Education, drugs, suicides: TN Governor Ravi slams DMK government in Independence Day address; Stalin, cabinet to boycott tea party

The tensions between Raj Bhavan and the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) in Tamil Nadu escalated to new heights on Thursday as Governor R.N. Ravi chose to reprimand and admonish the state government on various counts. In his customary Independence Day address on the eve of the 79th Independence Day, Ravi flagged four “very serious challenges” faced by the people of Tamil Nadu.

“We must wholeheartedly address some of the very serious challenges facing our people. I would like to make special mention of four of them: educational and social discrimination of the poor and marginalized; an alarming rise in suicides; fast-spreading drug abuse among our youth; and a steep rise in rape and other sexual offenses against women and girl children,” Ravi said in his address.

Ravi stated that the standards of teaching and learning are sharply declining in Tamil Nadu schools and that the learning outcomes of students in government schools are far lower than the national average. “More than 50 percent of high school students cannot do simple two-digit addition and subtraction; they cannot even read primary-level textbooks. The public education ecosystem in Tamil Nadu is on a steady decline,” he said.

Ravi also alleged that Dalits are physically assaulted in Tamil Nadu and stated that “it is a matter of collective shame that even after 78 years of Independence, rampant, humiliating social discrimination persists in Tamil Nadu.” Pointing out the increasing suicide rates in the state, Ravi said that the suicide rate in Tamil Nadu is “over 26 per one lakh population, more than double the national average of 12 suicides per one lakh population.”

He also alleged that there is a sharp increase in drug abuse among students and youth in the state. “This deadly menace has to be tackled both on the demand and supply sides. Greater awareness and stricter enforcement are needed to curb the demand for drugs; however, tackling the supply side is more difficult because powerful syndicates with alleged patronage of the powers-that-be are behind it.” He also contended that there is a steep rise in rape and other sexual offenses against women and girl children in Tamil Nadu.

Reacting to Ravi’s statement, the DMK responded by announcing that the Chief Minister and his ministers will boycott the 'At Home' reception hosted by the Governor at the Raj Bhavan on the occasion of the 79th Independence Day. In a statement, Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhian said that the decision was taken to protest against the Governor for his activities that are against the interests of Tamils and Tamil Nadu. He also said that he will boycott the convocation ceremonies of two universities scheduled to be held next week, which will be presided over by the Governor.

Ravi’s address, accusing the state’s apathy on four counts, and the government’s reaction, have, however, brought back the tensions between Raj Bhavan and the government, which had been lying low for the past four months since the Supreme Court ruling.

Recently, the Supreme Court had issued orders, effectively clearing all bills that Ravi had previously withheld without granting approval. Though things had remained silent, the standoff flared up again when Ravi forwarded a bill, seeking to set up a university in the name of former Chief Minister Karunanidhi, to the President for assent. This led to tension between the government and the Governor. With elections around the corner, the face-off resurfacing once again is likely to turn political.

Meanwhile, during a convocation ceremony at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, one of the students refused to take her convocation certificate from Ravi. During the 32nd convocation ceremony held in Tirunelveli on Wednesday, Jean Joseph, a PhD student, walked past Ravi and accepted her degree from Vice-Chancellor Chandrasekar, who was standing beside him. Ravi looked at the student with a smile.