The court had on January 7 directed that no advertisement issued by the government for popularising ''Chennai Sangamam'' should carry the name of NGO Tamil Maiyam, in which Chief Minister M Karunanidhi''s MP daughter Kanimozhi is a director.
Kanimozhi was also the co-ordinator of the programme, held from January 12-17, to popularise folk arts.
Filing a contempt petition last month before the High Court, the petitioner Pugalenthi had submitted that contrary to the court order, all advertisements for Chennai Sangamam carried the name of Tamil Maiyam.
Appearing for the Tamil Nadu Tourism Secretary, Advocate General P Wilson in his counter affidavit told a Division Bench of the High Court comprising Chief Justice M Y Eqbal and Justice T S Sivagnanam that the "advertisements released by Commissioner of Tourism through Director of Information and Public Relations did not carry the name of Tamil Maiyam".
"The Artists renumeration was paid directly by Tamil Nadu Tourism Development Corporation Limited by obtaining necessary vouchers," he said, adding, "Further, the advertisements carrying the name of Tamil Maiyam were not released by the Commissioner of Tourism."
The government also stated that invitations for the inaugural function were not printed by the Department of Tourism and was printed by the NGO at their own cost.
In its counter, counsel for petitioner M Radhakrishnan said through its website Tamil Maiyam claimed that Chennai Sangamam was not a public festival organised by state Government but a copy righted private event of Tamil Maiyam.
The amount collected by the NGO in the name of Chennai Sangamam either pursuant to demand made on the said website or by way written communication from Tamil Maiyam should necessarily go to the Department of Tourism and Culture. Since the NGO has misused the name of Tamil Nadu government and has collected money from public.
After hearing both sides, the Bench reserved its order.
PTI COR RC
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