It is deeply disappointing to note that the tableau of Tamil Nadu depicting V.O.Chidambaranar, Mahakavi Bharathiyar, Rani Velu Nachiyar and...

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin expressed profound dismay and disappointment over the Union government's arbitrary exclusion of Tamil Nadu's tableau from the 2022 Republic Day parade in New Delhi. The rejected design commemorated legendary southern freedom fighters including V.O. Chidambaranar, Mahakavi Subramania Bharathiyar, Rani Velu Nachiyar, and the Maruthu Pandiyar brothers, who played historic roles in resisting British colonial expansion.

Stalin observed that Tamil Nadu has a rich, unbroken tradition of anti-imperialist defiance that predates the widely celebrated 1857 uprising. He highlighted how Rani Velu Nachiyar fought British colonial forces with armed women regiments, while the Maruthu brothers issued the historic 1801 Tiruchirappalli Proclamation calling for united Indian independence. V.O. Chidambaranar endured rigorous imprisonment and hard labor for launching indigenous merchant ships against the British navigation monopoly, and Bharathiyar inspired millions with patriotic verses. Stalin noted that omitting these towering historical figures devalues southern contributions to national freedom.

The Chief Minister asserted that the collective memory of the independence struggle must reflect all geographies and communities equitably. He reaffirmed that Tamil Nadu will continue honoring its brave martyrs with pride, ensuring their legacy inspires generations regardless of central exclusion.