An image is being shared on social media claiming that the tableau proposal by Tamil Nadu government for the Republic Day Parade- 2022 has former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s statue. Let’s verify the claim in the post.
Claim: Tableau proposal by the Tamil Nadu government for the Republic Day Parade- 2022 has former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s statue
Fact: The image being shared on social media is edited. The actual image of the tableau has statues of freedom fighters, including VO Chidambaranar, Subramania Bharathi, Rani Velu Nachiyar, Maruthu brothers, Poolithevan, Veerapandia Kattabomman. It does not have the statue of M. Karunanidhi. Hence, the claim the FALSE.
On the posted photo, one can see a watermark – ‘Niranjan’. So, when we searched about the photo on the internet with that word, a tweet by the journalist Niranjan Kumar is found.
On comparing the photo actually tweeted by Niranjan and the photo in the post, one can see the difference. There is no statue of M. Karunanidhi in the original photo of the tableau. It has the statues of freedom fighters, including VO Chidambaranar, Subramania Bharathi, Rani Velu Nachiyar, Maruthu brothers, Poolithevan, Veerapandia Kattabomman.
The details of the tableau can be also found in the letter addressed to PM by the Tamil Nadu CM M.K. Stalin. Neither in the CM M.K. Stalin’s letter nor in the response given by the Defence Minister to him on the issue, there is mention of M. Karunanidhi. The news reports regarding the issue can be read here and here. As the tableau found no place in the Union government’s list of tableaus to be showcased at the Republic Day parade in the National Capital, the Tamil Nadu government has decided to showcase the tableau model at the State’s Republic Day Celebration.
To sum it up, the posted photo is an edited one. There is no statue of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s in the tableau proposed by the Tamil Nadu government.
