M.A.M.R. Muthiah, Managing Director of Chettinad Group of Companies, is willing to sort out the differences with his industrialist-father M.A.M. Ramaswamy.
Talking to reporters here on Friday, the adopted son of the Rajah of Chettinad, Mr. Muthiah, explained the ongoing feud, the charges levelled against him, and his offer for a peaceful and amicable solution. He admitted the ugly public spat had been telling on his health, and also affected the growth of Chettinad Cements Corporation.
Rueing the peculiar situation he was finding himself in, he asserted he had not taken any wrong step till date. His mission was to protect the interests of the Chettinad family/group. He said he was ready and willing to accept any fair resolution suggested by his father.
As for as Chettinad Group was concerned, he said: “I have built the company over the last 20 years, by taking the group’s turnover from Rs.60 crore to Rs.4,000 crore. Why should I walk out now? It is professionally run firm with complete automation system in place. Money has not been siphoned.” “It is unfortunate that a meeting has been called over small and personal issues. I am unhappy myself. The situation warrants me to give clarifications and explain my stance as my image has been tarnished. My father is acting on wrong advice given by five-to-seven people (both relatives and outsiders) with vested interests. Their motive is to remove me from Chettinad Palace and Chettinad group. I am not here to name or blame anyone as the matter is sub-judice. My advice to my father is to rethink for the benefit of the family and the group,” he said. Mr. Muthiah claimed he had sent over 200 mediators to his father. None of them was able to convince Mr. Ramaswamy, he added. Mr. Ramaswamy was not in a listening mood, he said. “I don’t know why my father is angry on me. I don’t know the problem. Unless his anger comes down, it is not possible to find a workable solution,” he added. On reports about Mr. Ramaswamy annulling his adoption, Mr. Muthiah said “I have not heard anything about it. It will not affect me personally. He cannot disown me.”
