Justice Party

Dravidian political parties
Dravidian movement Periyar E. V. Ramasamy Rise of Dravidian parties Anti-Hindi agitations Cinema in Dravidian politics
Defunct Dravidian parties Justice party Tamil National Party Thamizhaga Munnetra Munnani Thayga Marumalarchi Kazhagam
Contemporary Dravidian parties Dravidar Kazhagam Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Pattali Makkal Katchi Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam All India Latchiya Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam
Chief Ministers from Dravidian parties C. N. Annadurai V. R. Nedunchezhiyan M. Karunanidhi M. G. Ramachandran Janaki Ramachandran J. Jayalalithaa O. Panneerselvam This box: view • talk • edit

The Justice Party (Tamil: நீதிக்கட்சி), officially known as South Indian Liberal Federation (S. I. L. F.), was the political wing of Then Nala Urimai Sangam (literal translation: The South Indian Welfare Association). The Justice Party derived its name from an English-language daily of that time, named Justice.

The Justice Party was established in 1917 as the South Indian Liberal federation by Sir P. Theagaroya Chetty and Dr. T. M. Nair as a result of a series of non-Brahmin conferences and meetings in the Madras Presidency. The formation of the SILF or the Justice Party marked the culmination of a series of failed efforts to establish an organisation representing the non-Brahmins of the Presidency. The early political work of the party involved petitioning the imperial administrative bodies and British politicians demanding more representation for non-Brahmins in administration and in the government.

In 1920, elections were held in the Madras Presidency as per the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms. The Justice party contested the elections and was elected to power. The party ruled the province for six years before giving way to the independent ministry of P. Subbarayan in 1926. The Justice Party, however, recaptured power in the Presidency in the 1930 elections and ruled till 1937 when it lost to the Indian National Congress. During this time, Justice Party leader L. Sriramulu Naidu served as the First Mayor of Madras. It never recovered from the defeat and was eventually withdrawn from politics in 1944 by its then President E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker. A rebel faction called itself the Justice Party and survived till 1957 when it was eventually disbanded due to poor performance.

The Justice Party's period in power is remembered for the introduction of caste-based affirmative action and also for the educational and religious reforms it introduced. The Justice Party under E. V. Ramasami spearheaded the anti-Hindi agitations of 1937 and allied with Mohammad Ali Jinnah in its demand for separation from the Indian union.

History

Origin of the South Indian Liberal Federation

In 1909 two lawyers, P. Subrahmanyam and M. Purushotham Naidu, expressed their plans to establish an organization named "The Madras Non-Brahmin Association", an organization that never saw the light of the day.

Later in 1912 Madras United League was established with C. Natesa Mudaliar as Secretary. However, the League restricted itself to social activities and distanced itself from contemporary politics. The Madras United League was a predecessor of the Justice Party and the establishment of a hostel for non-Brahmin students in Madras was considered to be its main achievement. The League was subsequently renamed as the Madras Dravidian Association.

In November 1916, about 30 prominent non-Brahmin leaders met in Madras under the leadership of Theagaroya Chetty and Dr. T. M. Nair to establish the South Indian People's Association which was later renamed the South Indian Liberal Federation but was more popularly known as the Justice Party after the English daily Justice which the party published.

At a meeting organized in October 1917, the leaders described the objectives of the organization thus:

• to create and promote the education, social, economic, political, material and moral progress of all communities in Southern India other than Brahmins,

• to discuss public questions and make a true and timely representation to Government of the views and interests of the people of Southern India with the object of safeguarding and promoting the interests of all communities other than Brahmins and

• to disseminate by public lectures, by distribution of literature and by other means sound and liberal views in regard to public opinion ".

The South Indian Liberal Federation wholeheartedly supported British rule in India and launched virulent attacks on the Indian National Congress and the Home Rule League. At the same time, it also campaigned for the adequate representation of non-Brahmins in the Madras Legislative Council. In 1919, Dr. T. M. Nair was sent to London to argue in front of parliamentarians on behalf of the Justice Party for more representation of non-Brahmins of the Madras Presidency in the Legislative Council.

Their efforts bore fruit when in 1920 a dyarchy was established in Madras Presidency as per the Montagu-Chelmsford Reforms and elections were held to a designated number of seats in the Madras Legislative Council. The Justice Party won a landslide victory in the elections and formed the first elected government in Madras Presidency with A. Subbarayalu Reddiar as the Chief Minister.

