Days after the “Thamizhagam” row, the tussle between the government and the Raj Bhavan in Tamil Nadu touched a new low on Monday as Governor R.N. Ravi left the assembly in a huff after Chief Minister M.K. Stalin brought in a resolution to expunge the additions made by the governor and put in the assembly records only the printed speech.
The assembly witnessed unprecedented scenes as “Thamil Nadu vaazhga” (long live Tamil Nadu) slogans were raised as Ravi left the floor of the house even before the national anthem was played. The governor in his speech apparently skipped the 65th point about the state’s law and order situation and did not read portions of the 12th and 64th points which talked about Ambedkar, Periyar, former chief ministers Kamaraj, C.N. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi.
Industries minister Thangam Thennarasu in a press conference clarified that the governor had already approved the text sent by the government to him on January 7. “The text was sent to him on January 5. He had signed in it approving the text on January 7. How can he make changes today as he reads? This is against the Constitution. Will the president read a text on his own in parliament?” Thennarasu asked.
Meanwhile, sources in the governor’s office refuted the government's charges and said he had only added the names of Sangam poet Avvaiyar and Swami Vivekananda and also changed certain portions which overtly praised the government.
“The prepared speech praised the government in terms of law and order. It said the Tamil fishermen held captive by the Sri Lankan navy were released by the state government’s efforts alone. The speech did not mention the Centre’s role in releasing the fishermen. The speech also said that Tamil Nadu is the number one state in attracting foreign direct investment. But Maharashtra is ahead of Tamil Nadu. The governor made these changes in the speech,” the Raj bhavan sources said.
They further said that the prepared text was sent to the governor on January 5 and he wanted the changes made. “We were informed that the text has been sent for print and the governor can make the changes as he reads in the assembly. We have proof for this,” said the source.
Perhaps, this is the first time in the history of Tamil Nadu assembly that a resolution was brought against the governor and he left the house in a huff. However, there were incidents of the governor deviating from the approved text like during the 1991-1996 Jayalalithaa regime when then Governor Chenna Reddy, instead of calling my government, referred to it as “this government.”
The latest incident could be a flash point in the relationship between the government and the Raj Bhavan. With 21 bills already pending with the governor for his approval, the situation may worsen in the coming days, resulting in the emergence of new stumbling blocks in the developmental activities of the state. “The issue is much larger especially if one looks at it through the series of troubles that the opposition ruled elected governments are facing ever since the Modi government came into office at the Centre,” says political analyst and journalist R Mani.
Incidentally, the DMK had earlier faced the wrath of the Centre during the emergency and later 1991 when the state government was dismissed for taking on the Centre.