Tamil Nadu Guv Ravi in fresh trouble, his 'Jai Shri Ram' chant in college stokes controversy

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi's reported remarks asking students of a college to chant "Jai Shri Ram" have triggered a controversy with SPCSS-TN, a body of educationists, alleging he violated his oath of office and secular principles and urged President Droupadi Murmu to remove him from his post.

The State Platform for Common School System-Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN), said Ravi failed to abide by the Constitution, respect its ideals and institutions.

"Ravi should be removed from the office of Governor of Tamil Nadu forthwith for deliberately violating Article 159 (oath by governor) of the Constitution of India," SPCSS-TN General Secretary, PB Prince Gajendra Babu, said in a statement.

Ravi was invited by a government-aided college in Madurai as chief guest to distribute prizes to the winners in a literary contest.

Delivering his address on April 12, he had asked the students to chant the name of a God of particular religion (Jai Shri Ram) thrice.

According to the Constitution, India is a secular country, education is a secular activity and it shall be the fundamental duty of every citizen to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions, the national flag and the national anthem and also to develop scientific temper, humanism and the spirit of inquiry and reform.

However, Ravi failed to preserve, defend and protect the Constitution by chanting the name of the God of a particular religion and asking the students to repeat the same thrice. The SPCSS-TN appealed to the President to ensure that Ravi is removed from the office of Governor of Tamil Nadu.