Ravi had refused to read out the customary Governor's address in the Assembly. The Raj Bhavan later said it contained misleading content and hence reading it would be a "Constitutional travesty".
A 30 December 2023 photograph of Chief Minister MK Stalin (second, left) and his Cabinet colleagues meeting Governor RN Ravi (third, left) at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai. (X)
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday, 15 February, said in the legislative Assembly that the Governor’s conduct in the House appeared to be an extension of his political activities — apparently referring to RN Ravi’s refusal to read out the customary address by the head of state on 12 February.
Replying to the debate on the motion of thanks to the Governor’s address, Stalin said the head of state should address the Assembly at the start of the year and it is the House tradition. “It is the duty of the Governor to read out the text, a government policy document prepared by the Cabinet, as it is.”
“However, Governor RN Ravi’s conduct in the assembly appeared to be a continuation of his political activities. It seems he has used the Assembly as well in continuation of such activities,” the chief minister alleged, adding, “We will not be frightened by such childish activities.”
The DMK has overcome several such barriers in its 75-year old journey, Stalin, who is the president of the ruling party, remarked.
On 12 February, Ravi refused to read out the government-prepared customary Governor’s address in the Assembly. In a statement, Raj Bhavan had said it contained misleading content and hence reading it would be a “Constitutional travesty”.
The chief minister said: “Is this not insulting the Tamil Nadu legislature that has a century-old tradition? Ravi’s conduct in the House meant giving crores of people the cold shoulder, and besmirched the dignity of democracy. It was also unconstitutional and goes against the oath of office taken by Ravi.”
Moving on to House business, the chief minister informed the Assembly that about 2.50 lakh houses constructed before the year 2001 under various state schemes will be refurbished within two years at an estimated cost of ₹2,000 crore.
The DMK was in power in Tamil Nadu from 1996 to 2001, before which the AIADMK ruled the state from 1991 to 1996.
The work is being taken up considering the requests of the marginalised people who were allotted the homes, he added.
Legislator MH Jawahirullah had expressed a concern that when people belonging to Scheduled Castes, Backward, Most Backward and Denotified Communities convert to Islam, they are not given reservation under the Backward Classes category. Jawahirullah requested that this anomaly be fixed.
In response, the chief minister said a call would be taken on the issue after consulting legal experts.
Detailing the slew of welfare measures undertaken by the DMK-led government, including paying ₹1,000 per month to women heads of families, permitting fare-free bus travel for women, providing healthcare at people’s doorsteps and supplying breakfast to government school children, he attributed the state’s growth to the ‘Dravidian model’ of governance.
“Since we are travelling in the ‘Dravidian model’ pathway, no one can prevent the growth of Tamil Nadu. It cannot be scuttled,” the CM asserted.
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