Tamil Nadu minister defends ministers replying for CM in Assembly

Tamil Nadu HR&CE Minister S. Ramesh said on Sunday that senior ministers replying to questions on behalf of the Chief Minister in the Assembly is a democratic practice, not a violation of procedure. He accused opposition members of repeatedly disrupting proceedings and using abusive language, contrasting the current regime with the previous administration where he claimed there was no room for democracy.

Responding to public complaints about poor quality ration rice, Ramesh said the Chief Minister has taken firm steps to supply high-quality grain through ration shops. He also detailed ongoing temple restoration works, cancellation of Rs 246 crore in unviable tenders, and plans to set up mobile phone deposit counters at over 50 major temples following High Court directives.

Ramesh acknowledged crowd management challenges at the Tiruchendur temple, where weekend footfall can reach 60,000 devotees against a carrying capacity of 30,000. He said 80-90 per cent of darshan malpractices have been addressed since the government took charge 100 days ago and appealed to media personnel not to film inside sanctums.