MADURAI: Reiterating the state government’s stand on the Thirupparankundram hill issue, Minister Nirmal Kumar on Saturday said it was committed to maintaining the peaceful “status quo” that existed over the past several years and added it would not allow communal forces to exploit the issue for political gains.
Addressing media persons in Madurai, Nirmal Kumar said the situation that existed two years ago, or even 10 years ago, should continue on the hill.
People want a peaceful atmosphere and the government shares that view. There is no change in the government’s policy on this matter, he stated.
Stressing that communal harmony must be protected, the minister said the government would not permit any religious or communal organisation to use the issue as a political tool.
Commenting on hard disks going missing from the electricity board (TNEB) headquarters, the minister said police were carrying out a detailed investigation and efforts were under way to ascertain what data had been lost and whether it could be recovered.
Questioning the response of former minister V Senthil Balaji on the issue, Nirmal Kumar said no one had accused him in the case and wondered why he had chosen to publicly comment on the matter before the investigation was completed.
On criticism that Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay avoids the media, the minister said there was no convention requiring a chief minister to hold daily press interactions.
“Our chief minister interacts with the people regularly. Whenever clarifications are necessary, the government communicates them through appropriate channels,” Kumar said.
Asked about the TVK’s participation in the upcoming INDIA bloc meeting, the minister said the decision would be taken by the chief minister.
On the delay in the Madurai AIIMS project, Nirmal Kumar criticised successive governments for engaging in blame game rather than focusing on implementation.