On March 5, the Archdiocese of Madurai’s Religious Dialogue Commission and the Tamil Nadu Sirupaanmai Makkal Nala Katchi commemorated the 84th anniversary of Barrister George Joseph, the Christian Freedom Fighter of India, in Madurai, Tamil Nadu, a state in south India.
Eminent personalities attended the special ceremony near the statue of Barrister George Joseph. Present on the occasion were Father Jerome Eronimus, the Vicar General of Madurai Archdiocese, and Father Benedict Barnabas J., Director and Co-Ordinator of De Nobili Pastoral Centre, Madurai Archdiocese, and Tamil Nadu Sirupaanmai Makkal Nala Katchi from Madurai.
George Joseph fought for the equal rights of the Piramalai Kallars and Maravar Communities from the British government.
More than 45 people attended George Joseph’s 84th death anniversary.
Father Benedict Barnabas J stated that it is fitting to commemorate George Joseph's 84th death anniversary. He displayed his Catholic faith in action and expressed Christian love for the oppressed and downtrodden.
Though George Joseph hailed from an aristocratic family, having close contact with world leaders, he gave up everything for the people in Madurai, mainly to get the equal rights of the Labour Union for the Kallar Community.
"He was from Kerala (Changnoor) and a Catholic Christian by faith, who spoke Malayalam as a mother tongue and whose selfless service to people in need came out in his work for Perungermanallor, the Cotton mills,” said Father Benedict.
"When Gandhi came to Madurai in 1916, he decided not to wear a top (shirt). Barrister George Joseph was also convinced of Gandhi's idea in 1917 and promised to wear the Kathar dress in place of the Western dress. Beyond that, he opposes the British government's Criminal Tribes Act towards particular communities, and he fought to have it repealed. Apart from this, he worked with Gandhi to protest against the British People. Our government can announce it as a special day for freedom fighters," said Father Jerome Eronimus, the Vicar General of Madurai Archdiocese.
Barrister George Joseph was born in Changnoor, Kerala, south India, on June 5, 1887.
After his studies at Madras Christian College, George Joseph continued to study at the University of Edinburgh, pursuing law in London.
During his stay in London, he got associated with prominent freedom fighters.
After his studies, he returned to India, set up his Chennai practice, and later moved to Madurai in Tamil Nadu.
George Joseph pioneered the setup of trade unions to ensure that mill workers were not exploited, as textile mills were being started in Madurai, South India.
During 1920 – 21, George Joseph took up the editor of Motilal Nehru’s newspaper, The Independent, and Gandhi’s Young India in 1923.
When the British imposed the Criminal Tribes Act, branding Piramalai Kallars and Maravar Communities in South India, George opposed the Act campaigning in newspapers and representing the communities in court cases following the perunganallur firing.
As a token of love, the people of these communities called him “Rosapoo Durai.”
On March 5, 1938, he died in Madurai because of a severe illness. He was buried at the Makalipatti Christian cemetery near Keeraithurai in Madurai in Tamil Nadu, South India.
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