Chennai to Unveil Statue of Karl Marx, Announces CM Stalin

Chennai, April 3 (NationPress) The Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, M.K. Stalin, declared on Thursday that a statue of the renowned German philosopher and socialist Karl Marx will be erected in Chennai, a city recognized as a significant center for the labor movement for more than a century.

During a suo motu statement made under Rule 110 in the Assembly, Stalin stated: "The Dravidian model government aims to honor and pay homage to the remarkable global leader Karl Marx - a visionary thinker and revolutionary who shaped the philosophy of communism and urged: ‘Workers of the world, unite!’"

This announcement occurs amidst the ongoing 24th National Congress of the Communist Party of India-Marxist in Madurai, which Stalin is expected to attend.

Stalin praised Marx as one of history’s most impactful thinkers, whose ideologies have been the foundation for numerous revolutions and societal transformations worldwide.

"At a time when no one documented India's realities, it was Karl Marx who skillfully analyzed and reported on the conditions of the country," he noted.

The Chief Minister also mentioned that in 1931, social reformer Periyar (E.V. Ramasamy) translated and published "The Communist Manifesto," authored by Marx and Friedrich Engels, in Tamil.

The announcement received widespread support from various political factions.

CPI-M state Secretary P. Shanmugam shared that the party’s executive committee had officially requested the installation of a Marx statue and expressed gratitude to Stalin for fulfilling this request. Dravidar Kazhagam President K. Veeramani called the decision a "notable success of the Dravidian model government". CPI State Secretary R. Mutharasan remarked that the government’s action will be remembered as a historic milestone. PMK founder Dr. S. Ramadoss described it as a fitting tribute to Marx, "a comrade of laborers" and one of the most esteemed leaders globally.

In the same announcement, Stalin disclosed that the state government plans to build a memorial for the late All India Forward Bloc leader P.K. Mookiah Thevar in Usilampatti, Madurai district.

The Chief Minister commended Mookiah Thevar for his early involvement in politics and his close ties with Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar. Stalin recounted that Thevar was elected from the Periyakulam Assembly seat in 1952 and continually secured victories from the Usilampatti constituency in 1957, 1962, 1967, 1971, and 1977. In 1971, he also won the Ramanathapuram Lok Sabha seat. Stalin highlighted Thevar’s pivotal role during the 1967 political shift in Tamil Nadu, where he acted as the pro-tem Speaker and administered oaths to newly elected MLAs. He also praised Thevar’s efforts in establishing educational institutions for the Thevar community, leading to the establishment of government colleges in Kamuthi, Usilampatti, and Melaneelithanallur during the DMK regime.

The Chief Minister also recalled Mookiah Thevar’s vigorous opposition to the Katchatheevu agreement in Parliament. All parties in the Assembly, including the main opposition AIADMK, welcomed the announcements made by the Chief Minister.