Stalin writes scathing letter to TN Governor

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Friday sent a scathing reply to Governor R.N. Ravi’s order dismissing minister V. Senthil Balaji from the state cabinet. The decision had been kept in abeyance by the Governor on the advice of Union Home Ministry.

In his letter, Stalin, starting with a polite greeting, made scathing remarks on his decision to dismiss Senthil Balaji, saying his order needs outright disregard and accused him of acting in haste and showing the scantiest regard for the Constitution.

The Governor has no power to dismiss his minister and it is the prerogative of the elected CM, he stressed, adding that he enjoyed full support of the cabinet and they are the ultimate sovereign.

“Though your letters require only an outright disregard, I am writing to you to clarify both the facts and law on the issue at hand. The fact that within a few hours after you issued such a strongly worded first letter, even alluding to breakdown of constitutional machinery, a not so veiled threat, you withdrew it to seek the opinion of the Attorney General. This shows that you had not even taken a legal opinion before such an important decision,” Stalin wrote.