Vaiko

Indian politician (born 1944)

This biography of a living person needs additional citations for verification. Please help by adding reliable sources. Contentious material about living persons that is unsourced or poorly sourced must be removed immediately from the article and its talk page, especially if potentially libelous.
Find sources: "Vaiko" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (March 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this message)

|

In this Indian name, the name Vaiyapuri is a patronymic, and the person should be referred to by the given name, Gopalsamy Naiyakar.

Vaiko

Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha

Incumbent

Assumed office
25 July 2019
Constituency| Tamil Nadu
In office
3 April 1978 – 2 April 1996
Constituency| Tamil Nadu
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
19 March 1998 – 17 May 2004
Preceded by| V. Alagirisamy
Succeeded by| A. Ravichandran
Constituency| Sivakasi
General Secretary of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

Incumbent

Assumed office
6 May 1994
Preceded by| Position established
Personal details
Born|

Vaiyapuri Gopalsamy

(1944-05-22) 22 May 1944 (age 80)
Kalingapatty, Madras Province, British India (now in Tamil Nadu, India)
Political party|  Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (1994)
Other political
affiliations|  Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (1964-1993)
Spouse| Renukadevi
Children| Durai Vaiyapuri, Rajalakshmi, Kannagi
Residence(s)| Anna Nagar, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
Alma mater| St. Xavier's College, Palayamkottai, Presidency College, Chennai, Madras Law College
Occupation| Politician

Vaiko, birth name Vaiyapuri Gopalsamy (born 22 May 1944), is an Indian politician. He is a member of the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of the Parliament of India from Tamil Nadu.[1] He is the founder and General Secretary of the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK), a political party active mainly in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. He was earlier elected to the Lok Sabha, the lower house of the Parliament of India from Sivakasi, Tamil Nadu.

## Birth

[edit]

Vaiko was born in Kalingapatty near Sankarankovil, Madras Presidency.[2][3]

## Education

[edit]

He graduated with a Gold Medal in his Bachelor of arts degree in economics from St. Xavier's College, Palayamkottai and masters from Presidency College, Chennai. He obtained his bachelor's degree in law from Madras Law College.[4] He is an avid reader and orator known for his oratory skills both in Tamil and English. He has two daughters and a son.

## Political career

[edit]

Vaiko is now the general secretary of the MDMK party. Vaiko was a part of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and was formerly a close colleague of former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Kalaignar M. Karunanidhi.[5][6] Vaiko has been involved in and led anti Hindi agitations.[7]

He entered the Rajya Sabha in 1978 and has been member of the Upper House for three terms. He has also been elected to the Lok Sabha[8] twice.[3]

Vaiko was known as "Lion Of Parliament" due to his vociferous speeches in Parliament.[9][10] Vaiko protested against Kerala's demand for a new dam at Mullaperiyar and proposed building of dams in Pambar and Siruvani. Vaiko also supported national interlinking of rivers and Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project. Vaiko filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in Madras High Court requesting closure of the copper smelting plant of Sterlite Industries in Tuticorin which did not follow the waste management procedures correctly and leading to the closure of the plant.[11]

Vaiko often goes on foot marches along with his party cadres to attract attention to issues.[12]

### Support of LTTE

[edit]

Vaiko unequivocally supported Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) and other organizations fighting for a separate Tamil Eelam country in Sri Lanka. He made a trip to Eelam 1989 at the height of the LTTE's war with Sri Lankan Army when IPKF Indian Peace Keeping Force was at Jaffna.[13] Vaiko was the first member of Parliament and chief of a registered political party in the country to be detained under the Prevention of Terrorism Act, 2002.[14] He was released after spending 18 months in prison.[15]

In 2008, Criminal Investigation Department of Tamil Nadu police arrested Vaiko on charges of sedition.[16] The charges stemmed from speeches Vaiko made at a party meeting on the Sri Lankan issue and the government's raids into LTTE-held areas on 21 October 2008.[16] After 14 days in judicial custody, Vaiko was released.[17]

Vaiko has said that India should retract its ban on the LTTE, claiming the ban was a shield to suppress freedom of expression and stifle the voice of the Opposition.[18][19]

On 3 April 2017, Vaiko was jailed in for sedition case filed by DMK in their 2010 regime.[20]

## Philanthropy

[edit]

In 2005, Vaiko started the Marumalarchi Blood Donors' Club.[21] Vaiko has launched many engagement programmes in rural areas with the participation of villagers.[22] Vaiko has undergone a month-long padayatra in Tamil Nadu for the interlinking of interstate rivers in India.[23] Vaiko during the time he represented Sivakasi Constituency in Loksabha conducted several medical camps for his constituents. He conducted medical camps for physically disabled people in his constituency with the help of Sri Venkateshwara Medical College, Thirupathi. Thousands of people afflicted by polio attended the camp and were given medical aid including corrective surgery at Thirupathi and Whitefield, Bengaluru and post-surgery aid, equipments, etc,. He conducted medical camps for providing the Hepatitis B vaccine for children and provided vaccines for 65000 children in his constituency. Considering the logistics and the planning involved in providing the vaccines in three doses to 65000 children, the program was successful without a hitch. And considering the fact that all these medical camps were organized by Mr. Vaiko without any government help and with his own money, it itself states the philanthropic nature of the leader.

