The members of the Travancore Congress visited these taluks to know the situation exactly. They submitted their report and requested the Chief Minister to stop the police torture but it was not paid heed to. Subsequent to this the people were subjected to even more sufferings. Since the government paid no heed to their advice the party had an executive meet to resolve the issue and decided to observe June 30th as Deviculam Day in the entire Travancore. On this day many open meetings were conducted throughout Tamil Nadu. Nesamony and leaders of Travancore Tamil Nadu Congress were to meet the people of Deviculam Taluk on 4th July. However the Taluk Magistrate had imposed 144 of Criminal procedure Code for one month to prevent Nesamony and other leaders from visiting those districts. However Nesamony and other leaders violated the orders and visited the Taluk which led to their arrest and six months imprisonment. The party had an Executive Committee meet on 6 July 1954 at Nagercoil which was chaired by its president Ramaswamy Pillai. An Action Council was formed and the President of the Party was made its leader. From 9th July onwards public meetings, processions and Satyagraha was conducted daily for about twenty days throughout Travancore. Dravida Munnetra Kazhagamand Tamizharasu Kazhagam supported the Travancore Tamil Nadu Congress in their agitation. The sentiments of the Tamilians were aroused and they were told that if required they should sacrifice their lives too. The Deviculam struggle continued for two years. The leaders of the party including Nesamony fought at various levels to bring these Taluks under the authority of Madras. It was formally merged with Madras in 1956 only though before that the situation in these Taluks had become calm. |