CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin will visit Kerala on December 11 to inaugurate the renovated Periyar memorial and library at Vaikom in Kottayam district on December 12.
The memorial, which has been renovated at a cost of Rs 8.5 crore, showcases Periyar's struggle for social justice and his victory in the acclaimed Vaikom movement against caste oppression.
The renovated memorial spread across 70 cents of land, features a permanent photo exhibition hall, a library, a visitor's pavilion, a children's park, and a statue of Periyar in a sitting position.
The inauguration ceremony coincides with the centenary celebration of the Vaikam protest, a significant event in the struggle for social justice and a brave fight against the prevailing casteist discrimination in Kerala then. The Vaikom Satyagraha is considered a successful form of nonviolent movement against the princely state of Travancore from 1924–1925, which had its impact elsewhere too. The memorial, which was lying in poor condition, has been renovated.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan will preside over the inauguration ceremony.