COIMBATORE: AIADMK has unveiled the first bronze statue of former chief minister J Jayalalaithaa in Coimbatore on Sunday.
The life size statue was unveiled without much fanfare on Avinashi Road alongside the statue of DMK founder C N Annadurai. A new statue of AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran and a refurbished statue Annadurai were also unveiled alongside Jayalalithaa's statue.
AIADMK men said this is perhaps the only place in the state with statues of three former chief ministers on the same pedestal. Overzealous party cadres had installed smaller statues made of plaster of paris. One such was installed at Jayalalithaa Memorial in Marina beach, but was removed immediately.
The decision to unveil a Jayalalithaa statue and the timing of its unveiling were kept discrete by AIADMK men near the traffic island on Avinashi Road. The Annadurai statue installed around 20 years ago had become a landmark and the place was called as 'Anna silai'.
It was about two months back that the Anna statue at the spot was covered completely and party men said they were going to install a refurbished Anna statue. But the city got a surprise on Sunday morning when the statues of MGR and Jayalalithaa were also found alongside the new Anna statue.
But activists and opposition parties cry foul that the statues were installed without issuing a GO or an official order from the city corporation. AIADMK leaders in Coimbatore had obtained permission from the city corporation for Anna statue in 1996. But it was not clear if similar permission, as mandated by the Supreme Court, was obtained for MGR and Jayalalithaa statues.
Social activists citing the discrete manner, in which the statues were unveiled, said permissions were not obtained for them. None of the ministers or senior AIADMK functionaries unveiled the statue though all the top leaders were in the city.
When asked if permission was obtained, Minister for municipal administration S P Velumani gave an evasive reply stating that the party had obtained permission to unveil the statue of Anna in 1996 itself.
DMK MLA N Karthik said he would approach the court challenging installation of statues.
The life size statue was unveiled without much fanfare on Avinashi Road alongside the statue of DMK founder C N Annadurai. A new statue of AIADMK founder M G Ramachandran and a refurbished statue Annadurai were also unveiled alongside Jayalalithaa's statue.
AIADMK men said this is perhaps the only place in the state with statues of three former chief ministers on the same pedestal. Overzealous party cadres had installed smaller statues made of plaster of paris. One such was installed at Jayalalithaa Memorial in Marina beach, but was removed immediately.
The decision to unveil a Jayalalithaa statue and the timing of its unveiling were kept discrete by AIADMK men near the traffic island on Avinashi Road. The Annadurai statue installed around 20 years ago had become a landmark and the place was called as 'Anna silai'.
It was about two months back that the Anna statue at the spot was covered completely and party men said they were going to install a refurbished Anna statue. But the city got a surprise on Sunday morning when the statues of MGR and Jayalalithaa were also found alongside the new Anna statue.
But activists and opposition parties cry foul that the statues were installed without issuing a GO or an official order from the city corporation. AIADMK leaders in Coimbatore had obtained permission from the city corporation for Anna statue in 1996. But it was not clear if similar permission, as mandated by the Supreme Court, was obtained for MGR and Jayalalithaa statues.
Social activists citing the discrete manner, in which the statues were unveiled, said permissions were not obtained for them. None of the ministers or senior AIADMK functionaries unveiled the statue though all the top leaders were in the city.
When asked if permission was obtained, Minister for municipal administration S P Velumani gave an evasive reply stating that the party had obtained permission to unveil the statue of Anna in 1996 itself.
DMK MLA N Karthik said he would approach the court challenging installation of statues.
Get latest news & live updates on the go on your pc with News App. Download The Times of India news app for your device.
