Material concernsToday, many temples receive large donations, making their proper management more important than ever. But the problem goes far beyond temples, as corruption continues to thrive in the political ecosystem. Large election funding raises suspicion, while modern-day gurus speak of spirituality but appear to embrace crass materialism, sending the wrong message to society.V. Nagarajan,ChennaiFree speechIn the context of the arrest of DMK MLA Anitha Radhakrishnan, one expects Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay to show a more tolerance than his predecessors towards his political opponents. Even if the remarks were not in good taste, free speech is paramount in a mature democracy. The arrest reminds one of the style of functioning of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who, at the slightest provocation, filed defamation cases against her political rivals. The top court had to step in. It would have been more gracious had Mr. Vijay expressed his disapproval to the leader of the Opposition.N.G.R. Prasad,Chennai Published - July 06, 2026 12:24 am IST