Unveiling of Jaya portrait irks Oppn

The opposition parties in Tamil Nadu on Sunday opposed the ruling AIADMK's move to unveil late chief minister J Jayalalithaa's portrait in the state assembly hall, stating that she was convicted by the Supreme Court in the disproportionate assets case.

Terming the move a black day in the history of the assembly, main opposition party DMK announced that its legislators would boycott the event, while other parties urged the government not to proceed with the plan.

The AIADMK government on Saturday announced that Jayalalithaa's portrait would be unveiled in the Assembly on February 12 by Speaker P Dhanapal.

DMK working president MK Stalin said the move went against the Constitution and the apex court judgment in the disproportionate assets case in which the court abated proceedings against her following her death on December 5, 2016.

He alleged the government hurriedly organised the event on Monday morning, before the PIL filed by his party's MLA J Anbazhagan seeking to remove Jayalalithaa's portraits from government offices came up for hearing that day.

Parties including the CPI(M) joined DMK in opposing AIADMK's move. CPI(M) state secretary G Ramakrishnan said, "It will be a wrong precedent to unveil the portrait of a person who was convicted in a disproportionate assets case. We urge the Tamil Nadu government to give up this step."

PMK MP Anbumani Ramadoss told reporters in Coimbatore that his party is totally opposed to the move and if needed they would move court.

IT’S JUSTIFIED: BJP

• The BJP in Tamil Nadu said there was nothing wrong in unveiling the portrait.
   
• Party said Jaya as CM had worked hard for the state and its people
   
• The TN govt defended its move and highlighed her work including steps for women empowerment.