AIADMK chief Edappadi K. Palaniswami met Union Home Minister Amit Shah, urging the Bharat Ratna award for Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar, a celebrated freedom fighter and leader, while also demanding Madurai Airport be renamed after him.
AIADMK General Secretary and Tamil Nadu Opposition Leader, Edappadi K. Palaniswami (EPS), on Tuesday met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi to submit a petition urging the Government of India to confer the Bharat Ratna on the legendary freedom fighter, community icon and spiritual leader, Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar.
In a detailed letter handed over to Amit Shah, EPS strongly recommended that the nation’s highest civilian honour recognize Thevar’s invaluable contribution to India’s independence struggle and social reform movements. “I handed over a letter on behalf of @AIADMKOfficial strongly urging that the highest award of the Indian nation, Bharat Ratna, be conferred upon the divine son Pasumpon Aiya U.Muthuramalingam Thevar, who struggled for national liberation,” EPS posted on social media platform X.
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Who Was Pasumpon Muthuramalinga Thevar?
Born in 1908 in Tamil Nadu, Pasumpon Aiya U. Muthuramalinga Thevar was a distinguished freedom fighter, political leader and social reformer. A close associate of Subhas Chandra Bose, Thevar played a pivotal role in the All India Forward Bloc, which Bose had founded in 1939 after splitting from the Indian National Congress.
Thevar is best known for his relentless efforts to uplift marginalised communities and fight caste-based discrimination. He supported the Temple Entry Movement in 1939, enabling Dalits to enter Hindu temples in Tamil Nadu, breaking longstanding societal barriers. In 1946, he actively worked toward the repeal of the oppressive Criminal Tribes Act, which branded entire communities as “criminal by birth.”
His contribution to Tamil Nadu’s political and social landscape remains unparalleled. Thevar is particularly revered by the Mukulathor community, which comprises Kallar, Maravar, and Ahambadiar groups. Every year on October 30, his followers commemorate Thevar Jayanthi, a tribute to his enduring legacy.
EPS’s push for national recognition and Madurai airport renaming
During a massive public rally in Athur, part of his ongoing statewide outreach yatra titled ‘Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom’ (Let’s Protect the People, Let’s Save Tamil Nadu), Palaniswami passionately demanded that the Central Government not only award the Bharat Ratna to Thevar but also rename Madurai Airport after him.
“Pasumpon Aiya lived with nationalism and spirituality as his guiding principles. His philanthropy was marked by selflessness, transcending caste and religious divides. Today, it is time for the nation to honour this great son of India with the Bharat Ratna and rename Madurai Airport after him,” declared EPS.
Political criticism of DMK government
During the event, EPS also strongly criticized the ruling DMK government in Tamil Nadu for alleged administrative failures. He pointed out that, in the past 52 months of DMK rule, the region of Dindigul, Athur, Ottanchathram, and Palani did not receive any major developmental projects. In contrast, he cited the establishment of a ₹350 crore Government Medical College Hospital in Dindigul during his AIADMK tenure as Chief Minister.
Further condemning the law and order situation, EPS referred to recent violent incidents under DMK rule, including an assault on social activist ‘Airport’ Moorthy near the DGP’s office in Chennai, and a petrol bomb attack at the Aduthurai Town Panchayat Chairman’s office, which left two injured. He highlighted a shocking case involving a panchayat president with multiple criminal cases caught stealing jewellery.
“Under DMK misrule, Tamil Nadu has seen a disturbing rise in crime. Murder, robbery, molestation and theft are now everyday headlines. The people of Tamil Nadu deserve better,” EPS asserted.
‘Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom’ Yatra
Launched in July 2025, EPS’s statewide Makkalai Kaappom, Thamizhagathai Meetpom yatra aims to connect directly with citizens across Tamil Nadu, listen to their grievances, and promote AIADMK’s agenda of accountable governance and sustainable development. Covering thousands of kilometers and hundreds of constituencies, the movement focuses on farmers, workers, women and youth.