Tamil Nadu minister slams Governor Ravi, rejects ‘Tamil exceptionalism’ claim
DMK minister accuses the governor of spreading falsehoods, reigniting the Tamil Nadu–Raj Bhavan tussle over language, identity, and stalled bills
In a strong rebuttal to Governor RN Ravi's recent remarks dismissing Dravidianism as “imaginary” and alleging threats to linguistic minorities and Biharis in Tamil Nadu, DMK Minister S Raghupathi accused the governor of being “dispatched to Tamil Nadu solely to spread defamation and discord.”
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Addressing reporters in Chennai, Raghupathi slammed Ravi's claims as “fabricated narratives” aimed at isolating the state from the rest of India, likening it to BJP’s election-time tactics. “The governor is acting as the BJP's mouthpiece, humiliating Tamil Nadu. He portrays the state as if it's been severed from the nation, spreading false information that the state stands alone and unconnected to anyone,” Raghupathi charged.
Clash over Dravidian identity
The minister vehemently condemned Ravi's assertion that Dravidianism is a “figment of imagination.” "If Dravidianism is imaginary, does the governor not know it's enshrined in our national anthem? Or is it that he can't comprehend it because it’s in Bengali?” he quipped, referencing the word “Dravida” in Jana Gana Mana. He further questioned Ravi's understanding of India's federal fabric, “Are all states in India living in perfect unity? The state's Dravidian model government is not against anyone, it's inclusive and progressive.”
Rejecting Ravi's allegations of linguistic oppression, Raghupathi asserted, “There is no threat to any language in the state, that's the governor's fantasy.” He highlighted the harmonious coexistence of non-Tamil speakers, “Malayalam and Telugu speakers residing in the state freely use their mother tongues without hindrance.”
On the two-language policy, Raghupathi reaffirmed the state’s firm stance, “We will always adhere strictly to the two-language policy. There's no need for DMK to engage in cheap politics using Hindi.” He pointed to the central government’s hypocrisy on language funding: “The Centre has allocated ₹150 crore for Tamil but ₹2,500 crore for Sanskrit, where's the equity?”
Governor under fire again
Raghupathi dubbed Ravi’s accusations of threats to Biharis in Tamil Nadu as “complete falsehoods,” drawing parallels to the BJP leaders’ “defamatory campaigns” during recent elections.
Raghupathi warned that if Governor Ravi continues withholding assent to bills passed by the state Assembly, the government will escalate the matter to the Supreme Court. “The Supreme Court has never praised the governor; it only rebukes him. This is just posturing.” He also highlighted the governor's silence on pressing state issues: “When Tamil Nadu fishermen are attacked and killed by the Sri Lankan Navy, has the governor or the prime minister issued even a single statement of concern?”
Ravi rekindles language debate
The spat stems from Governor Ravi's recent interview, where he described the state's politics as “Tamil exceptionalism” rather than healthy regionalism, claiming it fosters “hatred” towards other Dravidian languages like Telugu, Kannada, and Malayalam. Ravi accused the DMK government of neglecting Tamil by allocating “zero budget” for its research and allowing over 11 lakh ancient palm-leaf manuscripts to decay in state archives.
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He also lamented a sharp decline in Tamil-medium school enrollments, with students shifting to English. This marks the latest flashpoint in the ongoing standoff between Ravi and the MK Stalin-led DMK government, which has seen the governor walk out of Assembly sessions (including in January over the national anthem) and repeatedly delay bill approvals, citing constitutional concerns under Article 51A.