Date:13/12/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/12/13/stories/2008121354060400.htm

Tamil Nadu - Chennai

Appropriate memorial for V.P. Singh, says Karunanidhi

Special Correspondent

Final announcement after consulting Dravidar Kazhagam president Veeramani

— Photo: M. Vedhan

Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi unveiling a portrait of former Prime Minister V.P. Singh at a function in Chennai on Friday. (From left) South Chennai DMK district secretary J. Anbazhagan and Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani are in the picture.

CHENNAI: An appropriate memorial will be built for former Prime Minister V.P. Singh after discussions, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said here on Friday.

Responding to a request from Dravidar Kazhagam president K.Veeramani at a function, Mr. Karunanidhi said it would not be proper for him to make a final announcement on the memorial without consulting Mr.Veeramani.

After consultations, an announcement would be made soon. Mr. Karunanidhi, who unveiled a portrait of V.P. Singh, said the best tribute that could be paid to the departed leader was to ensure that social justice was implemented in the private sector.

Implementation of the quota system for backward and oppressed classes in all institutions of learning would form a fitting tribute.

Huge sacrifice

Mr. Karunanidhi said V.P. Singh made a huge sacrifice by going ahead with the implementation of the Mandal Commission report. Though the Congress had commissioned the report and it was submitted when the party government was in power, it chose to not to implement the recommendations.

After he tried to implement the recommendations of the report, V.P.Singh’s government fell and his friends deserted him. But, Tamil Nadu accorded him a red carpet welcome, he recalled.

Mr. Karunanidhi read out a poem he had penned when V.P. Singh toured the State in 1990. The Chief Minister said the poem was read out at a function in Chennai in 1990, in praise of the decision to implement the Mandal recommendations.

Mr. Veeramani said the DK’s Periyar Centre in Delhi would have a hall named after V.P.Singh.

He wanted an appropriate memorial in Chennai, too, and recalled V.P. Singh’s fondness for the State.

“In fact, V.P. Singh had signed in Tamil in the portrait which was unveiled today,” he said.