Flower show, people’s movement mark MK’s 99th birth anniversary

VELLORE/TIRUCHY: Several functions and events were organised to mark the 99th birth anniversary celebrations of former DMK chief minister M Karunanidhi in integrated Vellore and Tiruvannamalai districts on Friday.

Vellore collector Kumaravel Pandian planted saplings in the DMK higher secondary school and participated in the “My garbage, my responsibility, my city, my pride” cleanliness campaign in the Vellore corporation office. Vellore mayor Sujatha Anand and commissioner S Ashok Kumar were also present during the event.

Kumaravel Pandian also bicycled for a short distance as part to mark the world cycling day on Friday.

In Tiruvannamalai district collector B Murugesh planted saplings in the municipal office and led a mass cleaning drive.

A similar drive was also undertaken by Tirupattur collector Amar Kuswaha in the Tirupattur peria eri. MLAs S Devaraji and A Nallathambi also participated.

In Ranipet district collector Baskara Pandian and handlooms minister R Gandhi garlanded a portrait of Karunanidhi, distributed government largesse and also received petitions from the public.

In the delta region, distribution of sweets and cleanliness drive marked the day. Ministers, officials and DMK functionaries garlanded the statue of the late leader.

The cadre placed portraits of Karunanidhi at several locations across the delta districts and paid floral tribute. They distributed sweets and some functionaries distributed welfare assistance to the beneficiaries.

DMK functionaries also garlanded Karunanidhi’s statue and raised slogans hailing him.

CM Stalin takes veiled dig at BJP

The Chief Minister also visited the Gopalapuram house where Karunanidhi lived and paid respect to him. He also visited the house of DMK MP Kanimozhi in CIT Colony and Murasoli office and paid respect to the former Chief Minister.

“Kalaignar was a revolutionist. (He) took the entire government machinery on the lines of social justice. A rationalist, who, with his Dravidian ideology, inspired people of Tamil Nadu. In another one year, he will become a centenarian,” Stalin tweeted.

Later in the day, at a function organised by the State Minorities Commission, CM Stalin made a veiled attack on the BJP. He said the State government, which runs on Dravidian model, does not demolish, discriminate or divide.

“Dravidian model does not demolish, it builds; Dravidian model does not destroy, it recreates; Dravidian model does not divide people, it unites; Dravidian model does not lower anyone, it treats all equal; Dravidian model does not exclude anyone, it embraces,” said Stalin.

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