The Thiruvalluvar statute was constructed in honor of a 6thcentury poet who lived around 2000 years ago and his literary works hold prime significance in Tamil culture. The work Thirukkural is said to be a literary work translated the maximum number of times in the world. The initiative to unveil the statue received support from other political parties like the Janata Dal (secular), Congress, along with other smaller parties as well as leading Kannada litterateurs, which was not taken in a lighter vein, the plan being opposed by several groups of the Karnataka Rakshana Vedike as well as Kannada Chaluvaligaru. In the past, there have been instances of anti-Tamil unrest in Bengaluru in 1991 due to the Cauvery Tribunal’s interim order. Paying no heed to resistance from pro-Kannada groups the Karnataka government gave the green signal for releasing the statute to the public.
The statute was which was finally unveiled on the RBANMS grounds after an 18 year long hiatus due to conflicting interests between the state of Tamil Nadu and Karnataka with pro Karnataka groups having the opinion that Tamil Nadu was unfair regarding the allocation of water resources from the Cauvery as well as the Hogennakkal water project. In presence of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi along with Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yeddyurappa the statue was released for public display in a state held function which saw a large gathering of people near Ulsoor.
The unveiling was successful due to an all party consensus along with the involvement of the Karnataka High Court in making this event possible. The day saw protesters from Karnataka groups while about 100 of such dissenting individuals were arrested another group of small activists resorted to violence by cutting their hands to write off messages with their own blood. Both leaders of the two states were in support of the event which is in furtherance of securing relationships between both the states transcending all hurdles of caste as well as religion.
This marks the beginning of a new relationship between the states channelizing means of providing solutions to all disputes. Both the Chief Ministers stated that this gesture of goodwill should act as a role model for all other states to follow where peaceful as well constructive mechanisms of resolutions to disputes are sought for without the involvement of politics. Cabinet ministers of both parties along with senior members of the BJP as well as Congress were also present during the function. In support of mutual goodwill between the states the statue of Kannada poet named Sarvagnya will also be revealed to the public in a Kannada dominated place in Ayanavaram in Chennai in the presence of the Tamil Nadu, CM organized by the Karnataka leader Yeddyurappa.