Sivaji statue awaits govt nod to see light of day

A statue for late actor Sivaji Ganesanwhich was installed in Trichy two years ago, is still awaiting approval from the state government.

fans of Sivaji Ganesan in Trichy district have embarked on a move to install a bronze statue in Prabhat Roundabout in Trichy. A number of fan clubs like the All India Sivaji Mandram, Trichy district Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan Samooga Nala Peravai and Sivaji Mandram installed a 9-foot-high bronze statue on a three-foot-high platform in Prabhat Roundabout in December 2010 during the DMK regime with support from a local DMK bigwig. The statue has since been wrapped in a cover. Even after two years of installation, it has not been unveiled.

A S Mukundhan, district president of Trichy district Nadigar Thilagam Sivaji Ganesan Samooga Nala Peravai told TOI, "The statue was installed after getting approval from the Trichy corporation, highways department and other government departments when the DMK was in power. After installation of the statue, the assembly election was declared. So we could not get approval for unveiling the statue. After the AIADMK came to power, approvals obtained from the previous regime were declared invalid. We are supposed to get all approvals again. Nevertheless, permission for unveiling the statue has not been given by the state government so far."

On the necessity of erecting a statue for the actor, N Shanmugam, Trichy district president of Sivaji Mandram said, "We want to install his statue in memory of his early life in Sangiliyandapuram in Trichy. But the approval for unveiling the statue is being delayed. We never allow any disrespect to the actor. So we will patiently await orders from the government."

"We hope the statue will remind the future generations about the memorable history of the actor," said T Srinivasan, vice-president of All India Sivaji Mandram.