ID :
74493
Mon, 08/10/2009 - 12:22
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/74493
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New chapter in TN-Karna ties as statue of Tamil poet unveiled
Bangalore, Aug 9 (PTI) Unveiling a sort of statue
diplomacy, India's southern states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
Sunday buried 18 years of bitterness when the bust of renowned
saint-poet Tiruvalluvar was opened here by Chief Minister M
Karunanidhi, raising hopes of heralding a new era of
cooperation between the two states.
Karunanidhi and his Karnataka counterpart B S
Yeddyurappa, who took a personal initiative over a month ago
during a visit to Chennai to enable Sunday's ceremony near
Ulsoor lake in North Bangalore in a Tamil-dominated area,
hailed the event as a new chapter in the brotherly relations
between the two states.
Yeddyurappa, the man who ironically had whipped up
emotions on both sides of the border before the 2008 Assembly
elections ratcheting up opposition to Tamil Nadu's proposal
for a drinking water scheme from the Hogenakkal reservoir,
said the event gave confidence that all problems between the
two states could be resolved through discussions.
As a reciprocal gesture, a statue of Kannada poet
Sarvagnya, who wrote 500 years ago, will be opened on Aug 13
in a Kannada-dominated area in Ayanavaram in Chennai at a
function by Yeddyurappa in the presence of Karunanidhi.
The opening of the statue of Tiruvalluvar, who wrote
couplets on all areas of life--politics, righteousness and
love, an idea conceived by the Bangalore Tamil Sangam, was
halted in its tracks since 1991 when the worst anti-Tamil
riots broke out in Bangalore and some other parts of Karnataka
after differences flared up between the two states over the
sharing of Cauvery waters.
Bedevilled by differences over Cauvery that spawned
problems over some other issues, the statue was kept under
wraps with police security as pro-Kannada outfits rake up
problems often. Their last-ditch efforts to stall Sunday's
ceremony were thwarted by an all-party consensus and
Karnataka High Court's intervention.
The day was not not without drama as 100 pro-Kannada
activists were arrested by police when they tried to protest
against the holding of the function and another small group of
activists made cuts in their hands to write their protests
with oozing blood.
At the function attended by ministers and political
leaders of two states and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)leaders
M Venkaiah Naidu and Vijay Goel, Karunanidhi hailed
Yeddyurappa's initiative in enabling the unveiling of the
statue.
"During the last 18 years I used to tell anyone
inviting me to Bangalore that I will go there only if the
statute was to be unveiled. Sunday Yeddyurappa (67), whom he
described as younger brother, has helped me realise the
pledge," 86-year-old Karunanidhi, himself a distinguished
litterateur, told the gathering.
He said the unveiling of the two statues was not a
mere function but the opening of India's heart and a model in
good brotherly relations between states for others to follow.
Responding warmly to Karunanidhi's overtures,
Yeddyurappa said, "Today is a historic day in the annals of
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Our relations will certainly improve
hereafter.
"Let people of both states live together and move forward
together. We are all sons of Bharat Matha. We are Indians
first and Kanndigas and Tamils next", he asserted, denouncing
protests from pro-Kannada outfits as "unwarranted".
In an apparent reference to opposition from some
outfits in Karnataka to the unveiling of Tiruvalluvar statue,
Karunanidhi said, "No one in Tamil Nadu is opposed to the
opening of Sarvagnya's statue in Chennai. We in Tamil Nadu
have already read the writings of Sarvagnya and the Tamil Nadu
government had taken the lead in getting his works translated
into Tamil. Nobody in Tamil Nadu said he belongs to Karnataka
and so his statue should not not be unveiled in Tamil Nadu."
"We have been ready for Sarvagnya's statue in Chennai
for long and preparations are over," he said.
He quoted from Sarvagnya's works to say that the
Kannada poet was a revolutionary and forward-looking author
who had thought much ahead of his time. He wrote beyond the
barriers of caste and religion and against superstition.
Karunanidhi said the two poets also showed to the
world that they stood for humanity and people of these two
states were forward-looking in their views.
Hailing Yeddyurappa, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
said that when he (Karnataka CM) was in Chennai for a medical
check up a month ago, he wanted to call on him. But
Yeddyurappa insisted on calling on Karunanidhi at his
residence saying he was "senior both in age and
experience". That showed his manners and civility, he said.
In his speech, Yeddyurappa said the event showed
there were close bonds between the two states and the people
of the states were brothers. He said the two great poets
transcended barriers like caste and religion and they belonged
to whole of humanity.
