'GetoutRavi' posters crop up in Tamil Nadu

BJP hits back with banners hailing Governor Ravi over Assembly episode

Press Trust of India

Chennai: Amid the tussle between the ruling DMK and Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi over the state Assembly episode, "#GetoutRavi" posters, prominently featuring Chief Minister M K Stalin surfaced in some parts of the city, while another row broke out over the absence of TN government's emblem in a Raj Bhavan Pongal event invitation.

The hashtag against Ravi was trending on Twitter on Monday following his face-off with the state government in the Assembly where Stalin, also president of the ruling DMK, piloted a resolution against the Governor's deviation from his customary address to the Legislature and to retain the draft prepared by his government.

However, in Pudukottai, posters were put up by local BJP functionaries hailing Ravi. Many BJP Twitter handles backed him and slammed the ruling party over the matter. Stalin's son and state Minister Udhayanidhi hailed what happened in the Assembly on Monday and said it was an "unprecedented event" in the history of the House.

"Normally our leader (Stalin) makes the opposition run with his replies (in the assembly) but this time he made the governor run," he quipped at an event, in an apparent reference to Ravi staging a walkout from the Assembly on Monday. Stalin will be the first Chief Minister to voice concern whenever "our rights" are affected, Udhayanidhi added. A senior TN BJP functionary filed a police complaint against some MLAs of the ruling DMK.

In a tweet, A Ashvathaman, State Secretary, said he has filed the complaint under Section 124 of the Indian Penal Code, which deals with "assaulting President, Governor, etc., with intent to compel or restrain the exercise of any lawful power." Protests were held in Coimbatore against the Governor by the Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam where the agitators attempted to burn an effigy of Ravi.

Elsewhere, local BJP workers staged a demonstration condemning the incident. Police detained the respective activists separately. Meanwhile, another row erupted over the Raj Bhavan's Pongal celebrations invitation allegedly not containing the state government emblem.