Chief Minister MK Stalin has decided to boycott Governor RN Ravi’s tea party to be organised at Raj Bhavan on the occasion of Independence Day on Friday.The decision comes as a protest against the governor, who allegedly acted against the welfare of the state, the government said in a statement.
State’s Higher Education Minister K Kovi Chezhiyan announced that he would not attend convocation ceremonies at Alagappa University and Thiruvalluvar University on August 18 and 19 as part of the protest and following CM Stalin’s advice.
The elected government is engaged in several controversies involving the governor, including his referral of the recently passed bill to establish Kalaignar University in Kumbakonam to the President instead of granting assent, delaying the university’s formation.
The Tamil Nadu government also accused Governor Ravi of being “politically biased” after he filed a counter-affidavit in a Supreme Court case related to university laws and supported BJP leader Venkatachalapathi’s arguments.
Minister Chezhiyan added that the absence of vice-chancellors in multiple universities, affecting higher education in the state, is linked to the governor’s actions.
Several universities do not have vice chancellors, and the higher education of students is in danger of being affected, and this is due to the governor’s action and the stumbling blocks he has caused.
Allies of the ruling DMK, including the Congress and Left parties, have already announced that they would boycott the tea party to be hosted by Raj Bhavan.
On Wednesday, Governor Ravi faced a snub at a convocation ceremony in Tirunelveli, after a doctoral student refused to receive her degree from him.
The student, wife of DMK Nagercoil Deputy Secretary M Rajan, cited the Governor’s “anti-Tamil and Tamil Nadu” stance as her reason.