Chennai VCK councillors walk out over Ambedkar portrait
Two Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi councillors left a Greater Chennai Corporation meeting after protesting the movement of B.R. Ambedkar’s portrait. The mayor said the portrait had been placed appropriately alongside other leaders’ images, while an MDMK councillor separately called for a portrait of Periyar E.V. Ramasamy.
Two councillors from the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi walked out of a Greater Chennai Corporation council meeting on Friday after protesting the shifting of B.R. Ambedkar’s portrait. Councillors G.
Gopinath of Ward 45 and Shanthi, also known as Yazhini, raised the issue during the meeting chaired by Mayor R. Priya. They had also expressed concern about the portrait during an earlier council meeting in August.
Councillor V. Rajan of Ward 143 said the portrait had since been placed in an appropriate position in the council hall, alongside portraits of other leaders. Gopinath nevertheless asked the mayor who had authorised its removal.
DMK councillors urged Gopinath to maintain order and return to his seat. He and Shanthi continued their protest and raised slogans before leaving the hall. Priya said Ambedkar’s photograph had been installed in the council hall only after the DMK came to power.
She added that the first photograph visible to anyone entering Ripon Buildings was also that of Ambedkar. The mayor said Ambedkar’s ideals, laws and schemes were respected across the country and that nobody denied him due respect. She urged councillors to follow council procedures and avoid turning the matter into a political debate.
After the VCK councillors’ walkout, MDMK councillor P. Subramani of Ward 139 made a separate request. He called for a photograph of Dravidar Kazhagam founder Periyar E.V.
Ramasamy to be installed in the council hall. The source material does not state whether the corporation took a decision on that request.
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