NE NEWS SERVICE
CHENNAI, JUNE 7
The ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Wednesday slammed Governor R N Ravi for “doing politics” in “Ooty’s cool weather” by convening a meet of vice-chancellors in the hill town when the whole nation was “shell-shocked” by the June 2 Odisha train accident.
Days ago, the whole nation grappled with the accident as the fatalities were on the rise, DMK organ ‘Murasoli’ said.
However, Ravi was not worried about anything, and as per his plan, travelled on June 3 to “cool, cool” Ooty and “did politics” by convening a meet of VCs, the ruling party’s Tamil daily alleged.
- R N Ravi’s comment on attracting investments seen as veiled attack on CM Stalin
- The CM was striving to improve the state’s economy by bringing in foreign investments, Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu had said.
- Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union ministers were all on the spot following the accident,
Ravi, who announced that he was scheduled to talk about the Centre’s new education policy with the VCs, “revealed his immaturity by speaking on attracting investments, which had nothing to do with those who helmed varsities”.
‘Murasoli’ also used the term “half-boiled” – hinting at a half-baked idea – to denounce Ravi’s comment.
The Governor had reportedly remarked that investors would ‘not come’ merely because they were asked to do so. It was seen as a veiled attack on Stalin, who recently undertook a trip to Singapore and Japan to woo investors.
Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu on Tuesday said Ravi belittled Stalin’s tour. The CM was striving to improve the state’s economy by bringing in foreign investments, the minister had said.
Citing PM Modi’s foreign tour to attract investments, the DMK newspaper said it was of the view that Ravi could have gone through such reportage.
The daily claimed Ravi enjoyed life in the sprawling Raj Bhavan premises, both in Chennai and in Ooty. Quoting a Tamil proverb, it alleged Ravi not only did not do any work, but also prevented others – Vice Chancellors – from doing their job.
It slammed Ravi for not “realising” several times what he spoke and did, and in pursuit of publicity interfering in matters that had nothing to do with his position. Though Ravi could have spoken to the VCs hoping that they would accept his views, they would have realised the Governor’s folly, the daily said.
Ravi is yet to learn his lesson and “we are reminding him, this is Tamil Nadu, helmed by Muthuvel Karunanidhi Stalin, and his (Ravi’s) jugglery will not succeed here.”
BJP state vice-president Narayanan Thirupathy condemned Murasoli for using “filthy” language against Ravi. He said the write-up has lowered the stature of both the DMK and the party-led regime.
In his capacity as chancellor, Ravi had advised VCs for the well-being of the state and its people and for the growth of Tamil Nadu. The write-up was “politically motivated and abusive”, he said.
‘Murasoli’ detailed the action taken by the TN government and others following the accident while ‘Ravi was in Ooty,’ and in a sarcastic remark, dubbed him a ‘Sugajeevi’ (a person who enjoys the comforts of life). Chief Minister Stalin rushed state ministers to Odisha to coordinate rescue initiatives and he himself monitored the work.
Odisha CM Naveen Patnaik, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union ministers were all on the spot following the accident, the daily said and underscored the gravity of the situation.
Stalin, also the chief of the ruling DMK, deferred the inaugural of the year long (2023-24) birth centenary celebrations of former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi (1924-2018), Murasoli said. It was originally scheduled to be held on June 3, the birth anniversary of the late leader. It is re-scheduled to be held on June 7 here.
