Ramewsawram: Hundreds of people including commoners, relatives, friends of the late People's President Dr A P J Abdul Kalam, besides leaders of various political parties, ministers and officials paid homage at his memorial at Peikarumbu here on Friday to mark his third death anniversary.
To lead the homage was Dr Kalam's elder brother, A P J Muthumeeran Labbai Maricar, who in a moving tone said, "we pray to the Almighty that my younger brother (Abdul Kalam) shines in his after-life like the way he did during his lifetime on earth." Hundreds of people joined him after he offered flower petals at the place Dr Abdul Kalam was interred here three years ago.
Ramanathapuram district collector, Dr S Natarajan, district SP, Om Prakash Meena, and State Information technology minister, Mr M. Manikandan were among those who laid wreaths at the national memorial for Dr Kalam on the occasion.
Later, speaking to reporters, Mr. Manikandan said that the Tamil Nadu government has given ten acres of land near the national memorial for a parking facility as a large number of visitors, tourists and pilgrims who came to Rameswaram also made it a point to visit Dr Kalam's memorial.
Notable among the political leaders to pay homage at Dr Kalam's memorial today included the dissident AIADMK leader T T V Dhinakaran. He earlier called on Dr Kalam's elder brother at his residence and then came to the memorial, where his supporters suddenly turned unruly and created a needless ruckus. The 'bad behavior' of Dhinakaran's supporters on a solemn occasion such as death anniversary at the periphery of the memorial deeply pained Dr Kalam's followers.
