Won’t bow to Centre’s hegemony, pledges DMK

CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday led party members in taking a pledge not to let Tamil Nadu “bow its head” on the occasion of the 117th birth anniversary of former Chief Minister C N Annadurai.

Stalin first paid floral tributes to Annadurai’s portrait at Anna Arivalayam (DMK headquarters) in the city. He then administered a pledge that was repeated by DMK functionaries. The pledge included commitments to ensure that one crore families in Tamil Nadu are uplifted, to oppose constituency delimitation moves that would reduce the State’s representation in Parliament, and to resist voter list manipulations under the Special Intensive Revision (SIR). It also pledged to fight against projects seen as detrimental to the youth and to demand adequate education funds for students.

Further points in the pledge included resisting discrimination against the Tamil language and cultural identity, seeking funds to protect the interests of women, farmers, fishermen, weavers, and workers, and upholding the resolve that Tamil Nadu would not bow its head.

Later, Stalin paid tributes at multiple locations in the city. He placed flowers before Annadurai’s portrait at Valluvar Kottam, garlanded his statue there, and paid respects at another portrait displayed beneath the Anna statue on Anna Salai.

Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Ministers KN Nehru, P K Sekarbabu, Ma Subramanian, MPs TR Baalu and A Raja, Chennai Mayor R Priya, MLAs, and other DMK leaders participated in the events.