Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said the social reforms advocated by Ramanuja were close to the heart of the DMK government.
“In one of our reformist approaches, my government appointed archakas in temples from all castes and ensured equality for all in performing poojas in the sanctum sanctorum of the temples in Tamil Nadu,” he said in a letter to Tridandi Chinna Jeer Swamy, who had invited him for the consecration of Ramanuja idol at Hyderabad.
“I wish that Ramanuja’s voice of equality spreads across the country elegantly and emphatically. This symbol of ‘Statue of Equality’ is the need of the hour for the inclusive and progressive development of the nation as a whole.” I wholeheartedly wish the function a grand success and this “Statue of Equality” remains as the Symbol of National Integration,” he said.
Mr. Stalin said late DMK leader M. Karunanidhi had brought out the essence of Ramanuja’s life by scripting the tele-serial on the seer’s life and times.
Karunanidhi’s work
“It was also the last of his literary and theatrical works, but that is living and will live on to take the life and works of the great social reformer to future generations too,” he pointed out.
Mr. Stalin said in the last eight months, his government had ensured that the temple administration in the State was streamlined and allotted necessary funds for the proper and effective management of temples — duly taking care of the welfare of all priests in temples.
“It is the HR&CE Department which implemented numerous schemes and welfare measures that benefited priests and devotees. Today, Tamil Nadu is having one of the best temple administrations among the States in the country,” he said.
