Guv Ravi cannot act on a whim, says Law Minister Reghupathy

TIRUCHY: Slamming Governor RN Ravi for blocking every move of the State government, including the appointment of vice-chancellors to universities, Law Minister S Regupathy said despite being a stumbling block to the regime, DMK won't demand the recalling of the gubernatorial head.

If we demand recalling the Governor, he will try to continue to stay here, Regupathy told reporters in Pudukkottai on Saturday.

The Law Minister claimed that the Governor is hellbent on doing the opposite of the State government's decisions. “The Governor cannot function according to his whims and fancies, especially in appointing a search committee for the V-C selection. The Governor says that the State government cannot approach the court in this regard. But we will put forth our argument in support of the government's stand,” the minister said.

When asked whether the State government would demand to recall the governor, Regupathy said there is no such plan. “If we demand to recall him, he will take a decision on the contrary to stay for a long time. So, we will never intend to demand a recall,” he said.

Meanwhile, the minister defended the government's move to accord police protection to the funeral of 1998 Coimbatore bomb blast convict SA Basha's funeral. He stated that the government won't stop a funeral procession in which a large crowd would take part, but it could provide security. That's how the government provided police security to the funeral procession of Basha, who died while being out of prison on parole, the minister said.