'Tamizhagam' remark, assembly issue: TPDK workers protest against TN Guv demanding his removal
Jan 10, 2023
Chennai/Coimbatore (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 10 : Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK) workers here on Tuesday protested, demanding the removal of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi from his post by the Centre for reportedly skipping certain parts of his speech in the Assembly and the 'Tamizhagam' remark row.
Irate TPDK workers also burnt the governor's effigy in Coimbatore but the police prevented them from repeating the act in Chennai.
More than 30 cadres of TPDK workers were detained in Chennai when they tried to burn the Governor's effigy as they did not have permission for any kind of protest, police said.
The effigy was also taken by the police from the spot.
Speaking about the protest, TPDK's West Chennai Secretary Kumaran said, "The governor tries to impose BJP and RSS ideology and acts as an RSS voice. We will continue our protest".
Amid the row between the Governor and TN Government, various Dravidian political outfits have also condemned Governor Ravi.
On Monday, the Tamil Nadu assembly also saw unprecedented scenes, when Governor R N Ravi walked out in a rush following the adoption of a resolution moved by Chief Minister Stalin which sought to expunge, from house records, whatever the Governor spoke outside the customary government-prepared address.
Soon after the Governor completed his speech, a resolution to exclude a certain portion of the speech of the Governor was adopted by the Assembly, which prompted the Governor to leave the assembly in a hurry.
CM Stalin accused the Governor of "delivering a speech that was extempore and deviated from the approved text."
Elaborating on the whole issue, the Chief Minister said that the text for the customary address was already approved by the Governor and was given to the MLAs as printed books.
MLAs who were present in the assembly observed that Governor RN Ravi in his address skipped sentences, which contained words like Periyar, Ambedkar, Kalaingar Karunanithi, Kamarajar, Dravidian Model Government, Peaceful Tamil Nadu, Social Justice and self-respect.
They also said that Governor Ravi did not read the reference to the 'Dravidian model' that the ruling DMK promotes.
Last Wednesday, the Governor sparked a controversy when he remarked that for the name of the State "Thamizhagam would be more appropriate than Tamil Nadu."
"Unfortunately in Tamil Nadu there has been regressive politics that we are Dravidians, and by virtue of the Constitution, we have been brought together. The entire effort has been created in half a century to reinforce this narrative that we are not part of the nation, an integral part of the nation. And even a different kind of narrative has been created. Everything applicable for the whole of the country, Tamil Nadu will say no," the Governor had said while speaking at a function held in Raj Bhavan to felicitate the organisers and volunteers of Kashi-Tamil Sangamam.
"It has become a habit. So many theses have been written--all false and poor fiction. This must be broken. Truth must prevail. In fact, Tamil Nadu is the land which holds the soul of Bharat. It is the identity of Bharat. In fact, Thamizhagam would be the more appropriate word to call it," the Governor said.
