Kamaraj did not have family responsibility. Since he was a bachelor he did not even have the responsibility of maintaining the property. He spent his whole time for the service of Congress day and night, he was thinking only about Congress.So he could read the pulse of the public. He knew all the information about the Congressmen of every district. He was able to judge people and fore tell the election victory.
In 1934 he got the friendship of Nagarajan who was attracted by Kamaraj's sincerity, courage and patriotism faced all the oppositions. He was with Kamaraj for 15 years. Like that Late Tuticorin Kandasami Pillai, Virudhunagar Muthusami , Dhanushkodi Nadar, Nellai Jebamani , Sathur Lakshmana Pillai , Madurai Chidambara Bharathi , D.Ramakrishnan Nithyanandam ,Vengadathri Naidu , Trichy Arunachalam , Sanglia Pillai , Serkali Saminatha Chettiar , Salem Theerthagiri Mudaliar , Padruti Devanajaiah , Cuddalore Sundarsanam , Muthu Mutdaliar , Chidambaram Mariappan , North Arcot Upayadullah , Annamalai Pillai , Chennai Athi Kesavalu Naicker , Lakshmanasami Mudaliar , S.Venkatraman , Venkatachalam , Kumbakkonam Gopalakrishnan , T.R.V.Narayansamy , T.N.Ramachandra Naidu , Varadan and Thangavel Nadar all helped and co-operated with Kamaraj since Non-Co-Operation Movement.
The good relationship between Sathyamoorthy and Kamaraj stood as it was till the end of Sathyamoorthy. Sathyamoorthy was innocent, so Kamaraj had the responsibility of escorting him always. He never did anything without consulting Kamaraj.
In 1940 when Sathyamoorthy was offered Vice-Chancellor's post in Madras University he consulted Kamaraj whether to accept. But Kamaraj advised him not to accept the same since Civil Disobedience Movement was about to come. If he accepts the post it may spoil his political carrier. Thus Kamaraj saved him from many plots. He was a side supporter of Sathyamoorthy. Sathyamoorthy too felt Kamaraj as a sincere friend.
Sathyamoorthy was moving only with high levels. Kamaraj made him to move in lower level volunteers too. Sathyamoorthy introduced the high level and their status to Kamaraj. Thus they helped each other.
Sathyamoorthy loved only two. One was his daughter and other Kamaraj. Kamaraj too showed his extreme love towards Sathyamoorthy.
During Avadi Congress Conference he named the place as Sathyamoorthy Nagar. When he became Chief Minister he went to Sathyamoorthy's residence and prayed before his portrait and obtained blessings from his wife. These were the symbols of friendship.
August 1942 was to be inscribed in golden letters in the history of Independence war. August revolution busted out only in that year.
Asian light Nehruji informed only in this year that we were on the edge of sharp sword. We do not know what would happen. Anything may happen at any time , we should be prepared for it.
Gandhiji showed green signal for revolution only in this year.
World war began in 1934. Britain, America, Russia were on one side. German, Japan and Italy on the other.
In that war without consulting India Britain announced that India too would join in that war. Leaders including Gandhiji refused this. Gandhiji said when India was a slave how could it take part in the war for the interest of other countries. Suppose if freedom would be give to India at least at the end of war it may consider of supporting war arrangement.
But British Prime Minister Sir Winston Churchill arrogantly said that what a foolishness it was. He was not Prime Minister of British Empire to construct cemetery. He need not require guns to control beggar Gandhiji and his volunteer. Only lathis would do.
Then no support said the National Congress Council. Sir Stafford Gribs was sent as a ambassador to discuss the problem regard freedom to India.
In 25th March 1942 Gandhiji and Moulana Abulkalam Azad met Gribs. But that gentleman creates difference of opinion between Hindu and Muslims and postponed the demand for freedom. Finally he was ready to give freedom at the end of the war with certain conditions.
