Did PTR criticise DMK govt with his remark in TN Assembly?

The Tamil Nadu Assembly witnessed some tense moments on Monday (April 21) when Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, PTR Palanivel Thiagarajan, delivered a candid and unexpected response to a query raised by Jayaseelan, AIADMK MLA from Gudalur constituency.

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The minister’s remarks, which highlighted the lack of funds and authority in his department, not only drew attention to administrative challenges but also prompted a rare intervention from Speaker M Appavu, exposing underlying frictions within the state’s governance framework.

Blunt admission

During the Assembly session, Jayaseelan raised a concern about the lack of employment opportunities in his constituency. He asked, “There are no industries in my constituency to create jobs. Will the government come forward to establish a small IT park to address this issue?” The question was a valid plea for development in a region struggling with economic stagnation, aligning with Tamil Nadu’s broader push to expand its IT sector beyond metropolitan hubs like Chennai and Coimbatore.

Thiagarajan’s response, however, was far from reassuring. “I have already spoken about the problems in my department during this session,” he said. “Funds are allocated sparingly. Unlike other states, not all IT parks operate under our department’s control. So, I believe if you ask someone with the funds, capability, and authority, they might get it done. We don’t have that.” His blunt admission of his department’s limitations stunned the Assembly, with many MLAs and observers interpreting it as a critique of the government’s resource allocation and decision-making structure.

Visibly taken aback, Speaker Appavu responded with a mildly reprimanding tone. “This should be discussed privately with the chief minister to find a solution,” he said. “A positive response would be better for the MLAs.” Appavu’s remark underscored the expectation that ministers maintain a constructive front in public, especially when addressing constituency-specific demands.

Not the first time

Thiagarajan, a former finance minister in Chief Minister MK Stalin’s cabinet, is no stranger to controversies. Elected from Madurai Central in the 2016 and 2021 Assembly elections, he brought a technocratic flair to governance, shaped by his education at MIT and a career in banking. As Tamil Nadu’s finance minister from 2021 to 2023, he presented three budgets, reduced the state’s fiscal deficit, and introduced welfare schemes like the ₹1,000 monthly aid for women heads of households. His 2021 White Paper on Tamil Nadu’s finances exposed the fiscal mismanagement of the previous AIADMK regime, earning him both praise and criticism.

However, Thiagarajan’s tenure as the finance minister was marred by a 2023 controversy involving leaked audio clips, purportedly of him making allegations against CM Stalin and his family. Though he dismissed the clips as “entirely fake,” the incident led to his reassignment to the IT and Digital Services portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle, with Thangam Thennarasu taking over as the finance minister.

Sense of discomfiture

In the Assembly, Thiagarajan has consistently advocated the need for greater state autonomy, criticising central policies like GST for undermining federalism.

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Critics, including some Opposition MLAs, view his latest remark as an unnecessary embarrassment to the DMK government. AIADMK’s D Jayakumar wondered, “If a minister feels powerless, what hope is there for the common man?”

T Ramakrishnan, a senior journalist commented: “In Tamil Nadu, IT parks fall under the Industries Department (with Minister TRB Rajaa) not the IT Department. PTR has boldly highlighted genuine challenges, unlike ministers in other states. His expression of frustration reflects a broader sentiment that the DMK has sidelined him over the past two years.”