‘Clear legal hurdle to Dalit spiritual leader memorial’

The former Chief Minister, Jayalalithaa, announced on the floor of the Assembly in 2013 that a memorial would be set up at Chidambaram.

The former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu,Jayalalithaa, announced on the floor of theAssembly in 2013 that a memorial for SwamiSahajananda, who championed the cause of theoppressed sections of society, would be set up atChidambaram.

The coordination committee on setting up a memorial for Dalit spiritual leader Swami Sahajananda has urged the State government to quickly clear the legal hurdle to the structure.

The committee, at its recent meeting presided by V.K. Chellappan, south district secretary of the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, adopted a resolution. It said that on June 15, 2013, former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa announced on the floor of the Assembly that a memorial for Swami Sahajananda, who championed the cause of the oppressed sections of society, particularly their right to education, would be built at Chidambaram where he lived.

Subsequently, a piece of land measuring 2.5 acres located near the Nandanar school was identified for the purpose.

But, it got caught in a legal tangle as two parties staked ownership to the property.

Later, the parties agreed to give up the land for the memorial. However, a doctor filed a case in the Cuddalore district court on April 4 claiming that the land belonged to him.

Therefore, the committee called upon the government to take steps to clear the legal hurdle.

The committee also decided to hold a demonstration in front of the Gandhi statue here in this connection.

Representatives of the Communist Party of India (Marxist), Swami Sahajananda Social Development Movement, Nandanar Educational Society and Untouchability Eradication Front participated.