Delay in Abdul Kalam memorial irks Rameswaram residents

“The Centre had announced that it would help to build a fitting memorial for Dr Kalam, who ignited the minds of the young to bring about a transformation in Indian society through his Vision-2020, at Peikarumbu here where the late President was laid to rest on July 30,” said Chennai-based social worker and a long-standing Kalam fan, S Abdul Gani, speaking to reporters here on Saturday.

However, joining him were several social activists, social workers and well-wishers of Dr Kalam, who collectively pointed out that after the late President was buried at the Peikarumbu, there was hardly any activity at the site to indicate that the Centre was moving ahead to build a memorial for the ‘People’s President’.

The Ramanathapuram district administration had put up a temporary structure over the tomb of late Dr Kalam and fencing of the perimeter around that area had been done. But beyond that no further activity is seen, the locals complained. “There is no sign of any construction activity beginning here for the Kalam memorial and the increasing presence of stray dogs in the proposed memorial area does not augur well for the sanctity of the place,” they said.

“If the Centre continued to delay the memorial construction work in memory of Dr Kalam, civil society will come forward with each person contributing at least one brick and we ourselves will begin the construction work for a beautiful memorial for Dr Kalam,” Abdul Gani said.

The development is significant after the Centre virtually washed its hands off to a widely articulated wish and demand that GOI should convert “No 10, Rajaji Marg”, where Dr Kalam had lived during his last years in New Delhi to house the ‘Kalam National Centre for Knowledge Discovery’.