CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Friday thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for announcing that Chennai Central railway station will be renamed after the late Chief Minister MG Ramachandran.“On behalf of people of Tamil Nadu, I express my heartiest thanks to you for announcing that Chennai Central Railway Station will be named after our revered leader MG Ramachandran,” the Chief Minister said in his letter to the Prime Minister.
Modi made the announcement at a public meeting at Kilambakkam in Kancheepuram district on February 6. The Chief Minister also recalled that in view of MGR’s birth centenary, the State cabinet, on September 9, 2018, unanimously resolved to recommend to the Centre to rename the station as ‘Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MG Ramachandran Central Railway Station’ in honour of the late leader.
The Chief Minister also recalled that MGR was honoured with the highest civilian award, Bharat Ratna, in recognition of his outstanding contribution to public service in 1988. To the people of Tamil Nadu and to Tamils across the world, MGR continued to be an inspirational figure as he had been remembered for his
qualities of magnanimity, generosity, commanding leadership and determination to fight for the legitimate rights of the State. MGR, a charismatic and popular Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu is also remembered nationally and internationally for having launched several innovative welfare programmes which have become model to be emulated throughout the country, he said.
Memorial in honour of Piramalai Kallar
The CM announced that a memorial would be built at Perungamanallur in Madurai district, in honour of 16 members of the Piramalai Kallar community who had lost their lives when the British forces opened fire in 1920.
In a statement here, the chief minister recalled that the Piramalai Kallar community had protested against the Criminal Tribes Act, 1871 and to quell their agitations, the British government ordered firing. In this incident, 16 died and many suffered injuries.” To mark the centenary of this historical event and to honour those who had lost their lives in this incident, the government will build a memorial,” he said.