Governor Ravi suffering from ‘mania for space’ in media: Tamil Nadu Law Minister S Regupathy

If he needed clarification with regard to the scheme, he could have checked with the government, Regupathy said in a statement on Monday, 29 January.

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Criticises Governor

Rather than “doing politics” while being the Governor, he could join politics and “if the BJP leadership allows, it is good for him and the people of Tamil Nadu”.

The minister also flayed Ravi for criticising the government like an Opposition party and asked if it was becoming of a person holding the office of Governor.

The Governor was doing everything that fell outside the ambit of his (Constitutional) mandate, Regupathy alleged.

Ravi often visits Delhi for “family” engagements, the minister claimed and asked whether the Governor had ever visited Delhi for the sake of the people of Tamil Nadu.

The Governor has done no good for the state. Also, he does not help the state government and Chief Minister MK Stalin, who is working for the growth of Tamil Nadu and the development of the people. On top of it all, Ravi is posing obstacles to the state’s growth, Regupathy alleged.

On 30 January, Ravi alleged it was tragic that ‘deserving poor villagers’ of Nagapattinam district in the state were not able to get the benefit of the PM Awas Yojana due to ‘administrative apathy,’ and also pointed to allegations of corruption.

Governor Ravi, who visited Nagappattinam district in the Cauvery delta region of the state on 28 January, alleged in a post on ‘X’: “It is tragic that the deserving poor villagers of Nagapattinam district are not able to get the benefit of PM Awas Yojana due to administrative apathy and alleged corruption.”

Also Read: How Governor RN Ravi and DMK govt have been at loggerheads since 2021

Tussle with the government

The DMK-led Tamil Nadu government and state Governor Ravi have been at loggerheads over several issues from the time he took charge on 18 September, 2021.

Soon after taking the oath, Ravi told reporters: “A Governor is to function within the parameters of the constitution. And I will try my best to keep that in mind. The slate of our (his and the state government) relationship is absolutely new and clean. My effort will be to make it as beautiful as possible in the days to come.”

Was it beautiful in the coming days? If anyone dithered before answering that with a simple “No” before, Ravi sitting on key pieces of legislation, deviating from the approved text of speeches, and ordering the dismissal of minister Senthil Balaji from the Cabinet before hastily keeping the order in abeyance have removed any semblance of doubt for them.

The most recent issue of the Governor with the government was the former’s three controversial notifications to unilaterally constitute search committees to shortlist vice-chancellor candidates in three state-run universities.

However, it was “withdrawn” after the state government moved courts — Madras High Court and Supreme Court.

A press release issued by Raj Bhavan in Chennai on 9 January, stated: “The Governor of Tamil Nadu, as Chancellor of certain universities, reposing confidence that the Government of Tamil Nadu would act in consonance with the judgements of the Supreme Court of India and the recent judgement of the Madras High Court, withdraws the notifications issued by him constituting search panels for recommending panels of three persons to the Chancellor for appointment of vice-chancellors.”

(With PTI inputs)