Tamil Nadu governor Banwarilal Purohit in a spot as Opposition launches ‘go back’ campaign

CHENNAI: Opposition parties in Tamil Nadu on Wednesday launched a campaign demanding that the Centre recall governor Banwarilal Purohit.
The agitation came a day after the governor convened a press meet to defend himself against charges in the Madurai Kamaraj University (MKU) scandal. In an audiotape purportedly of a woman assistant professor of a Virudhunagar women’s college trying to lure students to offer sexual favours to “higher officials”, the governor finds a mention.

Leaders of several parties including the DMK, the CPM and the PMK warned that protests would escalate till the governor was replaced. The ‘go back governor’ protest comes a week after the ‘go back Modi’ campaign by opposition parties during the PM’s April 12 visit to Chennai. On Wednesday, hashtag #gobackgovernor was trending through the day. Saidapet MLA M Subramanian, who led a group of DMK cadres, was picked up by the police on his way to Raj Bhavan. The cadres were taken to Guindy where DMK leader Stalin addressed them. DMK workers stage a protest in Chennai on Wednesday

Most intense protests against governor ever in TN, say analysts

Stalin said, “It’s a shame to have Banwarilal Purohit as the governor. Our protests will continue until he is recalled by the Union government,” a view echoed by PMK, CPM and other parties. Criticising the governor’s remark that the state had no power to appoint a committee to probe the MKU scandal, Stalin said, “The AIADMK government must reply to the governor as it is against state autonomy.”

Political analysts say TN has never seen such intense protests against a governor. “Between 1991 and 1996, former chief minister Jayalalithaa had a direct confrontation with governor M Channa Reddy. But it was the AIADMK’s fight. Now all opposition parties have come together, while the AIADMK appears to be protesting silently,” said analyst Tharasu Shyam.

CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan sought the probe to be monitored by the HC. “As the assistant professor has mentioned the governor, Purohit must step down until his name is cleared,” he said.