## Personal life

[edit]

He married Renuka Devi on 14 June 1971. Vaiko enjoys writing in his free time and has authored over 50 books (Tamil & English) apart from regular essays and columns in newspapers.[24][25][26][27][28][29]

## Documentary film

[edit]

Six decades of the political life of Vaiko were filmed by Durai Vaiko and released by the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. K. Stalin, K. Veeramani, R. Nallakannu, K. S. Alagiri, Thol. Thirumavalavan, K. Balakrishnan (CPI-M), R Mutharasan, T. Velmurugan, Khadar Mohideen (IUML) and M H Jawahirullah (MMK) in Sathyam Cinemas.[30]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Vaiko, Anbumani elected unopposed to Rajya Sabha from Tamil Nadu". The Economic Times. 11 July 2019. Retrieved 12 July 2019.
2. ^ "News 18 : Politics". 6 February 2017.
3. ^ a b "Interview with Vaiko". 29 November 2006.
4. ^ "Shooting from the lip". Times of India. 28 June 2002. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
5. ^ "Vaiko praises his mentor, steers clear of current politics". The Times of India. 6 September 2017. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
6. ^ "DMK reaches out to MDMK leader Vaiko". India Today. 30 October 2014. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
7. ^ "Tamil Nadu parties decry centre's 'Hindi imposition'". The Times of India. 4 October 2022. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 13 December 2023.
8. ^ "Vaiko Parliament Bioprofile". Lok Sabha. Retrieved 23 August 2017.
9. ^ "Always on the move". Sachidananda Murthy. The Week. 8 May 2016. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
10. ^ "Modi will become PM : Vaiko". Telugu Mirichi. 1 January 2014. Retrieved 31 May 2016.
11. ^ "Smelting Plant Nadu Pollution Control Board Smelter". The Economic Times. 29 September 2010. Archived from the original on 2 March 2014.
12. ^ Akilan, Mayura (11 December 2012). "பூரண மதுவிலக்கை அமல்படுத்தும் வரை 'சிலுவைப் போர்': வைகோ அறிவிப்பு". Oneindia.com.
13. ^ "Vaiko: "Sri Lankan Tamils want a Separate Nation"". tamilnation.co. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
14. ^ "Vaiko arrested from Chennai airport". Archived from the original on 25 September 2012.
15. ^ "Vaiko released from prison". Rediff.
16. ^ a b Kumar, S. Vijay (24 October 2008). "Vaiko arrested on charges of sedition". The Hindu. Archived from the original on 26 October 2008. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
17. ^ "Vaiko: Sedition trial against Vaiko from Sept 6 | Chennai News - Times of India". The Times of India. 4 August 2010.
18. ^ No justification for extending ban on LTTE, says Vaiko The Hindu - 27 September 2010
19. ^ "Lift ban on LTTE, demand MDMK lawyers". The Hindu. 26 June 2011. Archived from the original on 2 July 2011.
20. ^ Sivaraman, R. "Vaiko jailed in sedition case filed by DMK regime". The Hindu. Retrieved 4 April 2017.
21. ^ "Marumalarchi blood donors save boy's life". The Hindu. 23 February 2006. Archived from the original on 6 September 2006. Retrieved 4 February 2012.
22. ^ "More about Tank Desilting Program". The Hindu. 13 October 2004. Archived from the original on 27 November 2004.
23. ^ Padayatra boosted MDMK's image: Vaiko[usurped]
24. ^ Ziegfeld, Adam (19 February 2016). Why Regional Parties?: Clientelism, Elites, and the Indian Party System. Cambridge University Press. ISBN 9781316539002.
25. ^ "The Pioneer". www.dailypioneer.com. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
26. ^ "Angered By Question, Vaiko Storms Out Of Interview". NDTV.com. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
27. ^ "Video: Vaiko and the art of walking out of an interview". The News Minute. 26 March 2016. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
28. ^ "Vaiko denies receiving any money from AIADMK". The Hindu. 6 April 2016. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
29. ^ "Vaiko storms out of TV interview on query about fund offer - Times of India". The Times of India. Retrieved 26 November 2016.
30. ^ The Hindu (11 September 2018). "Documentary film about the life of Vaiko released". Retrieved 11 September 2022.

Lok Sabha

Preceded by

V. Alagirisamy

|  Member of Parliament
for Sivakasi
1998 – 2004  | Succeeded by

A. Ravichandran

## External links

[edit]

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Vaiko.

Wikiquote has quotations related to Vaiko.

