Chennai Mayor Priya Rajan addressed allegations of RK Nagar MLA Pallavi being sidelined during the inauguration of a new school building in Pulianthope. A video from the event went viral on social media, showing the mayor handing a candle to a senior IAS officer instead of the MLA during the lamp-lighting ceremony. This led to online criticism and claims of Pallavi being overlooked despite being the local legislator.
The incident occurred on the day schools in Tamil Nadu reopened after the summer break. The inauguration event, held at an Urdu school in Pulianthope, was attended by Mayor Priya Rajan, RK Nagar MLA Pallavi, senior officials of the Greater Chennai Corporation, and representatives of the education department. Reports indicate that while the MLA participated in the ribbon-cutting ceremony, attention shifted during the lamp-lighting ceremony when the IAS officer was invited to stand in the front row alongside the mayor, with the MLA positioned behind the officials.
Responding to the backlash, Mayor Priya Rajan clarified that the event followed official protocol and was not meant to sideline anyone. She explained that the IAS officer lighting the lamp first was in line with administrative protocol, and the MLA was to participate afterward. Priya Rajan emphasized that all proceedings adhered to the order of precedence at government functions, ensuring that every dignitary present was treated with respect.
