The main Opposition party, DMK has upped its ante to prevent Governor Banwarilal Purohit’s attempts to review the implementation of state and central schemes throughout the state.
In fact, on Tuesday when the Governor visited Thanjavore to interact with the people and other organisations on the implementation of the schemes, DMK cadres led by former Union ministers T R Baalu and SS Palani Maanickam staged a black flag protest near the venue of the programme.
Though the governor is mainly concentrating on the implementation of schemes like Swaach Bharat mission, the Opposition is making it a point to criticise both Purohit and the state government watering down the cooperative federalism in the country.
Not only DMK and other Opposition parties but also sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dinakaran are continually criticising the actions of the Governor. In fact, the Governor in a release issued on 20 November, 2017, clarified there was nothing unconstitutional or illegal in his actions. He said in the release that he had never violated any law or the Constitution.
“These meetings helped Purohit in getting first-hand knowledge of the developmental needs and problems faced by the people at the grass root level which facilitated him in reflecting the same to the Government of India and thereby enabling him to avail more funds to fulfil the needs and aspirations of the people,” said the Chennai Raj Bhavan release.
In Thanjavore, leaders of various farmers’ associations called on the Governor and submitted representations listing their woes in getting water for irrigation.
Thanjavore is described as Tamil Nadu’s hub of rice cultivation and the district is part of the fertile Cauvery Delta Region.
The farmers’ associations detailed the problems faced by the members of their community in the Delta region and impressed upon the Governor the need for Central government to constitute the Cauvery Management Board immediately .
While pro-BJP farmer leaders like Kattumannarkoil Kannan are appreciating the Governor’s actions, the Constitutional experts are of the view that the black flag demonstrations are purely political in nature.
“The Governor is a Constitutional authority and there is no law in the Indian Constitution which prevents him from interacting with the officials and people of the State,” said Prof A Sathyaseelan, a constitutional expert.