Sources said the authorities did not grant permission to the outfit to install the statue allegedly because it did not have patta land.
KANNIYAKUMARI: Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin is scheduled to unveil a nine-ft bronze statue of Dr BR Ambedkar at Arulgnanapuram in Erachakulam on Friday, bringing to fruition the 13-year-long struggle of Tamil Nadu Dalit Rights Protection Movement that has been trying to install the statue.
Sources said the authorities did not grant permission to the outfit to install the statue allegedly because it did not have patta land.
Vai Dinakaran, president of the outfit said the unveiling of the statue would help the DMK garner Dalit community votes in the district.
After 13 years of struggle, we received permission from the district administration to instal a 9-feet bronze statue of Dr Ambedkar last year. We staged 42 protests for this over the last 13 years, including black flag protest, hunger protest and a month long continuous protest in 2024. Both the previous DMK and previous AIADMK governments refused permission stating the land meant for installing the statue was not a patta land. Hence, we brought 2.5 cents patta land and installed the statue.”
The deputy Chief Minister unveiling the statue will make the Ambedkar followers happy and would help the DMK in the assembly election, he added.
M Abdul Rabi
Courtesy : TNIE
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