PREZ TO PRESIDE OVER MADRAS LEGISLATURE FETE

President Ram Nath Kovind will take part in the celebrations called to mark the Madras Legislature completing 100 years of existence in Chennai and also in a few other events to lay foundation stones for major projects envisaged by the present DMK government.

Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who called on the President for the first time after assuming office in May, told the media in New Delhi that Kovind had agreed to attend the events for which he invited him and the dates would be given in a couple of days.

Madras Legislature was set up on January 12, 1921, for the Presidency to function independently by electing its own legislators, Stalin said, adding that the centenary celebrations had been planned by the state government to commemorate the historic event. Along with the Legislature centenary event, the President had also agreed unveil the portrait of the late chief minister M. Karunanidhi, Stalin said.

Besides, he would lay the foundation stone for the library to be set up at Madurai in the name of Karunanidhi, the multi-specialty hospital to be opened at Guindy and the memorial pillar to be erected on Beach Road to mark the 75th anniversary of Independence.

Fielding questions from media persons, Stalin said that he did not discuss the release of the seven Tamils, now spending their terms in jail in connection with the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi, on which he had already written a letter to the President.