Governor has turned Raj Bhavan into ‘BJP office’: Stalin

Chennai: Stepping up his attack, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Monday accused Governor R N Ravi of being a “BJP man” and converting the Raj Bhavan into “BJP’s office”, while terming as a “deliberate lie” that petrol bomb was hurled inside the Governor’s mansion. 

Speaking to reporters in Pasumpon village in Ramanathapuram district after paying respects to freedom fighter Muthuramalinga Thevar, Stalin said that police officers have released CCTV footage to prove that the petrol bomb was hurled by the miscreant outside the Raj Bhavan and not inside, as claimed by the Governor’s office. 

Stalin, who spoke on the petrol bomb attack which intensified the animosity between the Raj Bhavan and the DMK dispensation for the first time, responded to the Governor’s repeated criticism on Dravidianism.

“While Aryanism caters to and speaks only for the chosen ones, Dravidam advocates everything for everyone. This is the difference between the two principles,” the Chief Minister said, in response to a question on the continuous debate on the two ideologies. 

‘Karukka’ Vinoth, a 39-year-old repeat offender, hurled two petrol bombs towards the Raj Bhavan on October 25 but they landed near the barricades placed outside the main gate. While the Governor’s office claimed that the attack “severely damaged” the main gate, Tamil Nadu police strongly refuted the claim by releasing the CCTV footage of the incident. 

To a question, Stalin said the petrol bomb was not hurled inside the Raj Bhavan but outside the sprawling premises.

“Police officers invited journalists and showed them the CCTV footage. This deliberate lie (that the attack happened inside the premises) is being propagated by the Raj Bhavan. It is shameful that the Governor has turned into a BJP man and converted the Raj Bhavan into a BJP office,” Stalin added.

The Governor and the DMK dispensation have been at loggerheads over several issues, including NEET, appointment of vice chancellors, and naming a Chairman for the Tamil Nadu Public Service Commission. 

Stalin’s attack on the Governor also comes days after he made an “unusual” and sarcastic request to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. He appealed to them not to change Ravi at least till the 2024 Lok Sabha as his utterances against Dravidianism were adding “more strength” to the DMK’s election campaign.