Dharmapuri: Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday launched a scathing attack on Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi and accused him of playing “cheap politics” vis-a-vis the opposition and unleashing a smear campaign against the ruling DMK and the party-led government. Referring to his government’s various public welfare initiatives, he said Tamil Nadu has become a leader in the country in such schemes. The Dravidian model of government is the one that shows direction to the country. “Some mischievous elements are unable to tolerate this and are making baseless allegations,” he said. Addressing a government function organised to launch social welfare initiatives, the chief minister said he was not concerned with what the opposition parties were saying as “it is their politics.” “There is someone doing worse politics than this, you know who he is. He is Governor R N Ravi, appointed by the BJP government at the Centre. You know what he does from the Raj Bhavan—spread propaganda against the DMK government and the DMK. He will insult Dravidism, not approve bills, insult Tamil Thai Vazhthu (Tamil anthem) and defame students of Tamil Nadu,” the chief minister said. He accused Ravi of making baseless allegations on Tamil Nadu’s education, law and order and women’s safety and “creating panic”. “Tamil Nadu is the top state in India. We are not saying this, the central government figures testify to this. Tamil Nadu is ahead of BJP-ruled states (in social indices). Unable to tolerate this, he (Ravi) is venting his anger on public platforms,” Stalin alleged. The Chief Minister’s sharp retort came days after Ravi, in his Independence Day address, expressed concern over women’s safety in the state, drug abuse among youth, among other issues. Stalin claimed that Tamil Nadu ranks second in terms of school education.
With regard to women’s safety, he cited National Crime Records Bureau data of 2022 to claim that BJP-ruled Uttar Pradesh tops the list of crimes against women. Therefore, Stalin said the governor should target BJP-ruled states. “The central BJP government is doing its cheap politics through the governor, who is constantly working against Tamil, Tamil Nadu, its people and sentiments,” he alleged. Stalin said Ravi should continue in Tamil Nadu “because it is good for us”. “He is effectively ensuring that our sentiments towards language, race and ideology remain ignited. Let him speak, I don’t care.” “I am only concerned about you, I want to be truthful to you who have voted for us,” he said. Pointing to the recently launched public relations initiatives – “Ungaludan Stalin, Nalan Kakkum Stalin, Thayumanavar Scheme”, he said there was no need for him to monitor these “because you, the beneficiaries, have become its ambassadors.”
