When Union minister of state L Murugan resigned from the Cabinet and Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, he did so with an unusually long, five-page emotional letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The letter is as much an account of his trajectory from an ABVP worker in Tamil Nadu, as it is a tribute to the Prime Minister.
Murugan began his letter by describing the Prime Minister’s recent visit to Tamil Nadu. He then spoke of what the Prime Minister’s leadership has meant for him. “It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve India and Tamil Nadu under your leadership. I do not come from a political family. I come from a very poor family,” he wrote. He quoted a couplet from the Thirukkural and gave its meaning in English: “A ruler endowed with generosity, compassion, just governance and care for his people shines as a light among rulers. On fisheries, he pointed to the Prime Minister’s support for deep-sea fishing vessels. He also mentioned Modi’s recent gift of the Thirukkural to Russian President Vladimir Putin.
Murugan has been minister of state for Information and Broadcasting and for Parliamentary Affairs since 2021. A Dalit leader who led the Tamil Nadu unit in 2020, he said in his letter that he wants to prepare the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
He said he hopes to help the Prime Minister win “another term under your leadership, this time with a landslide contribution of seats from Tamil Nadu. “Your recent visit to Tamil Nadu has left a deep impression on me,” he said, adding that at every stop he “witnessed the affection with which people welcomed you and the hope your presence inspired. He said the experience renewed his “resolve to do more for Tamil Nadu, our party and our nation. His parents, who worked as daily wage labourers and cattle grazers, “continue to lead a simple life in Konur village”, he said. Describing his five years in the Council of Ministers, Murugan said he witnessed the Prime Minister’s “patience, compassion and extraordinary dedication” at close quarters. The minister said he has felt Modi’s concern for the state personally. “Whenever I have approached you for help, whether on an issue affecting our State, the safety of Tamilians stranded in conflict zones, or the welfare of Indian fishermen, you have gone above and beyond to ensure that the matter receives urgent attention and is addressed quickly,” he said. He also noted Modi’s “personal interest in the deep-tech ventures emerging from IIT Madras,” which he said “reflects your concern for both traditional livelihoods and the opportunities of the future. He added that he was “deeply touched” by how much personal interest the Prime Minister takes in the state’s aspirations. Murugan said the Prime Minister often speaks of his love for the Kural in their meetings, “revealing how deeply you cherish Thiruvalluvar’s teachings. The installation of the Sengol in Parliament, he said, “holds a special place in our hearts, giving Tamil Nadu’s heritage a place of honour at the very centre of our democracy.”
