Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board’s (TNPCB) public meeting over the setting up of 134 feet tall 'Pen' statue inside Marina beach near Muthamil Kalaignar memorial was marred by a commotion at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai on Tuesday.
According to ANI, “Ruckus at Kalaivanar Arangam in Chennai during a public meeting of Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board over 'Pen Statue' erection plan at Marina beach. DMK & AIADMK supporters created uproar in support and against (respectively) over the statue in memory of ex-CM Karunanidhi.”
Earlier, Tamil Nadu government proposed to set up a pen monument in memory of late DMK supremo M Karunanidhi for his contribution to the Tamil language. In September 2022, the Union government granted terms of reference for the pen monument proposal.
However, environmentalists and various fishermen associations started to condemn the construction of the pen-shape memorial since it could likely affect the movement of water and lead to the closure of the mouth of the Cooum.
Against this backdrop, Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board (TNPCB) called for a public meeting of party leaders, activists and environmentalists. Naam Tamilar Katchi (NTK) chief Seeman also took part in the event on Tuesday.
During his address, Seeman said, "If the 'Pen statue' is erected in the sea, I will break and destroy the statue. If you (DMK) want to erect the 'Pen statue' in memory of Karunanidhi, you can do it in your party's head office Arivalayam."