Tamil Nadu govt’s appointment of Special representative to Delhi triggers sharp criticism

THe tell oppositeness on fri come to come out at the Tamil Nadu government after it appointed Venkata Narayana K as the state government’s special representative at New Delhi for a year.According to an official release issued by chief secretary M Sai Kumar, “sanction is accorded for the creation of a temporary post of Special Representative to the Government of Tamil Nadu for a period of one year with effect from the date on which the appointee takes charge.”“The terms and conditions on appointment of Venkata Narayana K as Special Representative to the Government of Tamil Nadu at New Delhi will be issued separately,” the release said.Narayana is the producer of Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) president and chief minister C Joseph Vijay’s last film, Jananayagan. Directed by H Vinoth, the film was produced by KVN Productions.In May, Narayana drew widespread attention when he was seen accompanying Joseph Vijay and senior party leaders to Lok Bhavan for a meeting with Governor Rajendra Arlekar, where TVK staked claim to form the government.Dubbed Vijay’s swansong, Jananayagan faced several delays in its release pending certification from the censor board. The film was later leaked online, dealing a major setback to the production house.The appointment drew sharp criticism from the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), both of which questioned the choice, pointing out that Narayana hails from Karnataka.DMK deputy general secretary ‘Tiruchi’ Siva said it was “surprising and shocking” that Venkata Narayana, the producer of Jananayagan and a person from Karnataka, had been appointed as the Tamil Nadu government’s special representative in New Delhi.“The question that arises is whether he will stand, represent and voice for Mekedatu dam issue in favour of Tamil Nadu. The chief minister of Tamil Nadu Joseph Vijay has proclaimed loudly on the floor of the assembly that his government will not yield to Karnataka’s stand of constructing a new dam at Mekedatu across Cauvery river which would drastically affect the livelihood of the farmers in delta region,” Siva, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP, said.He added that since the special representative is originally from Karnataka, the public was awaiting an official clarification and reassurance from the Tamil Nadu government.The BJP termed Narayana’s appointment a “great shock” and said it “raises various questions.”“How can someone completely unrelated to Tamil Nadu be appointed to such a crucial position that is supposed to serve as a bridge between the central government and the Tamil Nadu government?” BJP Tamil Nadu chief Nainar Nagendhran said.In a social media post, he asked, “How can someone who is not fully aware of the mother tongue Tamil and our Tamil culture echo the thoughts of the Tamil people and the voice of Tamil Nadu government in Delhi.”