Stalin makes veiled attack on Governor Ravi

CHENNAI: DMK president and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Saturday made a veiled attack on Governor R N Ravi in connection with the row over the use of the official State name, 'Tamil Nadu.' Addressing a party youth wing event here, Stalin traced the party's growth history since it was founded in 1949 and pointed out the changes witnessed over the years in taking forward the campaign to reach out to the people.

Pointing to the digital era and social media platforms, he said a desperate 'propaganda' is on to scuttle the DMK's further rise.

''You must not forget that only you can frustrate such attempts (of rivals),'' he told the youth wing functionaries and workers.

Referring to the renaming of Madras State as Tamil Nadu by DMK founder leader C N Annadurai when he was the Chief Minister, Stalin recalled that Anna had taken part in a public event here to celebrate renaming of the State despite his illness and against the advice of doctors.

''Anna wondered if there is any use of being alive if he did not participate in a function to celebrate the naming of the State as Tamil Nadu,'' the Chief Minister quoted Anna as saying.

Stalin said, however, 'someone is today lamenting that the term Tamil Nadu should not be used.' It is seen as a veiled attack on Governor Ravi.

Ravi, at a felicitation to the organisers and volunteers of Kashi Tamil Sangamam held at the Raj Bhavan on January 4, 2023 had remarked allegedly that 'Thamizhagam' is a more appropriate name for Tamil Nadu.

''Here in Tamil Nadu, a different kind of narrative has been created. Everything applicable for the whole of the country, Tamil Nadu will say no. It has become a habit. So many theses have been written - all false and poor fiction. This must be broken. Truth must prevail,'' Ravi had said.

''Thamizhagam would be more appropriate word to call it. The rest of the country suffered a lot of devastation at the hands of foreigners for a long time,'' Ravi said. The ruling DMK staunchly opposed this view and started targeting Ravi.

Annadurai (1909-1969) is an iconic leader of the Dravidian movement and DMK founder. He is popularly known as Anna, which means 'elder brother.' In 1967, the DMK captured power in Tamil Nadu for the first time. Soon after becoming the Chief Minister, Anna piloted the passage of a resolution in the Assembly on 18 July 1967 to change the name of the State from Madras State to Tamil Nadu. In 1968, the Parliament approved the name change, which came into force on 14 January 1969.

The word 'Thamizhagam' and 'Tamil Nadu' are both popular terms. When the meaning is taken into account, together with its connotation, they convey the same sense. Tamil Nadu is Tamil country or the land of the Tamil-speaking people. Thamizhagam denotes the land (also homeland) of Tamil language or the Tamil people.

DMK organising secretary R S Bharathi, after Governor Ravi walked out of the Assembly on January 9, had hit out at him for being unaware of Tamil Nadu's glory.