Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has called on the central government to recall Governor RN Ravi following an incident in which a line from the Tamil anthem, containing the word 'Dravida,' was omitted during an event attended by the governor.
Stalin criticized the omission, calling it a serious insult to national unity, and accused the governor of being "unfit" for his position.
The incident occurred during the golden jubilee celebrations of Chennai Doordarshan, an event that also marked the conclusion of Hindi Month. Stalin had previously objected to the celebration of Hindi in a non-Hindi-speaking state, viewing it as an attempt to undermine other languages.
The Tamil anthem, "Tamil Thai Vazhthu," is traditionally performed at the start of government events, and the word 'Dravida' holds significance as it refers to the people of the southern states. A group of singers from Doordarshan mistakenly skipped a line containing the word during their performance, sparking controversy.
Doordarshan Tamil later apologized for the error, attributing it to the singers being distracted, and clarified that there was no intention to disrespect Tamil or the anthem.
Stalin, also the president of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), expressed outrage, pointing out that the omission violates state law and questioned whether the governor would advocate for skipping 'Dravida' in the national anthem. He accused Governor Ravi of undermining the state's identity under the guise of promoting Hindi.
In his statement, Stalin urged the central government to take immediate action and recall the governor, stating that RN Ravi's actions deliberately insulted Tamil Nadu and its people.