Traditional lighting of Karthigai Deepam atop Thiruparankundram hill will continue: Minister

Madurai: The traditional lighting of ‘Karthigai deepam’ atop Thiruparankundram hill will continue as usual, energy and law minister C T R Nirmal Kumar said in Madurai on Saturday.
“The govt’s stand is to follow the existing practice of lighting the deepam atop the hill. Most people want this. They want a peaceful atmosphere to continue. We will not allow any communal forces to play politics with this,” he said.
The minister said the Madurai city corporation tax scam will be undertaken by a team comprising the district collector, corporation commissioner and city police commissioner.
The minister said the govt will crack down on bars operating illegally. The consultative meeting was attended by district collector P Akash, corporation commissioner Gaurav Kumar, district superintendent of police B K Arvind, and others.
Asked why the CM refuses to meet the press, the minister said politics does not have to be conducted through press conferences and the CM provides clarifications to the people at appropriate times. “In the past, some held daily press meets merely for personal publicity and to show their presence, whereas our CM meets the public every day,” he said.
Regarding the theft of hard disks at TNEB headquarters, the minister said police are conducting a full-scale investigation and CM is monitoring the matter daily. “No one would escape,” he said.
Participating in a welfare assistance programme at Avaniyapuram later, the minister said the Madurai airport expansion is being looked at, considering the water catchment zones. The construction work of perimeter wall is underway, he said.