Tirunelveli Corporation councillor suspended for ‘whistling’ during council meeting

A Councillor of Tirunelveli Corporation was suspended from attending the next two meetings for whistling during the council meeting held here on Monday (August 10, 2026).

Ward 19 Councillor A. Allah Pitchai, who defected from DMK to Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) recently, triggered a furore at the council meeting with his actions. After entering the council hall about 40^{minutes after the meeting started, he started whistling with a plastic whistle, TVK’s election symbol, even as other Councillors and Mayor G. Ramakrishnan watched. Even after DMK member Ravinder protested, he continued to whistle.}

Absolute pandemonium prevailed in the meeting hall for a while as DMK Councillors engaged in a heated argument with him. Unmindful of the furore he had caused, Mr. Allah Pitchai greeted CPI (M) Councillor Muthu Subramanian and Congress Councillors with shawls before going to his seat. Both parties support the TVK government in the State. Even as the DMK Councillors condemned the whistling, Mr. Ramakrishnan warned him of stringent action.

After normalcy returned, Mr. Allah Pitchai whistled again twice and the meeting hall plunged into pandemonium once again. When a few DMK councillors shouted at him and a couple of water bottles were hurled in his direction, Mr. Allah Pitchai demanded action against those who ‘attacked him’. The DMK Councillors demanded disciplinary action against him.

As the situation became volatile, Mr. Ramakrishnan announced that Mr. Allah Pitchai had been suspended from participating in the next two meetings to be held in September and October “for his unsavoury behaviour during the council meeting”.

The council meeting passed 92 proposals of the urgent meeting, including the council’s approval to a realty project coming up at Narasinganallur in Ward 19 with 652 housing plots. When the Mayor was reportedly threatened recently by two youths with dire consequences, DMK sources said the delay in giving the Corporation’s approval for the project was the reason behind the alleged threat.

“Now, the proposal has been passed without any discussion, which is unfair. Today’s council meeting should have discussed about the extent of land assigned to the Corporation for public utility and the fee collected from the promoter for creating basic amenities etc. However, the council has given its nod for the project without any debate for obvious reasons,” said a DMK Councillor.