Minister's Long Reply in Tamil Nadu Assembly Sparks Laughter Over Vellore College Query

A question regarding the establishment of a sports stadium for a college in Vellore district led to lighthearted moments in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly in Chennai on Tuesday, after Higher Education Minister P Viswanathan offered an unusually elaborate and winding reply.

DMK MLA A C Vilwanathan had raised a query asking whether the Tamil Nadu government would build a sports stadium for the Puratchi Thalaivar MGR Govt Arts and Science College at Madhanur in Vellore district. The MLA was expecting a simple yes-or-no answer or a brief reply in just a few words.

However, Minister Viswanathan delivered an extensive response that did not directly address the proposal. Instead, the minister spoke at length about several other colleges in Vellore district, detailing their status and classifying them into government and government-aided institutions while listing them one by one.

Viswanathan, who is known in Assembly circles by the moniker “Kavignar” due to his penchant for repetition and elaborate speeches, continued with his remarks even as the response drifted away from the specific question asked. This prompted Speaker J C D Prabhakar to step in and instruct the minister to be precise in his answer.

Despite the Speaker's intervention, the minister continued to speak in his typical style. Opposition members, amused by the prolonged detour, repeatedly questioned amid laughter whether the government would actually construct the stadium or not. Members sitting on the treasury benches also struggled to contain their laughter during the exchange.

The extended response prompted Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin to joke that MLAs might think twice before directing questions to the minister in the future.

Following another intervention by the Speaker, Viswanathan concluded by clarifying that the MLA was asking for an integrated sports stadium rather than simply an open playground.