Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, already under sharp criticism following a Supreme Court verdict that called his delay in assenting to key state legislation “illegal” and “arbitrary”, has now courted fresh controversy. The Governor is alleged to have asked students to chant “Jai Shri Ram” during a recent public function — drawing sharp reactions from academics and opposition leaders.

The incident, coming shortly after the apex court rebuked the Governor for withholding 10 Bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly for over three years, has intensified demands for his removal from office.

The State Platform for Common School System – Tamil Nadu (SPCSS-TN) issued a strong statement accusing Governor Ravi of violating his constitutional oath under Article 159, which obligates Governors to preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution.

“Mr RN Ravi failed to abide by the Constitution and respect its ideals and institutions. He should be removed from the Office of Governor of Tamil Nadu forthwith,” the statement read.

The group described the act of urging students to chant a religious slogan as an inappropriate imposition in a secular academic space, and contrary to the principles enshrined in the Constitution.

Senior Congress leader Sasikanth Senthil also took to social media platform X (formerly Twitter) to criticise Governor Ravi.

“After being slammed by the Supreme Court and blocked by the State Government, he’s now resorting to stunts like making students chant ‘Jai Shri Ram’ just to irritate the system,” Senthil wrote.

He further accused the Governor of attempting to send a “dangerous message” of arrogance and defiance, undermining both judicial authority and constitutional norms.

As of now, Raj Bhavan has not issued any clarification or response to the allegations, despite repeated attempts by media outlets to reach out.

This row follows a landmark Supreme Court ruling earlier in the week where the bench criticised Governor RN Ravi for withholding assent to 10 state Bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly — some pending for over three years. The court said the Governor had not acted in good faith and described the delay as unconstitutional.

In a significant move, the court also ruled that the Bills shall be deemed cleared from the date they were resent to the Governor for a second time, effectively overriding the delay.

Madhya Pradesh Police have arrested nine individuals following a stone-pelting incident during a Hanuman Jayanti procession in Guna city, officials said on Sunday, April 13.

The clash, which erupted near a mosque in the Colonelganj area around 7:45 p.m. on Saturday, involved members of two communities and prompted swift police action to restore calm. Officials said the situation is now peaceful.

According to Additional Superintendent of Police Man Singh Thakur, the arrests were made based on initial findings, with more suspects being identified through video evidence and CCTV footage.

“Eight to nine individuals involved in the stone-pelting are in custody, and charges will be filed once we analyze the recordings. We’re actively searching for others involved,” Thakur told PTI, assuring that additional arrests are imminent.

The incident unfolded as the procession passed near a mosque, sparking tensions due to what Guna Collector Kishore Kanyal described as a “communication gap.” This led to a face-off between groups, resulting in stone-pelting.

Kanyal noted that the procession lacked permission to pass through that route, a claim disputed by organizer Ranjeet Khatik. “The administration says there was no permission, but I have proof otherwise,” Khatik countered, alleging the clash began when some participants chanted “Jai Shri Ram,” prompting counter-slogans of “Allahu Akbar” from the opposing group.

Superintendent of Police Sanjeev Sinha said police stationed at Tekri Dham responded immediately after receiving reports of the disturbance. A case has been registered based on a complaint from a local corporator, naming four to five individuals while listing 15-20 others as unidentified. To prevent further unrest, security forces from neighboring districts have been deployed across Guna, with personnel patrolling sensitive areas.

Collector Kanyal reassured residents that the order has been restored, crediting the heavy police presence. Thakur added that reinforcements from three districts are strategically positioned to maintain peace.

At least 21 people were killed and 83 others wounded in a Russian ballistic missile strike on the northern Ukrainian city of Sumy on Sunday morning, in what has been described as one of the deadliest attacks on Ukraine this year. The strike hit a bustling area of the city, with victims found on the streets, in public transport, vehicles, and buildings, Ukrainian officials said.

The timing of the attack – on Palm Sunday, a significant Christian religious day – has added to the outrage. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy denounced the strike, calling for a strong international response and labeling it an act of terror.

“Only scoundrels can act like this. Taking the lives of ordinary people… on a day when people go to church: Palm Sunday,” Zelenskiy posted on social media, along with harrowing footage showing bodies lying on the street, a destroyed bus, and charred vehicles.

Civilian destruction called ‘deliberate’

Ukraine’s Interior Minister Ihor Klymenko said the missile strike deliberately targeted civilians during a religious feast day. “Deliberate destruction of civilians on an important church feast day,” Klymenko wrote. He confirmed that the victims included people on foot, traveling in public transport, in private vehicles, and inside buildings at the time of the impact.

The strike triggered an outpouring of grief and condemnation across Ukraine and the international community.

US envoy visit sparks fresh scrutiny

The missile attack came just two days after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff, a special representative of former President Donald Trump, held talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg as part of an effort to negotiate a peace deal. The timing of the Sumy strike has drawn criticism from Ukrainian officials, with Andriy Kovalenko, head of Ukraine’s Centre for Countering Disinformation, accusing Russia of “building diplomacy around strikes on civilians.”

“Russia is building all this so-called diplomacy… around strikes on civilians,” he posted on Telegram.

Zelenskiy reiterated his demand for stronger U.S. and European action, stating that missile strikes and aerial bombs cannot be stopped by talks alone. “Russia wants exactly this kind of terror and is dragging out this war. Without pressure on the aggressor, peace is impossible,” he warned.

War continues despite ceasefire talk

The missile strike on Sumy underscores the ongoing intensity of the war, which began with Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022. Russia currently occupies around 20% of Ukraine’s territory in the east and south. Although both nations agreed last month to avoid strikes on each other’s energy infrastructure, Russia claimed on Saturday that Ukraine carried out five attacks on its energy facilities – calling it a violation of the U.S.-brokered moratorium.

Ukraine, however, maintains that it is Russia that has repeatedly breached the pause with continued drone and missile strikes on Ukrainian civilian areas.