Parliament statue plot thickens; Vaiko against Maran statue

New Delhi, Nov 26 (UNI) The feud among Tamil parties over installing in Parliament the statue of a leader from the state got a new twist today with MDMK leader Vaiko pitching for late Dravidian leader Thanthai Periyar for the honour.

Opposing DMK's move for unveiling a bust of late Commerce and Industry Minister Murasoli Maran here, Mr Vaiko told reporters here that Mr Maran did not deserve a statue in Parliament.

Though the DMK leader was an efficient Minister and he (Vaiko) had all respect for him, Mr Maran was not an ''extraordinary'' leader to be put in the league of Periyar, the pioneer of the Dravidian movement in Tamil Nadu, Mr Vaiko explained.

Mr Maran's statue was expected to be installed last week, coinciding with his death anniversary, but the proposal was deferred due to a political controversy.

AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa had wanted the honour to go to her mentor late Chief Minister and party founder M G Ramachandran.

If being a good minister was the criterion for the statue, then the Parliament complex would become a museum with the statues of about 400 leaders, Mr Vaiko said.

''The DMK is exploiting the political situation to promote their family interest in all respects,'' he said, in an obvious reference to the fact that Mr Maran was the nephew of Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

UNI SN RP KN1622