Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday unveiled a statue of late anti-caste activist Iyothee Thass Pandithar installed at the Gandhi Mandapam campus at Guindy in Chennai.
Speaking on the occasion, he said it was the late activist who made ‘Tamilan’ and ‘Dravidan’ as identities in Tamil Nadu politics. Underlining the multifaceted personality of Pandithar, Mr. Stalin said the late dignitary was a writer, researcher, historian, anthropologist, publisher, journalist, orator, linguist, polyglot, activist, and a crusader – all rolled into one.
Mr. Stalin also recalled the Tamil Nadu government’s announcement that it would implement a housing scheme named after Pandithar for the benefit of Scheduled Caste communities.
Ministers K. Ponmudy, E.V. Velu, M.P. Saminathan, Ma. Subramanian, P.K. Sekarbabu, and N. Kayalvizhi Selvaraj; MPs Vaiko, Thol. Thirumavalavan, A. Raja, Thamizachi Thangapandian, and D. Ravikumar; and Legislators K. Selvaperunthagai, M. Sinthanai Selvan, I. Paranthamen, and P. Sivakumar alias Thayagam Kavi were present. Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani was also among the dignitaries present during the occasion.
