Later the Chief Minister paid homage at the statue of freedom fighter V O Chidambaram on the occasion of his 144th birth anniversary.
V O Chidambaram, popularly known as VOC, introduced the first indigenous shipping service between Tuticorin and Colombo during the British regime. He was consequently known as 'Kappalottiya Tamizhan'.
A number of freedom fighters and legislators were among those who paid tributes.