Overview

• Governor RN Ravi alleged that Tamil Nadu police used threats and detentions to stop state university vice-chancellors from attending his two-day conference in Ooty.
• The conference, inaugurated by Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, saw a full boycott by state university VCs under instructions from the DMK-led state government.
• Ravi claimed police issued midnight warnings to VCs, with one allegedly detained at a police station, sparking accusations of intimidation and a 'police state.'
• DMK leaders dismissed the Governor’s allegations, accusing him of politicizing education and holding an illegal conference to challenge state governance in higher education.
• The event follows an April 8 Supreme Court ruling that curtailed the Governor’s powers over university governance, intensifying the ongoing power struggle between the state and Raj Bhavan.