Demolition of marriage hall politically motivated: Vijaykanth

Chennai, May 23 (UNI) Actor-politician and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) founder Vijaykanth today alleged that the demolition of his marriage hall was ''politically motivated''.

Talking to newspersons after opening his party's new office adjacent to the marriage hall where his office was earlier located, he accused the the DMK government for showing in undue haste to demolish the marriage hall as it could not bear the growth of his party.

''It's a planned political conspiracy'', he said, and added that he did not resist the government's move to demolish the building.

''I did not resist it. I was prepared to handover the building (to pave way for road expansion). I had only sought time till August 31 to fulfill the bookings of marriages'', he added.

He said only a road has to be laid at the place of the mandapam and not a portion of the flyover as reported in the media. ''As per the rules, only after 90 per cent of the overbridge works are completed, the road works should begin. The authorities could have very well given time till August 31'', he said.

''What is the urgency to demolish the marriage hall. What happened to 233 other structures for which notice were given for demolition'', he asked.

Mr Vijayakanth said when Union Minister for Shipping and Road Transport T R Baalu asked for alternative plan to avoid demolition of the structure, he presented it and the government sat on it for ten months following the elections to the state Assembly and the local bodies.

''The government remained silent at that time because, any action will turn into sympathy wave for my party in the polls'', he added.

''Thereafter it was rejected citing technical problems following which I moved the court where also justice was denied,'' he claimed.

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