A.P.J.M. Sheik Saleem, grand nephew of A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, places copies of the Quran and the Bible at the former President’s memorial in Pei Karumbu near Rameswaram on July 30, 2017. Photo: Special Arrangement

Rameswaram

30 July 2017 18:12 IST

Bid to place other holy books next to Gita riles Hindu outfit.

The imposing memorial of former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam inaugurated by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on July 27 here found itself at the centre of a controversy on Sunday with the Hindu Makkal Katchi (HMK) strongly objecting to the placing of the Quran and the Bible next to a model of the Bhagavad Gita that was part of the small podium on which the statue of the former president has been erected.

The holy books were placed on the podium by Kalam’s family members.

The row was initially triggered by protests by MDMK chief Vaiko and leaders of other political parties who questioned the propriety of designing Kalam’s statue with Bhagavad Gita given the late leader’s image as someone who was above religion.

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Mr. Vaiko said associating Kalam with Thirukural, the classic Sangam literature, which he loved the most, would have been more appropriate.

Following this, A.P.J.M. Sheik Saleem, the grand nephew of Kalam, placed a copy of the Quran and the Bible at the statue podium near Bhagavad Gita on Sunday, only to draw flak from the HMK.

Mr. Saleem said the copy of the Quran and the Bible were in the glass box near the statue and when media persons drew his attention to the controversy, he placed them to show that Kalam was above religion and believed in secularism.

The Thangachimadam police have issued a CSR.