Municipality's plan to relocate late farmer leader’s statue in Perambalur bus stand flayed
PERAMBALUR: Farmers, particularly those pledging alliance with the Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam, condemn the Perambalur municipality for adopting a resolution for shifting the statue of late farmer leader Narayanaswamy Naidu from the new bus stand citing various reasons. They demand the chief minister's intervention to ensure the statue remains in its current location.
The life-size statue of Naidu, who fought for the welfare and rights of farmers, was erected on the premises of Perambalur's new bus stand in February 1998, funded by the contributions of farmers. It is 6 feet tall and is made of fibre.
Lakhs of farmers participated in the inauguration of the statue, highlighting its significance to the agricultural community. Farmers regularly pay their respects by garlanding the statue to commemorate his birth and death anniversaries. They have also staged several protests before the statue to bring attention to important issues affecting the agricultural sector.
However, after being in place for 26 years, the Perambalur municipal council adopted a resolution on December 31, 2024, to relocate the Naidu statue, claiming it obstructs traffic and is linked to frequent accidents in the locality. This decision has upset the farmers, who view it as an affront to Naidu's legacy.
Tamilaga Vivasayigal Sangam state secretary Raja Chidambaram said, "This statue represents the struggles and sacrifices of countless farmers. He fought for crucial benefits like free electricity and loan waivers, significantly impacting the agricultural community. To suggest that it is a traffic hazard is an unfounded claim. The statue has stood for years without obstructing traffic, and this decision seems to be an unjust targeting of our history."
"As February 6 marks Narayanaswamy's 100th birth anniversary, we remember his contributions, which are crucial not only to us but to all farmers. In this situation, removing the statue would be reprehensible and disrespectful to his legacy," he added.
Outfit district secretary V Neelakandan said that "we are ready to express our concerns through peaceful protests, if necessary".
When contacted, Perambalur Municipal Commissioner V Ramar told TNIE, "All councillors raised this demand in the council meeting. So we adopted the resolution considering the future. However, it will only proceed if the government approves this. The statue will not be removed but will be shifted to another location."