Mud Thrown at Tamil Nadu Minister Ponmudy During Flood Relief Efforts in Villupuram

Tamil Nadu Minister K Ponmudy was pelted with mud during a flood relief visit in Villupuram. He labeled the act as politically motivated, while BJP leader K Annamalai criticized the DMK government’s flood response. Ponmudy continued relief efforts, emphasizing the need to restore normalcy rather than escalate tensions.

Tamil Nadu Forest Minister K Ponmudy faced an unexpected confrontation during a relief distribution visit to Iruvelpattu village in Villupuram district on Tuesday. Unidentified individuals hurled mud at Ponmudy and his entourage, including District Collector C Palani, leaving the Minister and others with stained clothes. Ponmudy attributed the act to "political motives."

The incident occurred amidst claims by locals that government officials had not reached their isolated village for two days after Cyclone Fengal struck. While engaging with the residents, a protester threw mud, leading to allegations of political sabotage.

State Minister P K Sekar Babu accused an unnamed political party's member and her relative of orchestrating the act to obstruct relief distribution. Ponmudy, however, downplayed the incident, emphasizing the importance of restoring normalcy over escalating tensions.

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BJP state chief K Annamalai criticized the DMK government, suggesting the incident reflected public frustration with its handling of flood relief. He pointed out that top state leaders focused on Chennai, despite its lighter rainfall, ignoring the severity of the crisis in other districts.

Despite the disruption, Ponmudy continued distributing relief and interacting with affected families. Addressing reporters, he acknowledged the incident but dismissed the need for legal action, reiterating his focus on resolving the flood crisis.