Jayalalitha’s portrait on Tamil Nadu government’s Republic Day tableaux draws flak from opposition

Chennai: The display of portrait of AIADMK supremo and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa in the tableaux during the Republic Day parade here has stirred up a controversy, with Congress demanding action against the state government by the Centre.

All the 24 tableaux arranged by various departments of the state government paraded during the celebrations had portrait of Jayalalithaa, who was convicted in a graft case, and not that of the Chief Minister O Panneerselvam.

Tableaux, which did not have her portrait, were the ones from central government departments and the armed forces.

The parade along the Kamarajar Road were witnessed by Governor K Rosaiah, Panneerselvam and his Cabinet of Ministers, senior armed forces officials, members of the consular corps and thousands of people who thronged the area.

The state-run Doordarshan had telecast the programme live.

Slamming the display of portrait, TNCC president EVKS Elangovan told reporters, "The Central government should take action on this. I don't know how is it fair to display the portrait of a person in government functions, who has been convicted, sentenced and then given a bail by the court."

At the same time, Congress did not have confidence in the Narendra Modi-led BJP government at the Centre, he said, "If it is a just central government, it should have taken action against the ruling AIADMK government on this. They have not taken action. It only strengthens the suspicion whether the meeting of Arun Jaitley and Jayalalithaa is behind this."

Political parties in Tamil Nadu, including DMK and NDA ally PMK had questioned the propriety of Finance Minister Jaitley meeting Jayalalithaa at a time when her appeal against her conviction in an assets case is pending in Karnataka High Court. BJP's state unit later said it was only to seek her party's support in Rajya Sabha for passage of crucial bills.

DMK also lashed out at the state government for displaying Jayalalithaa's portrait in the tableaux.

"While the government in Delhi makes our country proud with a spectacular display of Indian culture and diversity, the government in Tamil Nadu showcases a convicted person in an utterly distasteful display of sycophancy. It is sickening to watch, what was once one of the leading states of India be pushed to this depth of disrepute and embarrassment,"

DMK Treasurer M K Stalin posted in the wall of his official Facebook page.

"The government has not just lost its right to govern, it should also apologise to the people of Tamil Nadu and India for this crude and insulting portrayal of our state during the Republic day celebrations in Chennai," he said in the post, along with the picture showing the tableaux displaying Jayalalithaa's portrait.

Stalin also tweeted on his official handle @mkstalin: "Distasteful display of sycophancy. Crude and insulting portrayal of our state by showcasing a convicted person at Republic day celebration."

Following her conviction in a disproportionate assets case, Jayalalithaa was disqualified as MLA and vacated her Srirangam Assembly Constituency for which the Election Commission has announced a bypoll on February 13.