Vaiko, Veeramani peddle lies about freedom fighter VOC

In a blatant distortion of history, Dravida Kazhagam President K. Veeramani and Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) chief Vaiko peddled lies about freedom fighter V.O. Chidambaram Pillai in order to subsume him under the halo of rabid anti-Hindu demagogue E.V. Ramasamy Naicker (known as ‘Periyar’ by his admirers).

On the occasion of the 150th birth anniversary of V.O. Chidambaram Pillai (V.O.C) and in light of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister’s various announcements to remember the great freedom fighter, K. Veeramani put out a tweet and had written in Viduthalai, the mouthpiece of Dravida Kazhagam, saying that the V.O.C had called EVR as his ‘guru’.

However, there is no such evidence of the great freedom fighter associating himself with the anti-Hindu bigot.

Following Veeramani’s remarks, MDMK chief went a step ahead and said that VOC was a friend of ‘Periyar’ which is also not true.

Many on social media called out the blatant lies peddled by the sympathizers of ‘Periyar’. They had pointed out how for several decades the Dravidian leaders had peddled the lie about E.V. Ramasamy Naicker getting the award of ‘Socrates of Southeast Asia’ from UNESCO.

About V.O. Chidambaram Pillai

V.O. Chidambaram Pillai was an Indian freedom fighter from Tamil Nadu who started the Swadeshi Steam Navigation Company in October 1906 which earned him the epithet “Kappalottiya Tamizhan”, The Tamil Helmsman”.

VOC was also influenced by the thoughts of Congress leader Bal Gangadhar Tilak and the Swadeshi movement. He established many institutions like the Swadeshi Prachar Sabha, Dharmasanga Nesavu Salai, National Godown, Madras Agro Industrial Society Ltd and the Desabimana Sangam. Along with Subramaniya Siva and Subramania Bharathi, he became a prominent spokesperson for the Swadeshi cause in Madras Presidency.

He joined the Indian National Congress in 1905, and presided at the party’s Salem district session. He was also affiliated with Abhinav Bharat, a secret society formed by the Savarkar Brothers.

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