New Delhi: Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Wednesday issued a clarification that it was “wrong and far-fetched” to say that he had suggested renaming the southern state with his recent comments on “Tamizhgam”. In his statement, the governor claimed that those who speculated did so “without understanding” the basis of his speech. “An interpretation or inference that this was a suggestion to rename Tamil Nadu is incorrect and far-fetched,” the governor said in the statement.
“The recently concluded month-long festival to facilitate the volunteers of Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, at an event at Raj Bhavan on January 4, 2023, will focus on the historical cultural links of the age-old cultural links of the Tamil people with Kashi was celebrated. Between these two I mentioned the word ‘Tamizhgam’. There was no Tamil Nadu those days. Therefore, in a historical, cultural context, I refer to the term ‘Tamizhgam’ as a more appropriate expression,” Governor Ravi said.
I mentioned ‘Tamizhagam’ at a program organized at Raj Bhavan on January 4 to honor the volunteers of Kash-Tamil Sangamam. There was no ‘Tamil Nadu’ in those days. Hence, in the historical-cultural context, I mentioned ‘Tamizhgam’: Government of Tamil Nadu pic.twitter.com/BJSvxECRRu– ANI (@ANI) January 18, 2023
The statement read, “Without understanding the basis of my speech, the contention that the governor is against the word Tamil Nadu has become a point of discussion. Therefore, I am making this clarification to put an end to it.”
While addressing an event felicitating the organizers and volunteers of Kasi Tamil Sangamam held at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai on 4 January, Governor RN Ravi reportedly remarked that the word ‘Tamizhgam’ is a more appropriate word for Tamil Nadu.
However, the governor was later criticized for using a name other than that approved by the constitution. Although both terms are mentioned in Tamil literature, Tamil Nadu is more widely accepted and opposed to Tamizhgam. Both Tamizhgam and Tamil Nadu roughly mean ‘the land of the Tamils’.
His remarks sparked a bitter political row and the state’s ruling party – the DMK – accused Ravi of furthering the BJP-RSS agenda. The state assembly also witnessed riotous scenes after ruling party legislators raised “Quit Tamil Nadu” slogans in the House against Ravi and the hashtag #GetOutRavi trended on Twitter.