The incident in the Nilgiris where Tamil Nadu Forest Minister Dindigul C. Sreenivasan “instructed” a tribal boy to remove his (Minister’s) slippers before he could enter a shrine is insensitive, uncivilised and deplorable (Inside pages, “Forest Minister gets tribal boy to take off his slippers”, February 7). It is unfortunate that a Minister who has taken oath in the name of Constitution has breached its very basic tenet of ensuring dignified treatment to the underprivileged. He has certainly brought disrepute to Tamil Nadu government which, historically, is a pioneer in espousing the cause of social justice and equality. His lame excuse — “like my grandson” — has only made things worse.
V. Subramanian,
Chennai
