Stalin condoles poet Senthialai Gowthaman's wife demise

CHENNAI: Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday condoled the demise of rationalist thinker-poet Senthalai N Gowthaman’s wife Ulaganayagi.

“I offer my deepest condolences to Senthialai Gowthaman, his family and Periyarists for the loss of Ulaganayagi, who cherished rationalism and Tamil as her two eyes,” said CM Stalin in his condolence statement.

Earlier in the day, the Chief Minister also condoled the demise of 33-year-old video journalist Sankar of a 24x7 Tamil news channel, who died in a car accident on their return from Thiruvananthapuram after covering Chandrayaan-3 lunar landing related news to Tirunelveli.

The CM also announced Rs 5 lakh compensation to the family of the family of deceased Sankar and Rs 50,000 each to the families of three grievously injured persons from Chief Minister’s Public Relief Fund.

CM congratulates National Film Award winners; expresses shock at Nargis Dutt Award choice.

Late Thursday, Chief Minister M K Stalin also congratulated the winners of 69th National Film Awards, mainly the crew of the film 'Kadaisi Vivasayi' directed by M Manikandan and starring actor Vijay Sethupathi, which won under the Best Tamil Film category.

Stalin also expressed shock at a controversial film (The Kashmir Files), which was ignored by neutral people and critics being selected for the Nargis Dutt Award for National integration.

In a message posted on his official Twitter handle, Stalin said, “The absence of political bias in the awards presented for literature and films will make them a timeless honour and hold them in high esteem. The dignity of National Awards must not be compromised for petty politics.”