Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister Govindan Nedunchezhian, referred to as Govi Chezhian, stirred controversy on Tuesday after claiming that the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK)-led government under Chief Minister MK Stalin was “running at rocket speed” and contrasting it with what he called the “myth” of Kamba ramayanam (the Tamil retelling of the Ramayana).
The remarks were made during the third phase of the Chief Minister’s Scheme outreach camp held in seven panchayats—including Papakovil, Kurichi, Prathaparamapuram, and Thirukuvalai—in the Kilvelur Assembly constituency of Nagapattinam district. The event was presided over by District Collector Akash and attended by Kilvelur MLA Nagai Mali and Tamil Nadu Fish Development Corporation Chairman Gauthaman.
Addressing the gathering at Kurichi Panchayat Union Middle School, Minister Chezhian praised the Stalin administration for its efficiency. Citing a petition received earlier that day from a differently-abled woman named Venkateswari, he said the government acted swiftly to provide her with a wheelchair. “The petition was received in the right hand, evaluated with the left, and resolved with the right again,” he quipped.
He continued: “Chief Minister Stalin is running a government that once crawled at a snail’s pace at rocket speed. This is not a myth like Kamba ramayanam, it is the truth.”
The Minister’s comparison of the revered Tamil literary epic to a myth has sparked criticism from various quarters, with some accusing him of denigrating Hindu religious and cultural heritage. Opposition leaders and cultural groups have demanded a clarification or retraction of the statement.
It is noteworthy that DMK patriarch Karunanidhi once famously asked which engineering college Lord Rama studied in to have been able to build the Ram Sethu. These comments by the DMK minister seem to be following their leader’s path.
(With inputs from The Hindu Tamil)
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