Chennai: The late CM Jayalalithaa's portrait will be unveiled in the State Assembly on Monday by Speaker P. Dhanapal.
Chief Minister K. Palaniswami will preside over the function in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, according to a press release from the Assembly secretary K Boopathy here.
It may be recalled that Palaniswami had met Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Delhi last May and submitted a letter urging him to unveil Jayalalithaa's portrait in the Assembly.
It now appears that the PM has chosen to ignore the request even as his itinerary includes a trip to Puducherry close by for participating in the Auroville golden jubilee on February 24.
"A towering personality and statesman like you, who has upheld the finest traditions of our vibrant democracy and maintained the cherished values of our Parliamentary system, would be the befitting person to unveil the portrait of our revered leader "Amma" (Jayalalithaa)", Palaniswami had said in his letter to PM, adding that the people of Tamil Nadu would be extremely happy if the PM unveiled the portrait in the Assembly.
The CM said Jayalalithaa had made significant contributions for TN, its growth on all fronts and for Tamil language and culture. Amma had dedicated her life for the Tamils and left an indelible mark on the Indian political landscape. He sought Modi's "convenience to grace the occasion on any day during the month of July, 2017 as the chief guest of the function to be held in the Assembly Chamber and to unveil the portrait".
The opposition parties, particularly the DMK, had opposed unveiling of Jayalalithaa's portrait in the Assembly, saying she had been convicted in the disproportionate assets case. Some PILs too were filed in the Madras high court seeking removal of all Jaya pictures from government offices.
CM Palaniswami had however defended his government's decision to unveil a portrait of Jayalalithaa, saying it would be a great honour for the Assembly.
Stating that there was nothing wrong in paying respect to Jayalalithaa, who was fully committed to people's welfare, he had said that 'Amma' was elected Chief Minister six times and regarded as a role model by Chief Ministers from other States.
