Thanjavur district officials are facing mounting difficulties due to an ongoing clash between two ministers over protocol and prominence at government functions.
Agriculture Minister Vinoth, the Thanjavur district in-charge minister and a Kumbakonam MLA, and Minority Welfare Minister Shajahan, a Papanasam MLA from the Indian Union Muslim League, are at the centre of the dispute. As per the cabinet order, Shajahan is placed higher than Vinoth, and officials are expected to follow that hierarchy in event materials and proceedings.
The issue surfaced during the planned inauguration of completed buildings at Veppathur. Event banners and the programme schedule reportedly carried Shajahan’s name first in line with government rules. Sources said Vinoth objected, insisting that only his name should appear as the in-charge minister, and allegedly boycotted the function, prompting Collector Revathi to spend over an hour trying to persuade him to attend.
With Shajahan arriving for the event, officials obtained permission to proceed with the opening of only one building. Shajahan inaugurated the new town panchayat office building and left. Officials then cancelled the planned video-conference inauguration of other buildings that had been arranged in a separate room.
Later, Vinoth reportedly held a separate inauguration for a new laboratory at Kumbakonam hospital and conducted another building inauguration via video conference from the Thanjavur Collectorate, without Shajahan’s participation. Officials said coordinating government events has become a major headache and urged the Chief Minister to resolve the issue.
