Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa announced the Tamilnadu government would construct a memorial for thespian Sivaji Ganesan at a PWD property in Adyar in the city.
Making the announcement under Rule 110 of the Assembly, she recalled that she had ordered in 2002 itself to allocate 65 cents of land opposite Sathya Studio for Sivaji memorial, accepting a request from South Indian Artistes Association (Nadigar Sangam). Stating that the property was handed over to Nadigar Sangam soon, she said the road leading to Judges’ residence was situated on the land.
So, the Sangam was asked to pay Rs 4.20 lakh to lay a new road. However, it said it could only give Rs 2 lakh and gave the amount on 26 July 2004. Following this, the government itself bore the remaining cost for laying the road.
‘Later, the government led by me also constructed a compound wall around the property,’ she said. ‘Only because the Nadigar Sangam had said it would take care of the construction, the government did not take steps for constructing the memorial. Otherwise, I would have ordered the construction then itself,’ she said.
Pointing out that the memorial has not been constructed till date, she said people from various quarters and political parties have been requesting that the government itself should construct it. Hence, to hail the services of Sivaji, the memorial will be constructed by the Tamilnadu government, she said.
The Chief Minister also heaped rich laurels on the legendary actor. Jayalalithaa recalled various steps taken by her government to glorify the services of prominent personalities in society. She said memorials have been constructed for freedom fighters, philosophers, leading lights of self-respect movement, poets, kings and others.
