do that work. The party is seeking pava vimochanam (salvation for their sin), said BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan a few days ago.

DMK leaders, however, say the party has never propagated atheism and has believers in its fold. Even though many leaders and cadres of the party have followed in the footsteps of Dravidar Kazhagam founder Periyar, they say, their beliefs have never kept them from executing their duties. Many of us are followers of Periyar and thus dont believe in God. But that does not stop us from cleaning temple tanks. It is the governments responsibility to desilt the tanks and as it has failed to execute its duties, as the opposition it is our responsibility to carry out the work, says DMK spokesman and Rajya Sabha member T K S Elangovan.

The party has several believers, both cadres and leaders, who wear sacred ash and kumkum.

Elangovan clarifies that it is not the first time that the party has taken decisions related to temples. The DMK introduced ISO certificate for several temples when it was in power (2009). We also repaired the Tiruvarur temple car (Aazhi ther), the biggest in Tamil Nadu, says Elangovan.

Since April, all 89 MLAs and district secretaries of the party have been involved in desilting temple tanks. Nearly 100 water bodies have been desilted so far. Stalin led the way by inaugurating the desilting of a pond in Kolathur.

Activists have lauded the efforts of the party. DMKs initiative has not come as a surprise as the party did not propagate atheism neither in the past nor now. Several leaders were followers of Periyar but that did not prevent them from having a separate minister for Hindu Religious & Charitable Endowments department, says political analyst Badri Seshadri.

If someone has to oppose DMKs present initiative, it has to be the AIADMK government. But they are silent. Its good that the work is being done so that people living around the tank will be benefited when it rains, he adds.

DISCLAIMER : Views expressed above are the author's own.

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When an atheist past didn't deter DMK from cleaning temple ponds - Times of India (blog)