TN CM E Palaniswami during meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Edappadi Palaniswami held talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modui in New Delhi on Monday. During the meeting, Palaniswami reiterated his and his party's (AIADMK) demand to confer 'Bharat Ratna', the highest civilian honour of the country to former state chief minister J Jayalalithaa. He also demanded Chennai central railwa station to be re-named after AIADMK founder and former chief minister MG Ramachandran.
Earlier on September 12, Palaniswami had written to PM Modi urging the Centre to confer Bharat Ratna on late J Jayalalithaa and Dravidian icon C N Annadurai.
The Bharat Ratna “would be the most fitting way to recognise the extraordinary public service, phenomenal achievements and the remarkable life of one of the most influential political leaders of independent India,” Palaniswami said in the letter to Modi, recalling Jayalalithaa’s welfare measures and initiatives.
The Chief Minister also drew Modi’s attention to a letter of December 18, 2016 of the state government recommending the award to the former chief minister posthumously. Jayalalithaa passed away on December 5, 2016.
The Tamil Nadu Cabinet resolved on September 9 to reiterate to the Centre its decision taken in the Cabinet meeting on December 10, 2016, he said.
In the letter, Palaniswami had also urged the Centre to rename Chennai Central Railway Station after “Puratchi Thalaivar Dr MG Ramachandran,” in view of his birth centenary celebrations
