Design on buses do not resemble AIADMK symbol, govt tells HC

Tamil Nadu government today submitted before the Madras High Court that the paintings on the newly introduced small buses did not resemble in any way the symbol of AIADMK party.
In a counter filed in response to a PIL by DMK leader M K Stalin, seeking to remove the painting of two sets of leaves on the buses, Transport Secretary today submitted that the allegations made by the petitioner were absolutely wrong.
They had been made with mala fide intentions and with a vexatious and oblique motive so as to impute unreasonable and uncalled for allegations against the government and the Chief Minister, it said.

The counter contended that there was no similarity or connection whatsoever between the "four leaves design" found on the 50 new small buses and that of AIADMK's two leaves symbol.
The petition has been filed by a political party purely for political reasons, it said, adding, it was not a bona fide litigation and it is nothing but a gross abuse of the process of the court.
AIADMK party symbol consists of two green leaves arising from a thick vertical stem with black and white borders and there were numerous black coloured veins inside the two leaves. Besides this, there is a circle consisting of three multiple coloured layers namely red, white and black encircling the background of two leaves, it said.

On the other hand, the design on the buses depicted four leaves. The two bigger leaves have got a separate stem and they are split. Of the two smaller leaves, placed above the bigger leaves, one is split and has got a small stem and the other has no stem and it is not split at all. All the four leaves have no vein at all, Special Government Pleader pointed out.

When the case came up today, DMK's senior counsel R Viduthalai sought time to file a rejoinder to the counter and further said that the undertaking given by the state that it would not introduce more number of small buses in the future, should be continued.

However, Government Pleader SDS Murthy replied that no such undertaking was given.
The matter is adjourned to December 12.