Chennai, May 21 (IANS) Leader of the Opposition (LoP) in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi has strongly criticised the Union government, accusing it of misusing the office of governors to obstruct the functioning of democratically elected state governments.

Expressing solidarity with Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, LoP Rahul Gandhi described the trend as a “dangerous assault on federalism” and called for collective resistance against such actions.

In a post on social media platform X, LoP Rahul Gandhi said: “The Modi government is misusing Governors to stifle dissenting voices and obstruct elected state governments. This is a dangerous assault on federalism and it must be resisted. India’s strength lies in its diversity — a Union of States, each with its own voice.”

LoP Rahul Gandhi’s comments came in support of a post by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, who had condemned the Centre’s move to make a presidential reference to the Supreme Court.

Stalin argued that the reference seeks to overturn judicial clarity already established in previous verdicts, including the landmark ruling on the Tamil Nadu Governor’s role.

In his statement, the Chief Minister said that the Union government’s presidential reference attempts to subvert the Constitutional position already settled by the Supreme Court in the Tamil Nadu Governor’s case and other precedents.

“This attempt clearly exposes the fact that the Tamil Nadu Governor acted at the BJP’s behest to undermine the people’s mandate. This is nothing but a desperate attempt to weaken democratically elected state governments by placing them under the control of governors serving as agents of the Union Government. It also directly challenges the majesty of law and the authority of the Supreme Court as the final interpreter of the Constitution,” said the Chief Minister.

LoP Rahul Gandhi’s endorsement of Stalin’s stance marks a growing unity among opposition parties in challenging what they describe as the Centre’s overreach into the federal structure of governance.

Both leaders have called upon democratic forces across the country to stand together in defence of the Constitution and the rights of the states.

The latest remarks add to the ongoing tensions between several non-BJP ruled states and the Union government over the role of Governors, which many regional parties claim is being politicised to destabilise opposition-led administrations.

–IANS

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