Manish Tewari, a former Union minister and prominent member of the Congress, criticised RN Ravi, the governor of Tamil Nadu, on Friday for his decision to issue a disputed order that announced the removal of Minister V Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers without first contacting Chief Minister MK Stalin.
This follows the Governor of Tamil Nadu’s decision to temporarily suspend the dismissal order of jailed DMK leader and state minister V Senthil Balaji.
“Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi keeps the dismissal order of Minister V Senthil Balaji in abeyance. He will take the advice of the Attorney General on this matter,” sources said.
Talking to the reporters, Tewari said, “President should immediately remove Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi. The Governor who does not know his limits. He should not have taken such an unconstitutional step. This clearly shows that he does not have knowledge of the Constitution and is unaware of his responsibilities.”
Earlier, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin said that the state government would challenge the governor’s decision legally.
Speaking to reporters, Stalin said, “Governor doesn’t have the right (to dismiss a sitting minister) and we will face this legally.”
In an official release, Raj Bhavan said,”Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of corruption cases including taking cash for jobs and money laundering…Under these circumstances, Governor has dismissed him from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect.”
Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on June 14 in a cash-for-jobs scam. He was later admitted to a government hospital in Chennai after he complained of chest pains. He was allowed by the Madras High Court on June 15 to be shifted to a private hospital of his choice.
