2 days ago
Last Updated:April 13, 2025, 18:36 IST
A video of the event, which has since gone viral on social media, shows the Governor encouraging students to chant the religious slogan
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi (Photo: X/@rajbhavan_tn)
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi has landed in fresh controversy and drawn sharp criticism from the ruling DMK government after asking students at an engineering college in Madurai to chant ‘Jai Shri Ram‘ during an event.
The incident took place on Saturday while Ravi, attending as the chief guest, was addressing an event at Thiagarajar Engineering College in Madurai. A video of the event, which has since gone viral on social media, shows the Governor encouraging students to chant the religious slogan.
In the video, Governor Ravi is heard saying, “Let us pay tribute to Lord Shri Ram. I say, and you say — Jai Shri Ram," to which the students respond by chanting the slogan.
The move has drawn strong condemnation from the ruling MK Stalin-led government, with the party accusing Ravi of behaving like an “RSS ideologue".
Speaking to CNN-News18, DMK spokesperson Salem Dharanidharan said Ravi’s action goes against the Constitution of the country. “It’s baffling that the Governor would visit an engineering college and make students chant words of a particular religion. India being a secular country, it goes against our Constitution to impose such religious colours at a college event."
Dharanidharan further stated that this was not the first time Governor Ravi had acted in this controversial manner. “The Governor has repeatedly tried to destroy Tamil Nadu’s history and culture. His is behaving like an RSS ideologue," he stated.
Ravi’s SC Setback
Ravi’s latest row comes just days after a major setback in the Supreme Court. On 8 April, the top court had ruled that the Governor’s decision to withhold assent to ten key Bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly since 2020 was both “illegal" and “arbitrary."
The court had stated that all actions taken by the Governor regarding these Bills were null and void, and declared that the Bills are deemed to have become law from the date they were re-submitted to the Governor by the Assembly.
“The action of the Governor to reserve the 10 bills for the President is illegal and arbitrary. Thus, the action is set aside. All actions taken by the Governor thereto for the 10 bills are set aside. These Bills shall be deemed to be cleared from the date it was re-presented to the Governor," the bench had stated.
The landmark judgement, delivered by a bench of Justices JB Pardiwala and R Mahadevan, settled a long-standing dispute between Governor Ravi and the ruling DMK government. The ten Bills, which were passed twice by the Assembly but blocked by the Governor, have now officially become law—even without his or the President’s signature.
ALSO READ: 10 Bills Cleared By Tamil Nadu Assembly Become Law Without Governor’s Assent After SC Verdict
Location :Tamil Nadu, India, India
First Published:April 13, 2025, 18:09 IST
News politics Tamil Nadu Governor In Fresh Row Over 'Jai Shri Ram' Chant, Faces DMK Criticism
