DMK Leader TKS Elangovan Responds to Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s Secularism Remarks
Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], September 23: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) leader TKS Elangovan criticized Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi for his comments on secularism. Elangovan emphasized that secularism is essential in India due to its diverse religions.
Elangovan’s Response
Elangovan stated, “Secularism is not a European concept, it is an Indian concept as there are many religions in India. India is the motherland of Buddhism, Jainism, Sikhism, Shaivism, and Vaishnavism. Secularism is the most needed concept in India, not in Europe.”
He criticized Governor Ravi for not understanding the Indian Constitution, specifically Article 25, which guarantees freedom of religion, and urged him to read the Constitution.
Governor Ravi’s Remarks
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi sparked a debate by saying that secularism is a European concept that doesn’t belong in India. He stated, “Secularism is a European concept and should remain there as there is no need of secularism in India.”
Governor Ravi also mentioned that secularism came to Europe due to conflicts between the church and the king and argued that India does not need secularism.
Previous Statements
This is not the first time Governor Ravi has made such statements. Last year, he said that people who want to break the country have given a distorted interpretation of secularism.
Doubts Revealed
DMK -: DMK stands for Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam. It is a political party in the Indian state of Tamil Nadu.
TKS Elangovan -: TKS Elangovan is a leader in the DMK party. He is a politician who speaks on behalf of his party.
Tamil Nadu Governor -: The Governor of Tamil Nadu is a person appointed by the President of India to oversee the state. RN Ravi is the current Governor.
Secularism -: Secularism means that the government treats all religions equally and does not favor any one religion.
Article 25 -: Article 25 is a part of the Indian Constitution that gives people the freedom to follow any religion they choose.
Indian Constitution -: The Indian Constitution is the supreme law of India. It contains rules and principles that guide how the country is governed.
European concept -: A European concept means an idea that originated in Europe. In this context, it refers to the idea of secularism.