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Carry on, but remember! Selected Speeches of C N Annadurai in the Indian Parliament
Seven selected speeches of C. N. Annadurai in the Council of States. The titles of these speeches will shed more light on the contents. The titles are:
1. For a re-thinking, for a re-appraisal, for a re-valuation and for a re-interpretation of the word 'nation.'
2. We Tamilians are very calm; because we are determined.
3. Carry on, but remember!
4. Sovereignty does not mean power to be concentrated in one place and one place alone.
5. Call my state 'Tamil Nadu.': a status for our ancient land.
6. In my state, Tamil is the national language.
1. For a re-thinking, for a re-appraisal, for a re-valuation and for a re-interpretation of the word 'nation.'
2. We Tamilians are very calm; because we are determined.
3. Carry on, but remember!
4. Sovereignty does not mean power to be concentrated in one place and one place alone.
5. Call my state 'Tamil Nadu.': a status for our ancient land.
6. In my state, Tamil is the national language.
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About the author
C.N. Annadurai
84 books77 followersConjeevaram Natarajan Annadurai, (C. N. அண்ணாதுரை) affectionately known as Anna ("Elder brother") or Arignyar Anna (அறிஞர் அண்ணா - "Anna, the scholar"), was an Indian politician who served as 1st Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for 20 days in 1969 and fifth and last Chief Minister of Madras State from 1967 until 1969 when the name of the state of Madras was changed to Tamil Nadu. He was the first member of a Dravidian party to hold either post.
He was well known for his oratorical skills and was an acclaimed writer in the Tamil language. He scripted and acted in several plays. Some of his plays were later made into movies. He was the first politician from the Dravidian parties to use Tamil cinema extensively for political propaganda. Born in a middle-class family, he first worked as a school teacher, then moved into the political scene of the Madras Presidency as a journalist. He edited several political journals and enrolled as a member of the Dravidar Kazhagam. As an ardent follower of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, he rose in stature as a prominent member of the party.
Annadurai was known as one of the best Tamil orators during his time. He developed a style in Tamil public speaking using metaphors and pleasing alliterations, both in spoken and written language. Anna was also best known for his extempore speaking ability being very well affluent on rhetoric skills.
After his electoral success with his DMK in 1967, the Congress has not yet returned to power in Tamil Nadu. His government was the first in the country to be from a non-Congress party with full majority.
Annadurai travelled to New York for medical treatment and he was operated for Cancer in the gullet at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. After he returned, he continued to address several official functions against medical advice. His health deteriorated further and he soon passed away. His funeral had the highest number of attendees until then, as registered with The Guinness Book of Records. An estimated 15 million people attended it. His remains were buried in the northern end of Marina Beach, which is now called Anna Memorial.
He was well known for his oratorical skills and was an acclaimed writer in the Tamil language. He scripted and acted in several plays. Some of his plays were later made into movies. He was the first politician from the Dravidian parties to use Tamil cinema extensively for political propaganda. Born in a middle-class family, he first worked as a school teacher, then moved into the political scene of the Madras Presidency as a journalist. He edited several political journals and enrolled as a member of the Dravidar Kazhagam. As an ardent follower of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, he rose in stature as a prominent member of the party.
Annadurai was known as one of the best Tamil orators during his time. He developed a style in Tamil public speaking using metaphors and pleasing alliterations, both in spoken and written language. Anna was also best known for his extempore speaking ability being very well affluent on rhetoric skills.
After his electoral success with his DMK in 1967, the Congress has not yet returned to power in Tamil Nadu. His government was the first in the country to be from a non-Congress party with full majority.
Annadurai travelled to New York for medical treatment and he was operated for Cancer in the gullet at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. After he returned, he continued to address several official functions against medical advice. His health deteriorated further and he soon passed away. His funeral had the highest number of attendees until then, as registered with The Guinness Book of Records. An estimated 15 million people attended it. His remains were buried in the northern end of Marina Beach, which is now called Anna Memorial.
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October 25, 2020The book contains some of the best speeches/interventions that the great Tamil statesman-politician made in the Rajya Sabha in the years between 1962 and 1966.
The themes were revolutionary. His speeches on the themes of Nation (How India is a Federal State), His argument against Hindi as a possible National Language for India, His speech on Democracy and Socialism. His speeches are to the point and hard hitting. He is blunt some times and subtle some other times.
Examples:
1. "This is not sovereignty; nor is it democracy. Sovereignty does not mean power to be concentrated in one place and one place alone."
2. "India is a federal state. Indian society is plural, our political system is composite and in a plural society and composite political system to plead for a single common language will, I think, create injustice unawares, create handicaps unawares to some section of the society. India is not a country. India consists of various ethnic groups. India consists of various language groups and India has been termed very correctly as a sub-continent."
Final Word:
These are some of the important speeches of C. N. Annadurai. But the editors of this work in this publication have not paid proper attention to the spelling and grammatical mistakes. They abound in this small book. This can put off anyone interested in Annadurai's speeches. It is for these errors that this reviewer gives this book no rating.
The themes were revolutionary. His speeches on the themes of Nation (How India is a Federal State), His argument against Hindi as a possible National Language for India, His speech on Democracy and Socialism. His speeches are to the point and hard hitting. He is blunt some times and subtle some other times.
Examples:
1. "This is not sovereignty; nor is it democracy. Sovereignty does not mean power to be concentrated in one place and one place alone."
2. "India is a federal state. Indian society is plural, our political system is composite and in a plural society and composite political system to plead for a single common language will, I think, create injustice unawares, create handicaps unawares to some section of the society. India is not a country. India consists of various ethnic groups. India consists of various language groups and India has been termed very correctly as a sub-continent."
Final Word:
These are some of the important speeches of C. N. Annadurai. But the editors of this work in this publication have not paid proper attention to the spelling and grammatical mistakes. They abound in this small book. This can put off anyone interested in Annadurai's speeches. It is for these errors that this reviewer gives this book no rating.
July 1, 2025
Anna talks smooth af. I really liked the speeches on 16th amendment curbing Art. 19. It was a short read, very insightful on the historical tension between centre-TN. I think I enjoyed this book quite a lot, Anna's oratory skill and passionate advocacy made it a pleasure to read.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews