#LIVE: ஈரோடு புத்தகத் திருவிழாவைத் திறந்து வைத்து விழாப் பேருரை https://t.co/SqynTf8PSN

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin inaugurated the annual Erode Book Festival, delivering a keynote address on the importance of cultivating a vigorous reading culture and intellectual curiosity across society. Speaking before authors, publishers, scholars, and avid readers in Erode, Stalin paid glowing tributes to the city as the birthplace of rationalist reformer Thanthai Periyar. He emphasized that books remain the most powerful instruments of human enlightenment, social emancipation, and critical thinking, enabling citizens to question regressive traditions, resist dogmatism, and champion social equality.

Stalin detailed the state government's proactive initiatives to organize district-level book fairs across all thirty-eight districts of Tamil Nadu, ensuring that quality literature reaches rural towns and suburban neighborhoods. He pointed out that the administration has earmarked substantial budgetary allocations to modernize public libraries, support indigenous publishers, and digitize ancient classical manuscripts. The Chief Minister urged parents and teachers to instill regular reading habits in children from an early age, weaning them from digital distractions. Stalin concluded by reiterating that fostering intellectual inquiry and literary appreciation forms an integral component of the Dravidian model of holistic cultural development.