Lieutenant-Governor C.P. Radhakrishnan has asked officials to beautify and maintain the historic Keezhur memorial site that witnessed a referendum in 1954 favouring accession of the French establishments to India.
During a visit to the site, Mr. Radhakrishnan paid tributes to the freedom fighters who took part in the referendum.
He also wanted the site to be promoted as a tourist destination and take up measures to disseminate facts about the freedom struggle to future generations.
The referendum of October 1954 formed the basis for a bilateral Treaty of Cession three days later, ceding full sovereignty of the territories of erstwhile Pondicherry, Mahe, Yanam, and Karaikal from France to India.
Though the treaty took effect on November 1, 1954, marking de facto transfer of power, it was not until August 16, 1962, that erstwhile Pondicherry was officially merged with the Indian Union.
The Lieutenant-Governor also visited the Aayi Mandapam monument, built in 1854 during the time of Napolean III and later adopted as the emblem of the Union Territory, and gave instructions for improving the park environment and installing signages to provide information.
