Chennai: A video clip of fishermen carrying Tamil Nadu Fisheries Minister Anitha Radhakrishnan, who did not want his feet to get wet at a lake bank near Chennai, has gone viral. The incident happened on Wednesday but became a topic of controversy on Thursday when the video was widely shared on social media.
Following the controversy, the Minister sought to make light of it saying the fisher folk had lifted him out of affection.
Anitha Radhakrishnan, who had switched over to the DMK from the AIADMK some years ago, had gone to Palaverkadu, off Chennai, with officials to study the decades old sea erosion problem in the region. He took a boat ride during the inspection and upon reaching the banks he apparently hesitated to get down and wet his feet. Following this the fishermen lifted him to the dry area.
On Thursday, the Minister denied that this was reflective of VVIP entitlement. “They asked me with affection to be lifted. What is wrong with it? A Fisheries Minister can only climb on to a fisherman’s shoulders. It is wrong only if I demand to be lifted by them”, he said.
