CHENNAI: Rickey Radhan Pandit Vettrivel, astrologer and TVK spokesperson, was on Tuesday appointed as Officer on Special Duty (Political) to the chief minister. A government order (G.O) issued by the public department stated that the terms and conditions of his appointment would be issued separately.
According to his website, Vettrivel has over four decades of experience in astrology and meditation and had advised former CM J Jayalalithaa on legal strategies during the 1990s. He also had advised Jayalalitha to add a second ‘a’ at the end of her name and helped her in finalising the Jaya TV logo, the website said. The website also carries controversial claims, such as that he could guide people on how to overcome diseases through astrology.
The appointment has triggered criticism from political parties and progressive organisations, with several leaders questioning the propriety of appointing an astrologer to a government post.
CPM state secretary P Shanmugam criticised the move, stating that governments had a duty to encourage rationalist values and scientific temper. “Appointing an astrologer to an official post at public expense is inappropriate and likely to encourage superstitious beliefs among the people,” he said.
In a statement, the CPI said the move was surprising as the TVK had projected secularism and social justice as its core principles. Veerapandian said Vijay was free to follow his personal spiritual beliefs in his private life.
However, a government functioning under the Constitution should not carry any religious identity or promote unscientific beliefs, he added. Congress MP Karti P Chidambaram, in a cryptic post on X, likened the move to Roman emperor Caligula appointing his horse as consul.
VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan, however, said the appointment could have been made in Vettrivel’s capacity as a party spokesperson.
“Those with beliefs in astrology do not necessarily also comply with communal politics,” he said.
The Tamil Nadu Progressive Writers and Artists Association (TNPWAA) has urged Vijay to revoke the appointment. In a statement, its president, Madhukkoor Ramalingam, said granting a highly paid government position to an astrologer using taxpayers’ money is an act that makes a mockery of the Constitution.
Ramalingam said progressive organisations have been demanding a law against superstitious practices in Tamil Nadu and pointed out that no previous government had directly appointed “promoters of superstition” to government advisory bodies or high official positions.
