AIADMK party on Wednesday, April 20, staged a walkout from the Tamil Nadu Assembly condemning the black flag protest held against Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Tuesday at Mayiladuthurai. Members of Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), Dravida Kazhagam (DK), CPI and CPI(M), on Tuesday, staged a black flag demonstration against Ravi at Mayiladuthurai over the NEET face-off. The Governor was on his way to Sri Abhirami Amirtha Kadeswarar Thirukadaiyur temple at Dharmapuram Adheenam Mutt, when the incident took place. State BJP president Annamalai and opposition party AIADMK condemned the incident and sought action to be taken against the police and the protesters.

Today in Myladuthurai, Hon Gov of TN Thiru. R N Ravi avl’s security was thoroughly compromised. Hooligans backed by DMK party threw stones & flagpoles on his convoy

If our CM @mkstalin has a blind hatred of somebody because of his party’s ideology, time for him to demit office!

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) April 19, 2022

Meanwhile, the Tamil Nadu police in a press release said that the flags that were thrown landed on the police vehicles and not on the Governor’s vehicle. The press statement also said that the protesters were barricaded but they resorted to throwing the flags as they could not grab the attention of the Governor. “The protesters have been arrested and booked under relevant sections in the Mayiladuthurai police station,” it read.

மயிலாடுதுறையில் ஆளுநர் கார் மீது கற்கள் வீசப்படவில்லை: தமிழக காவல்துறை விளக்கம் @tnpoliceoffl #RNRavi #TNGovernor @rajbhavan_tn pic.twitter.com/t6nmZhr9fs

— மகாலிங்கம் பொன்னுசாமி / Mahalingam Ponnusamy (@mahajournalist) April 19, 2022

However, AIADMK staged a walkout and the party cadre also raised slogans that there was ‘no safety for Tamil Nadu people’, and ‘no safety for Governor himself’ and ‘save law and order in the state’.

Addressing the media, Edappadi K Palaniswami said that it was highly condemnable that stones and flag sticks were thrown at the Governor’s vehicle. “The police instead of removing the protestors from the spot, had provided them protection, and it is condemnable. This has come as a shocker to the public. This attack on the Governor’s convoy is a black spot on the TN police department”, he said and questioned why the intelligence department did not find out that there was an attack going to happen in the name of protest.

Responding to the issue, Chief Minister MK Stalin, at the Assembly, said that there was no truth in the statement that stones and flags were thrown at the Governor’s convoy. “The protesters were brought under control and later arrested. In a letter from the Governor’s Aide De Camp (ADC) to the Deputy General of Police (DGP), it is stated, “Fortunately, the governor and convoy passed unharmed”,” Stalin said and added that this was not taken into account and was used as a chance to politicise the issue.

Stalin also asserted that no compromise will be made on the Governor’s safety and proper action was taken against the protesters.

Earlier, the ruling DMK and allies boycotted an 'At Home Reception’ organised by Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on April 14. Stalin told the state Assembly that the boycott was due to the pending anti-NEET Bill adopted by the House earlier. Post this incident, two state ministers, on April 18, did not attend a university convocation attended by Governor Ravi.

The anti-NEET bill was returned by the Governor to the government on February 1, 2022 for reconsideration. On February 8 this year, the Bill was re-adopted by the Assembly and it was sent to the Raj Bhavan. However, the Governor has not yet forwarded it to the President.

(With IANS inputs)