When former Prime Minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh died on November 27, 2008, the country and the media hardly took note of the development. The nation’s attention was at that time riveted on the Mumbai terror attacks.
Tribute to Vishwanath Pratap Singh
However, on Monday, 15 years later, a well deserved tribute was paid to Singh in Chennai when Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin unveiled a life size statue of the man who ushered in social justice in the country by implementing the recommendations of the B P Mandal Commission, providing 27% reservation for OBCs in Government jobs. The bronze statue on the Marina beach front, the world’s second longest beach, has been installed at a cost of Rs 52 lakh on the campus of the Presidency College, one of the three oldest colleges in the country.
Stalin unveiled the statue in the presence of Samajwadi Party leader Akhilesh Yadav and family members of Singh including his wife Sita Kumari, son Ajeya Singh and granddaughters.
"Everyone in Indian soil should know about VP Singh, his life of sacrifice"
There is a reason in the choice of the location. In Stalin’s words, “Everyone in Indian soil should know about VP Singh and his life of sacrifice. In particular, his life should be told over and over again to young people. That is why we have erected that statue in Presidency College.”
The DMK leader described Singh as a “guardian of Social justice” and “Father of the oppressed people of India”.
On the occasion, Stalin reiterated his demand that the Union Government must undertake a caste census across the country along with the decadal census.
