Guv or TN BJP president: DMK asks RN Ravi

CHENNAI: The ruling DMK on Thursday responded in kind to Governor RN Ravi's critique of Chief Minister MK Stalin's Dravidian model government and said that Ravi has come to Tamil Nadu for the post of BJP president and not the Governor.

In a point by point rebuttal statement to the Governor, State Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu said, "A complete reading of his (Ravi) interview shows that he has come to Tamil Nadu for the post of the BJP president and not the post of governor. Ravi is doing everything other than the duties of the governor. He is engaging in politics from the Raj Bhavan, instead of Kamalalayam."

Reiterating that through a resolution the Chief Minister had restored the pride of the State Assembly, which was undermined by the Governor on January 9, Thennarasu said, "The rule insists that the governor must read the speech prepared by the government. That is the practice too. If he is not interested in delivering the speech, he should not have come to the House. The post of the Governor is only a reflection of the state government and it does not have independent powers. He has no rights to undermine the pride of the House. He must state what the then Gujarat governor read out after the post-Godhra riots in 2002."

Seeking to know if the patriotism of the Governor was insulting the national anthem, as he did in the House on January 9, the minister said listed out the action initiated in Coimbatore car blast case, petrol bomb hurling cases and Kallakurichi school violence, and said, "How can a person who is a part of the state government, blame the same government? How could this be fair? Whether he agrees or not, Tamil Nadu is a haven of peace. It reflects in the growth of the state. The truth is that his speeches derail the peace."

Wondering if the withholding of the Bills does not amount to paralysing the state administration, Thangam said, "He has lied that no Bill is pending with him. He must clarify the difference between withholding and pending bills."

As on date, there are 17 bills pending with him, including the 10 bill passed in the recently-concluded session, and sent for his assent, he added, remarking that the government would not allow him to sidestep the issue using words.

Citing the presence of major higher education institutions in the top ranking of the National Institutional Ranking Framework, the minister referred to the rise in school enrolment after the launch of the breakfast scheme and said, "Perhaps, it is opposed to the sanathana dharma. Hence, he is blaming the state education system." Clarifying that removal of the word "petty" from the Finance Code in 2000 does not apply after the augmentation of the discretionary fund to Rs 5 crore in 2019, the minister reiterated that the unused discretionary funds, which lapses at the end of every financial year, was diverted to other accounts and used every march in violation of the audit rules, which was highlighted repeatedly by the auditor general.

The minister summed up his rebuttal with the parting shot that one could understand Mr Ravi by the interview's silence on his meeting with the representatives of online gambling firms.