He also said Bangalore was large-hearted and was home
to Tamils, Telugus, Malayalees and to those from rest of
India. PTI JD
ANU
NNNN
diplomacy, India's southern states of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka
Sunday buried 18 years of bitterness when the bust of renowned
saint-poet Tiruvalluvar was opened here by Chief Minister M
Karunanidhi, raising hopes of heralding a new era of
cooperation between the two states.
Karunanidhi and his Karnataka counterpart B S
Yeddyurappa, who took a personal initiative over a month ago
during a visit to Chennai to enable Sunday's ceremony near
Ulsoor lake in North Bangalore in a Tamil-dominated area,
hailed the event as a new chapter in the brotherly relations
between the two states.
Yeddyurappa, the man who ironically had whipped up
emotions on both sides of the border before the 2008 Assembly
elections ratcheting up opposition to Tamil Nadu's proposal
for a drinking water scheme from the Hogenakkal reservoir,
said the event gave confidence that all problems between the
two states could be resolved through discussions.
As a reciprocal gesture, a statue of Kannada poet
Sarvagnya, who wrote 500 years ago, will be opened on Aug 13
in a Kannada-dominated area in Ayanavaram in Chennai at a
function by Yeddyurappa in the presence of Karunanidhi.
The opening of the statue of Tiruvalluvar, who wrote
couplets on all areas of life--politics, righteousness and
love, an idea conceived by the Bangalore Tamil Sangam, was
halted in its tracks since 1991 when the worst anti-Tamil
riots broke out in Bangalore and some other parts of Karnataka
after differences flared up between the two states over the
sharing of Cauvery waters.
Bedevilled by differences over Cauvery that spawned
problems over some other issues, the statue was kept under
wraps with police security as pro-Kannada outfits rake up
problems often. Their last-ditch efforts to stall Sunday's
ceremony were thwarted by an all-party consensus and
Karnataka High Court's intervention.
The day was not not without drama as 100 pro-Kannada
activists were arrested by police when they tried to protest
against the holding of the function and another small group of
activists made cuts in their hands to write their protests
with oozing blood.
At the function attended by ministers and political
leaders of two states and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)leaders
M Venkaiah Naidu and Vijay Goel, Karunanidhi hailed
Yeddyurappa's initiative in enabling the unveiling of the
statue.
"During the last 18 years I used to tell anyone
inviting me to Bangalore that I will go there only if the
statute was to be unveiled. Sunday Yeddyurappa (67), whom he
described as younger brother, has helped me realise the
pledge," 86-year-old Karunanidhi, himself a distinguished
litterateur, told the gathering.
He said the unveiling of the two statues was not a
mere function but the opening of India's heart and a model in
good brotherly relations between states for others to follow.
Responding warmly to Karunanidhi's overtures,
Yeddyurappa said, "Today is a historic day in the annals of
Karnataka and Tamil Nadu. Our relations will certainly improve
hereafter.
"Let people of both states live together and move forward
together. We are all sons of Bharat Matha. We are Indians
first and Kanndigas and Tamils next", he asserted, denouncing
protests from pro-Kannada outfits as "unwarranted".
In an apparent reference to opposition from some
outfits in Karnataka to the unveiling of Tiruvalluvar statue,
Karunanidhi said, "No one in Tamil Nadu is opposed to the
opening of Sarvagnya's statue in Chennai. We in Tamil Nadu
have already read the writings of Sarvagnya and the Tamil Nadu
government had taken the lead in getting his works translated
into Tamil. Nobody in Tamil Nadu said he belongs to Karnataka
and so his statue should not not be unveiled in Tamil Nadu."
"We have been ready for Sarvagnya's statue in Chennai
for long and preparations are over," he said.
He quoted from Sarvagnya's works to say that the
Kannada poet was a revolutionary and forward-looking author
who had thought much ahead of his time. He wrote beyond the
barriers of caste and religion and against superstition.
Karunanidhi said the two poets also showed to the
world that they stood for humanity and people of these two
states were forward-looking in their views.
Hailing Yeddyurappa, the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
said that when he (Karnataka CM) was in Chennai for a medical
check up a month ago, he wanted to call on him. But
Yeddyurappa insisted on calling on Karunanidhi at his
residence saying he was "senior both in age and
experience". That showed his manners and civility, he said.
In his speech, Yeddyurappa said the event showed
there were close bonds between the two states and the people
of the states were brothers. He said the two great poets
transcended barriers like caste and religion and they belonged
to whole of humanity.
He also said Bangalore was large-hearted and was home
to Tamils, Telugus, Malayalees and to those from rest of
India. PTI JD
ANU
NNNN
