DMK objects to Tamil Nadu Minorities Commission chairman Felix Gerald’s participation in TV debates

The issue of Tamil Nadu Minorities Commission chairman Felix Gerald participating in political television debates, representing the ruling TVK, and “abusing Opposition members” echoed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday (August 25, 2026), with Speaker J.C.D. Prabhakar saying the matter “should be taken into consideration and we should think about how to carry it forward.”Mr. Prabhakar also acknowledged there was a difference between a statutory post and the chairpersonship of an ordinary board.DMK member S. Austin, who raised the issue, said Mr. Gerald was holding a statutory post and should not be abusing members of Opposition parties. He also quoted Chapter II of the Tamil Nadu State Minorities Commission Act, 2010, which states a chairperson or member could be removed if, “in the opinion of the Government, [he or she] has so abused the position of chairperson or member, as the case may be, as to render that person’s continuance in office detrimental to the public interest.”Mr. Austin said Mr. Gerald should be prevented from participating in debates and, if the government wanted him to participate in them, he should be removed from the post.Law Minister R. Nirmalkumar said participation was an individual’s choice and the issue could not be debated unless it was legally wrong. He also pointed out that Dindigul Leoni, the former chairman of the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation, had regularly targeted members of Opposition parties. Published - August 25, 2026 02:36 pm IST