Comrade V. Ponnambalam தோழர் வ. பொன்னம்பலம் 18 December 1930 – 5 March 1994

At the conference, comrade V. Ponnambalam was elected unopposed as the district secretary of the party, and comrade K.A. Subramaniam was chosen as the youth league secretary.

Several prominent comrades, including Premalal Kumarasiri, Pieter Keuneman, W.A. Dharmadasa, N.Shanmugadasan, V. Ponnambalam, Sarath Muttetuwegama, A. Vaithilingam, I.R. Ariyaratnam, Karthigesan Master, and Banudevan were present. A small argument broke out between comrade V. Ponnambalam and comrade Karthigesan Master, but I prefer to stay out of internal Party matters.

My husband’s close comrade, V. Ponnambalam, came to the hospital with his wife. He said, *“We have named our child ‘Mavalirasan.’

I think it would be fitting to name your child ‘Sathiarajan.’”* During my pregnancy, a group of youth from Point Pedro had performed the play *“Sampoorna Harishchandra Mayana Kandam”* at the Aaladi temple in Karainagar, Vikakal. In that play, there was a scene where Satheakeerthy,

a minister unaware that the person guarding the graveyard was actually his king,

sings tearfully, *“I am searching for my brotherly king, searching and

searching without finding him.”* To which the king, who is disguised as a gravedigger, responds with,

*“Satheakeerthy ‘Aiya’, I am Harishchandra, as you see me now.”* This emotional scene touched everyone’s

hearts, leaving many in tears. From that moment on, we decided that if I gave birth to a boy or a girl, the name would be

Satheakeerthy, a symbol of truth and integrity. (In this play, Harishchandra was played by Mr. Vairamuthu, and Satheakeerthy

by Mr. Mahalingam—this drama was well known in Sri Lanka, performed in many villages.)

After comrade V. Ponnambalam expressed his preference, *“That is the minister’s name, this is the king’s name. Both represent truth in history,”* and thus, the name Sathiarajan was given to our child by comrade V. Ponnambalam. On the 45th day after the birth, among many comrades, Sathiarajan’s name was officially bestowed in a naming ceremony by comrade V. Ponnambalam. Even had invitations printed and distributed to comrades, calling it the *“Namakarana Vaibhavam” (Naming Ceremony).* Many comrades and Party supporters from Jaffna attended the event, along with neighbors and friends who also supported us.

I must mention the challenges we faced at that time. Within the Party, criticisms of ideological differences between China and Russia were starting to arise. The naming ceremony was also seen as a political opportunity for comrades to gather in one place, and my husband wanted to invite everyone. However, he didn’t discuss this with me. I was so focused on taking care of our Rasan and his curious little ways that I was completely absorbed.

As a result of assisting in their own betel garden, father, elder brother Mr. A. Thangarajah, relatives, and friends helped comrade KAS to establish a community reading center in Kilanai, inviting progressive thinkers like Uduvil M.P. V. Dharmalingam, Skandavarodhaya Teacher V. Ponnambalam, and Dr. S.V. Seenivasagam from Kankesanthurai (KKS), providing them with leadership positions and honoring them, as the books they provided would say, "I also want to read."

Comrade V. Ponnambalam Standing With S.T. Nagarathinam (Left) , V. Dharmalingam (Right)  in between comrade KAS during the Soviet Communist Party delegation to Sri Lanka

"1959:- தோழர் வி.பொன்னம்பலம் காங்கேசன்துறைத் தொகுதியில் கம்ய+னிஸ்ட் கட்சிக் கிளைகள் கிராமம் தோறும் ஏற்படுத்துதல். இதற்கு பக்க பலமாக தோழர் கே.ஏ.சுப்பிரமணியம் நின்று செயற்படுதல். கிராமங்கள் தோறும் ஜனசமூக நிலையங்களையும் பாரதி வாசிகசாலைகளையும் ஆரம்பிக்க ஊக்குவித்தல். இப்பணியைத் தொடர்ந்து கட்சிக் காரியாலயமும் படிப்பகமும் சுன்னாகத்தில் திறக்கப்பட்டன. இப்பணியில் தோழர்.எஸ்.ரி.என்.நாகரெத்தினம் சகல வழிகளிலும் உதவினார். படிப்பகத்தில் பத்திரிகைகளைப் பெறுவதற்குரிய நிதியுதவியை அன்று இலங்கை – சோவியத் நட்புறவுச் சங்கத்தின் யாழ் கிளைத் தலைவராகவும் தாய்ச் சங்கத்தின் உபதலைவராகவும் கடமையாற்றிய திரு.வி.தர்மலிங்கம் வழங்கினார்."


