Udhayanidhi Stalin slams Governor Rajendra Arlekar's Madurai inspection, seeks immediate halt

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Leader of the Opposition Udhayanidhi Stalin on Thursday criticised Governor Rajendra Arlekar over his recent inspection in Madurai, alleging that the Governor had crossed constitutional boundaries by carrying out an exercise meant for elected representatives.

In a post on X, Udhayanidhi said the practice of Governors conducting inspections had resurfaced and claimed that Arlekar, who is holding an additional charge as the Tamil Nadu Governor, had acted beyond the scope of his constitutional office.

He accused the ruling government of allowing the inspection and compromising the state's rights. Referring to the Governor's reported remarks that Raj Bhavan would step in if the Vaigai River was not restored by the government, Udhayanidhi alleged that such comments reflected constitutional overreach.

The DMK leader also recalled that his party had earlier questioned the government in the Assembly over its engagement with the Governor, alleging that the importance of the Tamil Thai Vazhthu had been diluted at official functions attended by him. He claimed the government had failed to provide a satisfactory explanation.

Questioning why the inspection was permitted, Udhayanidhi alleged that the ruling party had acted out of fear of possible action by the Governor.

He also said the DMK had staged black flag protests against similar inspections during the previous AIADMK government.

Calling for immediate intervention, Udhayanidhi urged the state government to end the practice of Governors conducting field inspections, saying it was necessary to safeguard Tamil Nadu's constitutional rights and federal autonomy.