By returning online gaming Bill, Tamil Nadu guv prepares ground for another fight

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin while meeting people under his pet programme 'Ungalil Oruvan' (One Among You) said that Governors in opposition ruled states have only mouths not ears.

This was a clear message by the Chief Minister on how the waters are roiling vis a vis the relationship with the Governor. The latest confrontation between the two commenced after Governor R.N. Ravi returned the bill unanimously passed by the legislative assembly against online games including rummy.

The Governor returned the bill a couple of days ago citing legislative and legal issues. The bill was lying on his table since October 19, 2022 when the assembly had passed it unanimously.

When the bill was passed by the assembly around 22 people had taken their lives after heavy losses in online gambling especially in games like rummy. When the Governor returned the bill a couple of days earlier, the number of deaths had touched 40.

The government and the Governor have been at loggerheads ever since R.N. Ravi assumed office. An IPS officer turned Governor, Ravi showed the government and M.K. Stalin in particular that he would not be cowed down by arm twisting tactics.

On January 9 this year, the Governor during his address to the assembly skipped the paragraph of the printed copy which mentioned the names of Dravidian ideologue, EV Ramaswamy Periyar, Dr B.R. Ambedkar, K. Kamraj and CN Annaduarai and M. Karunanidhi -- all icons for Tamil Nadu.

Immediately after the Governor skipped the paragraph, Stalin was on his feet and condemned the Governor who left the assembly in a huff.

Stalin moved a resolution in the House that the official address prepared by the cabinet would be laid on the table and it was passed. The Governor's address was not recorded in the assembly.

This led to street protests against the Governor with DMK cadres, youth activists of Dravidian movements and Dalit outfits attacking R.N. Ravi and burning his effigy at many places in Tamil Nadu.

Earlier Ravi, while interacting with a batch of civil service aspirants who had cleared the Main examination, expressed his opposition to the Tamil term 'Ondriya Arasu' which was used by the state government for the Union Government.

He said that it was fine for him to use the term 'Union Government' but not the Tamil words 'Ondriya Arasu'. He said that 'Ondriya Arasu' was a term used to refer to a sub-district, sub-divisional level structure in the hierarchy. He alleged that the term was used for the Union Government with the intention to perhaps belittle it.

The Governor has also held the anti-NEET Bill passed by the state government. The assembly had to again re-enact the bill and resend it to him for further action. Dravida Kazhagam, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and other Dalit outfits had shown black flags to the Governor when he had returned the Anti-NEET Bill.

With the Governor and the government locked in another confrontation over the online gaming ban bill, it has to be seen how sparks will fly between them.

Dr R. Mukunda Raj, a sociologist and retired professor, told IANS that "The Governor and the government must have a thin line drawn and it should not be crossed. If continuous spats are taking place between the state government and the Governor, it will turn into a mockery of democracy and lead to disrespect and belittling of the institutions which is not good in a healthy democracy."