Chennai: Chief Minister M K Stalin today announced that 18 July would be celebrated as Tamilnadu Day. In a statement here, he said a government order in this regard will be issued soon.
It was on 18 July, 1967 a resolution moved by then Chief Minister C N Annadurai was adopted in the State Legislative Assembly to rename the then Madras Presidency as Tamilnadu.
According to the Chief Minister, the government’s decision to celebrate 18 July as Tamilnadu Day followed representations from multiple political parties, Tamil scholars and enthusiasts, who pointed out that parts of the then Madras Presidency, became Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and Kerala on 1 November, 1956 and hence it may not be appropriate to observe it as Tamilnadu Day.
It may be recalled that the previous AIADMK government led by Edappadi K Palaniswami had announced that 1 November would be observed as Tamilnadu Day from 2019.
Stalin also announced that ‘Border Saviours’, who indulged in the struggle of safeguarding the border of Tamilnadu when the linguistic States were formed, would be honoured with a cash prize of Rs 1 lakh each on 1 November this year as a special case.
Meanwhile, in another statement, Stalin urged MPs, MLAs, local body representatives, schools and teachers to welcome children on 1 November when schools reopen and dispel their anxiety over the novel coronavirus pandemic. He advised them to opt for stories, playing, singing and painting during the first two weeks of school.
As regular classes for standards 1 to 8 are due to begin on 1 November, the CM requested them to welcome students with sweets, flowers.
‘Even though they are familiar with schools, these students are coming to schools after a great crisis. Though a full stop has been put to Corona, people are still anxious about the virus. The anxiety is especially widely prevalent among schoolchildren. It is our duty to embrace children to dispel their anxiety,’ Stalin said.