The statue of Sivaji Ganesan was covered after being unveiled by a group of fans at Palakkarai in Tiruchi in 2017. File
| Photo Credit: M. Srinath

The Tamil Nadu government will take steps — after consulting with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin — towards unveiling a statue of late actor Sivaji Ganesan in Tiruchi, Minister K.N. Nehru informed the Assembly on Monday (April 21, 2025). Though the statue was installed by his fans, it could not be unveiled due to a Supreme Court judgment in this regard.

Mr. Nehru said there were certain issues in unveiling the statue at its current location, and that steps would be taken to install it at a different spot. As per the request of Tiruchi East MLA S. Inigo Irudayaraj, the Chief Minister would be consulted to name a park after the late actor where the statue would be unveiled, the Minister said.

Earlier, when Mr. Irudayaraj requested for the unveiling of the statue, Minister for Information and Publicity M.P. Saminathan clarified that the statue was not installed by his department but by the fans of the late actor. He further referred to a case in the Supreme Court, which prevented the unveiling of the statue at that location.

Though necessary permissions for the statue in Tiruchi was granted by the erstwhile DMK government, there was a subsequent change in government, and a Supreme Court judgment and “some political reasons” prevented the statue from being unveiled, Mr. Nehru said.

Statue for Christian missionary

As for the request to install a statue of late Christian missionary Bartholomäus Ziegenbalg, who introduced and developed printing in India, Mr. Saminathan said steps were afoot in this regard.

Recalling that Chief Minister M.K. Stalin has allocated ₹3 crore for installing the statue in Mayiladuthurai, Mr. Saminathan said a land measuring 40 cents have been allocated in this regard, and a G.O. would be issued soon.