Law Minister takes a dig at Governor

Chennai, Jan 18: In a scathing rebuke, Tamil Nadu’s State Law Minister, S Regupathy, expressed his displeasure with Governor R N Ravi’s characterization of Poet Thiruvalluvar as a “Sanathani.” Regupathy not only criticized the Governor’s comments but also suggested that Ravi could join the “saffron party” to freely engage in political statements.

In a series of messages posted on a microblogging site on Tuesday, Regupathy accused the Governor of courting controversies by opining on subjects beyond his knowledge. The minister recalled the Governor’s past controversial remarks on the state’s name, which led to a retraction following public outrage, and now, the focus has shifted to Thiruvalluvar.

Regupathy criticized the Governor’s deviation from his duties, accusing him of being preoccupied with associating saffron symbolism with various aspects. The minister highlighted the Governor’s alleged lack of awareness regarding Thirukkural’s opposition to Vedic principles, emphasizing the need for him to refrain from making uninformed statements.

The State Law Minister suggested that the Governor could consider joining the “Saffron party” if he wishes to engage in politics openly. He urged Ravi to prioritize acting in accordance with the Constitution instead of making statements about Thiruvalluvar without adequate knowledge.

DMK MP Kanimozhi criticised the governor’s post, saying, “There are no religious symbols in Thirukkural, we cannot impose Sanatan or Hindutva symbols or any other religion on Thiruvalluvar. We need to understand this. Thirukkural is something which is beyond religion and speaks humanity.”

While presenting the Budget in 2020, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman quoted him: “Pini Inmai Selvam Vilaivu Inbam Emam Ani Enba”, which loosely translates to having the “five jewels” required for a country that is without illness, with wealth, with good crops, with happiness, as well as safety and security.