CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president MK Stalin on Friday announced that social reformer 'Periyar' EV Ramasamy will be going global on September 4 with the unveiling of the late leader's portrait at the University of Oxford.
The DMK president made this announcement while presiding over the wedding of the daughter of party MP NR Elango in Chennai.
Referring to his forthcoming visit to Europe, the CM said he would be giving details of his itinerary and other details ahead of boarding the flight on Saturday. However, Stalin revealed that during this visit, he would be unveiling the portrait of Thanthai Periyar at the University of Oxford on September 4.
The CM, in his post on the X handle, said, "Oppression is my enemy," which is the rallying cry of Periyar that now resonates at Oxford. "Marking the centenary of the Self Respect Movement, I will unveil Thanthai Periyar's portrait at the University of Oxford on 4th September and release two books that chronicle its hundred-year journey and living legacy."
The CM also said that before an assembly of international scholars, the Self Respect Movement will be placed in dialogue with struggles worldwide for dignity, equality and freedom.
Stating that Periyar's ideals of equality are not bounded by borders but belong to humanity as a whole, Stalin said that although Periyar was born in Tamil Nadu and spoke and wrote in Tamil, his ideas were meant for the whole world and are universal in nature.
"The principles he emphasised - self-respect, rationalism, women’s emancipation, the rejection of caste hierarchy, self-confidence, and equality for all - know no boundaries. These are values that people across the world have accepted as common to humanity," Stalin said. He added that it is indeed a matter of pride for Tamil Nadu that such a scholar of wisdom is recognised and acknowledged at the global level.