COIMBATORE: Minister for Information and Publicity MP Saminathan kept up his commitment by participating in a welfare aid distribution function despite the demise of his father Muthur S Perumalsamy on Friday.

Saminathan gave away gold coins to women beneficiaries under the ‘Thalikku thangam’ scheme organised at a function in Erode. “Though the Minister was informed of his father’s demise, he kept up his commitment to participate in the function before leaving to his home town to carry out the final rites for his father,” said a DMK functionary.

The Minister’s father, who was admitted to a private hospital, died of age-related illness on Friday, around 8 am. He was 96 years old. The body was taken to his native village in Tirupur and cremated in the evening.