CHENNAI: With former Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s portrait set to be unveiled in the Assembly hall on Monday, the DMK has submitted a petition to the House secretary opposing the move. Speaker P Dhanapal is set to open the portrait in the Assembly hall around 9.30 am, in the presence of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.
Like the DMK, the CPM has also opposed the move on the ground that the former Chief Minister had been convicted in the disproportionate assets case by the Supreme Court.In his petition, DMK Chepauk-Tiruvallikeni MLA J Anbazhagan said the move would reduce the dignity of the Assembly and urged the Assembly secretary to halt the event immediately.
Speaking on the issue, CPM State Secretary G Ramakrishnan said, “The move to open Jayalalithaa’s portrait would set a bad precedent in the Assembly affairs.”Already portraits of all former Chief Ministers, including C Rajagopalachari, K Kamaraj and M G Ramachandran, as well as those of Mahatma Gandhi, Periyar EVR, B R Ambedkar, Muthuramalinga Thevar and Tamil poet Thiruvalluvar adorn the Assembly walls.