Rule of the Justice Party

A dyarchy was created in Madras Presidency in the year 1920 as per the Montagu-Chelmsford reforms and provisions were made for elections in the Presidency.^[1] In the first elections held in November 1920, the Justice Party was elected to power.^[2] A. Subbarayalu Reddiar became the first Chief Minister of Madras Presidency. However, he resigned soon after a short period due to declining health and was replaced with Sir P. Ramarayaningar, the Minister of Local Self-Government and Public Health.^[3] The party split in late 1923 when C. R. Reddy resigned from primary membership and formed a splinter group which allied with Swarajists who were in opposition. A no-confidence motion was passed against Ramarayaningar's government on November 27, 1923, which was however defeated 65-44. Ramarayaningar, popularly known as the Raja of Panagal, remained in power till November 1926. The passing of the First communal Government Order (G.O. No.613^[4]) which introduced reservations to government jobs, in August 1921, remains one of the highpoints of his rule.^[4][5] In the next elections held in 1926, the Justice Party lost to the Swarajya Party. However, as the Swarajya Party refused to form the Government, the Governor set up an independent government unde rthe leadership of P. Subbarayan and nominated members to support it.^[6]

Soon after the demise of the Raja of Panagal, the Justice Party broke into two factions: the Constitutionalists and the Ministerialists.^[7] The Ministerialists were led by N. G. Ranga and were in favor of allowing Brahmins to join the Party. ^[7]In 1930, the Justice Party was victorious and P. Munuswamy Naidu became the Chief Minister.^[8] However, the exclusion of Zamindars from the Ministry split the Justice Party once again. Fearing a no-confidence motion against him, Munuswamy Naidu resigned in November 1932 and the Raja of Bobbili was appointed Chief Minister.^[9] During this time, Justice Party Leader L. Sriramulu Naidu served as Mayor of Madras. The Justice Party eventually lost in the 1937 elections to the Indian National Congress and Chakravarti Rajagopalachari became Chief Minister of Madras Presidency.^[10]

During the 1920s and 1930s, the Anti-Brahmin movement evolved in the Madras Presidency. This movement was launched by a Congressman E. V. Ramaswamy Naicker, who, unhappy with the principles and policies of the Brahmin leadership of the provincial Congress, moved to the Justice Party in 1925. E. V. R., or Periyar, as he was affectionately called, launched venomous attacks on Brahmins, Hinduism and Hindu superstitions in periodicals and newspapers such as Viduthalai and Justice.^[11] He also participated in the Vaikom Satyagraha which campaigned for the rights of untouchables in Travancore to enter temples.

In opposition

The Indian National Congress won the 1937 elections in the Madras Presidency, the first held as per the Government of India Act 1935^[12] by capturing 159 seats out of 215 in the Province and formed the government in the Presidency.^[10] The results were especially disappointing for the Justice Party as most of its leaders including its President, the Raja of Bobbili, the Kumara Raja of Venkatagiri and A. P. Patro were defeated.^[10] As part of a national policy, Hindi was introduced as a compulsory subject in schools. Non-Hindi speakers in southern India rebelled. Periyar, and the Self-Respect Movement wanted to put a stop to this turmoil. When the Justice Party was defeated in the 1937 general elections after being in power for a very long spell from 1921, most of its leaders were disheartened and became inactive. It was at this moment of crisis, Periyar accepted the leadership of the party because he always felt the need for the existence of a vigorous political party essentially oriented to work for the upliftment of the socially deprived sections of the people.

Tamils opposed Hindi imposition immediately and the Justice Party under A. T. Panneerselvam and Periyar organized anti-Hindi imposition protests in 1938.More than 1200 people, including women and children, were imprisoned in 1938, of which two, Thalamuthu Nadar belonging to Kumbakonam and Natarasan, lost their lives. Paneerselvam and Periyar started Anti-Hindi agitations and was arrested and jailed by the Rajaji government. When the protests gained momentum Periyar was sentenced to imprisonment for two years, although he was released in six months. While in prison, the Justice Party elected him as its president on 29 December, 1938.^[13] In 1939 the Rajaji government quit and it was withdrawn in 1940.

The World War II

Periyar was offered the power and the support to rule Madras by Rajaji and the Congress Party as they have to resign from the Government. British government declared war on Germany and the Axis partners and involved India without consulting the Indian government. Some of the Congress leaders like Netaji were indeed in alliance with Germany and Japan and wanted to drive the British out of India with an armed struggle.

Periyar and Justice Party supported the British and opposed the Nazis and the Fascists as they were found to be obnoxious and racist. Furthermore, Periyar wanted the social reform more than the political power and he refused to take over the Madras government even though the Congress Party offered to support him from outside. The plan by Rajaji was later hailed by Acharya J.B.Kripalani and Jayaprakashnarayan when Rajaji passed.What Rajaji wanted was to impart vocational education.

