Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi on Wednesday. January 18, clarified that his intention was not to change the name of the state when he mentioned “Tamizhagam” at an event earlier this month, stoking a controversy. Clarifying his stance on the matter, Ravi said any interpretation that he had suggested to change the name of the state is erroneous and far-fetched.

“Without understanding the basis of my speech, arguments that the Governor is against the word ‘Tamil Nadu’ have become a topic of discussion. Hence, I am giving this clarification to put an end to it," a statement released by Raj Bhavan said.

“In an event at Raj Bhavan on January 4, 2023 to felicitate the volunteers of Kashi-Tamil Sangamam, a recently concluded month long festival celebrating the age of cultural connect of Tamil people with Kashi, while dwelling upon the historical cultural connect between the two, I referred to the word ‘Tamizhagam’. In those days, there was no ‘Tamil Nadu’. Hence in historical cultural context, I referred to the word ‘Tamizhagam’ as a ‘more appropriate expression’," the governor said.

‘Tamizhagam’ means ‘the land which innately has Tamil’ and refers to a larger area of land where Tamilians were believed to have made their home.

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Tamil Nadu is the official name of the state as per the Constitution and means ‘Land of Tamils.’ It is also interpreted as ‘country of Tamils.’ Governor Ravi, who is seen as an appointee of the Centre ruled by the BJP, has been at loggerheads with the DMK-ruled state government over a number of issues, including the imposition of Hindi as a national language, NEET row, Cauvery river water dispute and a number of other Bills.

According to reports, it is believed that the governor’s reference to Tamizhagam is an apparent bid to negate any separatist ideology in the state.

The choice of not using the term Tamil Nadu is also seen as an insult to the revered founder of DMK party, C.N. Annadurai, who was at the forefront of the anti-Hindi movement against the Centre in the 1960s which also demanded separate countryhood to the state, then known officially as Madras state.

Annadurai, who led DMK to its first major victory in 1967, was instrumental in getting the state renamed as Tamil Nadu, but had asserted that Tamil Nadu would be a part of India and not a separate country.

At the Kashi-Tamil Sangamam event on January 4, Governor Ravi had said, “Everything applicable for the whole of the country, Tamil Nadu will say no,” he had said. “It has become a habit. So many theses have been written – all false and poor fiction. This must be broken. Truth must prevail. Tamizhagam is a more appropriate word to call it. The rest of the country suffered a lot of devastation at the hands of foreigners for a long time.”

The controversy deepened after a Pongal invite from Raj Bhavan referred to Ravi as ‘Tamizhagam’ Governor. The invite also did not have the state emblem and featured only the emblem of the Government of India.

Posters state “#GetOutRavi” had emerged in various parts of Tamil Nadu after a protest erupted on social media following the remark. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin had later asked his ministers and followers not to put up such posters against the governor.

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(Edited by : Shoma Bhattacharjee)