CHENNAI: Governor RN Ravi, Chief Minister MK Stalin, and leaders of various political parties hailed Dr BR Ambedkar on his death anniversary on Tuesday. At the Raj Bhavan, Ravi unveiled a statue of Ambedkar and paid floral tributes to the architect of the Constitution. He said the departed leader was an ardent nationalist and social reformer who laid the foundation of modern India.
At the event, Union Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, Dairying and Minister of Information & Broadcasting L Murugan also paid tribute to the departed leader. Minister for Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj, Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu, and other officials also took part.
Stalin hailed Ambedkar as “Buddha of the new world”, and added, “On his death anniversary, let’s pledge to build a non-discriminatory society.”In a tweet, union minister L Murugan said, “A Humble Tribute to the Architect of the Constitution of India, a Great Social Reformer, Bharat Ratna Shri Dr Bhimarao Ramji Ambedkar Ji, on his Death Anniversary.”
On behalf of the PMK, Dr S Ramadoss garlanded the statue of the departed leader at Thailapuram Garden near Tindivanam. A team of CPM functionaries garlanded the statue of the leader at the MC Rajan hostel. Functionaries of MNM garlanded the statue of the departed leader at Kodambakkam.
Meanwhile, VCK president Thol Thirumavalavan condemned the Indhu Makkal Katchi for pasting a poster in which the departed leader was portrayed as wearing a saffron shirt and sporting viboothi (sacred ash) on his forehead. He urged the government to arrest the person responsible.NTK’s Seeman and AMMK’s TTV Dhinakaran too hailed the departed leader.
HMK’s Arjun Sampath sent off HC premises
A ruckus erupted in the Madras High Court premises on Tuesday when a section of lawyers objected to Hindu Makkal Katchi founder Arjun Sampath paying floral tribute to the Ambedkar statue in the premises. Sampath was returning after court proceedings on a plea to allow him to pay respects to Ambedkar at the Manimandapam in Raja Annamalaipuram. Several lawyers surrounded him raising slogans and forced him to leave. Police escorted him out of the premises