The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Chandy ready to help Malayalees outside Kerala

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Sep 27, 2004

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Chandy ready to help Malayalees outside Kerala

By Our Special Correspondent

Oommen Chandy, Kerala Chief Minister (left), in discussion with M.P. Purusthoman, president, Confederation of Tamil Nadu Malayalee Association, during the Onam celebrations, organised by the confederation, in Chennai on Sunday. — Photo: N. Ba laji

CHENNAI, SEPT. 26.. The Kerala Chief Minister, Oommen Chandy, today promised that the Government will take steps to help solve the problems facing Malayalees settled outside the State.

Mr. Chandy sought to dispel the notion that the Government was interested more in helping Malayalees settled abroad than those settled in other States in the country. He said he headed the Ministry that looked into the welfare of non-resident Keralites and there was no discrimination of any sort against any group. The Government was willing to provide all help within the constraints that it had to work under.

He was speaking at a function here to celebrate Onam. The function was organised by the Confederation of Tamil Nadu Malayalee Associations, an umbrella organisation of about 65 Malayalee organisations spread across Tamil Nadu.

Mr. Chandy said he was surprised to hear that such a large number of organisations had come together to form a federation. ``Normally when two Malayalees come together it is said there will be three associations. But I am happy that so many organisations are united here. You should keep up and build on this unity.''

Noting that the relations between Tamil Nadu and Kerala were good, he said the Keralites who settled here were in the forefront of ensuring that the relationship between the two States grew stronger.

The confederation president, M.P. Purushothaman, said he had submitted a memorandum to the Chief Minister to expedite setting up of a `cultural centre' in Chennai. The Kerala Cabinet had approved setting up of such a centre in association with the confederation in a vacant space at Cochin House.

Responding to this, Mr. Chandy said he had heard differing voices on the proposal. If the Malayalee organisations here asked for such a centre in one voice, the Government would sympathetically consider it, he said.

The Kerala Culture Minister, A.P. Anil Kumar, said it seemed as if there was more glitter to celebrations outside Kerala. The cultural procession that preceded the meeting showcased the best that Kerala had to offer.

Earlier, Mr. Chandy lighted the traditional lamp to mark the celebrations, along with Mr. Anil Kumar and actors Kamal Hassan and Suresh Gopi. The convener, celebrations committee, M. Nanda Govind, said the boundary between Kerala and Tamil Nadu did not hinder people to people exchanges at many levels and in many spheres. The celebration committee chairman, K.P.K. Shankaran Nambiar, V.C. Kabeer, MLA and Balakrishnan Mangad, vice-president, CTMA, were among those who highlighted various aspects of the celebrations.

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