Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has reportedly written a letter to President Droupadi Murmu, raising serious concerns about the conduct of Governor RN Ravi. In the letter, Stalin accused the Governor of various violations and called for his removal from the position. The Chief Minister has highlighted that the Governor’s actions have been contrary to the interests of the State, the people, and the Constitution, thus breaching his oath of office.
One of the alleged violations mentioned by Stalin is the Governor’s unilateral decision to dismiss arrested Minister Senthil Balaji and suspend it within hours. The Chief Minister pointed out that the appointment of Ministers falls within the jurisdiction of the Chief Minister, not the Governor.
Stalin also expressed concern that the Governor’s actions appear to be aimed at destabilising an Opposition-led State Government, which raises questions about his impartiality and his role as an “agent of the Centre”.
Stalin left it to the President to determine whether the continued tenure of Ravi as Governor is acceptable and appropriate. He accused the Governor of engaging in a “political war” with the ruling DMK party and undermining the State Government’s policies. The Chief Minister highlighted the Governor’s repeated delays in granting assent to bills passed by the legislature, even after providing clarifications as requested.
Furthermore, Stalin alleged that the Governor is divisive and lacked a belief in secularism. He criticised Ravi for expressing personal views on religion, glorifying Hinduism while disparaging Tamil culture and hurting people’s sentiments. The Chief Minister also accused the Governor of insulting the Indian Constitution by referring to the federal setup as merely an “administrative convenience”.
Stalin highlighted instances where the Governor omitted the names of prominent leaders such as Periyar, BR Ambedkar, Kamaraj, Anna, and Kalaignar in his official Assembly speech. He also claimed that the Governor failed to mention social justice, equality, and the Dravidian model of governance. Additionally, Stalin alleged that during his tenure in Nagaland, the Governor interfered with the elected Government, citing concerns raised by political voices from the State.