Not even a month post a death due to illegal hoarding, Madras HC allows AIADMK and BJP to erect banners

The Madras High Court on Thursday has allowed the Tamil Nadu and Central governments to erect banners to welcome Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping for their informal meet in Chennai this month.

The order came on a plea from the state government which sought the court's permission in this regard.

Not even a month ago, a young 23-year-old woman was run over by a truck due to a hoarding falling on her causing her to lose balance. These illegal banners were on either side of the road and on the divider, and through them, a former AIADMK councillor had announced his son’s wedding. The water tanker driver Manoj was also arrested under IPC Sections 279, 336, 304 A by St Thomas Mount Traffic Investigation police.

Since this was not the first time this had happened, AIADMK received a lot of flak for the same.

People were agitated, as was the Madras High Court. “There is zero respect for lives in this country. It is a bureaucratic apathy. Sorry, we have lost faith in the government,” Justice Seshasayee was quoted as saying by news agency ANI.

However, Justice Seshasayee was also presiding over the hearing over allowing the banners, and he passed the order.

No wonder the Modi-Xi meeting holds immense importance. But while Subhasri’s parents have not even gotten over grieving the loss of their daughter due to these advertisements, is it right for the Madras High Court to pass an order for Narendra Modi’s meeting’s sake?

Kamal Hassan, actor turned politician, chief of Makkal Needhi Maiam, took to social media to criticise this step and told Narendra Modi that instead of seeking publicity through the banners, he must seek that publicity through ending this haphazard banner culture, and reflect his concern towards the sentiments of Thamizhians.