CHENNAI: As the state moves towards the Assembly elections, the Tamil Nadu government pushes more resolutely for J. Jayalalithaa’s memorial.
Chennai district collector Seetha Lakshmi visited J. Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden on Friday to oversee the works that are being taken up to convert it into a memorial. Already the works have begun inside the building and arranging the properties for the public display. Officials say that during Friday’s visit, the collector was accompanied with the officials from the Tamil Nadu Tourism department.
The meeting which lasted for more than an hour, the tourism department officials appraised the collector about the infrastructures that are being planned in the open areas of the compound and the entry and the exit for the public who would visit the memorial. Officials also say that the security aspects were also discussed in the meeting on Friday. Sources add that the memorial will be readied much ahead of the elections.
In the month of September, Tamil Nadu government passed a bill in the Assembly to take control of the property and appointed the Chief Minister as the chairman of the foundation which will manage the memorial. In July, the government announced that there are 32,721 movable items inside jayalalithaa’s residence. Though the government has taken the proprietary of the property, Jayalalithaa’s legal aides Deepa and Deepak have filed cases against the government takeover and have said that they will continue to face this case legally.