Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Thursday, February 15, 2024, charged that Governor R.N. Ravi had used the State Legislative Assembly for the extension of his political activities, and made it clear that his ‘Dravidian Model’ government that had been facing and challenging the “fascist and autocratic” rule in India with a brave heart, would not be cowed by such “childish behaviour”.
“We have overcome so many such obstacles. Let me say in my capacity as the leader of a movement that is capable of pulverising obstacles that I am Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin. I cannot be browbeaten or stopped,” he said in his reply to the motion of thanks for the Governor’s Address in the Assembly.
“Protocol demands that the Governor address the House at the beginning of the session. The Governor, however, behaved in a way that made us believe that he was using the Assembly as an extension of his political activities. Was it not an act that denigrated a century-old Assembly? Was it not an act that slighted the people of Tamil Nadu? Was it not amounting to violating and denigrating the Constitution by which he took the oath of office?,” the Chief Minister asked, referring to Governor R.N. Ravi’s refusal to read the prepared text of his Governor’s address on Monday, February, 12, 2024.
Mr. Stalin said there was a time, when, “We raised the slogan that the North is progressing and the South is languishing. Now we have achieved growth and are contributing even for the North. It has become possible because of the Dravidian Movement. The government is not just to wield power; it is a tool to implement our ideology,” he said.
The Chief Minister said that the 33 months since he had occupied his seat, had proved to be months of development and achievements. “Tamil Nadu’s share of the Indian economy is nine per cent, and this is the first achievement,” he said. Mr Stalin added that what had crowned the achievement was that it had caused “our rivals to rage with anger and envy”. The “enemies”, he said, were angry because the government had removed oppressive forces and had uplifted the oppressed.
“Everyone is expressing their anger in their own way and the Governor, who occupies a Constitutional post, is not an exception. But we cannot remain silent. We are committed to our principle that not a single day shall pass without helping people,” he said.
