MADURAI/RAMANATHAPURAM: In commemoration of the birth and death anniversary of Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar, thousands of people, including political leaders, thronged Madurai and Ramanathapuram districts for garlanding custom and Mulaippari processions on Sunday.
Security was beefed up in the region, especially at Pasumpon village in Ramanathapuram and Gorippalayam in Madurai.
While ministers Duraimurugan, KN Nehru and others reached the memorials and paid their respects, AIADMK leader O Panneeraelvam handed over a silver armour weighing 10.5 kg to the Muthuramalinga Thevar memorial in Pasumpon.
Speaking to press persons later, Duraimurugan said, “Our leader MK Stalin used to come here and pay his respects every year, but this time he couldn’t make it owing to his health condition. So, we have come here on his behalf. Muthuramalinga Thevar guided people towards the right path and those who followed in his footsteps are now luminaries in various fields, including politics.”
Meanwhile, claiming that he is the AIADMK party coordinator, Paneerselvam told reporters at Pasumpon that he handed over a silver armour to the memorial caretaker on behalf of the party.
“When former chief minister J Jayalalithaa provided the golden armour to the memorial, the caretaker and myself were tasked with recovering the armour from the bank locker for Jayanti celebrations. However, this year, Dindigul Srinivasan who is calling himself the AIADMK treasurer, moved the court seeking authority over the armour. The court did not allow it and rightfully entrusted all responsibility to the caretaker and the district administration. We have handed over the silver armour to the memorial caretaker,” he said.
When asked whether both camps of AIADMK would reunite at least before the next Guru Pooja, OPS said he desired for all 1.5 crore party cadre to reunite at the earliest. He also later paid his respects at the memorial in Goripalayam.
BJP State president K Annamalai also met reporters after paying his respects to the Thevar both at Goripalayam and Pasumpon.