Communist Party of India (Marxist) State secretary K. Balakrishnan on Wednesday condemned the Union government for rejecting the Republic Day tableau of Tamil Nadu, which had in display freedom fighters from the State.
The Centre was trying to change not only the Constitution of India, but also the history of the freedom struggle, he said, and appealed to all democratic forces to protest against such attempts. Mr. Balakrishnan welcomed Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s announcement that the rejected tableau would be taken across the State.
Along with Madurai MP Su. Venkatesan, Mr. Balakrishnan garlanded the statue of Subramania Bharathi at Sethupathi Higher Secondary School.
Children dressed up like freedom fighters like Bharathi, Velu Nachiyar, V. O. Chidambaram and Marudhu brothers accompanied the MP in a procession that went around the city to garland the statues of various freedom fighters like VOC, Mahatma Gandhi and Marudhu brothers.
Democratic Youth Federation of India conducted a similar programme, in which people wearing masks depicting the freedom fighters participated and the national flag was unfurled at Sikkal in Sivaganga district.
In Dindigul, Students’ Federation of India organised a tricolour unfurling event, in which its members wearing masks with faces of freedom fighters took part.The participants also took a pledge to uphold the Constitution.