BJP State president K. Annamalai on Tuesday said the whole “Tamizhagam - Tamil Nadu” controversy was a non-issue, and accorded “equal importance” to both the names.
While he viewed Governor R.N. Ravi expressing his preference for Tamizhagam over Tamil Nadu as the latter’s “suggestion,” Mr. Annamalai told The Hindu that he personally would not take the Governor’s suggestion on the names.
He said both the names could be used for the State as it had been done until now.
Mr. Ravi had kicked up a controversy earlier this month when he said the name ‘Tamizhagam’ was more “appropriate” for the State and that the name Tamil Nadu, in his view, could give a perception of the State being separate from India.
On the incident of the Governor deviating from the speech prepared by the government during his inaugural address in the Assembly on January 9, Mr. Annamalai said he believed that the Governor acted as per his conscience.
The BJP leader said he understood the need for omitting the references to the law and order situation and the State attracting the highest foreign direct investment in the country “as they were factually incorrect.”
Regarding the omission of the term “Dravidian model of governance” and the names of various leaders, he pointed out that they were all part of the same paragraph.
Though he found the term “Dravidian model” to be “foolish” as it had not even been defined properly, he agreed that the ruling party had the liberty to include it in the Governor’s customary address to the House.
Stressing that he was not speaking for the Governor, Mr. Annamalai said it was his personal view that the Governor would have read the term “Dravidian model”, if it was not loaded with adjectives such as “vigour”.
