COIMBATORE: Revenue and Disaster Management Minister KA Sengottaiyan on Sunday defended the appointment of a Karnataka-based film producer as the State's Special Representative in New Delhi, asserting that the sole responsibility is to represent Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's views before the Union government and not express personal opinions.
Addressing the media in Coimbatore, Sengottaiyan dismissed criticism over the appointment of a person from another State to the post, saying public appointments should not be viewed through the prism of regional identity.
Drawing a parallel with Congress leader Su Thirunavukkarasar, who represents Madhya Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha despite hailing from Tamil Nadu, the minister said, "When Thirunavukkarasar was elected, nobody questioned why a Tamil leader was chosen from another state."
He said India's federal structure was founded on unity that transcends religion, language and caste, and that the appointee's profession or place of origin should not determine his suitability for the role.
"The Special Representative's duty is to convey only the Chief Minister's views. He cannot put forward independent opinions. He is also a citizen of the country and is fully entitled to hold the responsibility. It is unfair to question his competence immediately after the appointment," Sengottaiyan said.
Another Cabinet member, R Nirmalkumar, also defended the move, saying that Narayana originally hails from Andhra Pradesh and is based out of Karnataka only for his film ventures.
"He (Narayana) is a trusted person who remained loyal during difficult times and faced significant pressure along with the party leadership", the Energy Resources Minister told reporters.
The specific position was given to those who could not get elected as MLAs, the minister added.
As per the GO, the appointment to the post of Special Representative of the Government of Tamil Nadu at New Delhi is for one year from the date on which the appointee takes charge, or till the need for it ceases, whichever is earlier.