Chennai, Apr 11 (UNI) A day after the Tamil Nadu Assembly adopted a resolution

and Governor R.N.Ravi according assent for the Bill banning online gambling in

the State, leaders of the the ruling DMK-led Secular Progressive Alliance (SPA)

today dropped the joint agitation and instead decided to hold a public meeting

on April 12.

Terming this as a first victory for the SPA, the alliance party leaders, in a

joint statement today said since the Governor was yet to give his assent

for the remaining Bills pending before him and has failed to express any

regret for his remarks on Anti-sterlite protests and Sanatana dharma, the

protest demonstration announced by the SPA in front of Raj Bhavan on

April 12, would now be held as a public meeting in the city to condemn

the actions of the Governor.

After Mr Ravi stoked a controversy on April 7 saying if a Bill is “withheld”

by the Governor “the Bill is dead”, triggering strong objections by Chief

Minister and DMK Presidet M.K. Stalin and alliance parties, leaders of the

ruling DMK-led SPA announced a joint agitation in front of the Raj Bhavan

on April 12.

The agitation was to condemn the Governor, “who has been expressing

controversial comments in the public to impress the BJP, which was trying

for a diarchy with Governors in non BJP-led states.

A joint statement issued by constituents of the alliance – DMK, Congress,

MDMK, CPI(M), CPI, IUML, VCK, Manidhaneya Makkal Katchi, Kongu Nadu

Makkal Desiya Katchi and Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi – said their

agitation would not cease until the Governor stopped activities that had

lowered the dignity of the Assembly.

The SPA leaders also called upon democratic forces to unite for this cause.

They charged the Governor with attempting to identify himself as the

representative of the BJP-RSS organisations by forgetting the oath he

had taken while assuming the office of the Governor.

Recalling the Governor’s controversial comments in the recent past such

as foreign funding of anti-Sterlite protests, the statement said: “These

comments have created unnecessary tensions in the society and are

seeds of controversies. They are not in his mandate.”

The leaders said the Governor had to act on the aid and advice of the

Chief Minister and the Cabinet.

Pointing out that the contours of the position of the post of Governor

enshrined in the Constitution, they charged: “The Tamil Nadu Governor

is not acting as per these norms. Instead, he is violating them”.

UNI GV 1434