TN This Week: ‘Governor Should be Free of Political Proclivities’ Says Stalin in Letter to President

In a historic move, the Tamil Nadu Assembly, on January 12 unanimously adopted a resolution urging the Union Government to implement the Sethusamudram project without further delay. The canal would facilitate movement from the Gulf of Munnar to the Palk Strait.

State Health Minister Ma Subramanian on January 12 informed the State Assembly that a three-member committee of experts was probing the illegal appointment of 15,000 nurses in the previous All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) regime.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on January 10 announced an increase in Dearness Allowance (DA) of 4% for permanent employees of temples under the control of the Hindu Religious and Charitable Endowments Department whose annual revenue is above one lakh.

Approximately 43% of the nearly 1,000km long Tamil Nadu coast is facing erosion, a shoreline change assessment made by National Centre for Coastal Research (NCCR) revealed this week.

The intense frosting has set in at the Nilgiris with the minimum temperature dipping to zero degrees Celsius in certain parts of the district.

Actor Ajit and Vijay’s Pongal releases ‘Thunivu’ and ‘Varisu’ respectively met with a heavy rush in all the theatres across the state. Clashes were witnessed between the fans.

The year’s first Jallikattu or bull-taming sport was held in the Pudukottai district on January 8. As many as 74 persons were injured in it.

NewsClick brings you a round-up of the happenings this week in Tamil Nadu.

GUV STAGED WALK-OUT

Governor RN Ravi walked out of the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly on January 9. This was soon after Chief Minister MK Stalin moved a resolution to exclude from the House records parts of the speech altered by the Governor in his customary speech. Read more

Following this, on January 10 Governor Ravi dropped “Nadu” from the state’s name in his Pongal invitations. He advocated a name change for the state to “Tamizhagam”, on the ground that “Nadu” (country/land) implies separatism.

The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and its allies skipped the Pongal celebrations.

Chief Minister Stalin wrote a letter to President Droupadi Murmu saying that the Governor was engaging in a “political-ideological conflict” with the state government and should be advised against doing so.

Protests erupted across the state by DMK cadres, allies, members of Tamil outfits and college students against the Governor’s actions.

PROTESTS & STRUGGLES

Four Lok Sabha MPs led by the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI(M) Madurai MP Su Venkatesan resorted to a day-night sit-in protest inside the State Bank of India (SBI) Chennai head office at Nungambakkam against the holding of the junior associate recruitment main exam on January 15, Pongal festival day in Tamil Nadu.

Protest inside SBI head office in Chennai. Image courtesy: Su Venkatesan

The Joint Action Council of Tamil Nadu Electricity Board announced a strike on January 10 seeking to fill up vacancies and a long delay in wage revision. However, they called it off following Tangedco's written assurance to provide a proposal for wage revision.

Tamil Nadu milk producers staged a sit-in protest on January 9 at the head office of Aavin in Chennai, demanding the government immediately increase the procurement price and announce the revised price. Read more

Sanitation, drinking water, vehicle drivers and mosquito exterminator workers held protests across the state on January 10 demanding the government of Tamil Nadu stop privatising work at the local bodies. Read more

A section of farmers staged a shirtless protest in Trichy on January 12 demanding to commence a caste census in the state.

A massive protest by various state associations was held near the Paranur toll booth next to Chengalpattu on January 11 against the toll charges that have been levied by the central government for nearly two decades.