Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi on Tuesday clarified that the government had not issued any order for naming a bus stand at Radhapuram in Tirunelveli district after his parents, Muthuvelar and Anjugathammal.
In a statement, he said there was no such reference in the invitation card for the inauguration of the bus stand.
Quoting from the Tirunelveli District Collector’s report on the issue, he said it was the local Member of the Legislative Assembly, M. Appavu, who bore the expenses for installation and maintenance of statues of his parents. The government gave permission for the installation on condition that this should not pose any difficulty to vehicular movement. As the MLA had volunteered to bear the cost of 90 cents of land for the bus stand, he had demanded that it be called Muthuvelar-Anjugam Ammaiyar memorial bus stand. In response, the Radhapuram panchayat had adopted a resolution in May 2007.
Responding to All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam general secretary Jayalalithaa’s criticism, the Chief Minister said he had spoken to the Collector and instructed him not to name the bus stand after his parents and not to allow the unveiling of their statues.