நன்றி "பொன்மலர் 1994"
 

திருநிறைசெல்வி-ஸ்ரீரஞ்ஜனி சத்தியகீர்த்தி

 

Tribute to Hon. Justice Tellipalai Wanarajah Rajaratnam

 

Justice Tellipalai Wanarajah Rajaratnam (21 December 1920 – 15 January 1994) was a leading Sri Lankan Tamil lawyer, judge and politician. He was a Commissioner of Assize, Supreme Court judge and Member of Parliament.

Rajaratnam was born on 21 December 1920. He was the son of T. C. Rajaratnam, a proctor for Jaffna. He was educated at Trinity College, Kandy. After school he entered university and graduated with an honours degree in western classics and law.

At the early stages of his practice as an Advocate and thereafter, T.W. Rajaratnam appeared in the most difficult cases filed against Workers and Trade Unionists on behalf of K.A. Subramaniam. It was at a time when the Workers and Trade Unionists were harassed both by the State and Society. He hardly lost a single case. The last case he appeared for K.A. Subramaniam was a Caste case at Chavakachcheri (Madduvil Panriththalaichchi Amman Hindu Temple) connected with the Temple Entry. The High Class Tamils were out to poison the wells and the police were helping them to prevent the depressed classes from going into the Temple yard. The depressed classes organised themselves and restrained the police from doing this foul act. They even assaulted the police. It was a sensational case and the high class interests were demonstrating outside Court. However T.W. Rajaratnam won the case.

In 1987 his son Attorney-at-law Mr.T.C. Rajaratnam,  represented (for free of cost) in the High Court of Colombo for the  cases filed  by the  Attorney-General of Sri Lanka  against my son Subramanam Sathiarajan alias Meeran Master, while he was detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act and Emergency Regulations in the Magazine Prison, Colombo-09.  Attorney-at-law Mr.T.C. Rajaratnam helped to release my son without charging any fees.

புதிய பூமி 1994.01-02  

http://noolaham.net/project/284/28383/28383.pdf

A Sound Politician

At the early stages of my practice as an Advocate and thereafter, Subramaniam had me retained in the most difficult cases filed against Workers and Trade Unionists. It was at a time when the Workers and Trade Unionists were harassed both by the State and Society.

Subramaniam was, however, an inspiring leader and we hardly lost a single case. The last case appeared for him was a Caste case at Chavakachcheri connected with the Temple Entry. The High Class Tamils were out to poison the wells and the police were helping them to prevent the depressed classes from going into the Temple yard.

The depressed classes organised themselves and restrained the police from doing this foul act. They even assaulted the police. It was a sensational case and the high class interests were demonstrating outside Court. We won the case. Subramaniam as a true leader had prepared the case so well inspite of all the disadvantages in the Caste ridden area.

Subramaniam was well read in poiitics and had his own political philosophies which he often shared with me. We had a few political differences but that did not prevent us from meeting and having useful discussions.

Subramaniam was a very affectionate friend and never failed to meet me when he came to Colombo, had the opportunity to meet his son. He was a family friend, a sound politician and a great gentlemen. I share the grief over his death with the members of his family and his friends.

Subramaniam was patriot, a humanist and a lover of people. He was the the Champion of the the oppressed and throughout his life he carried on a relentless Crusade against the oppressors.

He has fought his battles valiantly and his life has been a Victory over death.

