TN: Furore over a portrait

A political controversy has broken out in Tamil Nadu over the AIADMK’s Government’s hurried move to unveil a portrait of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in the Legislative Assembly Hall on Monday.

After trying in vain to get Prime Minister Narendra Modi to do the honours, Chief Minister Edappadi K. Palaniswami chose to get Speaker P. Dhanapal to unveil her portrait in the Assembly hall alongside those of stalwarts including free India’s first and last Governor General C Rajagopalachari and DMK founder C N Annadurai.

Contending that Jayalalithaa was convicted posthumously in a corruption case, opposition leaders have objected to the decision.

Stating that the DMK MLAs, who constitute a strong opposition block with 89 MLAs in the 234-member House, would boycott the function, Leader of Opposition M K Stalin said this would set a bad precedent. “Jayalalithaa was cited as the Accused No 1 in the disproportionate assets case in which her close aide Sasikala was convicted by the Supreme Court and sentenced to four years jail,” he said.

“The decision to unveil her portrait in the Assembly is a black move and I condemn this,” he said adding that the DMK has submitted a petition opposing it.

Several other leaders including Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president Su Thirunavukkarasar, CPI (M) State secretary G Ramakrishnan and DMDK leader Vijayakant have opposed the move.

However, BJP State president Tamilisai Soundararajan said considering that Jayalalithaa was a former Chief Minister it was fine to have her portrait in the Assembly.

Cooperation Minister Sellur Raju said Jayalalithaa was a revolutionary leader and she deserved to be in the hall of fame.