INDIA: The 44th Chess Olympiad of Chennai has already commenced from July 28 till August 10. The Madurai Bench of the Madras HC directed the Tamil Nadu government to ensure running off President and Prime Minister photos during the publicity.
The pictures should be displayed widely. A division of the bench raised objections over the advertisements and promotions of the Olympiad; only the photo of Chief Minister MK Stalin is visible in the broadcast. Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice S Ananthi raised their concern over the incident following a petition by an advocate, R Rajesh Kumar.
According to Kumar’s petition, the Olympiad has commenced, and the Prime Minister inaugurated this entire competition at Chennai’s Mamallapuram, Tamil Nadu.
The whole programme is primarily funded by public tax. Hence, the plea says, “This event can bring pride to a country of international importance, but the ruling party (in Tamil Nadu) used it as an event for their political gain. Apart from the photographs of the President of India and the Prime Minister not placed, only the photograph of Chief Minister Stalin has been placed in these advertisements.”
The petition, therefore, demands an apology from the Tamil Nadu government for not counting the photo of the Prime Minister in advertisements.
This historic chess Olympiad was originally scheduled for Russia, but it was relocated to Chennai after Russia invaded Ukraine. “We never advise our leaders and cadres to go on posters because we’re a very disciplined party,” TN BJP president K Annamalai said.
At the same time, some leaders do it with their rightful emotions about the central government’s contribution; PM Modi was instrumental in bringing Chess Olympiad 2022 to India adding more convection to his words, he said, “This got vindicated by the HC verdict of the Madurai bench today, which has given a very clear-cut order too. I hope the Tamil Nadu Government doesn’t get into this the next time and politicize such matters.”
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