Perunthalaivar Prof. M.C. Rajah's Effort For The Representation of The Scheduled Classes In The Late 1910s.

 

Prof. M. C. Rajah: India's First Scheduled Classes Legislature. 

Almost one and a half years before the formation of the Justice Party Government with the help of the Scheduled Classes in the erstwhile Madras Presidency (Present-Day Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and the parts of Karnataka, Kerala and Odisha), Perunthalaivar Prof. M. C. Rajah was nominated to Madras Legislative Council in August 1919. He was the first member of the Scheduled Classes to be appointed to any Legislative Council in India. He was appointed by Mr. Willingdon, the then Governor of Madras. In 1918, Prof. M. C. Rajah met the South Borough Committee and appealed for the right to vote and representation in the legislatures. The Montagu-Chelmsford report recognised the Scheduled Classes and mention that provision must be made in the Constitution for their protection. On this basis, they were given nominal representation in the legislatures. It was the effort taken by the Adi-Dravida Mahajana Sabha under its General Secretary Prof. M. C. Rajah, further 4 members of the Depressed Classes including Rao Saheb L. C. Gurusamy were nominated in 1920. In a conference of the Madras Domestic Servants of the European Employers on April 28, 1920, Prof. M. C. Rajah said, "As regards the representation in the Legislative Council, though the Joint Parliamentary Committee had recommended six seats for us, you do not know what amount of difficulty I had in getting five seats reserved for us." However, he demanded for the direct election mode of representation based on their population. In 1923 and 1926, it was further increased to 5 and 1 members respectively. Thus totally 10 members were nominated to Madras Legislative Council in 1930 and 1934 elections. Since the implementation of the Government of India Act 1935, the Scheduled Classes members have been elected by direct election.

Newspaper: The Near East.

Place of Publication: Devonshire Square, London.

Date: 8 August 1919 (Friday).

News Content: Mr. M. C. Rajah, Secretary of the Adi Dravida Jana Sabha, has been nominated a member of the Madras Legislative Council, the first member of the Panchama (“depressed community”) to be appointed to any Legislative Council.

Ambeth அம்பேத்

Dharmapuri,

Tamil Nadu.

தாமரைகள் விழித்திருக்கட்டும் ! Om Mani Padmaye ! May the Lotuses Awake ! (Enlightenment).