To extend all support to TN; projects to develop sea transport, particularly in the southern coastal region, on cards; hails Kalam for depth, simplicity and calmness throughout his life; adds late CM J Jayalalithaa, if alive, would have been the happiest person to see the memorial
RAMANATHAPURAM: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said the Centre has larger plans for Tamil Nadu and would extend its support to the State government. Addressing a public meeting in Mandapam after inaugurating the National Memorial of Dr A P J Abdul Kalam at Peikarumbu near Rameswaram, Modi said there were plans to develop sea transport, particularly in the southern coastal region.
Modi said the late President had reflected the simplicity, depth and calmness of Rameswaram throughout his life. Stating that Rameswaram is not only a religious centre, but also a spiritual place, which was visited by Swami Vivekananda, Modi said the Defence Research and Development Organisation built the memorial in a short span of time.
The memorial, with an estimated cost of `15 crore, was constructed according to the unity in diversity concept by using sand from all the States and Union Territories. Its entrance resembled the arch of the India Gate. Granite stones from Krishnagiri were used for outer flooring, while yellow granite from Rajasthan and red granite stones from Agra were also used.
Around 700 photographs and 91 painting of Kalam are on display at the memorial, with most of them done using plant and fruit extracts. Requesting the people and pilgrims to make it to Kalam’s memorial whenever they visit Rameswaram, Modi said Kalam always trusted the power of youth. “Kalam dreamt of a developed India and it will be achieved on its 75th Independence Day,” Modi said. He said sufficient funds were allotted to projects such as Smart City and AMRUT for the cities and towns in TN. Hailing late CM J Jayalalithaa as a great leader, Modi said she would have been the happiest person to see Kalam’s memorial, if she was alive.
Modi said workers from all over the country participated in the memorial construction, working two hours overtime every day, but refusing to take remuneration for the extra hours they put in. He called for a standing ovation to the workers.
Before the public address, Modi flagged off a new express train from Ayodhya to Rameswaram and distributed sanction letters to the beneficiaries of longliner trawlers under the Blue Revolution Scheme. He also released the synopsis of the Green Rameswaram Project, apart from opening a 9.5-km-long link road on NH 49 connecting Mukundarayar, Chathiram and Arichalmunai, the tail end of India, which was destroyed in the 1964 cyclone.
Earlier in the day, Modi reached Mandapam, which is 16 km from Peikarumbu, in a navy helicopter along with Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao, Chief Minister ‘Edappadi’ K Palaniswami, Union Minister of State Nirmala Sitharaman and BJP’s vice presidential candidate Venkaiah Naidu and headed towards Peikarumbu. He unfurled the national flag at the memorial entrance and dedicated the memorial to the nation.
He also unveiled a statue of Kalam playing Veena and paid floral tributes to the late President on his second death anniversary. Modi also posed for photographs near the wax statue of Kalam and interacted with Kalam’s elder brother A P J Mohamed Muthumeeran Maraikayar, who is 101 years old.
Later, he flagged off the Kalam Sandesh Vahini, an exhibition bus that would travel across the country and would reach Rashtrapati Bhavan on October 15, the birth anniversary of Kalam.
Second phase of memorial
According to DRDO officials, they have planned the second phase of the memorial by including a library, planetarium and auditorium, to be completed in another 18 months
Unity in diversity
The memorial was constructed following the concept of unity in diversity. Sand from all the States and UTs was brought. The entrance resembles the arch of India Gate. Granite stones from Krishnagiri were brought for the outer flooring of the memorial. Yellow granite from Rajasthan and red granite from Agra were also used in the construction
Key words lost in translation
Ramanathapuram: Prime Minister Narendra Modi started his speech in Tamil by greeting the gathering and continued delivering his address in Hindi and English. Modi’s speech was translated by BJP national secretary H Raja, who chose not to do a word-to-word translation but conveyed its gist. Realising that some of his key words were not being rendered in Tamil, at one point of time, the PM asked Raja whether he was translating his speech fully or just the content. Many a time, when Modi referred to the late chief minister as ‘Amma’, Raja chose to mention her by name.