Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
From Freepedia
'Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam' (DMK) is a regional political party in the Tamil Nadu state of India. It was founded by C N Annadurai as a breakaway faction from Dravidar Kazhagam, headed by Periyar. The party is currently headed by M Karunanidhi, the former Chief Minister of the state.
The ideology of Dravidian parties is probably the only rational ideology that is indigenous to India, unlike Marxism, which has its origins in Europe. The movement was initially mooted as one that championed the cause of socially and economically disadvantaged sections of the society. It advocated concepts of rationality, self-respect and rejection of casteism and superstitious practices, prevalent in the Tamil society. Prominent members preached militant atheism. The movement was sympathetic to the claim that there were two separate races in India, the Aryans and Dravidians, and the movement claimed to represent the latter. In the early years of its militant struggle, it rejected any concept known to have its origins in the north. There also was a brief period, during which it idealized a separate Dravidian land, comprising the southern regions of India, and Tamil Eelam. The anti-Hindi agitation of 1965, forced the central government to abandon its efforts to stipulate Hindi as the only official language of the country. With the passage of time and a shift in the national political scenario towards coalition governments, however, DMK has adopted a more national outlook. DMK championed the cause of Tamil and used its national clout to make Government of India declare Tamil as classical language. In the enrichment of Tamil literature, the writers belonging to DMK had an important role.
The DMK is also sympathetic and formerly allied to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam in Sri Lanka.
The DMK has split into the AIADMK, the PMK and the MDMK. Of the three, the AIADMK is the strongest rival party.
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