Hindu Makkal Katchi
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Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK), literally meaning Hindu People's Party, also pronounced as Indu Makkal Katchi (IMK), is a right-wing,
Hindu nationalist Hindu nationalism has been collectively referred to as the expression of social and political thought, based on the native spiritual and cultural traditions of the Indian subcontinent. "Hindu nationalism" or the correct term ''Hindū rāṣṭ ...
party in the Indian state of
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
. The organisation was set up by
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( ; , , ) is an Indian right-wing, Hindu nationalist, paramilitary volunteer organisation. The RSS is the progenitor and leader of a large body of organisations called the Sangh Parivar (Hindi for "Sangh family ...
(RSS) as a front for its political activities in Tamil Nadu. Since its formation served as the platform for RSS and its subsidiaries known as the
Sangh Parivar The Sangh Parivar (translation: "Family of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh" or the "RSS family") refers, as an umbrella term, to the collection of Hindu nationalist organisations spawned by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which r ...
.


Formation

Hindu Munnani Hindu Munnani is a rightwing Hindu nationalist organisation based in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Hindu Munnani was set up by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) The organisation was founded in 1980 by Ramagopalan, a member of RSS and sinc ...
, the parent organization of Hindu Makkal Katchi was set up by
Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh The Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh ( ; , , ) is an Indian right-wing, Hindu nationalist, paramilitary volunteer organisation. The RSS is the progenitor and leader of a large body of organisations called the Sangh Parivar (Hindi for "Sangh family ...
(RSS) as a front for its political and communal activities in
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
. Tamil Nadu was free from the political influence of RSS, which was trying to influence the state since the early 1980s. Hindu Munnani org was founded in 1980 by
Rama Gopalan Rama (; ), Ram, Raman or Ramar, also known as Ramachandra (; , ), is a major deity in Hinduism. He is the seventh and one of the most popular ''avatars'' of Vishnu. In Rama-centric traditions of Hinduism, he is considered the Supreme Being ...
, a member of R.S.S. and since its formation served as the platform for RSS and its subsidiaries known as the
Sangh Parivar The Sangh Parivar (translation: "Family of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh" or the "RSS family") refers, as an umbrella term, to the collection of Hindu nationalist organisations spawned by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), which r ...
. The organisation promoted a Hindu communal identity and used it as a political mobilisation strategy. In the early 1990s, the
AIADMK The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (; AIADMK) is an Indian regional political party with great influence in the  state of Tamil Nadu and the  union territory of  Puducherry. It is a Dravidian party founded by the former chief m ...
Jayalalitha government (1991-1996) tilted towards
Hindutva Hindutva () is the predominant form of Hindu nationalism in India. The term was formulated as a political ideology by Vinayak Damodar Savarkar in 1923. It is used by the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS), the Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP), the ...
,in reaction to the vote-bank politics of DMK. Jayalalitha-led government supported the activities of Hindu Munnani in organizing
Vinayaka Chathurthi Ganesh Chaturthi ( ISO: ), also known as Vinayak Chaturthi (), or Ganeshotsav () is a Hindu festival commemorating the birth of the Hindu god Ganesha. The festival is marked with the installation of Ganesha's clay idols privately in homes and ...
processions in major cities of
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
. The state government's support of Rama Gopalan's activity made him a follower of Jayalalitha. Due to this proximity, a faction of Hindu Munnani broke away and found another group named Hindu Makkal Katchi under the leadership of S.V. Sridhar in 1993. The
militants The English word ''militant'' is both an adjective and a noun, and it is generally used to mean vigorously active, combative and/or aggressive, especially in support of a cause, as in "militant reformers". It comes from the 15th century Latin ...
of the two groups used vituperative and abusive language against the Muslims. The provocative speeches against Islam and
Prophet Muhammad Muhammad ( ar, مُحَمَّد;  570 – 8 June 632 CE) was an Arab religious, social, and political leader and the founder of Islam. According to Islamic doctrine, he was a prophet divinely inspired to preach and confirm the monoth ...
polarized the social atmosphere of the region. Their
anti-Muslim Islamophobia is the fear of, hatred of, or prejudice against the religion of Islam or Muslims in general, especially when seen as a geopolitical force or a source of terrorism. The scope and precise definition of the term ''Islamophobia'' ...
speeches and activities led to formation of Muslim group
Al Umma Al Ummah is a terrorist organisation mainly based in Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It was banned by the Government of Tamil Nadu for perpetrating the 1998 Coimbatore bombings. History Al Ummah was founded by Syed Ahmed Basha in Coimbatore, Tamil Na ...
. The activities of RSS, Hindu Munnani and Hindu Makkal Katchi continued uninterrupted under Jayalalitha. The BJP alliance with
AIADMK The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (; AIADMK) is an Indian regional political party with great influence in the  state of Tamil Nadu and the  union territory of  Puducherry. It is a Dravidian party founded by the former chief m ...
led to further spread of RSS ideology in Tamil Nadu. These organisations used religious festivals to combine their strength and caused riots.


