'Exploiting People In The Name Of Caste," TN Guv Remark Triggers Row, DMK Dubs Him RSS Stooge

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi said that social discrimination was a major problem in the state. The statement was backed by BJP while DMK kit back citing example of caste discrimination from north India

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi (centre) with Chief Minister Chief Minister MK Stalin (left) and his son and DMK MLA Udhayanidhi Stalin (right)

Source : PTI File Photo

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party on Monday hit back at Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi who said that social discrimination is a major problem in the state. Responding to the remark, DMK leader TKS Elangovan said that an upper caste man can urinate on a lower caste boy, in an apparent reference to the incident that took place in Madhya Pradesh. The Bharatiya Janata Party, though backed Ravi’s statement saying Tamil Nadu records a high number of death due to manual scavenging. 

"In the North, an upper caste man can urinate on a lower caste boy and nobody can question. That is the kind of social justice from Mr Ravi's area. How he is acting towards the lower caste people I don't know,” DMK leader TKS Elangovan said, speaking to news agency ANI. 

#WATCH | Chennai: "In the North, an upper caste man can urinate on a lower caste boy and nobody can question. That is the kind of social justice from Mr Ravi's area. How he is acting towards the lower caste people I don't know...I am calling him Mr Ravi because he has failed to… pic.twitter.com/JuwWizFG4q

— ANI (@ANI) September 18, 2023

“I am calling him Mr Ravi because he has failed to act as a Governor. What is the duty of the Governor? To give ascent to the bills passed by the legislature but he has not done that duty and is serving as the stooge of the RSS group,” he added.

Speaking at a cultural event on Monday conducted by Tamil Seva Sangam, in Thanjavur, the Tamil Nadu Governor said that “social discrimination is still a major problem” in the state.  

VIDEO | "Unfortunately, in Tamil Nadu, social discrimination is still a major problem. In our state, our youth are wearing caste bands (wrist bands of various colours to identify their castes). How shameful it is that a state (government) which talks about social justice and… pic.twitter.com/XHfVHgxxDz

— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) September 18, 2023

“In our state, our youth are wearing caste bands (wrist bands of various colours to identify their castes). How shameful it is that a state (government) which talks about social justice and makes so much politics about social justice, has been exploiting people in the name of caste," Ravi said. 

Backing the Governor, Tamil Nadu BJP Vice President Narayanan Thirupathy said that whatever Ravi said was 100 per cent true and that the state records a high number of deaths due to manual scavenging. 

“We saw that a 12th standard boy was attacked by some other caste... Every day we are seeing so many issues. We have seen Tamil Nadu also has a high number of deaths in manual scavenging. Manual scavenging is because of the caste discrimination we have seen...What Mr RN Ravi has said is 100% true...," Thirupathy told the news agency.