The newly elected chief minister of the Indian state of Tamil Nadu has revoked the appointment of his longtime astrologer to a key government role following widespread backlash. Joseph Vijay Chandrasekhar, an actor-turned-politician who secured a stunning victory on his electoral debut earlier this month, had selected Rickey Randhan Pandit Vettrivel, an astrologer and numerologist with no administrative experience, to serve as an advisor. However, after just one day, the chief minister was compelled by public criticism to withdraw the appointment for the role of Officer on Special Duty.
Background of the Astrologer
Nearly a year before the state election, Mr. Vettrivel had interpreted Vijay's horoscope in public interviews and videos, predicting the rise to power of his then newly launched TVK party. The astrologer previously advised the late Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa and reportedly had associations with senior politicians from across party lines. According to the Indian Express, Mr. Vettrivel and Jayalalithaa fell out in 2014 after he incorrectly predicted that the former leader would avoid prison in a corruption case. He reportedly moved to Singapore after Jayalalithaa stopped consulting him.
Political and Public Reaction
His appointment in the chief minister's office immediately sparked a debate in Tamil Nadu, a state historically associated with rationalist and anti-superstition politics. Critics argued that giving a formal government role, an influential one at that, to an astrologer could promote superstition over scientific thinking. Senior members of the Congress party, the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) criticised the decision.
- Congress MP Sasikanth Senthil wrote on social media: "Beats me. Why would an astrologer require an OSD position? Can anyone explain?"
- The Marxist party's state chief P. Shanmugam said: "It is the government's duty to foster a scientific outlook. Ricky Radhan Pandit, who has been appointed today as the political wing secretary of the chief minister, is fundamentally an astrologer. Appointing such a person as an official at government expense will only serve to increase faith in astrology among the people."
- Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi general secretary D. Ravikumar called the decision "unacceptable" and demanded the chief minister "reconsider" it.
Jothimani, a Congress parliamentarian from Tamil Nadu, also urged the chief minister to reconsider the appointment. She noted the irony of Vijay's party claiming as its ideological leader Periyar E. V. Ramasamy, a pioneering social reformer who campaigned against caste hierarchy, religious orthodoxy, and superstition in Tamil Nadu. "It would be prudent for the new government to avoid becoming embroiled in such controversies immediately after assuming office," she added.
