The Hindu : Front Page : “Spirituality, rationalism should work towards helping the poor”

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“Spirituality, rationalism should work towards helping the poor”

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister inaugurates scheme to provide financial aid to poor children

—Photo: D. Gopalakrishnan

CARING FOR POOR: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi presenting a cheque to a poor child for meeting heart surgery expenses, at a function organised by Sri Narayani Peedam at Sripuram near Vellore on Saturday.

VELLORE: Rationalism, which is based on knowledge and science, and spirituality are like twins. They should not clash, but work towards the common goal of helping the poor, Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi said on Saturday.

Distributing financial assistance to poor children for their heart surgery expenses under the ‘Arogya’ scheme of the Sri Narayani Peedam at the Sri Lakshmi Narayani (golden) temple at Sripuram near here, Mr. Karunanidhi said spirituality and rationalism should not be like conjoined twins, which could not do anything worthwhile.

The Anna Arivalayam in Chennai and Narayani Peedam in Vellore worked for the common goal of helping the poor. Love was a mutual feeling between two persons, whereas compassion was something given by one person to another, who does not give it back. “I have love towards Sri Sakthi Amma (head of the Sri Narayani Peedam) and vice-versa. I show love to him because he shows compassion to the poor people,” said Mr. Karunanidhi.

Recalling the ‘karunai illams’ (mercy homes) started by Kripananda Variar in various temples at his instance during his third tenure to provide free residential education to poor students, Mr. Karunanidhi said he wanted poor children to get education, whether spiritual or scientific.

“Being one among the 300 to 400 crore people in the world, my acceptance of god does not matter, because god is not going to contest any Presidential election. If we do things according to our conscience, that is godly. What matters is not whether a person is a theist or an atheist, but only whether he does good things or not,” he said.

Common goal

Sri Sakthi Amma said the Chief Minister, other ministers, MPs and MLAs may differ in their chosen ideologies or the language they spoke, but they were all one in that they showed love for fellow human beings.

It was the divine wish that the golden temple at Sripuram should be built during the regime of Mr. Karunanidhi. The temple was an example that anything could be achieved if there was mutual love among human beings.

The Chief Minister inaugurated the scheme of distributing financial assistance to 320 poor children across the country by giving away cheques to four children.

The scheme will be implemented in two phases, with 200 children covered in the first phase.

Public Works Department Minister Durai Murugan presided. Electricity Minister Arcot N. Veeraswami requested the Sri Narayani Peedam to help in constructing a cancer hospital at Vellore.

K.R. Periyakaruppan, Minister for Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments, said renovation of nearly 2,000 temples in Tamil Nadu was in progress.

The State had sanctioned Rs.100 crore.

Union Minister of State for Railways R. Velu said in response to Sri Sakthi Amma’s request, the Railways had decided to revive the Pennathur railway station near Sripuram on the Katpadi-Villupuram route for the benefit of pilgrims.

The Vellore Cantonment station was also being improved.

Vellore MP K.M. Khader Mohideen, Vellore MLA C. Gnanasekharan and Ranipet MLA R. Gandhi spoke.

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