Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. K. Stalin has launched a scathing attack on Governor R. N. Ravi for withholding assent to the Kalaignar University Bill, more than 40 days after it was unanimously passed by the State Assembly. Speaking at a government function in Thanjavur, Stalin accused the Governor of deliberately stalling the legislative process despite a recent Supreme Court verdict urging Governors to act promptly on bills.
The bill, which seeks to establish a university in Thanjavur named after former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, was passed on May 2. Stalin noted that had the Governor approved it in time, the foundation stone could have been laid during Monday’s event.
The Chief Minister further alleged that the Governor has refused to meet Higher Education Minister Govi Chezhian, who had sought an appointment to press for the bill’s approval. “What could be more important for a Governor than this?” Stalin asked, adding that the Governor “hasn’t learnt any lessons even after the Supreme Court judgment.”
Stalin also accused the Union Government of creating additional hurdles by withholding funds and interfering in state matters. “If the Governor is one obstacle, the Centre is another,” he said, framing the issue as part of a broader pattern of obstruction.
The Chief Minister warned that while the state government is exercising patience, it may be compelled to act more assertively if the delay continues. “If we run out of patience, we will make the Governor give his assent,” he declared.
The standoff adds to the ongoing friction between the Tamil Nadu government and the Raj Bhavan, particularly over the administration of state-run universities and the Governor’s role in legislative affairs.
