Whenever DMK comes to power, the Tamil Nadu assembly witnesses unprecedented ruckus and unhealthy happenings like physical attacks attempting to disrobe and outrage the modesty of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, tearing budget papers and so on.
This time is also no exception. Governor RN Ravi had to walk out of the session in the middle as he was humiliated; the MLAs from DMK allies stormed to the well, sloganeering in high volume when he was reading his address.
The DMK and its allies want to settle the score with him, as he, DMK alleged, was not clearing bills passed by the legislature and exposing the Government’s false narratives on many of its false claims.
The DMK-led Government and Governor RN Ravi have been at loggerheads over several issues. Most recently, the DMK has taken strong exception to Ravi’s remarks, allegedly terming Dravidian politics as ‘regressive politics’. The Governor also suggested changing the name of the State to ‘Tamizhagam’.
In a recent function, Ravi said, “Here in Tamil Nadu, a different kind of narrative has been created. Everything applicable for the whole of the country, Tamil Nadu will say no. It has become a habit. So many theses have been written – all false and poor fiction.
This must be broken. Truth must prevail,” He also reportedly said that for over 50 years, efforts had been made to reinforce the narrative that Tamil Nadu is not an integral part of India. Ravi said, “Tamil Nadu is the soul, an idea and an identity of the Nation, and we should keep it alive to erase some falsehood and fiction of negative approach prevailing in the State,”.
These remarks and not giving a total of 21 legislations passed in the assembly have not gone well with the DMK and its allies. They fear if he is allowed to make such comments, their political survival will become difficult and become outlandish and outdated.
It was a drama well-rehearsed before it was staged in perfect sync by all as per the script. When the assembly met for the year with a customary Governor’s address. Bedlam broke on January 09 as Governor Ravi arrived for his familiar address at the opening session.
Members of the ruling DMK allies- Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), and MDMK, left, and all sundries started raising slogans against the Governor before staging a walkout from the assembly. When the Governor skipped a paragraph containing references to National and regional stalwarts and the term “Dravidian Model of Government”.
Ravi started his address in Tamil a few lines before switching to English. The ruling party allies shouted slogans like “Do not impose BJP and RSS ideology and opposed his stand and accused him of toeing the BJP’s ideological stand. This is not Nagaland; this is proud Tamil Nadu. It is not Tamizhagam as claimed by the Governor, and it is Tamil Nadu”.
Undeterred by the sloganeering, the Governor read his address amid the uproar. The ruling DMK and its allies accused the Governor of sitting on a bill banning online gambling. The DMK and its allies objected to his action and comment, exposing DMK’s false narratives like Davidian Aryan theory and distorted English translation of Thirukkural by Christian missionaries during the colonial rule.
The Governor skipped portions and names of EV Ramaswamy Naicker, DR BR Ambedkar, DMK founder and former CM CN Annadurai, former CMs Kamaraj, and M Karunanidhi. He skipped saying Tamil Nadu. Tamil Nadu remains a garden of peace, social justice, the Dravidian model, equality, secularism and communal harmony. He also left out “let’s fall so that Tamil might survive, a quote from Karunanidhi. Governor Ravi mentioned the name Swami Vivekananda, and instead of Tamil Nadu Government, he said the Government.
The Governor skipped, “This Government will continue to march with vigour on the path of this Dravidian model of Government”. Award (best performing big State) is a testimony to the dynamic leadership of our honourable Chief Minister and the Dravidian development model, founded on the tenets of social justice and inclusive growth.
*“I would like to express my heartiest appreciation to the Government of Tamil Nadu for this remarkable feat (Temple land and properties worth Rs. 3,657 Crores have been retrieved by the Government)”.
*” Because of stellar law and order management, Tamil Nadu continues to be a haven of peace. As a result, the State is attracting numerous foreign investments and is becoming a forerunner in all spears”. “This Government is founded on social justice, self-respect, inclusive growth, equality, women empowerment, secularism and compassion towards all”.
*” Following the principles and ideals of stalwarts like Thanthai Periyar, Annal Ambedkar, Perunthalaivar Kamaraj, Perarignar Anna and Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar (Karunanidhi), this Government has been delivering the much -acclaimed Dravidian Model of Government to its people”.
Governor added his points: January 12 is National youth day and is the birthday of our great patriot saint and leader Swami Vivekananda.
“232 Tamil Nadu fishermen arrested by the Sri Lankan navy were released after using efforts of this Government “in collaboration with Government of India’”.
“This Government successfully handled the second and third waves of the Covid pandemic ‘in collaboration with the Government of India.
“Considering that the NEET exam system is highly disadvantageous to poor rural students, Governor read “this Government considers.’
He ended his address with Jai Hind.
The Speaker, M Appavu, read the Tamil version of the address by including the portions Governor had omitted and invited the Chief Minister to speak. He moved a resolution seeking to relax assembly rule 17 to retain in the house records only the printed speech in English and its Tamil version read by the Speaker.
Stalin said, “very sad and against the tradition of the assembly and he omitted portions of the speech prepared by the State Government and approved by him (but Rajbhavan said, it had wanted to delete certain portions and suggested alternative ones.
Speaker Appavu said, “It is a big crime. He had spoken indecently as if at a public rally. The Government sent the draft of his address and returned on the 7”. This self-professed custodian of law simply watched when the ruling party allies stormed to the well and created a ruckus. Legal experts say he failed to bring order in the house and initiate action against unruly members.
TN BJP president K Annamalai and former AIADMK Chief Ministers O Panneerselvam and Edapadi K Palaniswamy rallied behind the Governor.
Annamalai said, “Governor can’t be compelled to read out a prepared speech when the context is far from the truth. DMK should be reminded that it is not their party event to mention words like the Dravidian model in the Governor’s speech and still expect him to read it”.
Panneerselvam said that the Governor had exposed the DMK Government’s failures and inadequacies, and he skipped the portions that described Tamil Nadu as a haven of peace as it does not reflect the law and order situation in the State.
What surprised all was the preparedness of the TN Government in swiftly moving a resolution against the Governor.” awaiting this in advance (as the Governor expressed reservation and modifications in the speech and might skip them, CM Stalin moved a resolution “The Governor did not read fully and appropriately the text prepared by the Government and approved by him, which is not only regrettable but also a violation of Legislative conventions”.
But according to convention and Articles 175 and 176, after the customary address, the house adjourned immediately. During his speech, before or after completing, no member shall not speak, hinder proceedings or stall in any manner. The Speaker can initiate action against them. Former CM Edapadi Palanisway described Stalin’s move as against convention, and the Governor can skip and read out partially. The DMK allies’ action was construed to oppose the address and its content not against the Governor.
It is their Government’s address, and the Governor was reading.
The social media was abuzz with posts criticising the Governor in bad taste. DMK supporters came out with wall posters saying, “Get out Ravi which were spotted in Chennai. When the Governor walked out of the house, when a motion against his was passed, barring a few, all sat on their chairs which were considered disrespectful, is shown to constitutional authority. In a Video, education minister Ponmudi was raising his hand and saying Poda Po 1(an undignified word).
Raj Bhavan Chennai has issued the following clarification on Monday’s developments: How can a Governor be present when he adopts a no-confidence resolution against the Governor himself? When objections were raised, the Government said as it had gone printing, he can read the modified by his office. The correspondence, it says, is in records. But the Government sent its version without the modifications to media houses.
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