The Thamizh Desiya Peravai has opposed the move to utilise a major portion of the Sathya Dharma Salai’s ‘Peruveli’ area in Vadalur for setting up a ₹100-crore Vallalar International Centre by the State government.
Addressing the media at Thanjavur on Monday, TDP president P. Maniarasan said that about 100 acres of land was donated to Sri Ramalinga Adigalar 175 years ago by his followers and local people for setting up Sathya Dharma Salai encompassing the Octagonal “Hall of Wisodm” (Sathya Gnana Sabhai).
The open space — “Peruveli” — around the Octagonal hall was used by the followers of the Smarasa Sanmarga Sanga movement founded by Vallalar during “Pournami” (Full Moon Days) and during the annual “Thai Poosam” event held at Sathya Gnana Sabhai.
Now, the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowment Board’s announcement that around 70 acres of land around the Sathya Gnana Sabhai, a major portion of the “Peruveli”, would be utilised for creating the infrastructure facilities for the proposed Vallalar International Centre has shocked the Sanmarga followers and as well as others such as the TDP which welcomed the setting up of VIC.
Raising concrete structures on the Sathya Dharma Salai premises would not only diminish the value of the Sathya Gnana Sabhai but also prevent the followers from using the “Peruveli” to perform their “Marga” activities, he pointed out.
While strongly objecting to the move to utilise the open space available around the Sathya Gnana Sabhai for setting up the VIC, he urged the government to ensure that the proposed VIC functioned as a pure Vallalar model institution and not as “Dravidian Model” institution.
