BANGALORE: Despite opposition from the Kannada activists, the chief ministers of Karnataka and Tamil Nadu have agreed to unveil Tiruvalluvar’s statue in Bangalore and Sarvajna’s statue in Chennai.
Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa has announced that Tiruvalluvar’s statue will be unveiled in the city on August 9 and has invited Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi for the event.
Kannada activists are planning to call a statewide bandh if the chief minister goes ahead with his plans to unveil the statue.
Well-known Kannada activist Vatal Nagaraj said, “I was the first to oppose the unveiling of Tiruvalluvar’s statue. We have been fighting with Tamil Nadu (TN) over Cauvery, Hogenakkal and other issues for decades.
Tamilians who have settled in Karnataka became bold enough to install Tiruvalluvar’s statue in the city. They want to convert the city into a Tamil region.’’ “The people of Taml Nadu were not eager to unveil Sarvajna’s statue in Chennai. It was proposed by the people of Karnataka. Moreover, Sarvajna’s statue was sculpted here by the state government.
Let them not unveil Sarvajna’s statue in Chennai.
We will call for a statewide bandh if Yeddyurappa goes ahead with his plans to unveil the statue,” Nagaraj said.
Karnataka Rakshana Vedike president Narayana Gowda said, “We have been fighting with Tamil Nadu over different issues. Tamilians have opposed the Centre’s move to grant classical language status to Kannada and a person by name Gandhi has filed a PIL against it in Madras High Court. We were supposed to get a grant of Rs 15 crore for development of Kannada from the Centre. The grant is pending due to the PIL. The Tamil Nadu government should persuade Gandhi to withdraw the PIL.’’ Gowda said that projects like Hogenakkal should not be continued till the Centre completes the survey.
The KRV is demanding that Sarvajna’s statue should be unveiled at a prime location in the Chennai.
“If the CM goes ahead with his plans, he will be responsible for whatever happens in the state,’’ Gowda said.