DMK asks President to sack TN governor for fomenting hatred
The ruling alliance in Tamil Nadu led by Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) has written to President Draupadi Murmu asking her to sack the state's Governor RN Ravi. The memorandum by the Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA) alleged that Ravi was instigating communal hatred and "obstructing the democratically elected government from serving the people" in violation of his oath to protect the Constitution.
Why does this story matter?
The SPA and the governor are at loggerheads over a number of issues. Reportedly, the governments in the southern states of Kerala, Tamil Nadu, and Telangana — all ruled by different parties — have locked horns with their respective governors. The ruling parties have accused the governors of holding up key legislations and acting like the puppets of the Centre, which appoints the governors.
Ravi unfit to hold governor's office: CM Stalin
Chief Minister MK Stalin termed Ravi unfit to hold the office of the governor and deserved to be removed. Earlier this month, DMK wrote to "all the like-minded MPs" in an attempt to gather support for the proposal to sack Ravi. He assumed office in September 2021 and till April 2022, he rejected 19 Bills passed by the state Assembly.
The memorandum was supported by Opposition parties
20 Bills awaiting governor's nod
Currently, 20 Bills passed by the Assembly are awaiting the governor's approval, including the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET) Exemption Bill. In April, the DMK protested against Ravi for not sending the NEET Exemption Bill to the President despite it being passed in the Assembly twice. If a state cabinet sends a Bill for assent, the governor can send it back only once.
President can appoint and remove governor
The nine-page memorandum was submitted to the office of the President on November 2. The memorandum listed the pending Bills, including the one seeking to confer the power to appoint vice-chancellors to the state government instead of the chancellor — which is the state's governor. As per the constitution, the President can appoint and remove a governor from office.
DMK and Telangana governor have crossed swords
The DMK government blasted Telangana's Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan for "poking nose" into Tamil Nadu's politics, after her remark about the Telugu roots of the party's top political family. Soundararajan was a senior BJP leader in Tamil Nadu before assuming the Telangana governor's office. This comes as the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) — the BJP's ideological parent — is organizing marches across Tamil Nadu.
