The opening ceremony of 'Veda Nilayam' memorial, the residence of late Chief Minister and AIADMK supremo, J Jayalalithaa was held here on Thursday. In a simple function, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami unveiled a plaque that declared the Veda Nilayam residence where the late leader lived -in posh Poes Garden area- a memorial in her honour and following takeover of the residential property by the government.
Palaniswami, flanked by his cabinet colleagues, including Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and Assembly Speaker P Dhanapal paid floral tributes to a portrait of Jayalalithaa and they lit a traditional lamp symbolising the opening of the memorial.
The Madras High Court on Wednesday allowed the government to go ahead with the opening ceremony but ordered that the building shall not be thrown open to the public.
Passing an interim order on petitions by Deepak and Deepa, nephew and niece of the late AIADMK supremo seeking a stay on the inauguration, the court ordered that the opening ceremony alone can take place as scheduled.
The duo filed separate petitions challenging the government notification for the acquisition of Veda Nilayam to convert it into a memorial and the award passed by the Land Acquisition Officer.
Also, Palaniswami opened a life-size statue (about nine feet high) of Jayalalithaa in the premises of a state-run college on Kamarajar Salai here in front of Marina beach and paid floral tributes to her.
On August 17, 2017, Chief Minister K Palaniswami had announced that Veda Nilayam would be converted into a memorial and opened to the public in remembrance of her achievements and service to the people.
The Tamil Nadu Assembly had in September 2020 adopted a Bill to replace an ordinance issued for possession of the late Chief Minister's residence here and to facilitate vesting of movable properties therein with the government.
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