DMK rejects Guv clarification on 'Tamizhagam' row

CHENNAI: The ruling DMK here has rejected the Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi's clarification on "Tamizhagam" and claimed that his intention was to project it as a divisive party.

Further, a person who occupied the gubernatorial position has no locus standi to comment on Tamil Nadu or its culture or language, the Dravidian major said on Thursday.

Reacting sharply to the release from the Raj Bhavan here, DMK spokesperson T K S Elangovan said "I don't know if his (Governor) intention was to suggest a name change or not, but his intention was to project DMK as a divisive party."

He wanted to depict the DMK as a force fighting for a separate country, Elangovan alleged. "But this is not true. We have not demanded a separate nation but sought more powers to the State for administrative reasons," he told PTI.

At an event on the Raj Bhavan premises on January 4, Ravi during a felicitation of volunteers of Kashi Tamil Sangamam, had referred to the word "Tamizhagam" triggering a controversy in the State. He was met with strong resistance from the DMK.

"While dwelling upon the historical cultural connect between the two, I referred to the word Tamizhagam.' In those days, there was no Tamil Nadu. Hence, in historical cultural context, I referred to the word Tamizhagam,' as a more appropriate expression," the official communique from Raj Bhavan, quoting Ravi, stated on Wednesday.

The month-long event celebrating the age-old cultural connect of Tamil people with Kashi had concluded recently.

"An interpretation or inference that it was a suggestion to change the name of the Tamil Nadu is erroneous and far-fetched," the statement read.

It had further said that without understanding the basis of the speech, arguments that the Governor is against the word Tamil Nadu' have become a topic of discussion. "Hence, I am giving this clarification to put an end to it," the Governor had said in the release.

DMK organising secretary R S Bharathi rejected the clarification saying "the Governor has no locus standi to comment about Tamil Nadu, its culture or language."

"We are always with India and like the country. In every difficulty we stood with india. Even during the Indo-Pak war, the DMK raised huge sum as aid for the Indian army, to express our solidarity with the nation," Elangovan explained.

Asked what more the DMK expected from the Governor post his clarification, he replied "the intention of the Governor is to portray the DMK in a wrong way and he had to withdraw because of the widespread opposition he faced from the public and other political parties."

So, following the opposition, Ravi naturally "had to backtrack" Elangovan said and added that the governor may change his stand. "He was instructed to do something against the DMK but it misfired and so he withdrew it," Elangovan claimed.