A tall leader of Tamil Nadu belonging to what was once known Depressed Classes

The Scheduled Castes (SCs) account for 20% of Tamil Nadu’s population, according to the 2011 census. Yet, their representation in political power has not been commensurate with their numerical strength. Even if one considers the findings of the State-level caste survey undertaken in the early 1980s (as the caste data, compiled during the 2011 nationwide socio-economic and caste census, have not been made public), the Vanniyakula Kshatriya, a constituent of the Most Backward Classes (MBCs), constituted 13.01% of the then population of nearly five crore.

The State, which is considered a frontrunner in several human development indicators, is yet to have a Scheduled Caste Chief Minister, though many other States have had Dalit Chief Ministers. Andhra Pradesh made D. Sanjivayya its Chief Minister in 1960. Eight years later, Bhola Paswan Shastri became Bihar’s first SC Chief Minister. Ram Sundar Das and Jitan Ram Manjhi reached the top post in the northern State in 1979 and 2014. Uttar Pradesh saw Mayawati getting into the post in 1995 for the first time. She subsequently held the post on three more occasions. Sushil Kumar Shinde of Maharashtra and Charanjit Singh Channi of Punjab made it in 2003 and 2021 respectively. In Tamil Nadu, the highest position that a SC leader could reach was that of Home Minister, held by P. Kakkan during 1963-67 when M. Bakthavatsalam of the Congress was the Chief Minister. In 1967, when the national party was dislodged from power by the DMK, Kakkan, known for probity in public life, too was vanquished in the erstwhile Melur (South) constituency of Madurai district.

A talking point

It was against this backdrop that the Tamil feature film Maamannan, featuring veteran actor Vadivel and Udhayanidhi Stalin, who is now the Deputy Chief Minister, was released a few years ago. It became a talking point as the character played by the veteran actor resembled former Assembly Speaker P. Dhanapal, who also hails from the community. Contrary to the notion entertained in certain quarters, Mr. Dhanpal was the second SC Assembly Speaker. The first was J. Sivashanmugam Pillai (1946-1955), who had built up high traditions and was known for impartiality. C.K. Tamizharasan, four-time member of the Assembly and leader of the Republican Party of India (RPI), once clarified to this correspondent that when Pillai was alive, there was a practice among the Dalits to keep such a surname.

A follower of Gandhi

Born in February 1901, Pillai, a postgraduate in humanities and an alumnus of the Loyola and the Presidency Colleges, was an ardent follower of Mahatma Gandhi. At the age of 31, he became a councillor in the Chennai Municipal Corporation. Five years later, he went on to occupy the coveted post of Mayor. In July 1937, he joined the Congress. He was also elected to the Legislative Assembly from the Chennai (South-Central) constituency. On November 9, 1937, on a motion moved by Congress stalwart S. Satyamurti, Pillai was unanimously elected Mayor, thus becoming the first Dalit to hold the office. (At present, the post is being occupied by R. Priya of the DMK, who also belongs to the community). A report of The Hindu published on November 10, 1937, stated, “A large gathering was present outside the Council Chamber and the announcement of the result of the election was greeted with loud cheering.” On hearing of Pillai’s election, Gandhiji, who was then in Kolkata, sent him a message: “My warmest congratulations on your election to Mayoralty, which, I have no doubt, you will adorn with distinction.”

Despite being in the Congress, he did not boycott committees constituted by the British government to consider constitutional reforms. For example, he had represented issues and problems of the SCs to the Simon Commission. At the same time, he took part in the deliberations of committees established by other bodies. When prominent jurist Tej Bahadur Sapru headed a committee in 1944 to moot constitutional proposals, Pillai made a strong case for securing economic independence for “Depressed Classes”, the phrase used then to mean the Dalits or the SCs. On the issue of exclusive electorate for the SCs, he told the Sapru committee that in the erstwhile Madras Presidency, there was enough legal protection for his community with regard to public places and public wells; but, in practice, it was of “very little use”. What was required was not legal enactment but “change of heart” among caste Hindus, he said.

On May 23, 1946, an election took place among Congress legislators to choose the party’s candidate for Speaker. Pillai and Tenneti Viswanatham were in the fray. Pillai secured 109 votes against Viswanatham’s 69. Two days later, Pillai was unanimously elected the presiding officer of the House. In the course of felicitations, when a member remarked that he was occupying the seat because he belonged to the SC, Pillai, during his reply, disagreed and emphasised that he was occupying the post “because I am fit to occupy it”, The Hindu reported on May 26, 1946.

As the Speaker, his rulings became case studies. His conduct as the presiding officer could be gauged from the certificates of commendation of former Chief Ministers K. Kamaraj and C. Rajagopalachari (CR) when Pillai demitted the office in 1955 to become Member of the Union Public Services Commission (UPSC). Kamaraj had said: “Though a Congressman, he held the scales even,” while CR hailed Pillai for having discharged the onerous duties “justly and with humility”.

Independent candidate

After completing his assignment at the UPSC, Pillai was elected to the Rajya Sabha in 1962. Six years later, when the Congress did not renominate him, he chose to contest the election as an Independent and lost. Pillai had authored a few books, including one on a prominent leader of the SCs, M.C. Rajah, also known as ‘Perunthalaivar’. On January 1, 1975, Pillai died at his residence in Nungambakkam after a brief illness. A resident of the area says some members of his family still live in the house.

D. Ravikumar, Villupuram MP, concedes that there are no statues in Chennai for Pillai and Rajah, though there is a hostel at CIT Nagar named after the latter.

Published – February 20, 2026 05:30 am IST