The Hindu : Tamil Nadu News : Sivaji statue: court to pass order on merits

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Wednesday, Jul 19, 2006

Tamil Nadu

Tamil Nadu

Sivaji statue: court to pass order on merits

Special Correspondent

Divergent views emerge on likely damage if it is shifted

CHENNAI: Faced with divergent views on the damage likely to be caused to the Sivaji statue if it were removed from the pedestal, the Madras High Court on Tuesday decided to hear arguments from both sides and then pass orders on merits.

When the matter came up before the First Bench comprising Chief Justice A.P. Shah and Justice D. Murugesan, Advocate-General R. Viduthalai told the court that the statue could not be removed without damage.

Counsel for Sivaji Ganesan Social Welfare Association S. Prabakaran, arguing for retaining the statue at the Dr. Radhakrishnan Salai-Kamarajar Salai junction, wondered why the petitioner did not object to a hoarding near the spot. It was not a healthy trend, he said, adding that if the statue was not unveiled on July 21 it would hurt the sentiments of a large section of people in Tamil Nadu.

Expert's opinion

R. Gandhi, senior counsel for the petitioner opposing the statue at the present venue, said it was not impossible to remove the statue without damage. Relying on the opinion of an expert, Kishore Nagappa, he said Sivaji statue could be power-axled along with the pedestal and relocated. In this regard, he pointed out that a Nehru statue at the Kathipara junction in Chennai was removed and installed at a nearby place without any problem.

If the State says it cannot be done, it would betray its "weakness and undermine the technical ability of engineers in Tamil Nadu," he said.

The Bench said two possibilities had emerged on the issue — one, the statue cannot be removed without any damage. Two, shifting it is not impossible.

It then said it would hear both sides and then decide the matter on merit.

The matter was then adjourned to Wednesday.

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