T.N. CM Stalin, leaders of various political parties pay homage to Muthuramalinga Thevar

Mr. Stalin recalled the words of former CM M. Karunanidhi on Thevar, and said, “Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar was born brave and he lived bravely. Even after his demise, he is portrayed as a symbol of bravery...”

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin paid floral tributes at the Pasumpon memorial, marking the 117th Thevar Jayanthi and the 62nd guru puja of freedom fighter Muthuramalinga Thevar at Pasumpon village in Ramanathapuram district on Wednesday (October 30, 2024).

Showering encomiums on Muthuramalinga Thevar, the Chief Minister said the DMK government had celebrated his centenary year in 2007 in a grand manner. He recalled the words of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Thevar, and said, “Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar was born brave and he lived bravely. Even after his demise, he is portrayed as a symbol of bravery...”

“Paying tribute to him at his native village gives me immense satisfaction as Pasumpon Thevar dedicated himself for the freedom and upliftment of the people in the backward region,” Mr. Stalin said.

Speaking to the media, Mr. Stalin said that in memory of Pasumpon Thevar, the DMK government had installed a bronze statue of him in Madurai city and established a mani mandapam in Pasumpon. There are Government Arts and Science Colleges, named after Pasumpon, in Melneelithanallur, Kamudi, and Usilampatti, respectively, he said.

The DMK government had named a bridge at Andalpuram in Madurai after Muthuramalinga Thevar as well as an educational trust in Alagappa University, Karaikudi.

Recently, the Tamil Nadu government built a waiting hall for visitors at ₹1.55 crore, which was dedicated to the public visiting Pasumpon, he said, adding that the Dravida model government would continue to honour the leader.

Fishermen woes

When asked to comment about the issues faced by fishermen in the region, the Chief Minister said his government had been writing to the Union government to find a permanent solution.

“During my visits to New Delhi, I keep raising the matter with the Prime Minister [Narendra Modi]... I have also been taking it up with the External Affairs Minister [S. Jaishankar]. There is no second opinion or difference in this as it is livelihood issue of the fishermen in the coastal district. The problem has to be resolved permanently. We will strive to achieve that,” he added.

On the Cauvery-Vaigai-Gundar river linking project, which has been non-starter for over five decades, Mr. Stalin said that in 2008, when M. Karunanidhi was Chief Minister, the project took shape and the work commenced. “However, after the AIADMK came to power, it kept it in cold storage. At the fag end of their tenure, they claimed to restart it, but citing the COVID-19 pandemic, the project never took off,” he said.

Now, after the DMK has come back to power, land acquisition work for the project is underway. About 40% of the work is in progress, and it will be expedited, he said.

Tamil Nadu ministers I. Periasami, K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, Thangam Thennarasu, Raja Kannappan, K.R. Periakaruppan, P. Moorthy, Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, T.R.B. Rajaa, Geetha Jeevan, and Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, as well as MPs, MLAs and Panchayat elected representatives paid homage to the freedom fighter at the memorial.

Earlier in the day, Mr. Stalin garlanded the Thevar statue in Goripalayam, Madurai city.

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K. Palaniswami, former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, and others also paid their respects.

Elaborate security arrangements were made at Pasumpon and surrounding villages in view of the Chief Minsiter’s visit. He left for Madurai by road and was likely to leave for Chennai by a scheduled airline from the Madurai airport, officials said.

Director General of Police Shankar Jiwal, ADGP (law and order) Davidson Devasirwatham, Inspector General of Police (South Zone) Prem Anand Sinha, Ramanathapuram District Collector Simranjeet Singh Kahlon, DIG of Police Abinav Kumar, SP G Chandeesh, and others were present.

Published - October 30, 2024 04:27 pm IST