PUDUCHERRY: Chief Minister N Rangasamy who turned 64 today was greeted by various sections of society.
Territorial Speaker V Sabapathy, Ministers P Rajavelu, N G Paneerselvam, T Thiagarajan, Lok Sabha member R Radhakrishnan, Deputy Speaker T P R Selvam, MLAs, party functionaries greeted him in person. The Lieutenant Governor Ajay Kumar Singh also sent a message greeting him on his birthday.
Earlier in the day after receiving blessings from his mother Panchaliammal, Rangasamy offered prayers in the Murugan temple at Karikamam. He offered annadanam too. Ministers, MLAs, other functionaries distributed stationery to students on the occasion.
Meanwhile, criticism cropped up on the erection of banners, particularly those depicting him as religious avatars.
Hindu Munnani condemned the portrayal of Rangasamy as Hanuman carrying Aye Mandapam, symbolising Puducherry instead of Dronagiri mountain in the Himalayas. This has hurt the religious sentiments of people, the outfit said.
The Chief Minister should advise his supporters to stop such practices, said A V Sanil Kumar, Puducherry Hindu Munnani president.
Further, he flayed the government for relaxing the rules against banners for two days to facilitate the erection of banners for celebrating the Chief Minister’s birthday and said that it was a murder of democracy. Stating that the law should be equal to all, he said that the ruling party was making a mockery of rules.
He said the Chief Minister should set an example in abiding by the rules and laws so that other citizens also abide by the same.