Health Minister C. Vijaya Baskar on Friday submitted an affidavit before the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court, undertaking to abide by the mandatory helmet- wearing rule for motorists.

He filed the response in a plea filed by activist ‘Traffic’ Ramasamy who had complained against the Minister. A Division Bench of Justices K.K. Sasidharan and P.D. Audikesavalu, taking note of the submission, disposed of the petition. The court had earlier observed that the helmet rule applied to the Health Minister too. Taking cognisance of photographs that showed the Minister riding without a helmet, a response was sought from him in the case. The court was hearing a petition filed by activist ‘Traffic’ Ramasamy, who complained that Mr. Vijaya Baskar and Madurai North MLA Rajan Chellappa had failed to abide by the law.

He said the Minister had participated in a health camp held in Pudukottai. As part of the event, he along with 100 other volunteers and AIADMK cadre went on a motorcycle rally without wearing helmets.

‘No action by police’

This act was against the High Court’s order which made helmet wearing mandatory for two-wheeler riders. Though a complaint was lodged with the Pudukottai Police, they had failed to act on the same, he said. The court refused to accept Mr. Ramasamy’s charge that Mr. Rajan Chellappa had violated the law when, along with party cadres, he created a ruckus before a theatre in Madurai that was screening the Vijay starer Sarkar. The cadre were protesting against the film which they claimed projected objectionable scenes against their party. He said that Mr. Chellappa and his group had not only caused inconvenience to the public, but also hindered traffic movement.

With the theatre owner not preferring a complaint, the court said it did not want to get into the issue.