Stalin announces celebration commemorating Vaikkom protest centenary

Chief Minister M.K.Stalin on March 30 announced a year-long celebration commemorating the centenary of the famous Vaikkom protest led by ‘Thanthai’ Periyar early last century. Making a statement under rule 110 of State Assembly, Stalin said that the government of Tamil Nadu would commence the centenary celebration of Vaikkom protest from March 30, the day the protest began in 1924, to pay tribute to Periyar, who transcended boundaries and successfully led a revolution for the lay people, and to lay emphasis on social justice principles. Announcing that the centenary celebrations would go on for a year from March 30, 2023, the CM said that several initiatives would be taken to educate the people, particularly students about the historicity of the protest, its intention and success. Declaring that he would participate as a special guest along with Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan in the Vaikkom centenary celebration organized by the neighbouring government there on April 1 and also pay tributes to the memorial pillar being raised by TN government in Vaikkom, the CM said that a Malayalam translation of the Tamil book “Vaikkom Protest” authored by one of the leading researchers of Tamil Nadu, Pazha Athiyaman would be released and its Telugu, Kannada and English versions released soon. The Chief Minister has also announced that a new memorial would be constructed for Periyar in Aruvikutti village where he was first imprisoned in connection with the protest nearly a century ago.