CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday announced that a life-size bronze statue of former Prime Minister VP Singh will be installed in Chennai as a mark of respect and gratitude for his contributions to the social justice movement.
Stalin made this announcement under Rule 110 of the Assembly and leaders of all political parties welcomed the move. However, AIADMK MLAs chose to remain silent and the leader of the House Durai Murugan took an indirect dig at them for not saying anything.
Paying rich tributes to Singh, Stalin said that despite being born into an affluent Zamindar family, the former Prime Minister reached out to OBCs and moved forward on social justice-related issues. “Even during college days, Singh engaged himself in Sarvodaya Samaj and Gandhian movement. He also took an active part in ‘Bhoodan’ movement by donating his lands,” Stalin said.
Though Singh served as Prime Minister for only 11 months, his achievements are many, Stalin said. Singh did not belong to a backward community by birth, yet he ensured that a 27% quota was implemented at the national level. The Chief Minister said that with his landmark decision to implement Mandal Commission recommendations, Singh had heralded a socio-political revolution in the history of independent India.
Hailing Singh as a guardian of social justice who paved the way for 27% reservation for OBCs in union government jobs and educational institutions, Stalin said Singh always held Tamils close to his heart. Singh adored the self-respect principle of ‘Periyar’ EV Ramasamy and was a trusted ally of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi.
Stalin recalled that during his tenure as Chief Minister, Karunanidhi passed a resolution in the Assembly thanking Singh and his National Front government for deciding to implement Mandal Commission recommendations.