One event, two venues: Tamil Nadu Governor Ravi, DMK govt clash over Martyrs’ Day observance

Governor Ravi paid floral tributes astatine the Gandhi Mandapam, portion Stalin, accompanied by his ministers, attended the lawsuit astatine the Museum complex. The Chief Minister besides administered an anti-untouchability pledge astatine the Secretariat.

“Does it marque immoderate consciousness to observe Gandhi memorial events — his day and martyrdom time — successful a country of a metropolis museum,” Ravi said successful a statement. “My repeated requests to the Chief Minister to accord owed respect to the Father of the Nation and clasp specified events successful a befitting mode astatine the Gandhi Mandapam met with stubborn refusal.”

The Governor further alleged that the Dravidian question had historically been antagonistic toward Gandhi. “During his lifetime, Gandhi was vigorously opposed and mocked by the followers of Dravidian ideology. But should helium proceed to beryllium mocked adjacent today,” helium said.

Stressing the value of Gandhi Mandapam, Governor Ravi recalled that it was built connected a sprawling portion of onshore adjacent Guindy National Park successful 1956 nether the enactment of past main curate K Kamaraj. “Gandhi Mandapam is simply a expansive memorial of the Father of the Nation built by Kamaraj. Why should Gandhi’s memorial events not beryllium held there,” helium asked.

Reacting to the Governor’s allegations, Information and Tamil Development Minister M P Saminathan said the chosen venue was not an obscure location, arsenic suggested by Ravi. “A adjacent look astatine the photographs of the Chief Minister’s lawsuit volition amusement that respects were paid to Mahatma Gandhi not successful a ‘corner’ of the depository but astatine the entrance, overlooking a main road,” helium said.

“We are patriots, and we emotion Gandhi. We don’t observe his assassins. The Governor knows who killed Gandhi and wherefore helium was killed. Isn’t it a information that Gandhi was assassinated by Hindutva terrorists,” helium asked.

A elder authorities official, speaking connected information of anonymity, said the authorities has the prerogative to determine the venue of authoritative events. “The Governor is not an organising authority. The authorities suggested Egmore Museum due to the fact that of metro operation adjacent Marina Beach, and the Governor’s insistence connected Gandhi Mandapam was neither applicable nor necessary,” the authoritative said.

The quality implicit Martyrs’ Day lawsuit is the latest successful a bid of nationalist confrontations betwixt the Governor and the DMK government. Earlier this month, Ravi walked retired of the Tamil Nadu Assembly without speechmaking the customary Governor’s address, triggering a caller governmental storm. The DMK has often accused him of overstepping his law relation and interfering successful authorities administration.

Despite these tensions, Stalin precocious made a tongue-in-cheek remark suggesting that Ravi’s beingness arsenic Governor benefits the DMK politically. “Have we ever adopted a solution successful the Assembly seeking to regenerate the Governor? No, we did not bring astir immoderate specified resolution. He should remain. The DMK is increasing further due to the fact that of him,” Stalin said astatine a enactment lawsuit past week.

“He should travel to the House. We volition springiness him the prepared code text. He should not work it and signifier a walkout. And the radical should ticker each of it,” Stalin said.

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