TVK government withdraws appointment of Vijay’s astrologer Radhan Pandit Vettrivel as Officer on Special Duty Political to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister after backlash
Radhan Pandit is Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay’s Astrologer. Pic/ANI. (ANI Images)
After backlash from opposition as well as allies, the TVK government withdrew the appointment of Vijay’s astrologer, Radhan Pandit Vettrivel, as the Officer on Special Duty (Political) to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
After Vijay came to power, he elevated Vettrivel as Officer on Special Duty to the Chief Minister (Political) on Tuesday.
The astrologer was the one who had predicted Vijay’s landslide victory in the assembly elections.
Apart from being the astrologer, he was also TVK’s spokesperson and worked as a close aide to the leadership during the last electoral campaign.
On May 4, amid the counting of votes, when TVK had started pulling ahead, Radhan Pandit was the first person to visit Vijay.
Vijay’s move of elevating Radhan Pandit to a higher position had many raised eyebrows and also drew backlash from allies as well as the opposition.
TVK Faces Backlash From Allies
After Radhan Pandit’s appointment, Congress, VCK, and CPM slammed the TVK government for the move.
Taking to X, Congress MP Sasikanth Senthil said, “Beats me. Why would an astrologer require an OSD position ?? Can any one explain.”
Meanwhile, VCK general secretary D Ravikumar said, “This is unacceptable in a secular government. The Honourable Chief Minister should reconsider this. It is the government’s duty to foster a scientific outlook. Ricky Radhan Pandit, who has been announced today as the political wing secretary of the Chief Minister, is fundamentally an astrologer.”
In another post, VCK General Secretary said, “The Tamil Nadu government should immediately withdraw this unscientific appointment that is against the Constitution!”
Raising his concerns, CPM’s Central Committee member Shanmugam P said, “Appointing such a person as an officer at government expense will only serve to increase faith in astrology among the people… This appointment by the government is unacceptable! It is also unacceptable that he will provide political advice.”
‘Focus On Science, Not Astrology’
On May 13, during the floor test in the Tamil Nadu assembly, VCK MLA Vanni Arasu took a veiled dig at CM Vijay and said that the government should “focus on science and not astrology”.
“Our government should give importance to scientific thinking and not astrology,” said Arasu.
DMDK General Secretary and MLA Premalatha Vijayakanth also called the appointment of the astrologer “highly condemnable on behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu.”
“The appointment of astrologer Rathin Pandey as OSD to the Chief Minister is highly condemnable on behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu,” she said in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
While addressing the assembly at the end of the floor test, the chief minister said that he would take into consideration what Premalatha had said regarding Radhan Pandit’s appointment.
Nearly an hour after Vijay’s statement, the government withdrew the astrologer’s appointment as the Officer on Special Duty (Political) to the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister.
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