Activities

Due to various
extremist Extremism is "the quality or state of being extreme" or "the advocacy of extreme measures or views". The term is primarily used in a political or religious sense to refer to an ideology that is considered (by the speaker or by some implied share ...
actions the party got repeatedly in conflict with the
law Law is a set of rules that are created and are enforceable by social or governmental institutions to regulate behavior,Robertson, ''Crimes against humanity'', 90. with its precise definition a matter of longstanding debate. It has been vario ...
. Its leader
Arjun Sampath Arjun or Arjuna may refer to People * Arjun (name), a male given name (including a list of persons with the name) * Arjuna, a character of the Hindu epic ''Mahabharata'' * Kartavirya Arjuna, a character in Hindu mythology * Arjun (Firoz Khan) ...
was
arrested An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...
in 1997 on an attempted murder charge. Hindu Makkal Katchi staged demonstrations on 29 October 2017 in front of theatres across
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is a States and union territories of India, state in southern India. It is the List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of India ...
in protest against freedom of speech i.e. 'objectionable sentences' about Goods and Services Tax in actor Vijay's 'Mersal'. HMK leader Arjun Sampath led a demonstration in front of a theatre in Kumbakonam and demanded removal of the 'controversial sentences'. Party activists tore up banners of Vijay and
movie director A film director controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfilment of that vision. The director has a key role in choosing the cast members, p ...
Atlee. In Tiruchirapalli, HMK members staged a demonstration in front of a theatre, while similar protests were held at Ottenchathram in
Dindigul Dindigul, also spelt Thindukkal (), is a city in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. It is the administrative headquarters of the Dindigul district. Dindigul is located southwest from the state capital, Chennai, away from Tiruchirappalli, away ...
and in
Chennai Chennai (, ), formerly known as Madras ( the official name until 1996), is the capital city of Tamil Nadu, the southernmost Indian state. The largest city of the state in area and population, Chennai is located on the Coromandel Coast of th ...
. The
movie A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...
ran into trouble soon after its 18 October 2017 release, coinciding with Diwali, over 'incorrect references' to the GST. In 2008 and 2009 party members got temporarily arrested by the police to block them from staging nationalistic demonstrations on the island of
Kachchatheevu Katchatheevu ( ta, கச்சத்தீவு, translit=Kaccattīvu, si, කච්චතීවු, translit=kaccatīvu) is a 163-acre uninhabited island administered by Sri Lanka and was a disputed territory claimed by India until 1976. T ...
, which belongs to
Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
. In 2009, Tamil fishermen got arrested by Sri Lankan Navy. To protect them, HMK supporters started agitations and pressurized Indian Govt to take responsibility of them and rescue them from Sri Lanka. When former Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram visited Tamil Nadu, HMK supporters showed black flag as central govt failed to rescue Tamil fisherman from Sri Lankan navy. 19 supporters got arrested and removed from Gandhi park area by police. Not only Sri Lanka issue they also sought about handling problems in bilateral relations with Pakistan and China. The party also made repeatedly headlines with peaceful charges against
women A woman is an adult female human. Prior to adulthood, a female human is referred to as a girl (a female child or adolescent). The plural ''women'' is sometimes used in certain phrases such as "women's rights" to denote female humans regardl ...
. It pressed charges against the
movie stars A movie star (also known as a film star or cinema star) is an actor or actress who is famous for their starring, or leading, roles in movies. The term is used for performers who are marketable stars as they become popular household names and wh ...
Khushbu Khushbu Sundar (born Nakhat Khan; 29 September 1970) is an Indian actress, politician, film producer and television presenter. She is known for her works predominantly in Tamil, besides Telugu, Hindi, Malayalam and Kannada films. She is a rec ...
(2006),
Shriya Saran Shriya Saran Bhatnagar (; born 11 September 1982) is an Indian actress who works predominantly in Telugu, Tamil, and Hindi-language films. Although Saran aspired to become a well-known dancer, she became an actress with her film debut in 2001 ...
(2008) and
Mallika Sherawat Reema Lamba (born 24 October 1976), better known as Mallika Sherawat, is an Indian actress who predominantly works in Hindi language films. Known for her bold onscreen attitude in films like '' Khwahish'' (2003) and '' Murder'' (2004), Sheraw ...
