The family of Kottai Ameer, in whose name the State Government presents a communal harmony award ever year on Republic Day, has called for continuing the tradition. In a petition submitted at the weekly grievances redress meeting here on Monday, Kottai Ameer’s son C.V.A. Jaleel said though the government gave away the Uthamar Gandhi Medal, Aringar Anna Medal and other awards this Republic Day, as it does customarily, it did not present the Kottai Ameer award.
The government’s failure to do so had caused consternation among Ameer’s family members and those who worked for promoting communal harmony.
To continue the tradition, the government must constitute a committee at least six months prior to Republic Day to identify the right candidate and continue presenting the award without fail.
This year, to make up for the failure, the government must confer the award on an eligible person on March 18, which was Kottai Ameer’s 25th death anniversary, Mr. Jaleel demanded.