Colombo. . T. W. RAJARATNAM

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நிதானம் மிக்க அரசியல்வாதி

நான் சட்டத்தரணியாகப் பணியாற்றத் தொடங்கிய ஆரம்ப கட்டத்திலும் அதன் பின்னரும் தொழிலாளர்களுக்கும் தொழிற் சங்கவாதிகளுக்கும் எதிராகத் தாக்கல் செய்யப்பட்ட மிக கடின மான வழக்குகளில் எல்லாம் சுப்பிரமணியம் என்னை ஆஜராகும் படி செய்வித்தார். அந்தக் கட்டத்தில் அரசும் சமு த ராய மும் தொழிலாளர்களையும் தொழிற்சங்கவாதிகளையும் பெரும் தொந்தரவுகளுக்கு உட்படுத்திக் கொண்டிருந்தனர்.

ஆனால் சுப்பிரமணியம் எல்லோர்க்கும் உற்சாகம் ஊட்டக் கூடிய தலைவராகவிருந்ததால், நாம் வழக்குகளில் தோற்பது மிகவும் அரிது. அவர் சார்பாக நான் ஆஜரான கடைசி வழக்கு சாவகச்சேரியில் ஆலயப் பிரவேசத்துடன் தொடர்புற்றிருந்த ஒர் வழக்கு. கிணறுகளை நச்சுப்படுத்துவதற்கு உயர் சாதியினர் முயன்றனர்; ஆலய வளவிற்கு தாழ்த்தப்பட்டவர்கள் புகுவதைத் தடுப்பதற்கு பொலிசார் மேல்சாதியினருக்கு உதவி புரிந்து கொண்டிருந்தனர்.

தாழ்த்தப்பட்டவர்கள் தங்களை ஒழுங்கமைத்துக் கொண்டு இந்தப் படுமோசமான, ஈனத்தனமான செயலைச் செய்யாது பொலிசாரைத் தடுத்தனர். அவர்கள் பொலிசாரைத் தாக்கவும் செய்தனர். பரபரப்புமிக்க வழக்காக இது இருந்ததோடு, உயர் சாதியினர் நீதிமன்றத்திற்கு வெளியே ஆர்ப்பாட்டம் செய்தனர்.

நாம் வழக்கில் வென்றோம். உண்மையான தலைவராக சுப்பிரமணியம் இருந்ததால், சாதி அரக்கன் அட்டகாசம் செய்து வந்த பகுதியாய் இருந்த போதிலும், அவர் வழக்கினை நன்கு ஆயத்தம் செய்திருந்தார்.

சுப்பிரமணியம் அரசியலை நன்கு கற்றுத் தேர்ந்தவர். அவருக்கென சொந்த அரசியல் தத்துவங்கள் இருந்தன. அவற்றை என்ணுேடு அடிக்கடி பரிமாறிக் கொள்வார். எம்மிடையே அரசியல் சார்ந்த ஒரு சில கருத்து வேற்றுமைகள் இருந்தபோதிலும் அது நாம் இருவர் சந்திப்பதிலும் பயனுள்ள கலந்துரையாடல்களில் பங்குபற்றுவதிலும் தடையாய் இருக்கவில்லை.

சுப்பிரமணியம் பாசமிக்க நண்பராய் இருந்தார். கொழும்பிற்கு வரும்போது என்னைச் சந்திக்கத் தவறமாட்டார். அவரது மகனைச் சந்திக்கும் வாய்ப்பு எனக்கு ஏற்பட்டது.குடும்ப நண்பராகவும், நிதானமிக்க அரசியல்வாதியாகவும், பண்பு மிக்க மனிதராகவும் அவர் விளங்கினர்.

அவருடைய மறைவால் ஏற்பட்டுள்ள துயரத்தை அவரது குடும்பத்தினரோடும் நண்பர்களோடும் பகிர்ந்து கொள்கிறேன்.

சுப்பிரமணியம் ஒர் தேசபக்தன், மனிதாபிமானி, மக்களை நேசித்தவர் ஒடுக்கப்பட்ட மக்களுக்காக அவர் தனது வாழ்நாள் பூராவும் அடக்கியொடுக்கியவர்களுக்கு எதிராக அயராது போராடினார். வீரத்துடன் அவர் போராடினார். அவரது வாழ்வு மரணத்தை ஜெயித்துவிட்டது.

கொழும்பு T. W. ராஜரட்ணம்