Days after a Raj Bhavan invitation in Tamil angered the ruling DMK and caused unease within the BJP when it referred to him as the “Governor of Tamizhagam”, and not Tamil Nadu, Governor R N Ravi clarified Wednesday that he had not suggested changing the name of the state to Tamizhagam.
The word refers to a geographical region, historically inhabited by ancient Tamil people, that covers present day Tamil Nadu, Kerala and Puducherry, and has obvious political implications.
Stating he was not suggesting a name change, the statement from the Governor said, “In an event at Raj Bhavan on January 4, 2023, to felicitate the volunteers of Kashi-Tamil Sangamam – a recently concluded month-long festival celebrating the age-old cultural connect of the Tamil people with Kashi – while dwelling upon the historical cultural connect between the two, I referred to the word ‘Tamizhagam’. In those days, there was no ‘Tamil Nadu’. Hence in historical-cultural context, I referred to the word ‘Tamizhagam’ as a ‘more appropriate expression’. An interpretation or inference that it was a suggestion to change the name of Tamil Nadu is erroneous and far-fetched.”
“Without understanding the basis of my speech, arguments that the Governor is against the word ‘Tamil Nadu’ have become a topic of discussion. Hence, I am giving this clarification to put an end to it,” he said.
Governor Ravi’s clarification came a week after the controversy erupted and he was summoned to Delhi, with the BJP leadership feeling that Ravi’s tough stance was hurting the party.
Last week, the state Assembly saw unprecedented scenes when the Governor deviated from his approved speech and left the House in protest after Chief Minister M K Stalin moved an instant resolution, demanding that only the speech that had been approved by Raj Bhavan earlier be officially recorded and not the one the Governor had read out.
While the Governor’s statement Wednesday over the Tamizhagam row is a political win of sorts for the DMK, it has also caused unease in the BJP and RSS.
A leader of the RSS in Tamil Nadu told The Indian Express: “Normally, any disruption or challenge from the Raj Bhavan to the DMK government would be viewed favourably by the BJP — we are actually quite happy with that. But Ravi lacked restraint in the controversies he chose.”
“The Tamil Nadu BJP unit was successfully implementing the changes that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had consciously made to the Centre’s strategy regarding the state, while Governor Ravi was taking us back to the Aryan, Sanskrit and Sanatan debates, at a time when we are celebrating Tamil culture and leaders are using the term social justice to promote Central government schemes,” the leader said.
“We have informed Delhi about certain individuals mentoring him (the Governor) in Chennai… it is not only harmful to the Central government and the BJP, but also sabotages the work being done by Sangh cadres locally,” the leader said.
After several BJP and RSS leaders disagreed with Ravi and expressed concern, BJP state chief K Annamalai publicly disagreed with the Governor two days ago.
In an interview to Thanthi TV, Annamalai said the controversy over Tamil Nadu and Tamizhagam was unnecessary and was “not going to bring out any productive outcome”.
To a question on the Governor’s Pongal celebration invitation omitting the state emblem, Annamalai said: “I am telling you… 100 per cent the Tamil Nadu logo should have been there in the invitation. But I see it as a clerical error, because the Governor is not such a person… It may not have been a conscious act.”
