Stalin unveils Gandhi-Jeevanandham statue, inaugurates memorial hall

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin unveiled the statue of Mahatma Gandhi and communist leader and freedom fighter P. Jeevanandham, and inaugurated a memorial hall built at a cost of ₹3.27 crore at Siravayal here on Saturday.

The memorial stands at the historic site where Mahatma Gandhi met Jeevanandham.

Unveiling the bronze statue of Gandhi and Jeevanandham, Mr. Stalin, recounted a famous historical exchange between the two leaders: “When Gandhi met Jeeva at his ashram, he asked, ‘What assets do you possess?’ Jeeva replied, ‘The motherland is my only asset.’ To this, Gandhi remarked, ‘You are the asset of India.’”

Additionally, he announced that following a request from CPI(M) State secretary P. Shanmugam, a statue of Karl Marx would be unveiled at the Connemara Public Library in Chennai on February 6.

Mr. Stalin further said that the memorial was designed to function not only as a monument but also as a marriage hall for the benefit of the local community.

Following the inauguration, he took part in the centenary celebrations of Kundrakudi Adigalar and paid floral tributes to his statue.

Ministers K.K.S.S.R. Ramachandran, Thangam Thennarasu, K.R. Periakaruppan, and M.P. Saminathan, MLA A. Tamilarasi, Mr. Shanmugam, CPI State secretary M. Veerapandian, and Sivaganga Collector K. Porkodi were present at the event.