Following Madras High Court’s order to remove Sivaji Ganesan’s statue from Marina, the statue was finally moved to a memorial hall dedicated to the actor at Adyar in Chennai and this has evoked criticism from political leaders.
The statue was shifted between 1am and 4am. About 30 police personnel were deployed at the Marina, reported The New Indian Express.
The statue was set up at Marina promenade on July 12, 2006 during DMK rule.
This comes after the Madras High Court in January asked to remove the statue due to repeated complaints about traffic and motorists’ facing blocked view.
Traffic police had also told the court that it increased the risk of accidents in the premises.
The court also refused to move the statue to another location on the Marina promenade.
Various political leaders like PMK founder S Ramadoss, former TNCC president EVKS Elangovan, VCK president Thirumavalavan and Naam Thamizhar Katchi leader Seeman criticised the move.
EVKS Elangovan said that it was not nice to move a great actor like Sivaji Ganesan’s statue to a memorial at a remote place. Everyone feels bad that his statue is not installed with other leaders on the beachfront, he said.
Thirumavalavan said that his statue should have been moved to a place on the same road where it would not create a traffic jam and moving it to a memorial is an insult to the actor.
PMK leader Ramadoss strongly condemned the move and said that there are more than 10,000 statues on roads in Tamil Nadu and only Sivaji’s statue causing traffic hold-ups is not acceptable.
He wanted a new statue of the late actor to be installed between those of Mahatma Gandhi and Kamarjar, on the 90th anniversary of the actor, reported TNIE.