Tamil Nadu has given the Armed Forces its all, be it war with China or Pakistan

Timely gesture: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi handing implicit a acquisition parcel for soldiers to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi successful New Delhi connected December 31, 1971. The parcel was a token of the articles, worthy ₹3.08 crore, collected from members of the nationalist successful Tamil Nadu by the State Defence Amenities Committee | Photo Credit: THE HINDU ARCHIVES

Last weekend, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin led a march successful Chennai successful solidarity with the Indian Armed Forces, which had launched ‘Operation Sindoor’ targeting panic networks successful Pakistan. However, this was not the archetypal clip Tamil Nadu stood agreed — mounting speech governmental differences — to enactment the efforts of the Centre. In the past, leaders cutting crossed enactment lines had rallied down the Armed Forces, offering everything from humor to bullion during times of warfare oregon outer aggression.

Support to Nehru

During the Indo-China War successful 1962, the DMK, which was successful absorption successful Madras State, pledged its enactment to Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru-led government. According to a study published successful The Hindu on November 13, 1962, DMK laminitis C.N. Annadurai pledged his party’s enactment to the Centre successful resisting the aggression and called for a moratorium connected each governmental agitations and controversies successful the country.

Speaking successful the Rajya Sabha, Annadurai said, “The information that each parties are agreed successful giving the authorities wide powers is impervious affirmative that determination has arisen a signifier erstwhile petty governmental differences ought to beryllium submerged, for the 1 cardinal rule of safeguarding the dignity and independency of the country.”

Meanwhile, the Congress-led authorities successful Madras State formed a 90-member State Committee for National Defence Aid. Chief Minister K. Kamaraj was the president of the committee, portion Finance Minister M. Bhaktavatsalam served arsenic its treasurer. The committee was tasked with mobilising funds. The authorities distributed 1,000 hundi boxes successful Madras City and 1,500 specified boxes successful mofussil centres to cod contributions for the National Defence Fund, The Hindu reported connected November 15, 1962. The azygous largest publication from the State came from Tamil cinema icon and DMK person M.G. Ramachandran, who donated ₹75,000.

During the 1965 India-Pakistan War, Annadurai expressed the unwavering enactment of his enactment towards gathering the menace posed by Pakistan to India’s territorial integrity. He besides called upon Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri to forge a almighty phalanx by uniting the assorted parties successful the country, said a study published successful The Hindu on May 4, 1965.

Kamaraj visits border

Kamaraj, past president of the Indian National Congress, visited the Attari-Wagah borderline on with Home Minister Gulzarilal Nanda and met Indian soldiers to congratulate them connected their valour and precocious morale. He besides visited Amritsar to commend the anti-aircraft gunners who changeable down 2 Pakistani Sabre jets.

During the 1971 India-Pakistan War, the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council unanimously adopted resolutions connected December 6, powerfully condemning Pakistani aggression and pledging afloat practice and enactment to the Centre to repel the attack. The solution besides urged the radical of Tamil Nadu to widen wholehearted practice to the State authorities successful its efforts to instrumentality immoderate determination taken by Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to unafraid men, material, and weapons.

“The dictator of Pakistan, not being satisfied with the suppression of the dependable of ideology successful East Bengal and wholesale massacre of the people, had indulged successful indirect aggression against India by imposing connected it the dense load of maintaining the refugees pouring from Bangladesh,” The Hindu reported connected December 7, 1971, quoting the resolution.

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, who moved the resolution, said the Ministers had decided to lend ₹500 to the warfare fund. He appealed to the members of the legislature to lend a minimum of ₹100. He besides announced that steps would beryllium taken to cod humor from donors, and a portion would beryllium acceptable up for this intent astatine the Secretariat.

Kamaraj, past person of the Congress (O), said that astatine a clip the state was facing a warfare launched by Pakistan, the radical indispensable stay agreed nether the enactment of Indira Gandhi, mounting speech party, caste, creed, oregon assemblage differences. In New Delhi, Karunanidhi handed implicit to Prime Minister Indira Gandhi a parcel of articles transported successful six trucks, intended for usage by soldiers successful guardant areas and those undergoing attraction astatine hospitals. These items, worthy ₹3.08 crore, were collected from members of the nationalist by the State Defence Amenities Committee. Later, during Indira Gandhi’s sojourn to Chennai successful May 1972, Karunanidhi handed implicit ₹6 crore, mobilised for the National Defence Fund.

Kargil struggle

During the Kargil struggle successful 1999, the ruling DMK resolved to widen afloat enactment to the actions taken by the authorities of Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to antagonistic aggression successful Kashmir pursuing the infiltration of extremist elements from Pakistan.

According to a study successful The Hindu on June 3, 1999, the DMK passed a abstracted solution astatine its wide assembly meeting, supporting subject enactment successful Kargil. Party president and Chief Minister Karunanidhi lauded the courageous and palmy efforts of the Indian troops successful driving backmost the infiltrators and foiling their designs. The party’s wide assembly besides condoled the decease of service officers, including Major Saravanan, successful the conflict. The Tamil Nadu authorities besides created the Kargil Defence Personnel Fund.

An archival study successful The Hindu said ₹1.8 crore was collected wrong 2 days of the money having been acceptable up. Various departments of the government, governmental parties, acquisition institutions, associations, and companies, including The Hindu, contributed to the fund.

Published - May 13, 2025 10:29 p.m. IST