Gandhiji refused this as it was like a post dated Cheque. At this time Rajaji supported partition of India and Pakistan. In result of that in 15th July 1942 Gandhiji himself, with the suggestion of Patel wrote a letter to Rajaji to quit Congress. Then there were a group of people who received salaries from British and supported them.
Quit India:-
Indian National Congress Conference was held in 8th July 1942 at Govalia Tank ground at Bombay City. To this history renowned conference. P.C.C. Madras State President Kamaraj , leader Sathyamoorthy , Muthuranga Mudaliar , M.Bakthavathsalam , Kumbakkonam Gopalakrishnan , Varadan , T.N.Ramachandra Naidu and 30 others went to Bombay from Madras State.
Moulana Abulkalam Azad presided the conference. As per Gandhiji's desire Nehru proposed the history famed Quit India Movement.
Nehruji said at that time prestige of India can not be bargained. Struggle eternal struggle. It was his reply to British Empire.
Sardar Vallabhai Patel seconded the same. Moulana Abulkalam Azad , Kavikuil Sarojini Devi , J.P.Kripalini , Pandit Bandh and Sathyamoorthy supported this.
Do or Die:-
Finally Gandhiji addressed. He spoke for 140 minutes. “Freedom should come immediately. If it is given tonight it should be given before dawn. From this moment you should think yourself as an independence man, you are not slaves. Essence of freedom is that i tell you a slogan. Don't forget this and keep this in your mind. Every breath of yours should be Do or Die We will free India. We ill die in that effort. We need not live being a slave ". Then it was night 10'o clock.
Decision of the conference were as under: -
1. British rule should come to an end in India
2. Independent India will help to eradicate Nazism, Racism and Dictatorship .
3. If Britain does not accept to go away a peaceful, war under the leadership of Gandhiji will be conducted.
4. After eradication of foreign rule there will be communal harmony. Later a temporary Government will be formed by persons representing every community.
This decision was welcomed by all without any opposition. The British Government which could not tolerate this arrested at morning 5'o clock (9th August ) Gandhiji, Kasthuri Bhai, Meera Ben Patel , Piyarelal , Mahadev Desai , Sarojini Devi , Vallabhai Patel , Nehruji , Moulana Abulkalam Azad without leaking out that where they had been taken , sent Gandhiji and his group to Aagakhan palace , Pune. Nehruji and others to Ahamad nagar for jail.
Bombay became a Volcano at the dawn of August 9th when the public came to know that the beloved leaders were arrested and sent to unknown jails. Thus came August revolution there was firing.
There was a proposal to hoist the Congress flag at 9'o clock morning at the conference. Since the leaders were arrested some doubted flag hoist. There came a lady in Khadi dress dashed towards flag mast and hoisted the flat at 9.00 a.m. as planned. British police rushed up to stop her. But before that lady gave lecture to conduct August revolution. She was Aruna Asif Ali.
On that day in that train bound for Madras from Bombay Kamaraj and representatives of Madras state returned. Leader of Andhra N.Sanjeeva Reddy came in that train. But he was arrested when the train entered Andhra Border.
Kamaraj was alert then itself. He understood they would be arrested once reaching Madras. He decided to get himself arrested only after the arrangement for August revolution in district wise. Police were on throughout the way. Armed policies were on each railway station.
They had orders to arrest the needed leaders. Then Kamaraj asked his Madras State representatives to depart immediately. Varadan was arrested before entering into Madras state border. Kumbakkonam Gopalakrishnan and T.R.V.Naryanasami come to Tanjore in disguise. Bombay express halted at Arakkonam station 35 miles before Madras. Kamaraj keeped out of train and saw lots of police were deployed there. He decided to get down there as he expected to be arrested at Madras. He disguised himself as a village folk by having a turban on head and a bundle in head. That bundle contained the copies of the decisions taken at the Bombay conference.
He simply got down from train into the platform and walked away unnoticed by anybody. No police who came in front of him noticed. He came out of the station in deep thought.
He rushed to the bus stand and took a bus bound to Ranipet and sat in a corner without removing the turban. The bus flew but his mind was faster than the bus.
At mid night in the dark he got down at Ranipet and went to house of K.R.Kalyana Rama Iyer who was a committee member and close friend of Kamaraj.
His house was locked when he knocked the door Kalyanarama Iyer that it would be police to arrest him. But Kamaraj was a pleasant surprise to him at that night. He took him in , his aged mother gave some fruits and food to Kamaraj. She blessed Kamaraj and her son for their victory and prayed for the same.
These two later discussed about the present situation and their future plans for a long time. They planned to explain the revolution to the public in Tanjore, Trichy , Madurai and Tirunelveli and starts on next day.
Police officer who knocked the door
A problem of 24 hours stay came up since Kalyanarama Iyer was expected to be arrested at any moment and it would not be safe to stay with him. Kamaraj was forced to stay in disguised in a unseen place.
Kalyanarama Iyer sheltered Kamaraj in a small but beautiful house of Janab Mohammed Sulaiman, a patriot.
Kamaraj who stayed at Ranipet up to next evening distributed the copies of Quit India Plan and scheme of August Revolution to youngsters who met him. The fundamentals of August Revolution is to spoil the efforts taken by British in India for war support, stop British rule in India as for as possible and laming the British government's action.
When Kamaraj went Sulaiman’s house there came sound of door knock. Kalyanarama Iyer expected a police and kept Kamaraj in another room and locked the same. After that opened the door and find a police constable there. He was shocked and asked him the reason for his knocking the door affraiding whether he might have come there to arrest Kamaraj. But to his surprise the constable replied that he was in search of nice house for the stay of his District Superintendent who visited there. Since the house was too small he returned back. Kalyanarama Iyer gave on sigh of relief.
Amidst the Red Caps: -
They engaged a taxi from Vellore and went to Vaniampadi station and went in a train towards Tanjore. Enroute train stopped at Thiruvannamalai. They searched for some Congress volunteers to hand them over the copies. But found none. At last they met a school teacher and gave him some copies and requested him to hand it over at Thiruvannamalai Congress Committee office.
At Vilupuram junction lot of police were seen on the platform. They were ready to arrest if anyone seen in Khadi dress.
Kamaraj sat in the train covering himself in a blanket. Kalyanaram Iyer got down the train and met some newspapers sellers and Congress people and gave them the copies and explained them about it.
Next day they reached Tanjore. There they got down and met Tanjore Congress Committee Leader T.R.V.Narayanasami and Kumbakkonam Gopalakrishnan and other volunteers explained them the plan , gave the copies and requested them to issue to public. Kumbakkonam Gopalakrishnan disguised himself and went the places in Tanjore and Kumbakkonam and distributed the copies and kindled the awareness in them. Kumbakkonam Gopalakrishnan was arrested once he finished his duties entrusted by Kamaraj. Kamaraj and Kalyanarama Iyer reached Trichy in the next train.At Trichy police were hunting for Congress leaders. Kamaraj with a turban on head a towel on shoulder totally looked like a villager got down the train and walked on the opposite direction. Crossed the rails and level crossings reached the house of M.S.Rengasami. Kalyanarama Iyer followed him.
At Trichy police were very much alert. They wanted to prevent the plan of Congress plotters at Ariyalur and to arrest the leaders.
After meeting M.S.Rengasami he and Kalyanarama Iyer left to Madurai in a car without being caught by the police.
Job Is Over Arrest Now: -
When he reached Madurai at night he meets the Congress leaders and volunteers and explained them the plans of Congress revolution. P.S.Kumarasami Raja came there and joined Kamaraj.
