CHENNAI: Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, ministers and leaders of various political parties paid floral tribute to social reformer Periyar EV Ramasamy on his 142nd birth anniversary on Thursday.
A team of ministers, led by the Chief Minister, gathered at Periyar statue located at Anna Salai and paid floral tribute to a portrait of Periyar, which was placed under the statue. On the occasion, MLAs, State Planning Commission Vice-Chairman C Ponnaiyan, Chief Secretary K Shanmugam and other authorities were present and paid tribute to the leader.
DMK president MK Stalin, along with several former ministers, and party youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin paid respect to Periyar. AMMK functionaries, led by the party’s general secretary TTV Dhinakaran, and DMDK functionaries, led by party’s treasurer Premalatha Vijayakant, paid tribute to the portrait of the leader at their party office.
On behalf of Congress party, a section of cadres, led by former union minister EVKS Elangovan, paid floral tribute to the leader’s statue at Anna Salai. The president of BJP’s state unit L Murugan also extended his wishes to Periyar on his birth anniversary. Addressing reporters after celebrating PM Modi’s birthday, L Murugan said, “There is no hesitation to extend our wishes to Periyar, who fought for social justice. DMK is creating drama over the NEET issue and the DMK is the party which played with the lives of 13 students.”