Annamalai, Vijay say it is Tamil Nadu Day while Stalin hails martyrs

PTI Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday paid tributes on the occasion of Border Martyrs Day, recalling the contribution of those who had struggled for the inclusion of Tamil-speaking areas in the state. BJP state president K Annamalai and TVK founder, actor Vijay said the present geographical boundaries of Tamil Nadu were defined on this day when the states were reorganised on linguistic basis on November 1, 1956 and said this day should be therefore celebrated as Tamil Nadu Day. The Stalin-led DMK government had last year announced that July 18 would be observed as Tamil Nadu Day, since a resolution was moved by then CM C N Annadurai in the Assembly, seeking to rename Madras Presidency as Tamil Nadu, on July 18, 1967.

On Friday, Stalin said in a post on 'X' that November 1 was the day to remember the sacrifice of those "martyrs who had protected Tamil Nadu's border in the north and south". "I pay my respects to all those who had struggled for the inclusion of Tamil- dominated areas and where Tamil was spoken, with Tamil Nadu on the Border Martyrs Day," he said. Annamalai extended the BJP state unit's greetings on the occasion of "Tamil Nadu Day," saying it came into existence on this day with its present borders and as a state for Tamil language.

He also said Tamil Nadu has lost its glory under the 'mismanagement' of the ruling DMK. Actor-politician Vijay said, "Tamil Nadu emerged as a seperate state" on November 1, 1956 following the reorganisation of states on linguistic basis. He recalled Annadurai moving the resolution for renaming the state, keeping in mind the fast undertaken earlier by martyr Sankaralinganar on the matter. He also paid tributes to border martyrs.