‘Retrieving stolen idols is government’s duty’

The first bench comprising the Chief Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Justice R Mahadevan, on holding that the issue cannot be treated as a PIL, directed the petitioner to approach the Government of Tamil Nadu for rescue of the golden idols since the onus is on the state government to bring back the most valuable idols if it were kept in another state. The petitioner V V Swaminathan, a former HR&CE minister during DMK regime, had contended that the stolen golden idols belong to the period of Raja Raja Cholan, who built the Lord Shiva temple in the ninth century in Thajavur, now called Periya Koil. 

On submitting that the golden idols depicted Rajajraja Cholan and his wife, he said that When M G Ramachandran was the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, the head of Kanchi mutt, late Sankarachariar donated a diamond crown to the statue on the occasion of 1000th coronation day of Raja Raja Cholan held in 1984. 

The then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was invited for that function. At that time the renowned archaeologist Kudavoil Balasubramanian raised the issue that the statue of Raja Raja Cholan in the big temple was not the original statue and he wanted the original to be traced and brought back to the temple. It was believed that the then Chief Minister and Prime Minister Indira Gandhi took steps to trace the statue but there was no follow up action. 

During his tenure as the HR&CE minister, he gave written complaint to the department secretary, but it was not acted upon diligently, he added. He further noted that it has come to his knowledge that the idols were now in Calico Museum in Ahmedabad in Gujarat state. This museum was a private museum and belongs to Gautam Sarbai Foundations.

Offering liberty to actors Radha Ravi and Sarathkumar to file a fresh petition challenging their permanent removal from the South Indian Artistes’ Association (SIAA), the High Court on Monday closed the suit filed by them challenging their interim suspension by SIAA.

Justice M M Sundresh before whom the petition challenging the duo’s interim suspension came up granted them liberty to challenge their removal as the present plea seeking an interim stay on their suspension had become infructuous. In the SIAA elections held last October, actor Nazar was elected as president, actor Vishal as general secretary and actor Karthi as treasurer. The newly-elected body had passed an interim suspension order against the association’s previous president Sarathkumar and General Secretary Radharavi alleging malpractices in the trust of the association. This was challenged by both in the High Court. When the matter came up on Monday before Justice MM Sundresh, SIAA’s counsel submitted that the General Body of SIAA which met on Sunday had permanently removed the duo from the rolls and hence the present case of challenging the interim suspension will not hold good. Recording the submission, the Judge said that he has also seen it from various newspapers and on closing the plea, said “They may challenge their permanent suspension if so advised in a fresh petition.”