Decks cleared for Periyar memorial in Alappuzha

Decks have been cleared for the Tamil Nadu government to build a memorial for social reformer Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, one of the leaders of the Vaikom Satyagraha, at Arookutty in Alappuzha. The Kerala government recently completed the procedures and transferred the ownership of 54 cents of revenue ‘poramboke’ land to the Tamil Nadu government as reflected in the office records of Arookutty village. “The land ownership has been changed in official records. We are transferring the land to the Tamil Nadu government without collecting land tax. We expect construction of the memorial to commence soon,” says Manoj K.R., tahsildar, Cherthala taluk

Decks have been cleared for the Tamil Nadu government to build a memorial for social reformer Periyar E.V. Ramasamy, one of the leaders of the Vaikom Satyagraha, at Arookutty in Alappuzha.

The Kerala government recently completed the procedures and transferred the ownership of 54 cents of revenue ‘poramboke’ land to the Tamil Nadu government as reflected in the office records of Arookutty village.

“The land ownership has been changed in official records. We are transferring the land to the Tamil Nadu government without collecting land tax. We expect construction of the memorial to commence soon,” says Manoj K.R., tahsildar, Cherthala taluk.

Periyar spent a month in the Arookutty jail, then part of the princely state of Travancore, following his arrest on May 21, 1924 while participating in the Vaikom Satyagraha (March 1924-November 1925), a major social reform movement. The remnants of the jail still exist on the site where the memorial is proposed.

According to Tamil Nadu government officials, the plan is to construct a memorial in the model of a prison.

“Though the land ownership has been updated, the Tamil Nadu government is yet to take possession of the site. We will soon collect the possession certificate. The memorial will honour Periyar’s contribution to the Vaikom Satyagraha and the design will incorporate a prison facade. The plan will be finalised after discussions with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and other Ministers by the end of this month,” a Tamil Nadu government official told The Hindu.

Last year, Mr. Stalin announced the initiative to establish a memorial for Periyar at Arookutty. Following this, Tamil Nadu Ministers E.V. Velu and M.P. Saminathan visited the site.