Today in Politics: PM Modi in Tamil Nadu to inaugurate projects, honour Chola king
Most notably, on Sunday, Modi will be the chief guest at the grand finale of the Aadi Thiruvathirai festival celebrating the birth anniversary of the Chola king in Tiruchirappalli, and release a commemorative coin honouring Emperor Rajendra Chola.
But the PM isn't the only leader to honour the Chola king. Already, DMK leader and Chief Minister M K Stalin has declared the emperor's birth anniversary as an official state celebration and announced several initiatives to commemorate his rule.
However, at stake is more than ritual commemoration. This moment signals an attempt to reframe Indian historical memory, with Rajendra Chola's legacy leveraged through distinct ideological lenses: Stalin's Dravidian federalism and Modi's pan-India nationalism, as reported by Arun Janardhanan.
In the lead-up to Aadi Thiruvathirai, the Tamil Nadu CM announced a Rs 19.2 crore redevelopment plan for a Chola-era reservoir: Rs 12 crore for bund strengthening, desilting of 38 km of canals, renovation of sluices, and irrigation support for seven villages. Another Rs 7.2 crore will be used for converting the area into a tourist destination, with walkways, parks, children's play areas, fencing, and CCTV surveillance.
Additionally, a museum will be built near the Gangaikonda Cholapuram temple complex for Rs 22.1 crore to highlight the Chola empire's overseas trade networks, temple architecture, and cultural achievements, a continuation of the state's push to embed the Cholas into Tamil Nadu's cultural-political imagination.
The PM visit also carries its symbolic weight. On Sunday, he will unveil a commemorative coin to mark the 1,000th anniversary of Rajendra Chola's Gangetic campaign, while musician Ilaiyaraaja is set to perform a 20-minute concert. An exhibition will showcase trophies and miniature sculptures from the Chola period.
On Sunday, Trinamool Congress supremo and West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will launch a state-wide 'Bhasha Andolan (language agitation)' to protest the alleged harassment of Bengali-speaking people in BJP-ruled states.
During the TMC's 'Shaheed Diwas (Martyrs' Day)' rally on July 21 – held to commemorate the killing of workers of the Bengal Youth Congress, then led by Mamata, in police firing on July 21, 1993 – the CM accused the BJP of allegedly unleashing 'linguistic terrorism' against Bengalis and called for a movement against the harassment of Bengali speaking people across India.
'Bangla bhashar upor sontras cholchhe (terror is being unleashed on the Bengali language),' she said. 'Over 1,000 people detained, sent to jails in BJP-ruled states, including Odisha, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh. This is a conspiracy against the Bengali language. Whoever speaks Bengali is being detained in BJP-ruled states.'
Announcing the Bhasha Andolan, Mamata said, 'From July 27, we will hit the streets in protest. Every Saturday and Sunday we will protest in Bengal. I urge our MPs to protest at the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Delhi. Intellectuals and sports personalities would also participate in the protest.'
The BJP, however, has claimed that the TMC is attempting to 'manufacture issues' ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls.
– With PTI inputs
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