CM Stalin inaugurates renovated memorial of anti-Hindi imposition protest martyrs

CHENNAI: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Saturday inaugurated the renovated memorial of Natarasan and Thalamuthu, who lost their lives in the anti-Hindi imposition protest at Moolakotthalam, as per a Daily Thanthi report.

Stalin paid tribute to the martyrs by placing a wreath at their memorial and showered flowers on their portraits, according to a Daily Thanthi report.

The state government issues a press release that noted that even before the country gained independence, Hindi was introduced as a compulsory subject in schools for classes 6, 7, and 8 in the year 1938.

It was also announced that it was mandatory to pass in Hindi, or the candidates would be declared fail in the exams.

Following this, the anti-Hindi movement began to gain strength with many leaders plunging into the anti-Hindi movement.

People's movements, including the Justice Party, Self-Respect Movement, and Independent Tamil Movement, especially Sir A D Panneerselvam, Thanthai Periyar, Maraimalai Adikalar, Novelist Somasundara Bharathiar, K S Pillai, M S Pooranalinganar, Annai Meenambal Sivaraj, Pattukkottai Alagiri, M Dharumambal, Kanchimani Mozhiyar, Poet Arunagirinathar, Revolutionary Poet Bharathidasan, Perarignar Anna and various leaders and scholars, were involved in the anti-Hindi movement.

The language war that began on June 3, 1938, continued for a year and a half. Many students participated and were sent to prison for it, including Natarasan, born in 1919, who lived in Perambur.

He was sentenced to six months of rigorous imprisonment. After suffering from illness for several days in prison, he was admitted to the government hospital, where he passed away subsequently.

Natarasan's body was taken away in a grand procession with a black flag draped over him, and thousands of people, including senior leaders, paid their tribute.

Two months after Natarasan, who was the first victim of the language struggle against compulsory Hindi in schools (1937-39), Thalamuthu, hailing from Thanjavur, also died on March 11, 1939. He was sentenced to six months of rigorous imprisonment and forced to pay a fine for leading the anti-Hindi struggle and picketing.

As a tribute to the duo who martyred their lives for the language struggle, Periyar inaugurated their memorial at Moolakothalam to honour their sacrifice.

Following the announcement to renovate the memorial and to celebrate January 25th as 'Tamil language martyrs Day,' the renovated memorial was inaugurated on Saturday by the CM.