Chandrashekhar Azad Ravan wants to take the fight to Delhi
Bhim Army founder dreams of a Dalit uprising that will clinch power at the Centre.
The celebration in Saharanpur’s Chhutmalpur has just begun. The man of the moment is Bhim Army founder Chandrashekhar Azad ‘Ravan’, who is out on bail.
“Have faith in me,” Bhim Army founder tells a gathering in the chaupal outside his house. “I don’t make random and baseless statements. In a year and a half, I will form an organisation equal to or bigger than the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The country will run as per the ideals, as it should have.”
In an interview with Newslaundry, he says the 16 months in jail have made him more resolute and determined about his political and social goal. Chandrashekhar says he will work towards dethroning the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and has a dream of clinching power at the Centre. The advocate and Dalit activist spoke about his life in jail, his political options and why he is declaring war against the BJP and Sangh Parivar.
The Bhim Army founder was arrested by the Uttar Pradesh police in the aftermath of protests and arson triggered by inter-caste violence in Saharanpur's Shabbirpur village in May, 2017. Chandrashekhar had organised a rally in Delhi where he announced that he will surrender in front of the police. He says both the Delhi police and UP police refused to arrest him initially. When asked why he went underground after the Delhi rally, he said, "My sources told me that the UP police intends to kill me in an encounter."
Though Chandrashekhar refers to Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) supremo as “Buaji”, Mayawati, in a presser after his release from jail, lambasted the Bhim Army founder: “The one involved in the caste violence against Dalits in Uttar Pradesh’s Shabbirpur village and now released on the bail, which is part of the BJP’s strategy is now using my name. He is calling me Bua and claiming of blood relation. I can’t have any wholehearted relations with people like these.”
When asked to respond to Mayawati’s criticism of the Bhim Army, Chandrashekhar says, “I don’t hold any grudge against her. She might have been misled about me or someone might have provoked her against me. She is my buaji, she has all rights to speak about me. Ye humare parivarik rishtein hain. Ghar ke maamlon mein hum doosre logon ko nahi involve karna chahte [this is an issue within the family, and I refuse to involve outsiders in it].”
Speaking on the role of non-Dalits in his Dalit uprising, he adds, “This is a Bahujan movement.” He further added, “When the national committee [of Bhim Army] will be declared, you will see people from the Bahujan community in key positions. It will be run by people from the Bahujan Samaj.” However, he says there can be space for anyone who wants to work for the cause.
One thing that he is very clear about is his goal ahead, that is, the expansion of Bhim Army. “My fight is against the BJP,” he says when asked whether he is up against the state government or the Centre.
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Supreme Court declares Tamil Nadu Governor’s withholding of assent to bills “illegal and arbitrary”
New Delhi: In a significant judgment, the Supreme Court on Tuesday ruled that Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s decision to withhold assent to 10 Bills passed by the State Assembly was “illegal” and “arbitrary”. The court also held that his move to subsequently reserve the Bills for Presidential consideration was not in line with constitutional principles and set aside the Governor’s actions.
The ruling, delivered by a bench comprising Justice JB Pardiwala and Justice R Mahadevan, marks a major victory for the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government. The court said the Governor had failed to act in "good faith" and had disregarded constitutional obligations.
“The action of the Governor to reserve the 10 Bills for the President is illegal and arbitrary. Thus, the action is set aside. All actions taken by the Governor thereto for the 10 Bills are set aside. These Bills shall be deemed to be cleared from the date it was re-presented to the Governor,” the bench stated in its order.
The court underlined that Article 200 of the Constitution does not grant unchecked discretion to the Governor. It laid down clear timelines for the exercise of powers under this provision, thereby reinforcing the principle of accountability in constitutional governance.
Timelines and Judicial Review
The judgment prescribed the following timeframes:
- A Governor must act within one month when withholding assent or reserving a Bill for the President’s consideration, with the aid and advice of the Council of Ministers.
- When reserving a Bill without the Council's advice, the Governor has a maximum of three months.
- If a Bill is re-passed by the state legislature after reconsideration, the Governor must grant assent within one month.
The court clarified that any delay or deviation from these guidelines could invite judicial review, thereby making the Governor’s actions subject to legal scrutiny.
“This court is in no way undermining the powers of the Governor. All actions of the Governor must align with the principle of parliamentary democracy,” the bench noted.
Tense relations between Raj Bhavan and State Government
Governor RN Ravi, a former IPS officer and ex-CBI official, assumed office in Tamil Nadu in 2021. His tenure has been marred by frequent clashes with the MK Stalin-led government. The ruling DMK has repeatedly accused him of behaving like a BJP spokesperson and obstructing the state government’s legislative and administrative functioning.
These confrontations have been evident in the Assembly as well. In 2023, the Governor refused to deliver the customary address, criticising the draft as containing “misleading claims far from truth”. In 2022, he omitted portions of the speech that mentioned leaders like Dr BR Ambedkar, Periyar, and CN Annadurai, as well as references to the “Dravidian Model” and the law and order situation in the state.
Last year, the Governor also walked out of the Assembly during his address after objecting to the absence of the National Anthem at the beginning of the session. As per tradition, the Tamil Nadu Assembly plays the Tamil Thai Valthu at the start and the National Anthem at the end. Governor Ravi, however, insisted that the National Anthem be played at both times.
The state government has maintained that the Governor’s repeated withholding of assent and refusal to act on Bills passed by the legislature amounts to an attack on democratic values and federalism.
Tuesday’s Supreme Court verdict is expected to have far-reaching implications on Centre-state relations and the constitutional role of Governors across the country.
