Aastha Thakur
Published on: 07 October 2022 at 14:45 IST
The Madras High Court said that there cannot be any objection in Tamil Nadu to install statutes of Dr. BR Ambedkar and social reformer Periyar EV Ramasamy.
The Court directs the Thoothukudi District Collector to proceed with the decision as both of them are greatly respected in the State.
The bench comprising of Justice Sathi Kumar Sukumara Kurup opined that, “As far as Tamil Nadu is concerned, there cannot be any objection from anyone for erecting the statues of Thanthai Periyar or Dr. Ambedkar. The people individually have respects for these leaders,”
The court while allowing the pleading of the petitioner seeking a final decision, said that, “The District Collector may pass appropriate orders based on the representation of the Petitioner on merits and in accordance with law within a period of two weeks from the date of this order.”
The petition was filed by the petitioner that in 1991, he and other persons part of the social movement, the Dravidar Kazhagam founded by Periyar, had jointly erected the statues of Periyar Kazhagam and Dr. Ambedkar on land next to highway.
The petitioner in his plea said that earlier he and other persons belonging to, the social movement founded by Periyar, had jointly installed statues of Periyar and Dr. Ambedkar on the highway land adjacent to his property in 1991.
During the extension work of the East Coastal Road Project, the full-length statues of Periyar and Dr. Ambedkar were temporarily removed and kept at the petitioner’s residence.
The cause of action arose when, after the completion of the project, the petitioner decided to install the statutes on his own residential property. But the police authorities objected to this and even harassed him.
The Counsel representing the government contended that the Tahsildar had already submitted the report to the District Collector, regarding this matter, and that the property belongs to the petitioner. As all the property revenue records shows the name of petitioner itself, there cannot be any objection to install statutes of Periyar and Dr. Ambedkar in his land.
He also added that there is no rival claim or objection from anyone, as per the Tahsildar’s report. She also referred to the guidelines issued by the Commissionerate of Revenue Administration and Disaster Management in 2019 for installation of the statues.
The counsel submitted that, “The report of the Tahsildar is in the light of the above letter. The Tahsildar had verified the bona fide of the Petitioner with regard to the claim of the ownership of the land,”