Stalin justifies criticising Governor citing his past attacks on Dravidianism

Why didn’t the Governor raise an objection when the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu was not sung in its entirety, at the very stage where the omission was made, asks Mr. Stalin. He recalls past instances of R.N. Ravi belittling Dravidian ideology and Tamil Nadu

Hours after Governor R.N. Ravi regretted Chief Minister M.K. Stalin’s “racist remark” against him in the wake of a row over selective omission about the glory of the Dravidian land while rendering of the State song at an official function of DD Chennai, the latter stood his ground.

Reacting to Mr Ravi’s statement, Mr. Stalin asked if the Governor had indeed rendered the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu with reverence: “Why did you not express your objection when it was not song in entirety on the very stage? Why did not you do that?”

Related Stories

• Prasar Bharati apologises over leaving out ‘Dravida’, other words in Tamil Thai Vaazhthu

• Opposition leader, DMK allies condemn distorted rendition of State song

The Governor could have felt free to correct them then and there. “If you had done that, would there have been this reaction?,” he questioned.

Mr Stalin went on to recall several past instances when the Governor had made remarks belittling the Dravidian ideology and Tamil Nadu.

“How can we forget when you said the State should not be called ‘Tamil Nadu’ but ‘Tamilagam’. You said it was the British who introduced the term ‘Dravidam’.” Referring to an interview of the Governor in which he said Dravida model was an expired ideology, Mr. Stalin contended: “This hatred has since developed and has come till the Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu”

He questioned if the Governor loved Tamil, “why did you release an image of Tiruvalluvar in saffron robes? Can you explain?” Mr. Stalin criticised him for having acted beyond convention and speak about politics on a daily basis.

“What kind of political civility it is to to convert the Raj Bhavan into a political office or to belittle the Dravidian race?” Mr. Stalin asked.

The Chief Minister called out the Governor for having avoided to mention the names of late social reformer ‘Periyar’ E.V. Ramasamy, architect of the Constitution B.R. Ambedkar, former Chief Ministers K. Kamaraj, C.N. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi during his customary address to the Assembly.

“If someone holding a Constitutional post becomes a puppet of a sectarian gang and intend to sow seeds of sectarian ideas in the Tamil land, the people of Tamil Nadu would pour hot water on the idea,” the Chief Minister said.

Mr. Stalin said: “If you intend to continue in the post of the Governor, I request you to free yourself from the clutches of sectarian forces and discharge your duties enshrined in the Constitution.”

Published - October 19, 2024 12:12 am IST