CHENNAI, DEC. 21.

Ruling AIADMK functionaries and some officials are attributing the current trough in the Bay and the rains lashing Chennai to the removal of the Kannagi statue from the Marina seafront here.

The controversy over the removal of this statue, installed during the World Tamil Conference in 1968, has blown up into a political storm. The High Court has directed the Government not to instal it in any other place until after petitions challenging the removal have been disposed of.

While the Government has climbed down and agreed to reinstal it on the Marina itself (but not at the same place), the DMK is planning an agitation for its restoration at the original site.

A lot of theories have been doing the rounds why the statue was removed, and that too surreptitiously at night. It is in this context that the explanation advanced by some key AIADMK functionaries and officials gains currency. One theory is that the city has not received its share of rain and consequently faced water storage because the Kannagi statue was facing the land. After its removal earlier this month, there has been an ``unseasonal rain'' now, they point out.

The DMK president, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, said in a statement last week that it was for reasons of ``vaasthu'' that the Government removed the statue. On their part, the Government and the city police have claimed that the pedestal was damaged in an accident and therefore the statue was removed for `safety'. Under attack from all parties, the Government then decided to set up a committee to finalise a suitable location for reinstalling the statue.

A former DMK Minister had a different explanation to offer: It was only the Kannagi statue on the Marina which had Mr. Karunanidhi's name inscribed on it. Each statue, installed during the World Tamil Conference, was unveiled by a minister and a dignitary presided over the function. As the then PWD Minister, Mr. Karunanidhi not only supervised the whole project but also unveiled the Kannagi statue. ``Obviously, this Government wants to remove his name from there'', said the former minister.

Asked about the background to this statue controversy, Mr. Karunanidhi said in a conversation today: ``During the conference most of these statues were gifted by different organisations and individuals. A unique feature of the Kannagi statue is that it was put up entirely with contributions from students all over the State. They contributed even 50 paise and one rupee''.

P.G. Karuthiruman gifted the Kambar statue, `Sivaji' Ganesan the Thiruvalluvar statue and a Christian council the Veeramamunivar statue. While a majority of the statues were stony, Mr. Karunanidhi felt, those of Kannagi, Bharathiar and Bharathidasan were ``full of life and action''. Given the historical and literary background of Kannagi and the participation of the student community in the installation of the statue, he decided to adopt an agitational approach to get it reinstalled. He has convened a meeting of several party leaders for tomorrow.

There was another juicy story about how a late film actress, Kalpana, was supposed to have modelled for the statue. But, it is said, the Government finally took a decision that the statue must not bear resemblance to any woman.

Not many people are prepared to buy the government version that it was because of the traffic accident that the statue was removed, in the first place. Unless the Government comes out with a credible explanation, the `Kannagi statue episode' will remain shrouded in mystery.