The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) is seeking allies in its running battle against Tamil Nadu governor R.N. Ravi, calling on Opposition parties to sign a joint petition asking President Droupadi Murmu to remove him immediately. The Congress has already come on board, but other parties are yet to make their stand clear.
In a letter to all Opposition parties on Wednesday, DMK Lok Sabha MP T.R. Baalu urged them to sign the joint memorandum, and the Congress has agreed to do so. “Governors who abide by their Constitutional role are now an extinct species. Each one appointed since 2014 has been a disgrace and has danced to the tune of ‘hum do’ even before that tune has even been played,” Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh told The Hindu.
The DMK’s letter joins a growing chorus of voices against the office of Governor in multiple States. Addressing a press conference in the capital on Monday, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) General Secretary Sitaram Yechury had also urged like-minded Opposition parties to come together for a protest against the alleged “undemocratic and anti-Constitutional” acts of Governors.
The Left front government in Kerala is also locked in a very bitter and public fight with Governor Arif Mohammad Khan. Communist Party of India General Secretary D. Raja had recently called for abolishing the post of Governor, calling it redundant in a Parliamentary democracy.
‘Creating confusion’
On Sunday, leaders of the DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance had issued a joint statement accusing Mr. Ravi of deliberately expressing views to create confusion. They said he should quit the post if he wanted to express such views to please the BJP leadership.
“His speeches are given importance since he is the Governor of the State. If he is expressing views to please the BJP leadership to get a higher position for himself, he should quit the Governor post. He cannot express such views so long as he remains the Governor of the State,” the joint statement had said.
