MK Stalin unveils ex-PM VP Singh's statue in Chennai
On April 20 this year, Stalin had announced in the Tamil Nadu assembly that magnificent life-size statue will be erected in Chennai to honour VP Singh.
Tamil Nadu chief minister MK Stalin on Monday unveiled the life-size statue of former prime minister Vishwanath Pratap Singh at the Chennai Presidency College campus. Besides Stalin, the late ex-prime minister's wife Sita Kumari, son Ajeya Singh and his family, and former Uttar Pradesh chief minister Akhilesh Yadav were also present.
The Tamil Nadu government in a statement said that statues, arenas, memorials and monuments are built in the memory of people who worked hard for the development of Tamil language, poets and ‘geniuses’ who nurtured the feelings of social justice and liberation, along with ‘martyrs and scholars’ who are ‘noble testimonies’ to the history of sacrifice of Tamil Nadu.
On April 20 this year, Stalin had announced in the Tamil Nadu assembly that magnificent life-size statue will be erected in Chennai to honour the memory of Singh, whom he addressed as the ‘guardian of social justice’. A life-size statue worth ₹52 lakh was installed at the Chennai Presidency College’s campus. Several top ministers and government officials were present at the inauguration event.
Who was Vishwanath Pratap Singh?
Vishwanath Pratap Singh was born in a royal zamindar family in Allahabad (now Prayagraj) on June 25, 1931. He got involved in the Gandhian movement while studying in college and joined the Sarvodaya Samaj, participated in the Bhumithana movement and donated his lands.
In 1969, Singh contested and won the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections for the first time from Soraon constituency. Later, he served as chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, a Union commerce minister, external affairs Minister, finance minister and defence minister.
He became the prime minister after the National Front formed the government after the 1989 Lok Sabha elections.
To provide reservation for the socially and educationally backward community known as Backward Classes, the Second Backward Commission headed by B.P. Mandal was formed. Singh was the one who implemented the order to provide 27 percent reservation in Union government jobs according to the recommendation by B.P. Mandal.
“During his eleven months tenure, Singh's reforms included 27 percent reservation for backward classes, a starting point for the Right to Information Act and the National Rural Employment Programme. The Right to Work was made a constitutional right,” the government statement added.
VP Singh set up the Cauvery water Disputes Tribunal, the vital issue of the people of Tamil Nadu, and named the domestic airport in Chennai after Perunthalaivar Kamarasar and the international airport after Perarignar Anna. “Although Mr. V.P. Singh was born in the upper class, he thought for the welfare of downtrodden people. No matter how high a position he held, he never gave up on his principles,” the Tamil Nadu government added.
