[Raj_Copi_Jin]

Hi R_KK,
Sorry to note that you too are a victim of the biased history. For reference, you can read any history written by early non-Tamil writers.

The unwritten poems and folk arts among the village people may still praise Kattapomman. However, you should understand the truth. Eminent Indian and foreign historians agree that all the historical poems are exaggerated and evince much carelessness about accuracy in details. In all the poems the poetical narrator’s imagination is allowed to free play.

I am sure; no person can be 100% evil. There should have been many good characters in Kattabomman also. However, to qualify as a national or Tamil hero, several other qualities and noble attributes are required. Apart from this, he should not indulge in any killing or atrocities on the innocent. Unfortunately, Kattabomman fares well in the second one.

Moreover, the presence of one or few members of the underprivileged in his camp does not make him a righteous person. His deeds were evil against those, who didn’t belong or accept him or his ways.

Fighting British (between 1799 to 1947) does make anyone a hero. One has to really see his/her motive behind the fight. Many noble souls fought for the independence of their motherland, but many were forced to fight, because their atrocities were too inhuman, and the ruling authority had to take hard action to protect the general pubic. Unfortunately, Kattabomman falls in the second category.

You have totally a wrong idea about terrorist. There is a vast ocean between a terrorist and a freedom fighter. (You wrongly mentioned it as a very thin line). Irrespective of which side you are standing, Freedom fighter is a freedom fighter and terrorist is a terrorist. The moment one knowingly kills an innocent person/civilian, he is a terrorist.

The great Nethaji can never be compared to Kattabomman. By comparing, it is an insult to Nethaji. Nethaji never had any self-interest in his fight. He had no other reason to fight the British; other than freedom for his country. He never killed innocent people. He never killed ordinary Indians. However, this was not the case with Kattabomman. Gandhiji was a freedom fighter, respected by the British and all people all around the world.
Also, the true definition for terrorist and freedom fighter should be based on the general human rights record and not on the feelings of the small beneficiary group. It should take the whole mass into consideration and not just the few. In today’s world, no one in independent, a small event in any small part directly or indirectly affects the whole mass. Therefore, human rights should be the basis of consideration.

There is an ocean full of noble and great souls from India. Nevertheless, there were many ruthless, selfish, and crazy figures also from this sacred land. One has to identify and condemn their acts and not hide the truth. Just because, the person being an Indian, his evil deeds cannot/can-never be justified. Wrong is always wrong, whoever it is. (Netrikan thirapinum kutram kutrame) Instead of justifying, their cruel acts, one has to learn from their past mistakes and ensure that such evil is not repeated in the future.

Valga Valamudan, Valga Tamilagam
Manoj