Within hours of MK Stalin's move, Governor RN Ravi gave assent to a bill prohibiting online gambling, which he previously rejected.
CM Stalin moves the Bill in the Legislative Assembly
In an unprecedented display of legislative authority, Tamil Nadu became the first state in the history of India to adopt a resolution seeking a timeframe for the Governor’s nod for bills passed in the Assembly.
The resolution comes as the latest strike in the face-off between Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) led government under MK Stalin and Governor RN Ravi.
Chief Minister MK Stalin on Monday, 10 April, moved a bill urging the Union Government and the President of India to prescribe a specific time limit for Governors to give assent to Bills passed by the legislature. The resolution comes in the backdrop of Governors in non-BJP states like Telangana, Tamil Nadu, Kerala withholding bills passed by the legislature for prolonged periods of time.
The way the resolution was tabled in the House itself came as a deft move by the DMK, insulating it with another prior resolution.
Leader of the House, Duraimirugan, tabled a resolution to relax the legislative rules which bar any debate on the conduct of the Governor, which was left to voting and adopted in the house.
That was when MK Stalin moved his bill seeking a timeline for Governor to give assent to the House.
In his speech, MK Stalin said that the controversial comments made by Governor RN Ravi in a public forum about the Bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly and sent for his assent were “not in accordance with the office he held, the oath he took, and the interest of the state administration”.
“It is against the Constitution and the established conventions being followed, belittling the dignity of this House and undermining the supremacy of the legislature in a Parliamentary democracy,” MK Stalin said.
Charging that the “Raj Bhavan has been converted into Political Bhavan”, Stalin said: “Whenever Prime Minister Narendra Modi visits Tamil Nadu or whenever I go to Delhi to meet him, it has become a habit for the Governor to speak against this (DMK) government.”
He added: “Even after this house passed a bill against online gambling and in the circumstances where suicides are continuing, Ravi returned the bill and refuses to answer.”
Stating that under a compulsion to move a resolution against the Governor for the second time, Stalin said: “I will not say that Ravi doesn’t have the knowledge of the Constitution but his faith in certain political principles has swallowed his faith in Indian Constitution”
He continued: “We are not criticising the Governor in his individual capacity but we are critical of his activities. He is continuously functioning against the welfare of the state. I am not ready to comment on the political remarks made by the Governor and turn this house into a political stage. But at the same time, we will not tie our hands and tolerate the troubles made by the Governor with political motives.”
Citing that his government had come to power with the overwhelming mandate of the people of Tamil Nadu, Stalin said he had the Constitutional responsibility and democratic duty to fulfil the aspirations and needs of the people.
“This House records with deep regret the action of the Governor of Tamil Nadu in indefinitely withholding many Bills without giving permission, passed by the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu — on the basis of its sovereignty and the legislative responsibilities enshrined in the Constitution of India — thereby functioning against the welfare of the people of Tamil Nadu.”
Hence he called the House to pass the bill.
Following it, other parties’ legislative leaders including Tamilar Vaalvurimai Katchi MLA Velmurugan, the Manithaneya Makkal Katchi’s MH Jawahirullah, the CPI(M)’s VP Nagai Maali and Ramachandran, and the VCK’s M Sinthanaiselvan spoke on the bill.
Further, seconding the bill, the House leader, minister Duraimirugan, said that if Ravi wanted to favour a “particular” party, let him resign and do it.
“A Governor must abide by the Constitution of India and if a person who is against the constitution is not even fit to be a citizen of this country,” he said.
Recalling a high-tea party hosted by the Governor on last Republic Day, Duraimirugan said that a documentary screened at the party on the freedom struggle hailed the contributions of freedom fighters like Gopal Krishna Gokhale, and it mentioned Sarvarkar’s name several times.
“After the documentary, Chief Minister MK Stalin asked me whether I noticed that the names of Mahatma Gandhi and Jawaharlal Nehru were not even mentioned as freedom fighters. That is where Raj Bhavan is now,” the minister said.
“You (Governor) are running the Raj Bhavan with the tax money of our state people. It’s not your parents’ money. You should be favouring the people of the state,” Duraimirugan said.
Later, Speaker Appavu directed the Assembly police to close the doors of the House and ordered voting on the resolution.
First, he left the resolution for a voice vote and then for a counting vote.
Out of 146 members present in the house, 144 voted in favour of the resolution.
BJP MLAs MR Gandhi and C Saraswathi voted against the resolution and later staged a walkout.
Following it, Appavu declared that the resolution was passed and said: “This House urges the Union government and the President to prescribe a specific time limit to the respective Governors to give assent to the Bills passed by the legislatures, which are the voice of the people of the state.”
MLAs of the AIADMK, the prime Opposition party, staged a walkout even before the resolution was moved.
They alleged that the speaker refused their demand to recognise the deputy leader of the Opposition.
Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami also alleged that live telecast of the Assembly proceedings had been denied to Opposition leaders, while the replies of state ministers were telecast in detail.
Within hours of MK Stalin’s unprecedented move, Governor RN Ravi gave his assent to bill prohibiting online gambling, which he had previously rejected.
