Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi Skips 'Dravidian Model' In Assembly Speech, Walks Out After Stalin Moves Resolution Against Him

Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi walked out after delivering his address, as a resolution moved by Chief Minister M K Stalin asking the Speaker to take on record only the official speech prepared by the state government, was adopted by the Assembly.

The government alleged that the Governor had not stuck to the original speech and had also skipped references to the Dravidian model, secularism and leaders like Periyar, C N Annadurai, and M Karunanidhi.

Few days back, Ravi had said that the state has witnessed 'regressive politics' in the last 50 years, which was seen by political commentators as referring to the Dravidian model.

Stalin said that not sticking to the speech provided by the state government was against Assembly traditions.

The Assembly had begun on a stormy note this morning (9 January) as MLAs from the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its allies like the Congress and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) had raised slogans against the Governor's recent remarks suggesting that the state be called 'Tamilakam' instead of 'Tamil Nadu.'

Following that, the DMK's allies staged a walkout from the Assembly.

Condemning the incident, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) state president K Annamalai said in a Twitter thread that the Governor of a state cannot be compelled to read out a prepared text when the reality is different.

He added that it was nothing but a joke for the government to expect that Governor to call the state as an abode of peace and tranquillity when the reality was that the state had seen an act of terror in Coimbatore and petrol bombs were thrown at the houses of BJP and Hindu Munnani leaders after the raids and ban on the Popular Front of India (PFI).

Further, he said that it was not a DMK party event that the Governor would read out phrases like 'Dravidian model.'

Regarding the resolution moved by Stalin, he said that it was disrespectful and amateurish to do so when the Governor was still in the Assembly.

He concluded by saying that the DMK was unable to accept a Governor doing his constitutional duty.

The ruling DMK has been at loggerheads with the Governor over a number of issues like his remarks on Thirukkural and Sanatana Dharma. It also says that the Governor is responsible for the deaths caused by online rummy, because he has not signed a bill banning such online games.

Last November, it had submitted a memorandum to President Droupadi Murmu asking her to remove Ravi from the post of Governor, due to his 'anti-constitutional' remarks.

Also Read: Stormy Scenes In Tamil Nadu Assembly During Governor RN Ravi’s Address