Bangalore, Aug 3 (Inditop.com) Ignoring opposition by pro-Kannada groups, the Karnataka government Monday gave the go-ahead for the unveiling of the statue of Tamil saint-poet Thiruvalluvar here Aug 9, 18 years after it was installed.
Reciprocating the gesture, Tamil Nadu government will install and unveil the statue of revolutionary Kannada poet Sarvajna in Chennai Aug 13.
Thiruvalluvar was a celebrated Tamil poet who is believed to have lived between 2nd century BC to the 8th century AD. He wrote the Thirukkural, a work on ethics in Tamil literature.
Sarvajna, believed to belong to 18th century, is known for his ‘Tripadis’ (three-line poems) on life, religion, beliefs and problems of daily living.
Protesting the Karnataka government’s decision taken Monday at an all-party meeting here, pro-Kannada organisations have called for Bangalore shutdown Aug 9.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, who is holidaying in Bangalore, is expected to participate in the function to unveil the statue of Thiruvalluvar, installed and lying covered near Halasur lake in Bangalore’s central business district.
The pro-Kannada groups have stalled the unveiling of the statue on the ground that Tamil Nadu has not been fair to Karnataka over the sharing of Cauvery river waters and its Hogennakkal drinking water project. The Hogennakkal project is to meet the drinking water needs of two Tamil Nadu districts bordering Karnataka.
The Sarvajna statue was shipped to Chennai in July after Karunanidhi and Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa agreed on the dates to unveil it as well as that of Thiruvalluvar.
At Monday’s meeting in Bangalore, Yeddyurappa received support from the Congress, Janata Dal (Secular) and other small parties as also from leading Kannada writers.
However, the move was opposed by Kannada Chaluvaligaru led by former legislator Vatal Nagaraj and various factions of Karnataka Rakshana Vedike (Karnataka Protection Forum).
While assuring that the interests of Karnataka would be protected, Yeddyurappa announced after the meeting: “Thiruvalluvar statue would be unveiled in the city Aug 9 and that of the revolutionary Kannada Poet Sarvajna at Chennai Aug 13.”
He said he would meet Karunanidhi and invite him for the function.
