TIRUCHY: While the Dravidian party, which emerged as a strong force after the ‘mozhi por’ in TN, their rise to power came on the backs of language martyrs, whose families are living in a state of penury.

So, the State government has offered land and also a house to Keezhapazhuvur A Chinnasamy’s family, including his ailing wife.

“My whole world turned dark after his suicide. I had nowhere to go with my two-year-old daughter then,” recalled Kamalam (85-plus), wife of Chinnasamy. “So, I went for odd jobs. But I refused to waste time looking back at the struggles I underwent to raise my daughter.”

Kamalam, who has been living with her daughter Dravida Selvi, has been suffering with age-related ailments. “Since my father died, my mother struggled for us, but a school education for me was a distant dream. As soon as I turned 18, I was married to a close relative. My husband did not have a stable income and did odd jobs, because of which, I was unable to afford education for my children,” lamented Selvi, a mother of three children.

They were all living in Cuddalore, when the State government announced that the martyr’s family would be given land and a home. “Mom would always ask me when we were moving to Keezhapazhuvur, our father’s native place,” she stated. “Then the government’s offer came; it allotted 3 cents of land in Keezhapazhuvur, and constructed a house with the efforts taken by Minister SS Sivasankar.”

Selvi also said that the people from Ariyalur were in touch with the family. “We heard that the construction is at its final stage and that we’ll be moving to Keezhapazhuvur soon. My mother’s long-pending wishes will be fulfilled,” she smiled, and appealed to the government to support the education of the children.

Meanwhile, Keeranur Muthu’s family is still struggling. Muthu, who sacrificed his life on February 4, 1965, for the cause, was under the care of his elder brother Velu. Presently, Velu’s sons – Subramanian, Shanmugam and Ramakrishnan – are doing some menial jobs.

“Ramakrishnan completed SSLC. We’ve asked DMK functionaries for help on many occasions but of no use,” lamented Shanmugam.

“I used to tell him to approach the local political leaders for any government aid but he never did that as he has no hope of ever getting anything from them. So, he continues with the menial jobs,” rued Rakkamma, wife of Shanmugam.

Shanmugam does some farm work at Chinna Sunayakadu, a hamlet of Keeranur in Pudukkottai. “Though our uncle’s name is mentioned on every Martyr’s day by current leaders, they do not care to ensure livelihood to their kins,” Shanmugam pointed out.