The DMK-led Govt in Tamil Nadu is up in arms about Ravi’s ‘noncooperation’
Tuesday’s incidents at Mayiladuthurai in Tamil Nadu where activists of fringe outfits like Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi staged black-flag demonstrations against Governor RN Ravi are a blot on the face of the State. This is not the first time that these caste groups showed black flags and pelted stones at the cavalcade of Governors. The fact that the Governor’s Aide-De-Camp filed a complaint with the State police chief alleging there was a security breach during the protest speaks a lot. Such reprehensible acts by the DMK and its allies were routine during the tenure of ex-Governor Banwarilal Purohit. Whenever he visited the districts, he used to invite officials and citizens for interactions and to know more about the district. This earned him the wrath of the regional parties which accused him of “trespassing into the rights” of the State. Purohit was shown black flags but he took such incidents lightly. Things reached a flashpoint when a female journalist accused Purohit of violating her modesty when he patted her cheek in reply to her naughty question.
The Dravidian outfits are annoyed with Governor Ravi because he refused to forward to the President of India the legislation enacted by the Tamil Nadu legislature making National Eligibility and Entrance Test irrelevant in the State. The Governor returned the Bill to the Assembly with his comments but the DMK administration re-enacted the legislation and sent it again to the Governor, where it now awaits Ravi’s course of action. Tamil Nadu is the only State in India that has reservations against the NEET because of private medical college managements’ commercial interests. No other State has demanded the cancellation of NEET, which was implemented following the verdict of the Supreme Court’s Constitution Bench. What irked the DMK was the Governor’s Republic Day message which reminded the State administration of the poor education quality in Government-run schools. He also pointed out that NEET has helped hundreds of Government school students get admission to medical courses. The DMK retaliated by ridiculing Ravi through its official mouthpiece by asking him what is the need for a beard for a sheep and the relevance of a Governor in a State? Well, Tamil Nadu continues to be a part of the Union of India and such queries, therefore, are impertinent.