CM Vijay gives ministers, MLAs chance to interact with media: Minister Rajmohan

CHENNAI: Asserting that the Tamil Nadu government operates on democratic principles with utmost transparency, Minister Rajmohan on Wednesday said Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay gives his cabinet colleagues opportunities to address the media, rather than keeping the spotlight on himself.

Addressing a press conference here, the Minister strongly dismissed recent criticism regarding the government's interactions with the media and the Chief Minister's communication style.

He emphasised that the ruling TVK ensures open channels with both the public and the press.

"This is a democratic government and a democratic party. Opportunities are given to everyone. I have been meeting the press every day since assuming office," Rajmohan stated.

He pointed out that while cabinet ministers regularly field questions, the Chief Minister adopts an analytical strategy, communicating well-calibrated views through social media.

Explaining the state's rigorous policy formulation mechanism, Rajmohan underlined that the government functions primarily as a people's forum. "When an issue arises, field officials conduct reviews, and opinions are gathered. There are three key tiers involved: the local officials, the people who are the direct beneficiaries, and senior IAS and IPS officers," he explained, adding that factoring in these diverse perspectives requires adequate time to ensure inclusive decisions.

Shifting focus to the recent by-elections, Rajmohan expressed confidence in a TVK victory, asserting that the polls set a new benchmark for electoral integrity in the state.

"For the first time in history, a ruling party has faced a by-election without abusing power, inciting violence, bribing voters, or attacking journalists. It was a completely civilised and transparent election," he said, thanking the CM for ensuring the police force was not misused.

Highlighting the government's commitment to women's safety, the Minister lauded the initial success of the newly formed "Singappen" force. The specialised women's protection unit has already rescued missing children and prevented violence on the ground.

"Just as the All-Women Police Stations created a massive impact during the former Chief Minister's regime, the Singappen force is proving highly effective and will be significantly expanded in the next phase," he noted.

Rajmohan also launched a scathing attack on the spread of politically motivated misinformation, specifically condemning the targeted harassment, body-shaming, and morphed videos directed at TVK candidate Sathyabama.

Calling out the character assassination of a woman candidate from an oppressed community, he urged the media to strictly verify facts rather than blindly amplifying WhatsApp rumours.

To combat this menace, he highlighted the government's active "Integrity Desk," tasked with flagging fake news and misleading social media reels.

The minister proactively debunked recent viral claims, clarifying that allegations of Hindi text replacing Tamil at the Azhagar temple in Madurai were completely false.

He further clarified that circulated photos of medicine covers with Hindi text from a Karur government hospital actually dated back to January 2026, during the previous DMK regime.

Earlier in the briefing, the minister commended government school students for organising an Olympic-style torch relay. Conveying the Chief Minister's wishes, he encouraged students, particularly girls, to focus intensely on sports and secure more medals for the state.