New Delhi   

Karunanidhi unveils Thiruvalluvar statue

NEW DELHI: Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi unveiled a statue of Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar at the Delhi Tamil Sangam in R.K. Puram here on Thursday.

The statue was originally installed in 1975 in a corner of open land. After a compound wall was erected around the West Block, it went out of public view and remained uncared for.

The statue was shifted to the Sangam premises recently.

In recognition of his outstanding contribution to the cause of Tamil, especially his efforts at getting the classical language’ status for Tamil, Sangam president M.N. Krishnamani and secretary R. Mukunthan honoured Mr. Karunanidhi with the title ‘Semmozhi Semmal.’

Mr. Karunanidhi, who also laid the foundation for an arch in front of the premises, adjacent to the statue, described the unveiling of the statue as the happiest moment.

Referring to the classical status given to Tamil, he recalled the initiative taken by Suryanarayana Sastri more than a century ago. The credit for conferring the status on Tamil should go to the Centre and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi.

He regretted that a statue of Thiruvalluvar, installed on the Bangalore Tamil Sangam premises two decades ago, could not be unveiled owing to the agitation launched by a section of the people.

Describing it as the greatest insult to the poet, he urged Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram to use his good offices to ensure that the statue was unveiled at the earliest.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit said: “The capital feels richer today with the presence of the Thiruvalluvar statue, and it makes us proud.”

Mr. Chidambaram and Union Minister for Transport T.R. Baalu spoke.

Poet Vairamuthu said that while Thiruvalluvar gave identity to Tamil with his ‘Tirukkural,’ Mr. Karunanidhi gave identity to the poet by erecting a 133-foot statue for him at Kanyakumari. He urged the Centre to declare ‘Tirukkural’ a piece of national literature.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

Free legal aid scheme to cover terror victims
Taking the fight against cancer further
New light on songs of the Sikh Gurus
“Pakistan agencies have role in attacks”
Financial crisis drives girl to suicide
Financial help for martyr
Court notices to bigwigs over phone bills
Delhi police told to pay damages to cops
Court slaps fine on insurance company
Khurana heading Rajendra Nagar campaign
U.S. award
Centre to help State overcome power crisis
Homage to scribes
Over-stretched JNU guards get little food
Deadline extended
Advisory to television channels
Centre to establish varsity for NRI students
Rolls-Royce India gets new President
Free legal aid to cover terror victims now
Centre’s advisory to TV channels
Security stepped up at airports
Pay damages, IA told
TV channels reject government advisory
BJP opposes order banning withdrawal of groundwater
New D-G takes over
More CCTVs for Delhi airport
AAD nominee for DU councils’ polls
Courts premises evacuated following terror threat
Car catches fire, occupants unhurt
Bapu’s bust installed in Cape Town
Japanese honour for Ikebana master
MCD budget to focus on infrastructure issues
Alleged touts held
Karunanidhi unveils Thiruvalluvar statue
State seeks release of Rs.1,000 cr. as flood relief
In the capital today

Copyright © 2008, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu