The Bharatiya Janata Party has taken an exception to what it termed the “involvement” of the Chairman of the Tamil Nadu Minorities Commission M. Prakash in the election campaign of AIADMK candidate for the Erode Parliamentary constituency Selvakumara Chinnaiyan.
The BJP's contention is that the prayer, conducted earlier this week by Mr. Prakash, in his official capacity — since he had used the official car — at the CSI Church along Brough Road here in the presence of State Ministers and MLAs for victory of the AIADMK candidate was in contravention of Election Commission’s norms.
On Friday, a delegation of BJP functionaries led by its district president Pon. Rajeshkumar submitted a petition to the District Collector and Returning Officer for the Erode Parliamentary constituency, demanding appropriate action. “There was perhaps nothing wrong in elected representatives taking part in the prayer meeting for AIADMK's victory. But the Tamil Nadu State Minorities Commission being a statutory body, the conduct of the prayer meeting by its Chairman in his official capacity was a violation of Election Commission's norms’’, A. Saravanan, a senior BJP functionary, said.
The role of the Tamil Nadu State Minorities Commission is confined to protecting the rights and interests of minorities. There is no political role for the statutory body, Mr. Saravanan explained.
