AIADMK general secretary J Jayalalithaa on Tuesday took strong exception to the State cabinet’s “unilateral decision” to unveil portraits of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi in the old and new Assembly halls.In a statement, she strongly condemned the cabinet’s decision, terming it as one aimed at violating the longcherished Assembly traditions and democratic norms.
“When the AIADMK comes back to power some time next year, this type of anti-traditional acts will be a given a go by,’’ she noted.
The former chief minister said the decision to unveil the portrait of Karunanidhi was anti-democratic as the cabinet had unilaterally decided without consulting the opposition or even their alliance partners.
“Further, nobody has demanded the unveiling of the DMK chief ’s portrait in the Assembly halls,’’ she said.
Jayalalithaa said as per the tradition, the portraits of leaders, who remained in the hearts of the people even after their death, are unveiled in the Assembly. The portraits of late leaders C N Annadurai, K Kamaraj and M G Ramachandran should find a place in the Assembly as per tradition.
She said it was normal practice to consult opposition parties and alliance partners before taking any decision on unveiling the portrait of leaders in the Assembly. The former chief minister said the time-honoured procedure was followed while unveiling MGR’s portrait in the TN Assembly.
“When the decision was mooted by the AIADMK, the Congress, which was in the opposition, was consulted and they supported it and then only the portrait of MGR was unveiled in the Assembly,’’ she said.
Joining issue with Jayalalithaa, State Minister Veerapandi Arumugam said she was speaking out of frustration.
