Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi calls for war on drugs, elimination of untouchability

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], August 14 : Showing concern about the different issues of the state, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on the eve of Independence Day said that we must remove the blot of shame of untouchability without any delay and remove social discrimination. He also stressed the need for citizens to be proactive in combating the rising drug menace in the state.
Tamil Nadu Governor said, "Frequent reports of social discrimination against Dalits in schools, temples and village festivals are extremely painful and hugely shameful. Such social discrimination is abhorrent and unacceptable. Dalits are our brothers and sisters. I earnestly appeal to you all to shun these discriminatory practices and embrace them with open arms."
Urging the youth to lead in this regard, he said that we must remove the blot of shame of untouchability without any delay. Say 'No' to all forms of social discrimination.
Stating the consequences of drug abuse, he said that combating drugs is a collective responsibility.
"We are immensely disturbed by the increasing prevalence of drugs and narcotic substances in our society especially among our youth. There are disturbing reports of the easy availability of drugs near schools and colleges. This is very very dangerous. Drugs have destroyed families, societies, states and countries. Our youth is our future. We must save our youth from drugs. It is the collective responsibility of all of us to remain ever-vigilant against drugs," said RN Ravi.
"In the last two years, we have lost many precious lives due to the consumption of spurious and poisonous liquor. This year it was relatively more devastating. The victims are all poor people. Many families lost their bread earners, women were widowed and children were orphaned. While the investigating agency must ensure that the merchants of death do not escape justice and are awarded the most severe punishment, I urge our enforcement agencies and the people to remain vigilant against the supply of illicit liquors. I urge our mothers and sisters who suffer the worst to be proactive against drugs and illicit alcohol," he added.
Stating about the unacceptable deeds of hostile forces, the Tamil Nadu Governor said that people should not believe sustained false propaganda and have faith in the fair and strong democracy of the country.
RN Ravi said, "There are hostile forces within and outside the country who are not happy or comfortable with our rise. They would like to keep us weak and poor. They are using various disruptive tools to slow down our progress. Significant amounts of foreign funds are being pumped in to destabilise our social harmony and disrupt our economy. Through sustained false propaganda they are seeking to undermine public confidence in our institutions."
"While we all know and the world acknowledges that our democracy is robust and its institutions are fair and strong, constant attempts are being made by hostile vested interests to create doubts about their integrity in the minds of our innocent people. Our fiercely independent judiciary and the Election Commission of India which are respected worldwide for their integrity are subjected to mud-slinging. Hostile elements are using advanced technologies including Artificial Intelligence, creating deep fakes and planting false narratives in pursuit of their sinister design. They are trying to create fear in the minds of our people through false propaganda that our Constitution is in danger, secularism and democracy are unsafe and our regulators are compromised, he added.
Urging the people to remain vigilant against anti-national schemes, he said, "They are questioning the valour of our armed forces, and creating doubts in the minds of the people about their achievements and thereby trying to lower their morale. They are trying to foment social tensions and create anarchy in our country. We must ever remain vigilant against such evil designs of the coalition of anti-Bharat forces."