Convocation row: Scholar snubs Tamil Nadu governor; Annamalai hits out at DMK for 'low-grade politics'

NEW DELHI: BJP leader K Annamalai on Wednesday criticised Tamil Nadu’s ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ( DMK ) after a student, who is also reportedly the wife of a DMK leader, M Rajan, refused to receive her degree from the state governor during a convocation ceremony .

"For ages, the deplorable dramas staged by DMK members to gain fame within the party have been strongly condemnable, especially for using educational institutions for such purposes," Annamalai said in a post on X.

PhD student refuses to receive her doctorate from the TN Governor #RNRavi at the convocation.

Manonmaniam Sundaranar Uni PhD student Jean Joseph has refused to receive her Doctorate from the Governor stating that he is acting against the #Tamil language and Tamil people. pic.twitter.com/FNzSRBeB60

— Mugilan Chandrakumar (@Mugilan__C) August 13, 2025

He added: "The chief minister must advise his party members not to bring the DMK’s low-grade politics into educational institutions. There are more people in Tamil Nadu who dislike the DMK than those who support it. If they were to behave in the same manner, where would the Chief Minister hide his face?"

நெல்லை மனோன்மணியம் சுந்தரனார் பல்கலைக்கழக பட்டமளிப்பு விழாவில், நாகர்கோவில் மாநகர திமுக துணைச்செயலாளர் திரு. ராஜன் என்ற நபரின் மனைவி, திருமதி. ஜீன் ஜோசப் என்பவர், ஆளுநர் கையால் பட்டம் பெற மாட்டேன் எனக் கூறியிருக்கிறார்.

காலகாலமாக, கட்சியில் பெயர் வாங்க, திமுகவினர் அரங்கேற்றி… pic.twitter.com/R6DYqTqGQA

— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) August 13, 2025

The incident took place during the 32nd convocation ceremony of the Manonmaniam Sundaranar University (MSU), where students were lined up to receive their degrees from Tamil Nadu governor RN Ravi. One student, Jean Joseph , chose to bypass the governor and instead accepted her degree from vice chancellor Chandrasekar, who was standing beside him.

Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Jean Joseph said: "Governor RN Ravi has been acting against the interests of Tamil Nadu and Tamils. I did not want to receive my degree from him," as quoted by news agency IANS.