TN Minister Keerthana clarifies London visit absence due to surgery

Tamil Nadu Industries Minister S Keerthana said her absence from CM C Joseph Vijay's London visit was due to a pre-planned medical procedure. She chose not to disclose it earlier, citing privacy, and continued to work while recovering.

Tamil Nadu Industries Minister S Keerthana on Tuesday issued a clarification on the controversy surrounding her absence from Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's recent investment outreach visit to London, stating that she was recovering from a medical procedure. In a statement, which she said would be her only statement on the matter, Keerthana said there has been considerable discussion over the past few days about her absence from the London visit and subsequently about her health, and she wanted to put the facts on record.

Details of the medical procedure

She said that in the first week of September she began experiencing pain and discomfort related to an old implant that had been placed following an earlier injury. After medical consultation, she was advised to have the implant removed as it had begun causing complications.

The Minister said she had initially planned to undergo the procedure earlier but chose to complete an important engagement with the HD Hyundai team scheduled for September 9 first. She underwent the procedure on September 10 and was advised adequate rest thereafter.

Continued work during recovery

She said she had chosen not to disclose this earlier as she believes a person's health is a private matter and that public discourse should be about the work of a government, its decisions and its outcomes rather than speculation about personal lives. There was no other reason behind her absence, she said, adding that had she known her absence would become such an important subject of discussion, with more attention being given to why she was not in London than to the work being done by the department, she would have clarified it earlier.

Keerthana further stated that even while recovering in hospital and subsequently at home, she continued coordinating arrangements and investment engagements connected with the CM's London visit and returned to work within four days of the procedure. She said she does not take lightly the responsibility entrusted to her by CM Vijay or the responsibility of serving the people of Tamil Nadu. To put the timeline in context, she cited her engagements with the University of Western Australia, Walgreens, Starbucks, UPS and the Salem Women's Kabaddi initiative in the days after the procedure. She also participated in the Breakfast Scheme on September 22, and despite medical advice not to lift anything, wanted to personally serve a child for a few moments.

On privacy and public scrutiny

The Minister said she has seen the speculation and commentary but does not intend to respond to every version of it nor make her health a subject of political argument. She said she is recovering well and remains completely focused on the responsibility given by the people of Tamil Nadu.

Noting that women in public life in particular should not have to choose between privacy and dignity, she said speculation about a person's private health should never become a substitute for scrutiny of their public work. "Tamil Nadu has important work to do with investments to bring, jobs to create and opportunities to deliver for young people, and that is where her attention belongs," she said, adding that the State comes first. (ANI)

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