An Unwelcome Touch

I did not expect a governor to behave in this manner to a journalist

- Lakshmi Subramanian

It was a busy day for journalists who covered the controversy over an audio clip of Professor Nirmala Devi of Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai, who allegedly tried to lure some girl students to perform sexual favours for officials in Madurai Kamaraj University. The 19-minute clip had created a furore because she claims in it that she has access to the Governor of Tamil Nadu. It was against this backdrop that Governor Banwarilal Purohit called a press conference at the Raj Bhavan.

I reached there around 5:30pm, with two colleagues from Manorama News television channel. It was a crowded press conference—correspondents from the national media and regional ones were present. And, they had many questions—the tape controversy, the appointment of a Kannadiga as the vice chancellor of Anna University and the media reports that the Union home ministry was investigating a governor for misconduct.