The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Hundreds gather to recall ‘Tirunelveli Uprising’

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Tamil Nadu

Hundreds gather to recall ‘Tirunelveli Uprising’

P. Sudhakar

‘Chithrasabhai’ will organise a painting exhibition from July 6 to 20

— Photo: A. Shaikmohideen

Writer Thi. Ka. Si registering his observation on ‘Tirunelveli Uprising’ at a function in Tirunelveli Town on Saturday.

TIRUNELVELI: People from various walks of life attended a function held here on Saturday to recall the upheaval against the arrest of freedom fighters hundred years ago and the subsequent double imprisonment awarded to V.O. Chidambaram.

When freedom fighters V.O. Chidambaram, Subramania Siva and Padmanabha Ayyangar planned to organise a meeting on March 12, 1908, on the banks of the Tamirabharani after the British set free Bipin Chandra Pal, a close associate of Lala Lajpathi Rai and Bal Gangadhar Tilak, the then Collector of Tirunelveli, Wynch, summoned V.O. Chidambaram to his office and told him that he had banned celebrations to glorify Bipin Chandra Pal’s release. Defying the ban, the three leaders organised the meeting that led to their arrest. Agitated, the people of Tirunelveli and Tuticorin started revolting against the government. The Veeraraghavapuram police station (where the Tirunelveli Junction police station now stands), a kerosene depot on the Tirunelveli municipality premises and a post office were destroyed in the upheaval.

In the subsequent police firing, an archaka of the Valampuri Amman temple, a Muslim, a Dalit and a boy working in a bakery were killed and 53 others were arrested. To maintain the peace, the colonial regime deployed additional forces and collected additional tax from the people of the affected areas.

In a bid to recall these milestones of freedom struggle in the centenary year of the ‘Tirunelveli Uprising,’ artist Pon Vallinayagam’s ‘Chithrasabhai’ will organise a painting exhibition from July 6 to 20. Prior to this, the public were invited to register their emotions on this historic incident. Writer Thi.Ka.Si. and others attended the meeting.

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