DMK councillors protest over Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple consecration pass distribution

DMK councillors wear black shirts and raise slogans at the Corporation Council meeting in Madurai on Wednesday, claiming that the State government failed to make proper arrangements for devotees for Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple consecration. | Photo Credit: R. ASHOK DMK councillors wearing black shirts and saris staged a protest inside the Corporation Council meeting here on Wednesday to condemn the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government over allegations that passes for the Meenakshi Sundareswarar Temple consecration ceremony were sold.Led by Ward 58 councillor M. Jeyaram, the DMK councillors displayed placards and raised slogans as soon as the session began. Despite Deputy Mayor T. Nagarajan urging them to resume their seats and put away the placards, citing council rules, the protest continued.The councillors alleged that TVK Ministers were selling consecration passes for ₹4,000, raising questions about whether the sacred festival was meant for the general public or restricted to TVK party members.They also criticised Minister for Energy Resources and Law R. Nirmalkumar, accusing him of monopolising the event for personal projection.In response, Ward 48 councillor K. Rubini Kumar defended the administration, stating that the consecration was conducted magnificently and that, for the first time, the public was permitted to witness the ceremony free from political interference. Her remarks sparked immediate opposition from the DMK councillors.The protesting members were temporarily removed from the hall to voice their grievances outside and were later permitted back inside.Meanwhile, AIADMK Ward 64 councillor Solai M. Raja objected to the Deputy Mayor’s decision to pause the meeting until the protesting DMK members returned to the hall.He argued that the demonstration was an intentional disruption, noting that the temple consecration issue fell outside the jurisdiction of the Corporation Council.Once back inside, Mr. Jeyaram alleged that dengue patients at the Government Rajaji Hospital in Madurai were transferred to the Thoppur Government Hospital during Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s visit.Condemning the move, he stated that while hospital data put active dengue cases near 600, he wanted an official and accurate count from the Corporation.In response, municipal officials dismissed the higher estimate, clarifying that the actual number of cases stood at around 150. They added that 1,200 Dengue Breeding Checkers (DBCs) had been deployed across all 100 wards to control vector-borne breeding, and all measures had been taken to combat the spread of fever.Referring to the recent Directorate of Vigilance and Anti-Corruption’s (DVAC) raid at the Corporation office and the subsequent arrest of multiple officials, Mr. Solai Raja urged Commissioner Gaurav Kumar to immediately suspend them from service.In response, Mr. Gaurav Kumar stated that disciplinary procedures were under way and formal action would follow once official directives were received from higher authorities.Meanwhile, Ward 96 councillor N. Vijaya called on the Corporation administration to allocate funds for training nurses working across the city’s 36 Primary Health Centres (PHCs). She also urged authorities to address ongoing medicine shortages by swiftly restocking essential supplies at these facilities.Additionally, she demanded that roads be relaid in areas where Underground Drainage (UGD) projects had been completed.“Because the Mullaperiyar drinking water project is not yet fully operational across the city, many households have faulty pipelines, which must be fixed to prevent water wastage,” she added.Addressing these concerns, Mr. Nagarajan noted that the newly announced nursing college for Madurai district would function as a major training hub for students throughout the southern region.“This facility can help train nursing students for dengue prevention duties, which will effectively help tackle the rising number of cases in the district,” he explained.He also assured that the proposal for PHC nurse training would be reviewed to find a viable solution. Published - September 30, 2026 07:18 pm IST