While paying homage to freedom fighters, the Marudhu brothers, on the occasion of their death anniversary, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Tuesday took a dig at those who, he said, have turned “nationalists suddenly”.
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In a social media post, Mr. Stalin said that the last days of Mahatma Gandhi would speak volumes of the history of those who speak subtly with “poisonous thoughts” and have now, suddenly turned nationalists. “It was this Godse gang, which [late nationalist poet] Mahakavi Bharathiar referred to as ‘acting Swadeshis’,” Mr. Stalin said. He however, did not explicitly refer to any political party or individual by name.
Mr. Stalin said, whenever the DMK government was formed, freedom fighters were celebrated across the State and recalled the unveiling of the statues of the Marudhu brothers at a cost of ₹34 lakh in Chennai.
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Mr. Stalin also recalled former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s literary work Thenpandi Singam, which talks about the history of the late freedom fighters.
The Chief Minister’s remarks came against the backdrop of Governor R. N. Ravi’s charge on Monday that native freedom fighters were ignored in Tamil Nadu.
Earlier in the day, Ministers M.P. Saminathan and Ma. Subramanian, Chennai Mayor R. Priya, South Chennai MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian and senior officials paid floral tributes to the statues of the Marudhu brothers in Chennai.
A social media post from the handle of the Raj Bhavan said: “Nation remembers with gratitude the #MarudhuBrothers, the valorous Freedom Fighters, on their martyrdom day today. Through their Jambudweep Declaration, the first documented call for independence of India which inspired the people to unite and fight against colonial rule”.