The ongoing clash between Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin and Governor RN Ravi has intensified over a missing line from the state’s anthem during an event. Stalin has posed sharp questions to Ravi, accusing him of “vilifying the Dravid race” and “imposing Hindi everywhere”, signalling that the verbal exchange between the two leaders is far from over.
The controversy began after the word ‘Dravida’ was skipped during the rendition of the Tamil Nadu state anthem at a Hindi month valedictory event presided over by Governor Ravi. Stalin, in a post on X, questioned, “Why didn’t you correct the omission right away?” accusing the Governor of ignoring the “Dravidian model in the past” and expressing doubts about the omission being inadvertent.
The missing line, “Thekkanamum adhil sirantha Dravida nal thiru naadum,” stirred outrage. Though Doordarshan Kendra Chennai issued an apology, citing an “inadvertent mistake” and clarified that there was no intention to disrespect Tamil or Tamizh Thaai Valthu, Stalin remained unconvinced, accusing the governor of undermining the unity of the country.
In response, RN Ravi rejected the allegations as “cheap and divisive,” stating that the accusations lowered the dignity of the Chief Minister’s office. However, his response notably remained silent on the skipped anthem line. Ravi highlighted his recitation of the Tamizh Thaai Vaazhthu at functions and credited Prime Minister Modi for taking Tamil to the global stage, including the United Nations.
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Stalin hit back forcefully, asserting that Tamil was not just a language but the “lifeblood” of Tamils, who had fought to preserve their linguistic heritage. “If you call our love for Tamil racist, it’s an honour for us,” he retorted. He also reiterated that the Centre, through Governor Ravi, was pushing a “Hindi everywhere” agenda, accusing PM Modi’s schemes of promoting Hindi at the expense of regional languages.
The Chief Minister has long accused Governor Ravi of overstepping constitutional boundaries, previously urging him to step down for failing to respect Tamil pride. Stalin also emphasized that Hindi is not recognized as the national language and called for avoiding Hindi-centric programs in non-Hindi-speaking states like Tamil Nadu.
