Reports of a ‘yagam’ performed in the chamber of the Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam at the Secretariat in the early hours of Sunday have drawn flak from the Opposition. The ruling AIADMK, however, dismissed the charge as baseless.
Officials at the Secretariat said they were unaware of the ‘yagam’ as they had not visited Fort St. George since it was a Sunday.
Speaking at a function in Sholinganallur, DMK president M.K. Stalin said: “The Deputy Chief Minister’s office is a public place. It is run with people’s money. It is a government place. When you are sworn in, you say that you will not misuse your power. If you perform a ‘yagam’ in your house or a temple or Jayalalithaa’s mausoleum, we won’t ask you anything. What right or stature do you have to perform ‘yagam’ in the Secretariat?”
ADVERTISEMENT
‘Against secularism’
Dravidar Kazhagam president K. Veeramani said such an act was against the secular principles enshrined in the Constitution and was illegal. “Secretariat is not anyone’s personal property. It is a primary office of the State government,” he said.
Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi leader Thol. Thirumavalavan said that such an act was against the traditions of the Secretariat. “It is against tradition and, in fact, it is illegal. This comes as a shock to everyone. The Chief Minister and the Deputy Chief Minister should clarify on this incident,” he demanded. Senior AIADMK leader and Fisheries Minister D. Jayakumar, shot back: “Who saw him [Mr. Panneerselvam] perform a ‘yagam’? Is there any evidence that it happened? Without that, I don’t want to comment.”
ADVERTISEMENT