Actor Prabhu has said that his family will do everything possible to ensure that his father Sivaji Ganesan’s statue is soon restored to its rightful place.
The statue was moved from its current location (at the junction of Kamarajar Salai and Radhakrishnan Salai) following a PIL seeking its removal. According to the complaint, the statue obstructed the view for motorists. It was also deemed in direct contravention of the State Government’s undertaking to the Supreme Court that no statue or structure would be constructed on a public road.
The Madras High Court ruled in favour of the complainant, following which the State Government moved the statue earlier this year.
Prabhu said that he was disappointed with the way things played out, but the law had be adhered to at all times.
Recommended
He said, “The statue was constructed and installed in 2006 at the request of the scores of fans of my father. He was the unrivalled king of the Tamil film industry and as such deserved the statue. But, if the placement proves to be fatal to people, then that should be avoided at all costs. My father was an ardent admirer of Gandhian values and Kamarajar’s ideas. So, ideally his statue must be given pride of place between the Kamarajar statue and Gandhi statue on the Marina Beach. At present, they will install the statue at the Shivaji Ganesan Mani Mandapam in Adyar.”
Prabhu also said that his family would make representations to the State and Central Governments and look to find a place for the statue at the Marina beach.