Stalin inaugurates Karunanidhi photo exhibition

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday inaugurated the Karunanidhi centenary photo exhibition at Kalaivanar hall in the city. Grandson of Mahatma Gandhi and former West Bengal Governor Gopalkrishna Gandhi unveiled the centenary logo.  
 

The state government has decided to celebrate the centennial birth anniversary of former Chief Minister and DMK stalwart M Karunanidhi as a one-year function in a grand manner. The anniversary falls on June 3. The DMK has decided to celebrate it separately and has been making necessary arrangements.
Addressing the gathering, Stalin said, “To honour the ideological heir of Periyar, Mahatma Gandhi’s grandson Gopalkrishna Gandhi has attended the event. He has been well aware of the connection between Gandhi and us. We cannot express the grief Periyar underwent after hearing the news of Gandhi’s death.”
“Just like Anna, Kalaignar also had immense respect for Gandhi. Similarly, Gopalkrishna Gandhi has immense respect for the Dravidian party. 

He had once mentioned that the Dravidian ship should reach the federal harbor. It’s a pleasure to hear good things about the state government from him. We will submit our DMK rule to Karunanidhi,” he said.
 

Pointing out that the government has decided to celebrate the centenary birth anniversary of Karunanidhi as a one-year function, he said that the celebration would be used to explain his achievements to the world.
“Karunanidhi always had a long-term vision and loved the people. There was not a single department which he did not touch. He was an expert in almost all the departments. It is in his path that all the departments are travelling. He is the one who worked tirelessly for Tamils across the world. The centenary function would be celebrated by everyone,” he added.
As a part of the celebration, an international arena – Kalaignar convention centre - would be set up in the city to organize international conferences and broadcast films, he said and added that the arena would be set up on 25 acres of land with a capacity to accommodate 5,000 people at a time.
“I submit the DMK government and the pride it has earned to Karunanidhi. He won 13 assembly elections in independent India. He is the architect of modern Tamil Nadu. He was a matured person both in his personal and political life. He was an expert in governance and holds an irreplaceable place in the hearts of the public even today. He would continue to rule people’s hearts for centuries to come. He was a poet to poets and a leader to leaders,” he said.
 

A library in Madurai and a hospital in Chennai would be named after Karunanidhi, he said, adding that the state government would hold functions in all the districts in view of his centennial birthday celebration.
Karunanidhi was the one who laid foundation for the 50 years development of the state, he said, pointing out that there have been millions of people who continued their education and got employment because of Karunanidhi. He has a close connection with the life of crores of people, he added.
“Karunanidhi has been the wealth of the state and Tamils across the globe. He was the reason for the industrial development in Chennai and surrounding cities including Kancheepuram and Tiruvallur. We are planning to organize a global investors meet in the city and investors from Japan and Singapore are well aware of the development in the state. 
 

They have assured to start their companies in the state. Karunanidhi wanted to bring global investors to the state. By establishing a tidel park in 1997, he kick-started the industrial revolution in the state. His contribution to the society would be remembered on the centenary celebration of his birth anniversary,” he added.