Bangalore, Aug 9 (Inditop.com) Eighteen years after it was installed, the statue of Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar was finally unveiled here Sunday with Bangalore ignoring calls for a shutdown from pro-Kannada outfits opposed to the statue.
Tamil Nadu and Karnataka Chief Ministers M. Karunanidhi and B.S. Yeddyurappa pressed a button to uncover the bronze statue of the author of the Tamil classic “Thirukkural” near Halasur Lake in the central business district. The area is largely populated by Tamil speakers.
Several Tamil Nadu ministers and central IT and Communications minister A. Raja and senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader M. Venkaiah Naidu were among the hundreds who witnessed the ceremony.
Bangalore police deployed over 3,000 personnel in and around the venue as several pro-Kannada organisations had threatened protests against the unveiling saying Tamil Nadu had not been fair to Karnataka over Cauvery river waters sharing, among other inter-state issues.
Police had detained around 400 pro-Kannada activists Friday and Saturday to prevent possible disruption of the function.
Life was normal in Bangalore, with commercial establishments open and state-run buses as well as private vehicles plying on the roads.
Kannada activists had stalled the unveiling of the statue for 18 long years, contending they would allow it only if Tamil Nadu does not deprive Karnataka of its share of Cauvery waters.
Reciprocating Karnataka’s gesture to install Thirvalluvar’s statue, Tamil Nadu government is installing the statue of Kannada saint-poet Sarvajna in Chennai Aug 13.
Thiruvalluvar, believed to be born 30 years before Jesus Christ, wrote “Thirukkural” in the form of couplets (two line poems) expounding various aspects of life.
Sarvajna, believed to belong to the 18th century, is known for his “Tripadis” (three-line poems) on life, religion, beliefs and problems of daily living.
