PM Modi pays tribute to MGR, inaugurates Chennai-Kevadiya train in election year

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday flagged off trains to the statue of unity in Gujarat, from eight places across the country including Chennai, and paid glowing tributes to former Tamil Nadu chief minister M G Ramachandran on his 104th birth anniversary.

Modi inaugurated the Chennai-Kevadiya Superfast Weekly Special Train from the Puratchi Thailavar Dr MGR Chennai Central railway station via video-conferencing.

The PM paid tributes to former Tamil Nadu chief minister and ADMK founder (later AIADMK) M G Ramachandran (MGR) on his 104th birth anniversary, which also falls on Sunday, while inaugurating the train. "It is a pleasant coincidence that today is the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna MGR. His life was dedicated to the service of the poor," Modi said. “We all are working towards fulfilling his dreams.”

Modi had announced at a public meeting in Chennai in March 2019 that the Chennai Central railway station would be renamed after MGR following a request by the AIADMK-led government.

Modi also tweeted his wishes in Tamil and English today, on MGR’s birth anniversary. "Bharat Ratna MGR lives in the hearts of several people. Be it the world of films or politics, he was widely respected. During his tenures as the CM, he made numerous efforts towards poverty alleviation and also emphasised on women empowerment. Tributes to MGR on his Jayanti," his tweet read.

Meanwhile, political leaders in Tamil Nadu, including chief minister Edappadi Palaniswami, AMMK chief TTV Dhinakaran and MNM founder Kamal Haasan paid tributes to MGR's statue in the city. Tamil Nadu goes to assembly polls in April-May this year and the AIADMK-BJP alliance, formed ahead of the 2019 parliamentary elections, will continue in the state polls.