A recent petrol bomb incident at the Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan has ignited a political controversy, with allegations of a lack of a fair investigation and a war of words between the ruling DMK and the Governor, R N Ravi. The incident, arrest, and the ensuing accusations have raised significant concerns about law and order in the state.
The Raj Bhavan has accused the police of not registering its complaint regarding the petrol bomb attack and alleged that the investigation was diluted, pointing to an arrest that took place at midnight. The Governor’s office claimed that this haste prevented a more detailed interrogation that could have exposed those behind the attack. They emphasized that a fair investigation was “killed before it began.”
In contrast, the police maintain that an FIR was registered based on the complaint by a police personnel present at the scene. They argue that the Raj Bhavan’s complaint was received late in the evening and that the details mentioned in it would be addressed during the ongoing investigation.
Law Minister S Regupathy, representing the ruling DMK, condemned the incident and asserted that there was no security lapse at the Raj Bhavan. He emphasized that the investigation was underway, and he expressed suspicions about the individual’s mental health, suggesting that he may have been manipulated to tarnish the state government’s image.
Responding to the Raj Bhavan’s accusations of “filthy abuses” and threats against the Governor by DMK leaders and allies, Minister Regupathy clarified that the government had only responded to the Governor’s allegations to ensure public understanding. He denied any efforts to spread hatred against the Governor, asserting that it was the Governor who was spreading hatred across Tamil Nadu.
The petrol bomb incident has added to the ongoing disputes between the Governor and the ruling party, including disagreements over bill assents, speeches promoting certain ideologies, and controversies surrounding the release of convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case.
The issue has also provided ammunition to the opposition, with AIADMK chief Edappadi Palaniswami describing it as a significant deterioration of law and order. BJP State chief K Annamalai alleged that criminals had taken to the streets, further emphasizing the seriousness of the situation.
The incident and the ensuing allegations continue to fuel a heated political debate in Tamil Nadu, raising questions about the state’s security and the ongoing tensions between the Governor and the ruling party.
Sources By Agencies