Food, rations and traditional immunity boosters reach the poor and lower-middle-class people in Tamil Nadu through political good Samaritans. Human Rights activist Dawning Jeeva records how Seeman’s political party -Naam Tamilar Katchi, rises to the occasion to distribute food, rations and traditional medicine to the poorest of the poor in Tamil Nadu, relief to refugees in Chennai and blood to hospitals as the state continues to witness a steady rise in COVID-19 infected cases.

THE LOCKDOWNS HAVE COME DOWN VERY HEAVILY ON THE POOR and the lower-middle-class sections of society.  In the last 40 days, Naam Tamilar has organized more than 2000 Food and Essential Commodities distribution Camps.

Speaking to this reporter, NTK media wing coordinator Pakiyarajan said, “We have reached the figure of nearly 10 crores worth of material distribution, which would not have been possible without the cooperation and contribution of the people and volunteers of the party. We are determined to continue this endeavour and ensure no soul sleeps hungry.”

The Coimbatore district coordinator Abdul Wahab said, “So far we have distributed 25 lakhs worth of food and groceries to the needy in Coimbatore district alone.”

“As soon as the restrictions were announced, we put together a plan in place and now we are coordinating supplies wherever needed,” said Advocates Suresh and Ravanan -key coordinators of the project.

This healing touch is uniquely by a political party, perhaps the first in India, as the party rooted in the Tamil way of life -Naam Tamilar Katchi of Tamil nationalist Seeman is perhaps the first political party to take up relief work in the country, that too beyond food and rations.

Understanding the shortage of blood in hospitals dealing with COVID-19 pandemic, blood donation camps were organized across Tamil Nadu and recognizing the importance of traditional medicine, the traditional Tamil immunity booster ‘Kaba Sura Kudineer’ is being distributed and people are being encouraged and persuaded to drink it. So much so that the government of Tamil Nadu has made this an official practise to persuade people to drink the traditional booster. NTK volunteers continue to distribute face masks across the state to poorest of poor sanitation workers who clean roads.

The blood donation drives are a feature unmatched not only in Tamil Nadu but elsewhere too. As hospitals faced a shortage of blood for critical surgeries, NTK immediately organized blood donation drives.  “With permission from authorities, 300 units of blood have been donated in Erode, Namakkal, Kanyakumari, Chennai, Krishnagiri, Trichy, Tanjavur, Thiruvarur and Gopichettipalayam districts,” said Arima Nathan, coordinator of the party’s Blood Donation Wing. “This campaign will continue till needed,” he added.

“In Madurai and Sivaganga districts, volunteers have worked day and night, spending money from their pockets to prepare and distribute food to minimise the impact of the lockdown on the poor,” said NTK southern region coordinator Vetri Kumaran.

Though the government is giving rations to the poor, not all the people are lucky enough to enjoy the benefits of the subsidy, especially the homeless and remote villagers as legally speaking lack of documentary proof makes them ineligible.

Hundreds upon thousands of Tamils fled Sri Lanka at the end of the Eelam battle for sovereignty and many of them came to Tamil Nadu. Despite spending many years and even after making many attempts, there are still without valid identity papers -now they cannot get food.

For them, the light at the end of the tunnel began with Seeman’s Naam Tamilar Katchi volunteers taking up cudgels on their behalf and distributing groceries to the 106 Eelam camps in Gummidipoondi, Karur, Kulithalai, Trichy, Thindivanam, Bavani Sagar and Aazhiyaar.

Undoubtedly, NTK has set an example for political parties to be game-changers.

Dawning Jeeva is an Aviation Engineering Manager by profession and a human rights activist by passion. He has participated in many United Nations Human Rights Council meetings in Geneva to fight for the rights of oppressed ethnicities. He travels extensively to uphold voice for the voiceless in various parts of India.