Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi must be removed from the post of Chancellor of universities in the State, following a similar move by the Maharashtra Government earlier, MDMK general secretary Vaiko said on March 13.
Condemning Mr. Ravi’s speech at the South Zone Vice Chancellors Meet in Coimbatore recently that India was not a “contractual union” but an organic one unlike the United States of America, Mr. Vaiko said the Governor had exceeded his brief. “He has gone beyond his powers making such statements and spoke political views which is highly condemnable,” he said in a statement.
Mr. Vaiko charged that the Governor was only putting across the same views espoused by the RSS and Sangh Parivar and “his bosses” in Delhi. “If these are his views, then he must explain where India existed before 1947. Before the Britishers came to India, India had 565 small Kingdoms, which is the actual history. Even during the Mughal rule, Tamil Nadu was never been under the rule of the North Indian rulers,” the Rajya Sabha MP said.
He said Governors were continuously only putting roadblocks on the functioning of Governments elected by the people. “The former Governor of Tamil Nadu and present Governor of Punjab, Banwarilal Purohit and West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar are constantly flouting the Indian Constitution. Mr. Dhankar is on a daily basis targetting West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee,” he said.
Mr. Vaiko separately told The Hindu Mr. Purohit had not acted on Tamil Nadu’s decision to release the seven life convicts in the former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi assassination case and instead sent it to the President to decide.
Mr. Ravi, the MDMK leader charged, has disrespected the Assembly by returning the Bill seeking exemption from the NEET. “Hence, there is no basis for him to continue as the Governor even for a day,” he said.
In the interim, he sought the removal of the Governor as Chancellor of State-run universities in Tamil Nadu.
