Stir seeking relocation of Kamarajar statue

TENKASI: Hundreds of people from Alangulam town and its surrounding villages along with all-party councillors of the town staged a protest on Monday condemning the authorities for not providing an alternative location to the five-decade-old statue of former chief minister Kamarajar, that was to be removed in view of a road widening project.

The protesters blamed the district administration for refusing to allocate a new location despite assembly speaker M Appavu's instruction. "We did not ask permission for installation of a new statue against the High Court order but just wanted to relocate the existing statue which is to be removed for the road widening project. A land on the roadside was surveyed for this purpose.

Appavu also visited this place and gave instructions to the officials for the allocation of the land. However, the revenue department suddenly refused to stand by the speaker's direction. The officials should keep it in mind that Kamarajar is not a caste leader but a former Chief Minister who sent children of weaker sections to the school and most of the dams in Tamil Nadu were constructed by him," said a DMK councillor.

The cadres of DMK, Congress, AIADMK and BJP functionaries took part in the protest. Pharmacies and traders joined in the protest by closing their shops across Alangulam. Since the talks by the police yielded no result, Tenkasi revenue divisional officer Gangadevi visited the spot and conducted a talk with the protesters, who dispersed after assurance.