Former Chief Minster and AIADMK co-coordinator Edappadi K Palanswami called on the 27th Gurumahasannidhanam of Dharmapuram Mutt Sri Masilamani Desika Gananasambanda Paramacharya Swamigal on Friday and expressed his party’s support to the seer “for continuance of age-old religious practices”.
Mr Palaniswami, who was received with 'poornakumbam' honour, told mediapersons later that the State Government's interference in the 'pattina pravesam' ritual (carrying the pontiff on a palanquin) that had been prevalent for the last 500 years in the Mutt was "condemnable".
Asked to comment on the Government's talk of alternative plan for 'Pattina Pravesam' next year, Mr. Palaniswami quipped: "let us see if the government lasts till then."
The DMK Government was keen only on prosperity of the Chief Minister K. Stalin's family and not the people, he alleged.
He criticised early release of water from the Mettur Dam this year, saying the desiltation works in tail-end areas were still incomplete.
The method of paddy procurement through Direct Purchase Centres was flawed, he said.
He refused to answer a question on the possibility of re-entry of late Chief Minister Jayalalithaa’s aide V.K. Sasikala and her nephew and general secretary of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam T.T.V. Dhinakaran into the AIADMK.
