The Governor was rebuked by MK Stalin for allegedly “denigrating the Dravidian ethnicity” and attempting to “enforce the usage of Hindi universally”.
MK Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, has confronted Governor RN Ravi with a set of inquiries concerning the omission of a particular line from the state anthem of Tamil Nadu during a recent event. This incident underscores the ongoing verbal dispute between the two officials. Additionally, Stalin rebuked the Governor for his alleged attempts to “malign the Dravidian community” and enforce the use of Hindi in all spheres.
The latest flashpoint was triggered after a line with the word ‘Dravida’ was skipped by singers during the event presided over by the Tamil Nadu Governor on Friday.
“Why didn’t you correct the omission right away?” Mr Stalin posted on X, accusing Mr Ravi of skipping mentioning the “Dravidian model in the past”.
The sentence “Thekkanamum adhil sirantha Dravida nal thiru naadum” was missing when the singers sang the anthem during the Doordarshan Kendra Chennai’s Hindi month valedictory function. Doordarshan Tamil apologised for the “inadvertent mistake”, and said singers had no intention to disrespect Tamil or Tamizh Thaai Valthu, the state song.
It appears that MK Stalin, the leader mentioned in the text, is expressing his dissatisfaction with the governor’s actions. He seems to believe that the omission made by the governor is insulting and divisive. By accusing the governor of not abiding by the law and acting in a manner that does not promote unity, Stalin is questioning the governor’s suitability for the office. The reference to being an “Aryan” may be suggesting that the governor is acting in a discriminatory or exclusive manner.
Mr Ravi, on his part, accused the Chief Minister of making a racist remark against him. He said the allegation against him was “unfortunately cheap and lowers the dignity of the high constitutional office of the Chief Minister.” His response, however, was silent on the skipped line by the singers.
MK Stalin retaliated against the Chief Minister’s alleged racist remarks towards the Governor, emphasizing the significance of Tamil as not just a language but a crucial part of their identity and history. He highlighted the sacrifices made by Tamils to preserve their language and the role of Tamil in shaping India’s anti-imposition movement. Describing the love for Tamil as a source of pride rather than racism, Stalin defended the deep-rooted cultural and historical value of the language.
Accusing both the Centre and its appointed governor, he alleged a push for the widespread use of Hindi through Prime Minister Modi’s initiatives and slogans, criticizing the approach as “Hindi everywhere – Hindi in anything.
He expressed his dismay at the political civilization that involves neglecting constitutional norms to engage in daily political discussions, converting the Governor’s House into a political hub, and defaming the Dravidian ethnicity. What kind of culture is this?
Mr. Ravi mentioned that he recites the complete Tamizh Thaai Vaazhthu at every event, doing so with utmost respect, dignity, and accuracy. He highlighted that under the guidance of the respected Prime Minister, Thiru Narendra Modi, the Central government has established numerous institutions dedicated to promoting Tamil language and culture across India, notably in Tamil Nadu and various nations globally. Referring to a specific occasion, he added, “PM Modi even presented Tamil at the United Nations.
Earlier, the Chief Minister had expressed that the Governor ought to resign due to his perceived failure in advocating for Tamil pride.
Stating that should the individual aim to persist in their role as governor, MK Stalin urged them to distance themselves from divisive influences and fulfill their responsibilities in accordance with constitutional principles.
The confrontation initiated when MK Stalin penned a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, highlighting that the Indian Constitution does not confer national language status on any language. He pointed out that Hindi and English are designated solely for official use and recommended refraining from celebrating Hindi language month in states where Hindi is not widely spoken.
Governor RN Ravi responded to his criticism of the concluding event for Hindi Month and the Golden Jubilee festivities of Chennai Doordarshan by emphasizing that Hindi ought not to be perceived as a forceful imposition, but rather as a language deserving of recognition, just like any other language.
The commencement of the golden jubilee celebrations of Doordarshan Chennai was initiated by the Doordarshan event, which had its inception in 1975.
In response to the heated controversy, Doordarshan Kendra in Chennai explained that the omission of the line was an unintentional oversight caused by a distraction. They expressed regret for the inadvertent error and clarified that the singers had no intention of disrespecting Tamil or Tamizh Thaai Valthu. A formal apology was issued by Doordarshan Tamil, acknowledging the inconvenience caused to the Hon’ble Governor of Tamil Nadu.
Following MK Stalin’s assumption of office as Chief Minister in 2021, the state anthem was designated as the Tamizh Thaai Valthu, a composition credited to Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai.
