Chennai, Jan 19 (IANS): The ruling DMK has come out strongly against the statement issued by the Tamil Nadu Rajbhavan on the statement of Governor R. N. Ravi regarding Thamizhagam and said that his intention was to malign the party and portray it as a divisive political party.

DMK spokesman, T. K. S. Elangovan said that he did not know whether the Governor's intention was a name change or not but was clear that it was to portray the DMK as a divisive political party.

Elangovan told IANS that the intention of the Governor was to portray DMK as a political party that stands for a separate country.

The DMK leader said that the party has never demanded for a separate nation but had called for more powers to the state government and this was for administrative reasons.

Elangovan said that the DMK had collected huge funds for the Indian army in the Indo-Pakistan war and that it was to express the solidarity of the party with the nation. He also said that the Governor was trying to do something as instructed but it had misfired.

Tamil Nadu Governor Ravi had in a press statement on Wednesday said that on January 4, 2023, he was speaking at a function in Raj Bhavan to felicitate the volunteers of the Kashi Sangamam and had spoken about 'Thamizhagam' as a historic and cultural statement as there were no 'Tamil Nadu' those days.

DMK organising secretary R.S. Bharathi also came out strongly against the Tamil Nadu Governor and said that he does not have any locus standi to speak against Tamil Nadu or its culture, language, or people.