CHENNAI: Slamming Governor RN Ravi for his remarks against the DMK government in a recent interview, Chief Minister MK Stalin on Sunday, asserted, “We cannot be intimidated by the governor or by any other means. These things do not scare us as we have gone through the language stir, MISA, TADA, POTA, etc. We have a goal and to achieve that we will move forward without any compromise.”
Stalin’s stinging 40-minute speech was made at a DMK public meeting in Pallavaram held to highlight the achievements of his government.
Referring to the view of the governor that Dravidian ideology has “expired,” Stalin thundered: “I say this to him: Dravidian ideology is not an expired ideology. Actually, Dravidian ideology caused Sanatana Dharma, Varnasrama Dharma, and Manu Needhi to expire. Dravidian ideology caused the expiration of the practice of belittling others in the name of caste. Only Dravidian ideology has the capacity to defeat Aryan ideology. That is why the governor is afraid of our ideology.”
The DMK president went on to say: “Mr Governor, you need not be afraid, as Dravidian ideology will never divide people but will unify all. It will not destroy but will always create. It won’t ruin but always correct. It won’t degrade anyone but will treat all equally. It will not ignore anyone but will take everyone along.”
The CM charged that the governor, through his actions, has given room to a suspicion that he is a puppet in the hands of some people and is trying to govern the state from the Raj Bhavan. “The core idea of the Constitution is democratic rule. The prime minister and cabinet alone have the power to rule the union government. Similarly, the power to rule the state government is vested with the CM and cabinet. The powers to enact legislation are vested with parliament and state assemblies. Yet the governor thinks he has all the power.”
Detailing the achievements of his government, the CM said some people are unable to digest Tamil Nadu’s growth. “I don’t bother about remarks of the AIADMK because that is their role as an opposition party. But why does the governor act like an opposition party leader? Has he come here to disturb the peaceful atmosphere in the state? People have a suspicion as to whether this governor has been sent to TN to create confusion amid the social peace prevailing here.
Do you see violence in TN like in Manipur: CM to guv
Referring to the governor’s comment that TN is not a haven of peace, the CM said: “I ask Mr Ravi: BJP-ruled Manipur is burning now. Is there any such violence taking place in TN? A few months ago, there were riots in BJP-ruled Karnataka. No such incidents have occurred in our state.
The governor says violent incidents took place following the ban on the PFI. But the fact is not a single life was lost in those incidents. As many as 16 persons involved in those incidents were arrested immediately and six persons were imprisoned under National Security Act.” The government is enacting legislation and bringing in amendments only after due consideration of all aspects, he said.
“The governor can raise doubts regarding the Bills and the state government has the duty to clarify those doubts. But in the garb of consideration, the governor has put many Bills on the backburner. When the governor does this, the elected government has the right to question this attitude.” Stating that his government had quelled the Kallakurichi violence deftly, without police firing or loss of lives, Stalin said the DMK functionary accused of misbehaving with a woman constable was also arrested immediately.
He termed the governor’s charge that his vehicle was blocked on the way to the Dharmapuram Adheenam as a blatant lie. Further, Stalin said that although the government had already told the governor that two-finger test was not conducted on child marriage victims in Chidambaram, the governor had made the allegation again.
On the governor’s charge relating to the Akshayapatra-run breakfast initiative, the CM asked why the state government would encourage a private organisation’s scheme when it was implementing its own free breakfast scheme.