Tensions flared in Tamil Nadu as Chief Minister MK Stalin accused Governor RN Ravi of disrespecting the state’s Dravidian identity by skipping a key line in the Tamil anthem. Stalin demanded the governor’s recall, criticizing the celebration of Hindi Month in a non-Hindi-speaking state as undermining regional languages.
Tamil Nadu: Tensions between the Tamil Nadu government and Governor RN Ravi have escalated after a significant controversy erupted during an event in Chennai. The issue arose when a line containing the word “Dravida” was omitted from the Tamil anthem during the golden jubilee celebrations of Chennai Doordarshan, sparking outrage from Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin.
“Will the governor who suffers from a Dravidian allergy ask them to leave out ‘Dravida’ in the national anthem?”
Mr. Stalin asked pointedly, accusing the governor of disrespecting the state’s cultural and linguistic identity. He further claimed that Governor Ravi is “unfit” for his post and urged the central government to recall him immediately.
The skipped line in the Tamil Thai Vazhthu—the Tamil anthem—added fuel to an already heated dispute over the celebration of Hindi Month in a non-Hindi-speaking state like Tamil Nadu. Mr. Stalin had previously objected to the governor attending the event, viewing it as an attempt to undermine the local language and culture.
The Tamil anthem, sung at the start of every government program, holds deep cultural significance for the people of the state. The word ‘Dravida’ refers to the people of southern India, including Tamil Nadu, and its omission was seen as a slight against the state’s Dravidian identity. Doordarshan Tamil quickly issued an apology, explaining that the line was left out by mistake as the singers were “distracted.” However, this apology did little to quell the mounting political firestorm.
Chief Minister Stalin did not mince his words. In a scathing post on X (formerly Twitter), he accused Governor Ravi of deliberately insulting Tamil Nadu and its people.
“The Union Government should immediately recall the Governor who is deliberately insulting Tamil Nadu and the sentiments of the people of Tamil Nadu,”
he wrote, stressing that the omission of the word “Dravida” was an attack on national unity.
The incident further deepened the divide between the state government and the governor. “Skipping the word in the Tamil anthem violates the state’s law,” Mr. Stalin pointed out, underscoring the legal and symbolic importance of the anthem in Tamil Nadu.
In his defense, Governor Ravi responded to the controversy, stating that “Hindi should not be viewed as an imposition but as a language to be celebrated alongside other languages.” He went on to say that he had observed a growing acceptance of Hindi among Tamil Nadu’s younger population, which he described as a sign of progress and inclusiveness.
“When I came here, Hindi was not a welcome language in Tamil Nadu, but when I started meeting students, I was happily surprised that their Hindi was better than mine,”
the governor said.
However, Governor Ravi’s comments failed to appease the Chief Minister or his party, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Mr. Stalin criticized the celebration of Hindi in a non-Hindi-speaking state, calling it an affront to the cultural diversity of India. In a letter addressed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi earlier in the day, he expressed his concerns, stating that such events are seen as an attempt to undermine Tamil and other regional languages.
“As you are aware, the Constitution of India does not accord national language status to any language,”
Mr. Stalin reminded the Prime Minister. He further argued that “celebrating Hindi Month in non-Hindi speaking states is seen as an attempt to belittle other languages.” To remedy this, he suggested that
“if the Union Government still desires to hold such events, the celebration of the local language month in respective states must also be done with equal warmth.”
Governor Ravi, however, warned against the rising trend of regional isolationism, cautioning that efforts to isolate Tamil Nadu from the rest of India could be harmful. He described such actions as part of a “toxic and separatist policy” and urged for unity.
This ongoing tension between the Tamil Nadu government and Governor RN Ravi highlights deeper cultural and political rifts between the state and the central government. The controversy over the Tamil anthem and the celebration of Hindi Month is just the latest manifestation of these tensions, as both sides grapple with the delicate balance between national unity and regional identity.
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