Change of Name and Transformation

In 1944, Periyar, the President of the Justice Party at that time, announced the party's withdrawal from politics and converted it into a social organisation, renaming it as Dravidar Kazhagam. Most of the members of the now defunct Justice Party joined this organisation. However, a few dissidents led by B. Ramachandra Reddi and later, P. T. Rajan, floated a new party claiming to be the original Justice Party. This party contested nine seats in the 1952 Assembly elections winning one, its leader being the sole candidate elected to the Madras Legislative Assembly. Eventually, this new Justice Party was dissolved after the 1952 elections.

In 1949, a few rebels in the Dravidar Kazhagam led by C. N. Annadurai formed a political party called the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). This political party opposed the unification of Tamil Nadu with India and did not, initially, participate in the political process. However, in 1957, the party changed its stand and participated in the elections winning 15 assembly seats. The party did better in the 1962 with 50 seats and in 1967 capturing power in the state after the 1967 elections. In 1972, the DMK split and M.G. Ramachandran formed the Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. Since then, Tamil Nadu has been ruled by either of these two Dravidian parties both of which claim the legacy of the Justice Party.

Issues

Attitude towards Brahmins

At the First Non-Brahmin Confederation, Theagaroya Chetty, as the President of the Reception Committee spoke:

Towards the Brahmins, we cherish no feelings of bitterness. If we have to fight them we do so in the interests of truth and justice, and we shall be prepared to extend to them too the right hand of fellowship, when they shall see the wrongs inflicted upon us and repent. Ours is essentially a movement of love and not of hate, or love based upon a sense of what is due to the various classes which constitute the population of this vast and ancient land^[7]

At a tripartite conference between the Justice Party, Ministerialists and Constitutionalists in Madras in 1929 a resolution was adopted recommending the removal of restrictions on Brahmins joining the organization.^[7]The Executive Committee of the party drafted a resolution to this effect and placed it before the Eleventh Confederation of the party at Nellore, for approval.^[7][14]At this Confederation, P. Munuswamy Naidu, the President of the Justice Party, spoke:

So long as we exclude one community, we cannot as a political speak on behalf of or claim to represent all the people of our presidency. If, as we hope, provincial autonomy is given to the provinces as a result of the reforms that may be granted, it should be essential that our Federation should be in a position to claim to be a truly representative body of all communities. What objection can there be to admit such Brahmins as are willing to subscribe to the aims and objects of our Federation? It may be that the Brahmins may not join even if the ban is removed. But surely our Federation will not thereafter be open to objection on the ground that it is an exclusive organization^[14]

Senior Justice Party leader and former Education Minister A. P. Patro supported Naidu's viewpoint and brought the following amendment to the resolution:

That every person, who is willing to subscribe to the creed and aims and objects of the South Indian Liberal Federation and is willing to abide by the rules framed by the Executive Committee, is eligible to become a member of the Federation^[14]

However, this resolution was vehemently opposed by E. V. Ramasami and R. K. Shanmukham Chetty.^[15] E. V. Ramasami reasoned thus:

At a time when non-Brahmins in other parties were gradually coming over to the Justice Party, being fed up with the Brahmin's methods and ways of dealing with political questions, it was nothing short of folly to think of admitting him into the ranks of the Justice Party^[15]

The resolution was passed for vote and was eventually rejected.^[15] However, the suggestion that Brahmins be admitted into the Justice Party were continued to be made as late as 1934.^[15]

Even though Brahmins were not allowed to join the Justice Party, Brahmins and Europeans were, however, permitted to attend Justice Party meetings as "observers".^[16]

Indian Independence Movement

The Constitution of the Justice Party in 1930 stated its object as:

.. to obtain Swaraj for India as a component of the British Empire at as early a date as possible by all peaceful and legitimate and constitutional means^[17]

The inclusion of this clause had been influenced by the appointment of C. R. Reddy as the President of the Madras branch of the South Indian Liberal Federation who was in favor of self-rule.^[17] However, the Justicites definition of Swaraj varied from that of the Indian National Congress. To the Justice Party, Swaraj meant partial self-government under British rule and not complete independence.^[18]

P. Ramamurthi once said that the Justice Party was the only organization in India which did not condemn the Jallianwala Bagh massacre. However, this claim of Ramamurthi had been disputed by political historians.^[19]

Presidents

The following is the list of Presidents of the Justice Party and their terms:

Performance of the Justice Party

Notes

References

• Ralhan, O. P. (2002). Encyclopaedia of Political Parties. Anmol Publications PVT. LTD. ISBN 8174888659, ISBN 9788174888655. 

External links

• Countercurrents.org - Periyar's movement

Further reading

• Rajaraman, P.: The Justice Party. A Historical Perspective 1916-37. Poompzhil Publ., Madras 1988.
• Chirol, Sir Valentine (1921). India Old and New Chapter XII:Cross Currents in Southern India. London: Macmillan & Co..