TN CM to unveil Periyar's portrait at University of Oxford on Sept 4

Chennai, Aug 29 (PTI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Friday announced that he would unveil a portrait of rationalist leader Thanthai Periyar (E V Ramasamy) at the University of Oxford on September 4 during his visit to England.

He would release two books that chronicled the hundred-year journey and living legacy of the Self-respect movement founded by Ramasamy in 1925.

"Periyar goes global! 'Oppression is my enemy,' the rallying cry of Periyar now resonates at #Oxford," Stalin said in a post on the social media platform 'X.' He further said, "marking the centenary of the #SelfRespect Movement, I will unveil Thanthai Periyar's portrait at the University of Oxford on September 4 and release two books that chronicle its hundred-year journey and living legacy." Before an assembly of international scholars, the movement that set ablaze caste tyranny and burned down barriers of gender in Tamil Nadu will be placed in dialogue with struggles worldwide for dignity, equality and freedom, he added.

"#Periyar’s ideals of equality are not bounded by borders; they belong to humanity as a whole, Stalin said.

Earlier, speaking at a marriage function, he said he would embark on a week-long trip to the UK and Germany on Saturday to attract new investments to Tamil Nadu in order to achieve one trillion USD economy by 2030. PTI JSP ROH