KANNIYAKUMARI: Amid growing opposition against the Nagercoil Municipal Corporation council's resolution to name the new corporation building as 'Kalaignar' (after former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi), the State government has declared that the name of the old building would be retained.
The AIADMK and BJP have welcomed the move. The old auditorium, named 'Kalaivanar' (after Kalaivanar Kalaiarangam), is situated on Balamore road at Vadasery. It was demolished to make way for the new building, which is yet to be inaugurated.
At the corporation council meeting held last Friday, Mayor R Mahesh proposed to name the new building 'Kalaignar'. The Mayor said the old building was functioning as 'Kalaignar Kalaiarangam' way back in 1977.
"The name was changed to Kalaivanar Kalaiarangam in 1979 by a special officer of the then Nagercoil municipality. Further, in 2019, a resolution was passed to name the council hall of the new building after Kalaivanar NS Krishnan and the official conference hall after Marshal Nesamony," he said.
The opposition raised during the meeting snowballed into protests on Sunday with Thennaka Makkal Iyakkam and District All Vellalar Associations joining the AIADMK and BJP in opposing the move.
AIADMK MLA N Thalavai Sundaram said the government's announcement to continue using Kalaivanar's name was a victory for his party. Further, BJP councillor and East Zone Chairperson P Muthuraman said, "We are celebrating the announcement as the government has paid heed to BJP's demand."