Parties up in arms over police move to remove statue

Major political parties in Tamil Nadu have voiced their opposition to moves to remove a statue of veteran actor Sivaji Ganesan from a busy road with police batting for it as it hampers motorists' visibility.
DMK president M Karunanidhi said if the statue is removed (from Kamarajar Salai), "let them reap the fruits" of it.
"If those who removed the statue of Kannagi (from Marina beach during the earlier AIADMK regime from the same road) want to remove the statue of my friend Sivaji Ganesan, let them reap the fruits of that," he said.
The previous Karunanidhi-led DMK government had installed the statue of Sivaji Ganesan on Kamarajar Salai, on the shores of the famous Marina beach.

TNCC president BS Gnanadesikan expressed 'shock' over the city police' stand and said there were a number of statues of leaders in many parts of the state. "I think police should not have adopted such a stand. They should change their stand and file a revised affidavit," he said.
MDMK leader Vaiko said such a move would amount to disrespecting the fame of Ganesan, whom, he said, had a huge fan following.
Accidents happen on that road due to drunken driving and rash driving, he said and alleged that "vendetta" was behind the proposal since the statue was installed by Karunanidhi.

In his counter affidavit filed in the Madras High Court recently, K Soundararajan, Addl. Dy Commissioner, Armed Reserve, also in-charge of ACP (Traffic), Mylapore, submitted that the presence of the 14x14 feet high statue badly affected visibility of the motorists as it was situated in the middle of the junction and contended that a number of accidents had taken place.