Describing the people of Tamil Nadu as her family, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa said the people of the State are her children and their welfare is her welfare, while delivering her Independence Day address after hoisting the tricolour on the ramparts of Fort St George on Thursday.
Thanking the people for giving her the opportunity to hoist the national flag on the occasion of 67th Independence Day, Jayalalithaa said “On this important occasion, I salute all the freedom fighters and martyr who strove for the independence of the country.”
The Chief Minister said that ‘freedom’ has many dimensions like — freedom of speech, freedom of press, freedom in education, freedom in employment opportunities and freedom to think. The true definition of freedom is that which brings out the energy within in every individual without being suppressed by socioeconomic factors,” she said.
The Chief Minister observed that the word ‘independence’ gives rise to a sense of pride and happiness. “It would not be an exaggeration to say that the Palayakkarargal in Tamil Nadu were the first to raise their voice against British.
The role played by Veerapandia Kattabomman, Poolithevar, Maruthu Brothers, Dheeran Chinnamalai and others in the Independence struggle was very important, she pointed out.