(2008) for "indecent dressing" and "offending Hindu values". Party members also harassed women visiting pubs and young couples being out on
Valentine's Day Valentine's Day, also called Saint Valentine's Day or the Feast of Saint Valentine, is celebrated annually on February 14. It originated as a Christian feast day honoring one or two early Christian martyrs named Saint Valentine and, thr ...
. The Party's president Arjun Sampath claimed that 1000
Dalit Dalit (from sa, दलित, dalita meaning "broken/scattered"), also previously known as untouchable, is the lowest stratum of the castes in India. Dalits were excluded from the four-fold varna system of Hinduism and were seen as forming ...
Christians will be reconverted to Hinduism at
Tirunelveli Tirunelveli (, ta, திருநெல்வேலி, translit=Tirunelveli) also known as Nellai ( ta, நெல்லை, translit=Nellai) and historically (during British rule) as Tinnevelly, is a major city in the Indian state of Tam ...
which gains significance in the backdrop 9 March police shootout in which two people were killed when clashes broke out between the members of upper caste Catholics and Dalit Catholics. The party's five activists were
arrested An arrest is the act of apprehending and taking a person into custody (legal protection or control), usually because the person has been suspected of or observed committing a crime. After being taken into custody, the person can be questi ...
for indulging in demolition of Periyar E. V. Ramasamy's statue installed in front of the Rajagopuram of the Sri Ranganathaswamy Temple in
Srirangam Srirangam, is a neighbourhood in the city of Tiruchirappalli in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu. A river island, Srirangam is bounded by the Kaveri River on one side and its distributary Kollidam on the other side. Considered as the first among ...
. In 2017, Hindu Makkal Katchi leader strongly opposed the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi's second time visit to Sri Lanka next month, where he was going to participate in the United Nations Vesak Celebrations which was held from 12 to 14 May 2017. This 'International Day of Vesak' was hosted by the
Buddhist Buddhism ( , ), also known as Buddha Dharma and Dharmavinaya (), is an Indian religion or philosophical tradition based on teachings attributed to the Buddha. It originated in northern India as a -movement in the 5th century BCE, and ...
-majority country and the commemorations in Colombo was also include an International Buddhist Conference in which over 400 delegates from more than 100 countries. In November 2019, Hindu Makkal Katchi leader Arjun Sampath was detained following his draping of saffron shawl on
Thiruvalluvar Thiruvalluvar (Tamil: திருவள்ளுவர்), commonly known as Valluvar, was a celebrated Tamil poet and philosopher. He is best known as the author of the ''Tirukkuṟaḷ'', a collection of couplets on ethics, political and ...
statue in Pillayarpatti, Thanjavur. This is read as an attempt at saffronization of Thiruvalluvar. They were instrumental in bringing back Lakshmi, the
temple elephant Temple elephants are a type of Captive elephants, captive elephant. Many major temples own elephants; others hire or are donated elephants during the festive seasons. Temple elephants are usually wild animals, poached from the forests of North E ...
at
Manakula Vinayagar Temple Manakula Vinayagar Temple is a Hindu temple in the Union Territory of Puducherry, India. Dedicated to the god Ganesa, it is a popular pilgrimage site and tourist destination in Puducherry. The temple is of considerable antiquity and predat ...
in
Puduchery Puducherry or Pondicherry may refer to: * Puducherry (union territory), a union territory of India ** Pondicherry, capital of the union territory of Puducherry ** Puducherry district, a district of the union territory of Puducherry ** Puducherry ta ...
. Lakshmi was taken away by PETA and the Animal Welfare Board and accused the
Temple A temple (from the Latin ) is a building reserved for spiritual rituals and activities such as prayer and sacrifice. Religions which erect temples include Christianity (whose temples are typically called churches), Hinduism (whose temples ...
of violating the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals and the
Wildlife Protection Act The Wild Life (Protection) Act, 1972 is an Act of the Parliament of India enacted for protection of plants and animal species. Before 1972, India had only five designated national parks. Among other reforms, the Act established scheduled pr ...
, 1972. She was relocated to Krishi Vigyan Kendra at Kurumamber, where her health was reported to have deteriorated.


References

{{Reflist Political parties in Tamil Nadu Indian Hindu political parties 1993 establishments in Tamil Nadu Political parties established in 1993