CHENNAI: The Madras high court has directed the Madurai district collector to forward within two weeks all the reports obtained from the authorities concerned relating to the erection of the statue of freedom fighter Veeran Sundaralingam in Madurai city, to the state home secretary, who in turn has to take a decision and pass orders within four weeks thereafter.Justice V Dhanapalan disposed of a petition from Madurai Mavatta Devendra Kula Vellalar Uravinmurai Sangam by its president K C Selvakumar. According to the petition, it wanted to erect the statue of the freedom fighter, who was a member of the army formed by the great freedom fighter Veerapandia Kattabomman, who fought against the British. Accordingly, the petitioner sought permission. All the authorities except the Commissioner of Police, Madurai, have given their opinion following which the present petition was filed.According to the Commissioner Of Police, the place sought for by the petitioner was on a national highway leading to Chennai and in between the statue of MGR and roundana. Therefore, he took a decision not to give permission to erect the statute at the said place, as it may worsen the traffic in that area.The judge said the legal position was well settled by this court that in the matter of erection of a statue, it was incumbent upon the home secretary to take a decision, after getting necessary report from the district administration and, ultimately, the sanction has to be accorded by the government. It was for the government to recognise any freedom fighter and respect him and also to take appropriate decision to permit anybody, who seeks to establish or erect anyone’s statute, the judge added.
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