Install Tiruvalluvar statue at right place: MP Tarun Vijay

Tribune News Service

Advertisement

Haridwar, July 4

Rajya Sabha member Tarun Vijay today urged Chief Minister Harish Rawat to ensure timely and proper allocation of space for permanent installation of statue of Tamil poet Saint Tiruvalluvar in Haridwar.

He was here to inaugurate 50 steel benches, made with the help of MPLAD funds, for passengers at the Haridwar railway station.

The statue of saint Tiruvalluvar arrived here from Tamil Nadu on June 29 at the makeshift venue of Dam Kothi state guest house as saints had opposed installation of the statue at the Shankaracharya Square on NH-58, near Dam Kothi bridge.

Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik had inaugurated the statue, while Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat, cancelled his visit owing to stiff opposition of saint community.

“On June 22, when this very statue build in Chennai was flagged off for Uttarakhand ,Tamil Nadu Governor Dr Rojayya, two Tamil Nadu cabinet ministers, ex- Governor Gopal Krishan Gandhi, MDM leader Vaiko ,10 parliamentarians comprising of various parties including Congress were present. One can assume the importance given to this saint in Tamil Nadu, so the state government should also give due respect to the statue,” Vijay said.

He urged Governor Krishan Kant Paul, Chief Minister Harish Rawat, saints and teerth purohits to allocate a neutral venue alongside Ganga bank, otherwise disrespect to the statue of Tiruvalluvar would ignite major protest in the country.