Sarvajna statue sent to Chennai

The bronze statue was lying in the Kannada Bhavan premises on J C Road in Bangalore for the last seven years.

The Tamil Nadu government has agreed to erect the statue at Ayanavaram park, maintained by Life Insurance Corporation in Chennai. Chief Minister Yeddyurappa will unveil the statue at a programme to be presided by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

Kannada and Culture Department director Manu Baligar said the Thiruvalluvar’s statue will be unveiled on August 9.

The statue was erected in Ulsoor in 1991 but has remained covered since then. Karunanidhi will attend the programme. The Election Commission has given its given its consent to go-ahead with the scheduled programme.

However it has asked the government not to have political speeches on the occasion as the model code of conduct is in effect due to the by-polls in Govindarajanagar assembly constituency.

Activists of various pro-Kannada organisations have opposed the unveiling of the Thiruvalluvar’s statue as an advocate had filed a petition in a Chennai court questioning the Centre’s decision granting classical language status to Kannada.