Tamil Nadu: Ruling DMK petition President to sack Governor RN Ravi

In a bid to step up pressure on the Governor of Tamil Nadu, ruling party DMK and its allies have urged President Droupadi Murmu to sack Governor RN Ravi alleging that he has violated his oath to Constitution. DMK led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA), along with others, took “exception to his praising Sanatana Dharma” and charged Ravi with “instigating communal hatred”. The November 2, 2022 dated memorandum has been submitted with the President’s office.

The petition that has been signed by SPA members of Parliament and submitted with the President’s office, also lists out the number of pending bills with the Raj Bhavan, including one crucial one that seeks exemption to the state from the NEET. Ravi and Chief Minister MK Stalin-led government have been at opposing ends over many issues, including the NEET, and his recent remarks over the “delay in handing over the probe into the October 23 car explosion” to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) by the state government. Furthermore, the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test (NEET) has got deep emotional connotations in the state as many aspirants, starting from S Anita of Ariyalur, have committed suicide due to either not being able to crack it or over apprehensions over clearing it. One of the key promises on agenda of DMK during the 2021 poll was ensuring NEET exemption to the state.

The memorandum states that “instead of forwarding the NEET bill to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Ravi usurped the powers of the Hon’ble President and questioned the wisdom of the Legislature and returned the Bill, which is ultra vires of the powers conferred on a Governor”.

“Due to his conduct, the TN Assembly had to be convened for a special session and the Assembly re-enacted the NEET Exemption Bill and sent it again to the Governor. This shows that the Governor is acting against the collective will of the people as expressed by the State Legislative Assembly. These are all acts unbecoming of a Governor,” the MPs of ruling alliance said.

Ravi was “unabashedly propagating dangerous, divisive, religious rhetoric in public, which is unbecoming of a Governor. His speeches are made with a calculated intent to incite hatred and create communal unrest among the people. Recently he made a comment that India is dependent on one religion like the rest of the world. This statement is an affront to India’s Constitution. India is dependent on its Constitution & laws, not any religion”, the memorandum further added. “In the past, he has made similar communal remarks like praising sanatana dharma, communalising the jewel of Tamil literature the Thirukural (a classical collection of couplets on various aspects of life) & denouncing Dravidian heritage and Tamil pride. These statements have caused deep wounds to the Tamil sentiment and pride,” the petition claimed.