Doctorate recipient boycotts Governor Ravi, receives degree in TN varsity event from VC
Tirunelveli, Aug 13 (PTI): A woman recipient of a doctorate boycotted Governor R N Ravi in the convocation ceremony held here on Wednesday by Manonmaniam Sundaranar University.
While varsity top officials including Vice Chancellor N Chandrasekar stood near the Governor on the dais, recipients of degrees arrived on the dais one by one and they gave their certificates to Ravi, posed for photographs and received the degree from him.
However, a recipient of a doctorate, who later identified herself as Jean Rajan walked past Ravi, gave her degree to Chandrasekar and received it from him.
Governor Ravi, even before Rajan moved away from him, gestured her to stand beside him and take her degree. However, she apparently ignored the gesture.
Speaking to reporters, Rajan demanded to know what has the governor done for the state. She said it was her degree and it was hence, her choice to decide from whom she should receive it.
She alleged the Governor worked against "Tamil and Tamil Nadu" and it was annoying and hence, she did not wish to receive her degree from him.
Though the VC told her on the dais to receive her degree from Governor, she was not inclined to do that. Jean Rajan said she worked for a company in Nagercoil as a senior manager.
She said she believed in the "Dravidian model" and her decision was based on that. Reportedly, Jean Rajan’s husband is an office-bearer of the ruling DMK in Nagercoil town.
Varsity officials including Registrar J Sacratees took part in the function.
Ph.D. scholar Jean Joseph refuses to receive her degree from #TamilNadu Governor #RNRavi during the 32nd convocation of Manonmaniam Sundaranar University held on Wednesday. Instead, she received the degree from Vice Chancellor N. Chandrasekar.
— The Hindu (@the_hindu) August 13, 2025
"As the Governor is working against… pic.twitter.com/aG2YzOdCPL
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Separate nodal officer in all districts to prevent female foeticides in Karnataka: Minister
Belagavi (PTI): Accepting that the female foeticide has not stopped in the state, Karnataka Health Minister Dinesh Gundu Rao on Tuesday said that the government is taking strict measures to prevent it.
The minister said the government is appointing separate nodal officers in all districts and tightening measures to prevent foeticide, which he called a "social evil".
He also assured that the government will consider strengthening legislation to control such activities.
The minister was responding to a question by BJP MLC C T Ravi in the Legislative Council.
"Female foeticides have certainly not stopped. If you look at the sex ratio, there is a lot of difference. I accept that this is happening," Rao said.
"Foeticides are not happening under pressure; voluntarily, it is happening, for not wanting a girl child. These things are happening based on the sex determination of the foetus at some hospitals. Sex determination is illegal, but with the advancement in technology, portable ultrasound machines have been developed, which can be easily carried anywhere, and scans and tests can be done. This needs to be controlled. We will bring it to the notice of the central government," he said.
In some districts and in a few hospitals, a higher number of male child births is happening. It is found with the help of intelligence input, the minister said.
"Information is being gathered on the taluk in which the male-female ratio is worsening, what is happening in which hospital, and appropriate action is being taken to crack down on such a network, after proper evaluation."
Decoy operations have been done at seven places in the last two years, to identify those involved in illegal activities linked to female foeticides, and actions have been taken against officials and hospitals involved, he said, adding that more needs to be done on priority.
Responding to a question by Ravi about whether any stringent legislation is being brought, Rao said, the government will consider strengthening the legislation and making it stricter to control this.
"Some amendments have been made to the existing laws in the last two years....advanced technology and the internet is being used to carry out such things, also oral medicines for abortions are available over the counter.
We need to look into bringing legislation to control them. The Food and Drug Administration has issued instructions to pharmacists that the sale of such drugs should be documented."
The minister also said that measures are also being taken for the effective implementation of the Pre-Conception and Pre-Natal Diagnostic Techniques (PC & PNDT) Act, and awareness is being created against the identification of female foetuses and female foeticide.
