THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Perhaps there was nothing surprising in Chief Minister VS Achuthanandan’s choice of the first of the mementos that he handed over to the Legislative Assembly Museum on Thursday.
After handing over a two-foot, brass statuette of Lady Justice to Speaker K Radhakrishnan, Achuthanandan declared twice with a smile, "Neethi Devatha".
In the days to come, more than a 100 mementos will follow Lady Justice to be placed at the Museum, according to the Chief Minister’s staff. "There are quite a lot of them. More than a 100 definitely,’’ said a member of the Chief Minister’s staff.
The mementos include statuettes, figurines and miniatures received by Achuthanandan over the past five years as Chief Minister. The Lady Justice statue, for instance, was presented by the Cherukkunnam Purogamana Vayanasala. Thursday’s function was hastily arranged and the Speaker had put off his trip to view the Thrissur Pooram to receive Achuthanandan at his office.
Achuthanandan himself was to leave for Malampuzha, his constituency, in the afternoon. He was also handed a plaque on the new Assembly Museum by the Speaker in return. Achuthanandan had emulated Defence Minister A K Antony in donating the mementoes to the Museum. Antony had handed over the mementoes he had received at important occasions and during trips abroad to the Assembly Museum in February.