Political Storm Erupts Over Speaker's 'Terrorist' Remark Against Governor
Bharatiya Janata Party leader K. Annamalai launched a sharp criticism against Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly Speaker M. Appavu on Saturday for his controversial remarks labeling Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi as a 'terrorist'. The political confrontation has sparked a major controversy in the state's political circles.
In a strongly worded post on social media platform X, Annamalai expressed his outrage at what he described as the Speaker's inappropriate comments directed at the constitutional head of the state. "The Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, Thiru Appavu, has stooped to the extent of calling the Honourable Governor of Tamil Nadu, Thiru RN Ravi, a 'terrorist' merely for highlighting the disturbing rise in terror-related incidents under the DMK Government," Annamalai wrote.
Security Concerns and Past Incidents Highlighted
The BJP leader pointed to several serious security incidents that have occurred in Tamil Nadu in recent years to counter the Speaker's assertion that there is no terrorism in the state. Annamalai specifically referenced the 2022 suicide bombing in Coimbatore as a significant security breach that should not be forgotten.
In his social media post, Annamalai posed several pointed questions: "Has Thiru Appavu forgotten the horrific 2022 suicide bombing in Coimbatore? Has he forgotten the petrol bombs thrown at the BJP offices & establishments of BJP functionaries by PFI goons? Does he ever check the press releases of NIA on the crackdown of deep-rooted terror modules in Tamil Nadu in the past few years?"
He further emphasized the National Investigation Agency's crackdowns on several innate terror units operating within Tamil Nadu, suggesting that the security situation in the state requires serious attention rather than dismissal.
Controversial Funeral Procession of 1998 Bombing Mastermind
Adding another dimension to the controversy, Annamalai recalled the funeral procession of terrorist Basha, the mastermind behind the 1998 Coimbatore bombing. He claimed that Basha was given a "martyr-like farewell" with "tight police security" provided during his funeral procession.
"While the people of TN continue to suffer due to the government's failure to ensure a safe environment, the 1998 Coimbatore bombing mastermind, Terrorist Basha, was shockingly accorded a martyr-like farewell, complete with tight police security for his funeral procession," Annamalai stated in his X post.
The BJP leader's comments came in direct response to Speaker Appavu's media interaction where he had dismissed the Governor's concerns about law and order and terrorists entering the state.
Speaker's Original Remarks Spark Controversy
The political firestorm began when Speaker M. Appavu, while speaking to media representatives, was questioned about Governor R.N. Ravi's statements highlighting law and order concerns and claims about terrorists entering Tamil Nadu.
Appavu responded by stating, "The only terrorist is him, there are no other terrorists here...This is his mindset..." He further elaborated, "He is referring to himself when he talks about a terrorist; there is no one else...In this state, there is no terrorism...and there are no law and order issues...He is simply hoping that terrorism will emerge here, that's all..."
These remarks immediately drew strong reactions from the opposition BJP, with Annamalai leading the charge against what the party perceives as irresponsible statements from a constitutional authority.
The escalating war of words between the ruling DMK government and the opposition BJP highlights the deepening political divisions in Tamil Nadu and raises important questions about how security concerns should be addressed and discussed in the public domain.
