'Sack Tamil Nadu governor': DMK, allies to President Murmu

Stepping up pressure against Tamil Nadu Governor, the ruling DMK has urged President Droupadi Murmu to sack RN Ravi, alleging that he has violated the oath he took under the Constitution and levelled a series of allegations against him.

Among others, the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) took exception to his "praising Sanatana Dharma" and charged Ravi with "instigating communal hatred." The memorandum dated November 2, 2022 has been submitted with the President's office, the DMK said on Tuesday. It was released here.

The petition, signed by SPA members of Parliament and submitted with the President's office, also listed out the pending bills with the Raj Bhavan, including one seeking exemption to the state from the ambit of the NEET and questioned the delay for the assent.

Ravi and the MK Stalin-led government have been at loggerheads over a number of issues, including the NEET, and his recent remarks over the 'delay' in handing over the probe into the October 23 car explosion to the National Investigation Agency (NIA) by the state government has not gone down well with the ruling dispensation.

Further, the National Entrance-cum-Eligibility Test has emotional connotations in Tamil Nadu, as many aspirants, starting from S Anita of Ariyalur, have died by suicide either unable to crack it or over apprehensions over clearing it. DMK's 2021 poll promises include ensuring NEET exemption to the state.

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Instead of forwarding the NEET bill to the Rashtrapati Bhavan, Ravi "usurped the powers of the Hon’ble President and questioned the wisdom of the Legislature and returned the Bill, which is ultra vires of the powers conferred on a Governor," the memorandum said.

"Due to his conduct, the TN Assembly had to be convened for a special session and the Assembly re-enacted the NEET Exemption Bill and sent it again to the Governor. This shows that the Governor is acting against the collective will of the people as expressed by the State Legislative Assembly. These are all acts unbecoming of a Governor," the ruling alliance MPs said.

"Tamil Nadu is a paradise where people from different religions, languages and castes live peacefully. The TN Governor Thiru (Mr) R N Ravi has developed an unfortunate propensity to publicly profess his lack of faith in the secular ideals of this country and frequently engages in divisive rhetoric. This is an embarrassment to our government which has utmost commitment to the secular ethos of this nation." Ravi was "unabashedly propagating dangerous, divisive, religious rhetoric in public, which is unbecoming of a Governor. His speeches are made with a calculated intent to incite hatred and create communal unrest among the people. Recently he made a comment that “India is dependent on one religion like the rest of the world”. This statement is an affront to India’s Constitution. India is dependent on its Constitution & laws, not any religion," it said.