Published Nov 12, 2026 | 4:48 PM ⚊ Updated Nov 12, 2026 | 4:51 PM
Energy Minister CTR Nirmal Kumar speaking to the media. (File Photo)
The Nirmal Kumar show at the Secretariat in Chennai on Thursday saw the Tamil Nadu Law and Energy Minister defend Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay’s handling of controversies involving two TVK legislators.
Addressing reporters, the Minister said the government was investigating the allegations concerning Assembly Deputy Speaker and Thuraiyur MLA M Ravi Shankar and Kallakurichi MLA C Arul Vignesh, adding that appropriate action would be taken after the inquiries were completed. But he offered little clarity on how the incidents were being investigated or by whom.
On the controversy involving the Deputy Speaker, Nirmal Kumar said, “Different versions are being presented. We are investigating what happened inside. Action will be taken after the inquiry is completed.”
Also Read: The troubling priorities of Vijay’s TVK Government in Tamil Nadu
Asked about the allegations that Kallakurichi MLA C Arul Vignesh had sent inappropriate WhatsApp messages to District Collector JE Padmaja, the Minister trotted out an unusual defence.
“I am not here to discuss anyone’s personal matters, nor do I have the authority to do so,” he said.
Nirmal Kumar also criticised DMK MP Kanimozhi’s intervention in the controversy.
“It is wrong to say that you saw something on social media and are posting about it based on that. Would they accept it if someone else made a similar post saying they had seen it on social media?” he asked.
Nirmal Kumar maintained that people had every right to contact the individuals concerned and seek clarification rather than make statements based solely on social media posts.
“Nothing happened as Kanimozhi claimed. Saying that I saw something on social media and posted it is wrong. Nothing of that sort happened,” he added.
Arul Vignesh, it must be noted, has denied the allegations.
The Minister also defended the Chief Minister’s functioning, responding to allegations by DMK MLA Paranthaman that Vijay could not be contacted after 6 pm.
Nirmal Kumar claimed that Paranthaman had an axe to grind.
“He was not given a seat (by the DMK), and he would go and sleep at Stalin’s house. Stalin would come to the Secretariat only two days a week. Therefore, Paranthaman is speaking with Stalin in mind,” the Minister alleged.
He claimed that Vijay visited the Secretariat every day and personally conducted review meetings and consultations.
The Minister also took a swipe at the previous DMK government, alleging that Stalin had stayed at home while his son and son-in-law managed the administration.
“Unlike Stalin, the Chief Minister does not sleep at home and leave things to his son and son-in-law. He directly conducts all consultations and review meetings,” Nirmal Kumar said.
Rejecting the DMK’s criticism of the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, Nirmal Kumar alleged that the Opposition was building a narrative and conducting a campaign to portray the situation as deteriorating. He said the police had been given complete freedom to act swiftly and prevent wrongdoing.
According to the Minister, around 19,000 history-sheeters had been remanded during the current government’s tenure. He also said 6,700 cases had been registered under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, including 2,800 cases relating to incidents that should have been registered before May 10 but were subsequently registered.
The Minister further claimed that the police had identified 3,229 accused persons and arrested all but 152 of them. He said the government was taking measures to reduce crime and ensure that the police acted without delay.
Nirmal Kumar also argued that most of the recent criminal incidents involved first-time offenders and arose from individual disputes. Referring to the involvement of 11 history-sheeters in a particular criminal incident, he said all of them had been arrested immediately.
Citing figures to defend the government’s action against narcotics, Nirmal Kumar said 5,600 cases had been registered by the Anti-Narcotics Intelligence Unit over six months during the previous government. In comparison, more than 9,600 cases had been registered under the current administration, he claimed.
He added that arrests had increased from 8,500 during the previous period to 14,000 under the present government.
The Minister said Chief Minister Vijay was taking several measures to curb criminal activities and drug-related offences, despite the DMK allegedly attempting to create a negative perception about the law and order situation.
Nirmal Kumar also criticised the previous administration for failing to recruit police personnel over the last two years of its tenure. He said recruitment work had now begun to fill 10,000 vacancies in the police department.
He maintained that the present government was not functioning at a slower pace than the previous administration.
Vijay announces additional compensation for Thoothukudi firing victims
The Minister also defended the Chief Minister’s decision to announce additional financial assistance for those affected by the Thoothukudi police firing. He said a one-member commission had been constituted during the DMK regime to examine the incident, but the previous government had failed to implement the commission’s recommendations.
“Like usual, the DMK constituted a commission for political reasons but did not implement the recommendations made by it,” he alleged.
Nirmal Kumar said several cases relating to the Thoothukudi firing incident were still pending and that the government would examine all of them before deciding on further action.
On the energy front, the Minister said the government had received around 35,000 applications for rooftop solar installations.
He said installing rooftop solar systems at 50,000 locations could generate approximately 300 megawatts of electricity.
He also said the Electricity Board was using mobile patrol vehicles to identify and rectify electricity-related faults.
(Edited by R Rajesh Kumar.)
