Chennai: The Tamil Nadu government deposited Saturday Rs 67.90 crore in the city Civil Court for acquiring late Chief Minister J Jayalalitha’s Poes Garden residence, Veda Nilayam. The Tamil Nadu government is trying to convert, J Jayalalitha’s residence here into a memorial.
Of the sum, Rs 36.90 crore would be paid towards IT and wealth tax arrears which Jayalalithaa had reportedly owed the Income Tax department. Thus the building would be free of any encumbrances, official sources said.
The ruling AIADMK said the party had a ‘responsibility and right’ to convert the sprawling 0.55 acre property into a memorial. This is in line with Chief Minister K Palaniswami’s 2017 announcement made after he assumed office.
“We have deposited Rs 68 crore in the City Civil Court. It is our responsibility and right to make her house a memorial,” senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar told reporters here. “Converting the house into a memorial was the wholehearted desire of the people of Tamil Nadu and AIADMK party workers,” he added.
It should however, be stated here that Jayalalithaa’s niece and nephew J Deepa and J Deepak have staked claim to the property. They are likely to oppose the move made the by Tamil Nadu government.
The government’s decision follows the Madras High Court in May declaring siblings Deepak and Deepa as Class II legal heirs. This declaration entitles the two to inherit all properties left behind by Jayalalitha.
The land acquisition award was pronounced Wednesday by S Lakshmi, Land Acquisition Officer (LAO)/Revenue Divisional Officer, South Chennai. She said Veda Nilayam has to be acquired by the government for the purpose of converting it into a memorial under the Right to Fair Compensation and Transparency in Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Act, 2013.
During enquiry, K Madhavan, Deepa’s husband, Deepak’s counsel SL Sudarsanam and Ajay Robin Singh, Deputy Commissioner of I-T appeared before the LAO, the order stated. The objections raised by the legal heirs were routine and the acquisition was for the conversion of Veda Nilayam to a memorial, the officer observed.
The conversion of Veda Nilayam into a memorial was one of the conditions laid down for the merger of the two AIADMK factions, each led by then rebel leader and now Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and Palaniswami, respectively. Panneerselvam is now AIADMK Coordinator.