Then they decided that Kamaraj to go to Virudhunagar and Kalyanarama Iyer to Tirunelveli and finishing the work at Tirunelveli he had to proceed to Salem and Coimbatore districts and then back to his place. Kamaraj was having only a trivial amount. Kumarasami Raja gave the Rupees which he was having to Kalyanarama Iyer and sent him to Tirunelveli . He went to Tuticorin finished the job and due to short of fund without visiting Salem and Coimbatore he went back to Ranipet. There he was arrested before entering into the house. He was the first person to get arrested in Security Act and sent to Vellore. Later he transferred to Tanjore.
Kamaraj went to Virudhunagar in train. Before 2 miles to Virudhunagar at Reddiarpatty he got down from the train and sent word to his friends. They went to Virudhunagar at 12 midnight by walk.
He explained the decisions of the Congress conference throughout the way. They reached the house by Pullakottar road behind the police station. Then his friends departed.
After returning from Bombay he slept peacefully in that night with a satisfaction of having finished the job completely.
On the next day morning he sent a message to the local police through his friend Jeyarama Chettiar stating that he was ready for the arrest. Immediately there came a Inspector by name Eluthachan a good patriot.
He politely and humbly requested Kamaraj to take rest for few more days as the police went to Ariyalur to arrest him.
But Kamaraj who spent 9 years ie. Roughly 3000 days in jail at his youth said that he had finished his work satisfactorily and when his beloved leaders were in jail he did not like to be out and moreover for a slave in a slavery country the jail is a peaceful place hence he was to be arrested immediately.
Inspector Eluthachan stunned and overwhelmed for a minute he thought to remove his uniform and go to jail along with his Kamaraj. But out of his duty conscious he arrested the Tamil leader and the last heir of Gandhiji and sent him to Vellore jail. Kamaraj left in a police van with lot of books in a suitcase. Then he was sent to Amaravathi from Vellore jail. Only there all the Indian leaders were kept. After few years he was transferred to Vellore back.
In 1945 the Second World War came to an end. All the Security Detunes was released without any trail. Kamaraj too was released. This was his last imprisonment.
When Kamaraj was released in 1945 public gathered at Tirunelveli railway station with garlands to receive Kamaraj.
Kamaraj went down from the train and he was taken in a procession. When it crossed over the Tamarabarani Bridge a youth volunteer neared Kamaraj and murmured into the ear of Kamaraj. Procession reached Vannarapettah. Kamaraj asked the noble man who stood nearby as where he was taking to. In reply he told the name of a famous lawyer. Kamaraj perpleazed as he stepped into a fire and asked to stop the van. He asked them to divert it to some hotel or elsewhere but not to that betrayer's house. He shouted since that lawyer was a traitor. The news spread around. It touched the mind of the public.
He was the lawyer who was member of Congress 1937 had worked for the police in 1942 sent 2 persons to snoot and got life sentence to 30 persons. When Kulasekarapatinam case was under trial public used to collect funds and supplied food and fruits to prisoners. But he was the person who stopped that habit. Rajagopalan and Kasirajan were the persons sent to snoot by the lawyer. Kamaraj refused to drink water at this lawyer's house.
People who were arrested in 1942's revolution were released in 1945 one after the other. Viceroy Lord Wavel invited all the Indian leaders and had a compromise talk. As Chief Minister Rajaji too was invited. At that time Rajaji wanted to join in Congress back. There was a strong opposition to this.
Rajaji resigned from the Congress party and its working committee when his proposal was defeated by a vast margin of votes regarding Pakistan in 1942.
Even the proposal was defeated Rajaji continued to fight for that. A notice was issued to Rajaji for taking disciplinary action.
Gandhiji in his letter of July 15th wrote to Rajaji asking him to resign from Congress and Assembly. So did Rajaji and he was against to August Revolution.
Rajaji's efforts to join in Congress and to have talked with Viceroy hurted the feelings of the patriots in the jail.
There was flash news as Rajaji was elected for Congress committee from Thiruchengodu. No one knew when and how the election was conducted and that too without the knowledge of the president.
Opposition was strong enough to see that Rajaji should not be allowed to join in Congress. Kamaraj released a circular.
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