The Central Government under the Prime Ministership of Indira Gandhi honoured those who participated in the freedom struggle with the ‘Tamrapatra’ award to commemorate 25 years of independence.
However, Dravidian ideologues and followers of rabid demagogue E.V. Ramasamy Naicker (hailed by his followers as ‘Periyar’) have claimed that such an award was presented to him for his contribution to India’s freedom struggle.
A recent RTI on the other hand busts these claims made by the Dravidian demagogues.
The question that the individual had asked using the RTI was, “In 1972, under what criterion Tamrapatra was given to E V Ramasamy Naicker of Tamil Nadu?”
The reply to the RTI filed by an unknown individual said, “Distribution of the first batch of Tamrapatras was done on 15th August, 1972 at a ceremony at the Red Fort to which 1000 freedom fighters were specially invited. Thereafter it was decided that the tampatras should be distributed at State level functions and the State Government were requested to complete this work. As far as Shri E.V. Ramasamy Naicker is concerned his name is not found in the available record of Tamra patra awardees from Tamil Nadu.”
However, there is still a record that Periyarists use to show that Periyar was also a recipient of the award. It is still unclear who gave Periyar this award, if not the Central Government.
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