Date:22/07/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/07/22/stories/2006072207900100.htm

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Statue of Sivaji Ganesan unveiled

Special Correspondent

Karunanidhi hopes Government will be able to convince Supreme Court

Photo: S.R. Raghunathan

REMEMBERING A HERO: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi unveiling the statue of actor Sivaji Ganesan in Chennai on Friday.

CHENNAI: An eight-foot bronze statue of Sivaji Ganesan was unveiled by Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on the Kamaraj Salai on the occasion of the film star's fifth death anniversary.

Addressing a meeting after unveiling the statue installed on a nine-and-a-half-foot marble pedestal, Mr. Karunanidhi expressed the hope that the State Government would be able to convince the Supreme Court that the structure would not pose any hindrance to the free flow of traffic on the busy road along the Marina.

Referring to an undertaking by the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) government to the Supreme Court in 2002 that no temporary or permanent structure, which affected the free flow of traffic, would be allowed on main roads, he said as he always respected the law, his Government took the issue to the apex court as directed by the Madras High Court.

Behind the statue of the film star, there was a clock nearly of the same height, Mr. Karunanidhi said adding that the clock was installed by the AIADMK government, which assured the apex court that no structure would be allowed on main roads.

The Government would submit this fact to the apex court, he said, adding that if the clock sponsored by a private company could be protected, the statue of Sivaji Ganesan also could be protected.

Information Minister Parithi Ilamvazhuthi and film personalities, Rajinikanth, Kamal Haasan, Vijayakant, Bhagyaraj, AVM Saravanan and Vairamuthu addressed the meeting.