Ravi 'unfit' to continue as Governor: Stalin tells President Murmu

Taking his fight against R N Ravi to the next level, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin has shot off a letter to President Draupadi Murmu, complaining that the Governor has “violated his oath” and proved that he is “unfit” to hold the position through to his actions that are “partial” in nature. 

Terming the Governor’s “unilateral decision” to “dismiss” Minister V Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers as a “serious violation of the Constitution”, Stalin told Murmu that Ravi has proved through his actions in the past two years that he is ”unfit” to hold such a “high post.”

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“The Chief Minister stressed in the letter that Governor’s actions make him a fit case for removal from the top post. The Chief Minister told the President of India that he leaves the decision to her on whether R N Ravi can continue to hold a top post like Governor,” the government said in an official statement on Sunday. 

The ”strongly-worded” letter, which was written on Saturday when Ravi met Union Home Minister Amit Shah in New Delhi, accused the Governor of fanning “communal hatred” in a “peace-loving” state like Tamil Nadu through his speeches and actions that are against the state, its people, and the democratically-elected government. 

Stalin cited instances like the Governor indirectly advocating name change for the state (from Tamil Nadu to Tamizhagam), “sitting on” bills passed by the Assembly for months together, and his remarks that “every country is dependent on one religion and India was no exception to the rule” to drive home his point that Ravi is “behaving like a politician.”

“The Governor forgets that he didn’t contest any election to decide what is good for the people of Tamil Nadu. He should remember that he is merely an appointee. On January 5, the Governor while participating in Kashi Tamil Sangamam festival made unfounded claims against Dravidian philosophy and politics of the state,” Stalin said in the letter. 

Punching holes in Governor Ravi’s statement that Dravidian politics was “regressive”, the Chief Minister said, according to the government release, a report released by the Economic Advisory Council of the Prime Minister said Tamil Nadu has scored 63.33 points in the social development index as against the national average of 60.19 points. 

“The problem is only in the eyes of the people who call Dravidian politics regressive. This exposes the politics of the person who holds a Constitution post…the Governor’s speech is aimed at not allowing the elected government to do its work. It is also aimed at defaming the government,” the CM told the President. 

In the letter, the Chief Minister also alleged that the Governor was “trying to sabotage” investigations into the case against priests who were involved in “child marriages.” The letter also spoke about the Raj Bhavan’s “delay” in sanctioning the prosecution of four ex-AIADMK ministers in corruption and disproportionate assets (DA) cases. 

On the Governor “dismissing” Balaji from the ministry, the Chief Minister said the letter from Raj Bhavan on the decision was against the Constitution. “It is clear that the Governor who took oath under Article 159 has violated his oath by fanning communal tension. He is also a threat to peace in the state,” the CM, according to the release.