Tamil Nadu ministers Senthil Balaji, K Ponmudy quit MK Stalin’s Cabinet | India News

Senthil Balaji and K Ponmudy (proper) / File pictures

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu ministers Senthil Balaji and K Ponmudy quit the chief minister MK Stalin-led Cabinet on Sunday, reported information company PTI, citing Raj Bhavan. Governor RN Ravi has accepted the resignation of each the leaders.
SS Sivasankar has been moreover assigned the Electricity portfolio. S Muthusamy can even deal with Prohibition and Excise. RS Rajakannappan will now oversee Forests and Khadi and has been appointed because the minister for forests and khadi.
Additionally, the CM Stalin has advisable the induction of T Mano Thangaraj, MLA from Padmanabhapuram meeting Constituency, into the Cabinet.
The swearing-in ceremony for the brand new minister designate is scheduled for Monday, April 28 at Raj Bhavan, Chennai.
The resignation of the 2 ministers comes as each the DMK leaders face authorized challenges, with the Supreme Court on Thursday agreeing to listen to a plea within the cash-for-jobs rip-off, by which Senthil Balaji is without doubt one of the principal accused.
The plea has challenged the clubbing of 4 separate chargesheets – pertaining to deprave practices within the appointments of assistant engineers, junior tradesmen, conductors and drivers – with an present case associated to the appointment of junior engineers.
On Wednesday, the Madras excessive courtroom famous that the remarks made by K Ponmudy towards Shaivism, Vaishnavism, and ladies have been prima facie hate speech and determined to provoke suo motu proceedings towards him in that regard.
“Prima facie, it was evident that his remarks demean the moral worth of sex workers, particularly women, and were calculated to subvert harmony and peace among religious groups and various sects,” the choose mentioned.
The feedback, on the face of it, have been fully derogatory in direction of girls and intentionally spewed venom and hatred on the 2 principal sects of Hinduism, the choose added. The choose directed the initiation of proceedings because the Tamil Nadu police didn’t register an FIR towards the minister, as advised by the excessive courtroom final week.
According to the courtroom, as per the Supreme Court order, police are mandated to register a case towards such hate speech even within the absence of a proper criticism.