Abdul Kalam's name should not be used in party's name

Chennai: The Madras high court has made it clear that the name , picture and figure of former president late A.P.J.Abdul Kalam should not be used as part of the party name or in the flag of the political party.

Slightly modifying an earlier order, which restrained V.Ponraj, S.Kumar and R.Thirusenduran, claiming to be the president, general secretary and secretary respectively of Abdul Kalam Vision India Party, from using the name/figurine/picture of former president late Abdul Kalam, as a part of the party name or in the flag of their political party or for any other political activity, Justice M.V.Muralidharan said Ponraj and Kumar can use Abdul Kalam name, picture and figure in individual capacity but not in the name of party, since recognition or registration was not yet decided.

The judge was passing orders on an application filed by Kumar, which sought to vacate the interim injunction granted on May 6. The judge said, “Detailed arguments on injunction and vacating injunction will be heard on June 3”.

Originally, on an application arising out of a suit filed by by A.P.J.Mohamed Muthu Meeran Maraikayar, elder brother of Abdul Kalam, Justice S.Vimala restrained the trio from using the name/figurine/picture of Abdul Kalam as part of the party name or in their party flag.

In his petition, Kumar submitted that in order to transform the larger public towards the Vision of Kalam and implement the schemes and goals set out by him, forming a political party was inevitable. Already there was precedence in forming the political party in the name of the departed national leaders to work for carrying out their ideologies in political domain.

Abdul Kalam was also a national leader and also a visionary leader, hence carrying his name and keeping his picture posthumously does not violate or in any way infringe the rights of his brother and his family, rather, it only promotes his ideology and keeps his name alive always in public domain, he added.