* Official website of MDMK
* Official biographical sketch in Parliament of India website

* v
* t
* e

Rajya Sabha Members from Tamil Nadu

| DMK (10)|

* K. R. N. Rajeshkumar
* S. Kalyanasundaram
* R. Girirajan
* Kanimozhi NVN Somu
* M. M. Abdulla
* P. Selvarasu
* Tiruchi Siva
* N. R. Elango
* M. Shanmugam
* P. Wilson

|

AIADMK (4)|

* C. V. Shanmugam
* R. Dharmar
* M. Thambidurai
* N. Chandrasegharan

INC (1)|

* P. Chidambaram

MDMK (1)|

* Vaiko

PMK (1)|

* Anbumani Ramadoss

TMC(M) (1)|

* G. K. Vasan

* v
* t
* e

Sri Lankan civil war (1983–2009)

Origins|

* Sri Lankan Tamil nationalism
* Sinhalese Buddhist nationalism
* Sinhala Only Act
* 1956
* 1958
* Vaddukoddai Resolution
* 1977
* 1981
* Burning of Jaffna Library
* Black July

Combatants|

|  Sri Lanka|

* Army (LRRP)
* Navy
* Air Force
* Police
* Special Task Force
* Home Guards
* Attacks on civilians
* Assassinations

|

LTTE|

* Divisions
* Air Tigers
* Sea Tigers
* Black Tigers
* Attacks
* in the 1970s
* 1980s
* 1990s
* 2000s
* Assassinations
* Suicide bombings

Other militants (list)|

* ENDLF
* ENLF
* EPRLF
* EROS
* PLOTE
* TELO

India|

* Indian Peace Keeping Force

Paramilitary groups|

* EPDP
* TMVP

Phases|

* Eelam War I
* Indian intervention
* Eelam War II
* III
* IV
* Eastern / Northern theatres

Major battles|

* Kokkilai
* Vadamarachchi
* Poomalai
* Pawan
* Jaffna University Helidrop
* Balavegaya
* 1st Elephant Pass
* Pooneryn
* Riviresa
* 1st Mullaitivu
* Weli Oya
* Sath Jaya
* Vavunathivu
* Jayasikurui
* Thandikulam–Omanthai
* 1st Kilinochchi
* Oddusuddan
* A-9 highway
* 2nd Elephant Pass
* Bandaranaike Airport attack
* Point Pedro
* Jaffna
* Thoppigala
* Vidattaltivu
* 2nd Kilinochchi
* 2nd Mullaitivu
* Puthukkudiyirippu

Major events|

* Air Lanka Flight 512
* Indo-Sri Lanka Accord
* Expulsions from Northern province
* Assassination of Lalith Athulathmudali
* Assassination of Rajiv Gandhi
* Assassination of Ranasinghe Premadasa
* Temple of the Tooth attack
* Lionair Flight 602
* Bandaranaike Airport attack
* Expulsions from Colombo
* 2009 suicide air raid on Colombo

Leaders|

| Sri Lanka|

| Military|

| Army|

* Tissa Weeratunga
* Nalin Seneviratne
* Hamilton Wanasinghe
* Cecil Waidyaratne
* G. H. De Silva
* Rohan Daluwatte
* Srilal Weerasooriya
* L. P. Balagalle
* Shantha Kottegoda
* Sarath Fonseka

|

Navy|

* Asoka de Silva
* H. A. Silva
* Clancy Fernando
* D. A. M. R. Samarasekara
* H. C. A. C. Thisera
* Daya Sandagiri
* Wasantha Karannagoda

Air Force|

* Dick Perera
* Andibuduge Fernando
* Makalandage Gunawardena
* Oliver Ranasinghe
* Jayalath Weerakkody
* Donald Perera
* Roshan Goonetileke

Civilian|

* J. R. Jayewardene
* Ranasinghe Premadasa
* Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
* Chandrika Kumaratunga
* Mahinda Rajapaksa

LTTE|

| Militant|

* Velupillai Prabhakaran
* Pottu Amman
* Soosai
* Karuna Amman

|

Political|

* Selvarasa Pathmanathan
* Anton Balasingham
* S. P. Thamilselvan

India|

| Military|

* Harkirat Singh
* Ashok K. Mehta
* Kulwant Singh
* Depinder Singh
* Dalvir Singh
* Krishnaswamy Sundarji

|

Civilian|

* R. Venkataraman
* Rajiv Gandhi
* V. P. Singh
* Jyotindra Nath Dixit
* J. Jayalalithaa
* M. Karunanidhi
* Vaiko

Aftermath|

* Genocide
* Films
* NPC resolution
* LLRC
* Reactions (Protests)
* Remembrance Day
* UN Panel on Accountability
* War crimes
* Chemical weapons

Related topics|

* Casualties
* Assassinations
* Massacres
* Child soldiers
* Disappearances
* Office on Missing Persons
* Human rights
* Popular culture
* Terrorism
* Non-state
* State
* PTA
* Sexual violence
* Sixth Amendment
* Thirteenth Amendment
* 1988 Maldives coup attempt
* 1987–1989 JVP insurrection

* Sri Lankan civil war at Wiktionary
* Source texts at Wikisource
* Textbooks at Wikibooks
* Images and media at the Commons
* Quotations at Wikiquote
* News stories at Wikinews

*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template