Vice President C P Radhakrishnan lays foundation stone for 150 feet V O Chidambaranar statue in Madurai
Vice President of India CP Radhakrishnan on Sunday laid the foundation stone for a 140-foot statue of freedom fighter and ‘Kappalottiya Tamizhan’ VO Chidambaram Pillai, in Madurai.
The statue, initially planned for 140 feet, was later increased in height.
Addressing the event, Vice President Radhakrishnan said, “VO Chidambaram Pillai was a man who lived a life of pure sacrifice without expecting anything in return, and who passed away dedicating his entire life to selfless service. If today we say that we are living with such freedom and rights, it was VO Chidambaram Pillai who sowed the very first seed of that freedom in this soil…Today, we have laid the foundation stone for the statue of VOChidambaram Pillai.”
The Vice President said that he was requested by “brother ACS” that “A 140-foot statue should be installed for VOC in Madurai.” “You must come and lay the foundation stone for it, and he personally requested me,” Radhakrishnan said. “When he first spoke to me, he said the statue would be 140 feet tall. But after coming here, he said it has now been raised to 150 feet in height. Who could possibly refuse to attend such an occasion? I certainly could not. So I immediately agreed to come. Today, we have laid the foundation stone for the statue of V. O. Chidambaram Pillai,” said the Vice President.
He also said, “When I reflect on this, I remember something I once read in a history book. VO Chidambaram Pillai was sent to prison. He was given a cruel punishment that was not imposed on others, not one life sentence, but two life sentences. After serving his term, when he was finally released and came out of prison, there were only two people standing there to receive him.”
“As VOC approached, he could not recognise one of the two men. He pointed to the other and asked whether they could leave together. At that moment, the great soul who was standing there looked at V.O.C. and asked, “Pillai, don’t you recognise me?” The moment he heard the voice, VOC was shaken. He turned and asked in disbelief, “Isn’t this the voice of Subramania Siva?” He trembled. See what kinds of “rewards” British imperialism had given them. It had given a terrible disease to Siva. It had given crushing poverty to our V.O.C., yet one truth remains: there is no power in this world that can defeat righteousness. Dharma will ultimately triumph. Truth never sleeps. There is no force in the world that can dig a grave and bury honesty forever,” the Vice President stated.
He asserted that, “There were only two people there. One of them, suffering from a dreadful disease, told VOC, “Do not touch me.” But VOC. did not hesitate. He ran forward and embraced him, saying, “Let the terrible disease that has afflicted you also afflict me. “What friendship! What noble character! Some may have thought that since hardly anyone came that day, their sacrifice had gone in vain. But it did not go in vain. When a seed is sown, a plant does not sprout immediately. Wherever the spark of patriotism fell as a seed, the sacrifice of V.O.C. ensured that it would be honoured for all time.”
“Seeing this gathering today, assembled in his honour, fills my heart with joy. My dear Tamil people, I extend to you my heartfelt greetings that arise from the depths of my heart,” the Vice President said.