Stalin announces celebration commemorating Vaikkom protest centenary

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday announced a year-long celebration commemorating the centenary of the famous Vaikkom protest led by ‘Thanthai’ Periyar early last century.

Making a statement under rule 110 of State Assembly, Stalin said that the government of Tamil Nadu would commence the centenary celebration of Vaikkom protest from March 30, the day the protest began in 1924, to pay tribute to Periyar, who transcended boundaries and successfully led a revolution for the lay people, and to lay emphasis on social justice principles.

Announcing that the centenary celebrations would go on for a year from March 30, 2023, the CM said that several initiatives would be taken to educate the people, particularly students about the historicity of the protest, its intention and success. Declaring that he would participate as a special guest along with Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the Vaikkon centenary celebration organized by the neighbouring government there on April 1 and also pay tributes to the memorial pillar being raised by TN government in Vaikkom, the CM said that a Malayalam translation of the Tamil book “Vaikkom Protest” authored by one of the leading researchers of Tamil Nadu, Pazha Athiyaman would be released and its Telugu, Kannada and English versions released soon.

Vaikkom Award for people/institutions engineering changes in lives of oppressed

Informing the House that the two state chief ministers besides leading personalities would participate in a major event to be organized by Tamil Nadu government on November 29 this year, Stalin said that the Tamil Nadu government would distribute a “Vaikkom Award” every year on September 17, Social Justice Day, to personalities or organizations engineering significant changes in the lives of the oppressed people in other states. The CM also proposed to allocate Rs 8.14 crore to renovate the Periyar memorial in Kerala and exhibit more objects related to him there.

New memorial for Periyar in Aruvikutti in Kerala soon

The Chief Minister has also announced that a new memorial would be constructed for Periyar in Aruvikutti village where he was first imprisoned in connection with the protest nearly a century ago. Assuring that his government would take steps to release a special commemorative stamp for the centenary of Vaikkom protest, Stalin said that special conferences on the protest would be organized in major universities and colleges in the state besides conducting oratorical, essay and quiz competitions and bringing out a 64-page book to raise awareness on the protest among students. A magazine would also be produced by Tamilarasu magazine by putting together special articles from scholars on the centenary protest. Members of all parties, including opposition AIADMK welcomed and lauded the CM’s year-long celebration announcement in the House.