Chennai, October 8:
The Tamil Nadu government is examining around 10 locations for establishing an integrated memorial complex for five prominent historical and social figures, School Education and Information Minister A Rajmohan said on Thursday, amid objections to a proposal to use land belonging to the University of Madras.
The proposed complex is intended to honour Queen Velu Nachiyar, Periyar E V Ramasamy, B R Ambedkar, K Kamaraj and Anjalai Ammal. The project is also expected to include a library and a study centre.
The government had earlier proposed locating the memorial complex on a portion of the University Union Grounds in Chetpet, which belongs to the University of Madras. However, the proposal has drawn objections from sections of the university community, including faculty members, staff, physical education teachers from affiliated colleges and sports enthusiasts.
Responding to questions from reporters in Chennai, Rajmohan said the location had not yet been finalised and that officials were considering multiple alternatives. His remarks indicate that the government is continuing to explore options before taking a final decision on the project.
The proposed memorial is intended to commemorate the contributions of the five personalities, who represent different strands of Tamil Nadu’s political, social and historical legacy. The inclusion of a study centre and library is expected to provide facilities for research and public engagement.
Rajmohan was speaking after distributing pension orders to journalists. Asked about the recent by-elections, he said polling had been conducted freely and fairly, without cash-for-votes or booth-rigging incidents.
He also said the government was extending welfare measures to different categories of publications, including small and marginal newspapers and magazines, and maintained that all newspaper organisations were being treated equally.