Chennai: Painting Governor RN Ravi as anti-Tamil, allies of the DMK, including the Congress and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), raised slogans against him and staged a walk out in the first day of the assembly session on Monday. As soon as the Governor, started reading out his customary address, they shouted slogans praising "Tamil Nadu" and walked out of the House.
Outside, they condemned Ravi for his 'belittling remarks on the state and Tamils'. Ravi had also blamed the Dravidian ideology for landing the state in a 'regressive politics' in the last half a century. The PMK, which continues to be an NDA partner despite severing ties with the. AIADMK, too joined the chorus and joined the walk out.
"Violating conventions, he skipped, Tamil Nadu and Dravidian Model. This is unacceptable," said congress leader K Selvaperunthagai. "Governor is not someone who had come down from the heaven. He is sitting over Bills, including one vanning online gambling," said VCK leader Sinthanai Selvan.
"He functions as a trumpeter of RSS-BJP. We welcome the address, a policy statement of the democratically elected governor. Our party stand is that the office of governor is redundant and outdated and hence should be abolished," the legislator reasoned with. Echoing the same, Thamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi president T Velmurugan charged the governor of acting at the behest of the RSS.
It seems, the controversy stoked by the Governor, refuses to die down with the the ruling DMK and its secular allies, keeping the heat on Raj Bhavan. Earlier, responding to the Governor's views, DMK Parliamentary Party leader and party treasurer, TR Baalu said, "the BJP in Tamil Nadu already has a president and it is not necessary for Ravi to double up. He can resign and speak from Kamalalayam (state BJP HQ)."
For Ravi, it is his first in person address to the House from the historic fort St George. Earlier, due to Covid restrictions, the session was held at the Kalaivanar Arangam. In his address, the governor acknowledged the great strides the state had made under 50 years of Dravidian rule and being a forerunner in development and all-round growth.
