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<div class="gmail-wrapper gmail-clearfix gmail-article-content-wrapper"><div class="gmail-main-content"><h1 class="gmail-heading1"><span>Tamil Nadu CM requests Modi to confer Bharat Ratna on Annadurai, Jayalalithaa</span></h1><span><a target="_blank" class="gmail-auth_detail" rel="author" href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/toireporter/author-Julie-Mariappan-479194812.cms">Julie Mariappan</a></span><span class="gmail-time_cptn"> | <span><span>TNN</span></span> | <span>Sep 12, 2018, 16:08 IST</span></span><div class="gmail-leftsocial"><div class="gmail-toiwidgets_social"><span class="gmail-fb gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-twitter gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-gplus gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-linkedin gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-pinterest gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-comment-slider gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare gmail-comment-loaded"></span></div></div><div class="gmail-topsocial gmail-actions"><div class="gmail-toiwidgets_social"><span class="email gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-print gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-fontd gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span><span class="gmail-fonti gmail-show_sprite gmail-toishare"></span></div></div><img src="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/thumb/msid-65783219,imgsize-303424,width-400,resizemode-4/65783219.jpg" alt="Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami" title="Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami"><span class="gmail-img_cptn">Tamil Nadu chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami </span><div class="gmail-article_content gmail-clearfix"><span><div class="gmail-section1"><div class="gmail-Normal">CHENNAI: <a class="gmail-key_underline" href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/tamil-nadu">Tamil Nadu</a> chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami on Wednesday requested Prime Minister <a class="gmail-key_underline" href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Narendra-Modi">Narendra Modi</a> to confer the highest civilian award, the <a class="gmail-key_underline" href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Bharat-Ratna">Bharat Ratna</a>, on former chief ministers C N <a class="gmail-key_underline" href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/Annadurai">Annadurai</a> and J <a class="gmail-key_underline" href="https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/topic/J.-Jayalalithaa">Jayalalithaa</a> posthumously.
<br>The Union government honoured AIADMK founder and former CM M G
Ramachandran with the award in 1988 for his outstanding contribution to
public service.
<br>
<br>In separate letters to Modi, Palaniswami recalled the Tamil Nadu
cabinet’s unanimous resolution on Sunday recommending the awards to the
leaders.
<br>
<br>Annadurai had the distinction of converting the Dravidian ideology
into a political formation and was instrumental in a regional party
forming a government for the first time in India. He served as chief
minister of Madras from 1967 to 1969. It was during his tenure as chief
minister that “the State of Madras” was renamed as “Tamil Nadu.”
<br>
<br>Palaniswami said Annadurai was the ideological fountainhead of major Dravidian parties.
<br>
<br>x“He stood for a politics that foregrounded social equality,
self-respect and linguistic pride. He condemned the backwardness and
superstitious practices of the society and advocated science and
education for eradicating them. He was preserving the identity and
antiquity of Tamil language and its culture,” the CM said, recalling the
tall Dravidian leader’s contributions in public life.
<br>
<br>Annadurai legalised self-respect marriages and introduced to
language policy. He was the pioneer who championed the cause for state
autonomy.
<br>
<br>Abolition of levy on dry lands, assignment of wastelands to the
landless poor, free education for students up to pre-university class,
implementation of prohibition policy and development of Tamil were some
of the far-reaching initiatives undertaken by Annadurai.
<br>
<br>Palaniswami
said Jayalalithaa was astute, diplomatic and independent as a political
leader. The interests of minorities were consistently protected, and
the state was kept free of communal strife.
<br>
<br>“She had endeared herself to the
people of Tamil Nadu by her words and deeds, and her legacy lives on.
People, particularly women, adore her as their Amma. She was
nationalistic in her outlook and progressive in her thinking,” the chief
minister said, hailing her nationalistic outlook and progressive
thinking.
<br>
<div class="gmail-last4brdiv"><div class="gmail-show_wdgt gmail-topcomment"><div class="gmail-msg"><h2><span>Top</span> Comment</h2><span class="gmail-cmnttxt">Why u have recommended a corrupt & Convicted Lady for this award , she really don't deserve it .<br>Amma Amma Amma Amma & Appa .</span><span class="gmail-cmntauthor">rehan akhtar</span></div></div></div></div></div></span></div></div></div><br>It
would be a fitting tribute to a great leader, an able administrator, an
inspiring icon, who overcame many obstacles and vicissitudes in public
life to devote her life for the benefit of millions of people.
<br>
<br>In another letter, Palaniswami
requested Modi to rename Chennai Central Railway Station as Puratchi
Thalaivar Dr M G Ramachandran Central Railway Station in commemoration
of his birth centenary.
<br>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature">=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+=+<br><br> Harold F. Schiffman<br><br>Professor Emeritus of <br> Dravidian Linguistics and Culture <br>Dept. of South Asia Studies <br>University of Pennsylvania<br>Philadelphia, PA 19104-6305<br><br>Phone: (215) 898-7475<br>Fax: (215) 573-2138 <br><br>Email: <a href="mailto:haroldfs@gmail.com" target="_blank">haroldfs@gmail.com</a><br><a href="http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/" target="_blank">http://ccat.sas.upenn.edu/~haroldfs/</a> <br><br>-------------------------------------------------</div></div>