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Chennai, Oct 30 (IANS) Vice President CP Radhakrishnan and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday paid tribute to freedom fighter and national icon Muthuramalinga Thevar on his 118th birth anniversary and 63rd Guru Puja, which is celebrated as a festival across the state.
Arriving from Madurai in a military helicopter, Vice President Radhakrishnan visited Pasumpon village in Ramanathapuram district, where he garlanded the statue of Thevar and offered floral tributes.
Senior BJP leaders including state president Nainar Nagenthran and national executive member H. Raja accompanied him during the function.
Speaking to the media after the event, Radhakrishnan appreciated the selfless service and social vision of Muthuramalinga Thevar.
He said, “Thevar was a dedicated son of the soil, who gave away a large part of his land to people from other communities. Praising him is tantamount to praising nationalism and divinity. As the commander of Netaji Subhash Chandra Bose’s Indian National Army, he exemplified truth, integrity and fearless patriotism.”
Chief Minister MK Stalin, along with DMK MP Kanimozhi and senior ministers, paid floral tributes at Thevar’s statue at Deivaprathimai in Koripalayam in Madurai earlier in the day.
O 224th Guru Guru’s offspring at Ocacasi, a tribute steel near Madurara, Mexico Maruduhu Netute.
Later, CM Stalin reached Pasumpon to lay a wreath at Thevar’s memorial and address the gathering.
In his speech, the Chief Minister said, “We have come here to honor the leader who sacrificed his life for India’s independence and social unity. It was Kalaignar Karunanidhi who converted the site into a memorial in 1969 and declared Thevar’s birth anniversary as a state festival in 2007.”
Elaborate three-tier security arrangements were made in Ramanathapuram district for the event. Inspector General of Southern Zone, Prem Anand Sinha, supervised the security operations with the assistance of a DIG, 20 superintendents and 27 additional superintendents of police.
More than 10,000 police personnel were deployed to ensure peace and order as thousands of devotees and political workers gathered to pay homage to him. The observance of the day, marked with reverence and unity, reflects the enduring legacy of Muthuramalinga Thevar, an icon of courage, spiritual devotion and national pride in the history of Tamil Nadu.
–IANS
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