Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday apologised to a woman reporter whose cheek he publicly patted on Tuesday, a gesture that provoked outrage by her and the journalist fraternity and protests by opposition parties.
In a letter to Lakshmi Subramanian, the 78-year-old under-fire governor said she was like her "granddaughter" and that his gesture stemmed from "affection" and "appreciation" of her performance as a journalist.
Subramanian, who works for an English news magazine, responded to the governor's letter with an e-mail where she accepted his apology but said that she was not convinced about Purohit's contention that he did it to appreciate a question she had asked.
Purohit had kicked up a huge row on Tuesday when he patted the journalist on her cheek "patronisingly", apparently to diplomatically avoid replying to a question asked by her.
A livid Subramanian immediately took to Twitter to voice her anger, saying, "I asked TN Governor Banwarilal Purohit a question as his press conference was ending. He decided to patronisingly - and without consent - pat me on the cheek as a reply."
Subramanian also wrote an e-mail to him, saying "Here is what I have to say his excellency Governor Mr Banwarilal Purohit... so agitated... Mr Purohit. it might be an act of appreciation by you and grandfatherly attitude, but to me you are wrong."
The journalist fraternity took umbrage against the governor's conduct, with the Chennai Press Club and some 200 journalists remonstrating with Purohit for his conduct and demanding an apology.
The DMK, which had denounced the governor's action, on Wednesday staged protest and demanded his recall. Pro-Tamil outfit Tamizhaga Vazhvurimai Katchi too held a demonstration.
In his letter to Subramanian, the governor said he thought a question she had asked was a "good one", and as an act of appreciation for the query he gave her a pat.
"I gave a pat on your cheek considering you to be like my granddaughter. It was done with affection and to express my appreciation for your performance as a journalist," he said and recalled he was also a journalist for about 40 years.
The incident happened during a rare press meet called by Purohit where he promised strict action in the episode involving a woman college teacher who allegedly advised girl students to extend sexual favours to senior university officials.
Purohit also categorically denied any association with the college professor arrested for suggesting her students extend sexual favours to university officials in exchange for academic and financial rewards. Further, Purohit ruled out his resignation over the matter. Meanwhile, as political parties demanded a CBI probe into the matter, the Tamil Nadu Police chief ordered the transfer of the case involving an alleged attempt at sexual trafficking of college students by a professor to the Crime Branch-Crime Investigation Department (CBCID).
The female professor who allegedly tried to coax her students into extending sexual favours to top officials of the university in Tamil Nadu has been arrested. On Monday, Governor Purohit and Madurai Kamaraj University Vice-Chancellor P P Chellathurai had ordered a high-level inquiry into the matter by the retired IAS officer R Santhanam. On Tuesday, Governor Purohit had appeared to keep the option of a CBI probe into the sex scandal open, saying he would decide on it once the report of the one-man committee headed by Santhanam was submitted.
Purohit's denial comes after a report in a daily in February this year claimed the Governor of a southern state was accused of sexual misconduct and that the Union home ministry was investigating the veracity of the allegation.
Purohit, who called an unusual press conference on Tuesday to promise a fair inquiry into the Tamil Nadu college sex scandal, was at the receiving end of reporters' questions about the arrested female teacher allegedly making repeated references to him and whether he would resign to stay away from the probe. He was also asked how the probe appointed by him would be fair.
Here are the top 10 developments around the Tamil Nadu college sex scandal: Accepting Purohit’s apology, Subramanian tweeted: “Your Excellency, I have with me your letter expressing regret at what happened at the press conference in Chennai the previous day. I accept your apology, even though I am not convinced about your contention that you did it to appreciate a question I asked.”
She had earlier tweeted: “Washed my face several times. Still not able to get rid of it. So agitated and angered Mr Governor Banwarilal Purohit. It might be an act of appreciation by you and grandfatherly attitude. But to me you are wrong.”
2) Female journalist calls Governor's behaviour unprofessional: Subramanian, the journalist in question, said in her tweet, "I asked TN Governor Banwarilal Purohit a question as his press conference was ending. He decided to patronisingly – and without consent – pat me on the cheek as a reply."
Further, she said, "Here is what I have to say to his Excellency Governor Mr Banwarilal Purohit... so agitated... Mr Purohit. it might be an act of appreciation by you and grandfatherly attitude, but to me you are wrong." She added that it was unprofessional behaviour and completely uncalled for to touch a stranger without consent.
3) Journalists slam Governor for 'patting' lady reporter: After the patgate broke last night, the Chennai Press Club in a letter to Purohit said the governor's conduct at the press meet was "neither exemplary nor condonable."
Bharathithamizhan, Joint Secretary of the club, said there was an "imminent danger" of other politicians emulating the governor and trying to misbehave with women journalists.
"We request you to immediately issue an apology for your unbecoming conduct...and avoid precipitating the matter further," he said.
He said the governor could have refused to reply to the questions posed by the woman reporter. "But, instead of answering or refusing to answer, you chose to pat the cheek of the lady scribe in front of her peers and live cameras," he said.
Journalists promptly drafted a letter informing the Governor that his conduct amounted to a non-bailable criminal offence. "As the Constitutional head of our state of Tamil Nadu, you have crossed the lines of not just basic courtesy but also of law," read the letter to the Governor. They pointed out that whatever his intention, he had violated the Tamil Nadu Prohibition of Harassment of Women Act, 1998.
4) Governor Banwarilal Purohit apologises to journalist for patting her cheek: Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit, under fire for patting the cheek of a woman journalist, on Wednesday tendered an apology to her. The 78-year-old governor had patted scribe Lakshmi Subramanian on the cheek when he was about to leave the venue of a press conference. His action triggered an outrage by the journalist fraternity and opposition parties, including the DMK.
In a letter to Subramanian, the governor said he patted her out of "affection" and "appreciation" of her performance as a journalist. "I gave a pat on your cheek considering you to be like my granddaughter. It was done with affection and to express my appreciation for your performance as a journalist," he said. Referring to the mail the journalist, who works for an English weekly, had sent to him, Purohit said: "I do understand from your mail that you are feeling hurt about the incident." Purohit said he therefore wished to "express my regret and my apologies to assuage your sentiment that have been hurt".
5) Governor Banwarilal Purohit dismisses allegations as 'nonsense': Amid the raging
Madurai Kamaraj University sex scandal, Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit dismissed as "nonsense' and "baseless" allegations that he was the subject of a Union Home Ministry probe for sexual misconduct. "It is nonsense, baseless, totally baseless," he told reporters at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai. In a report in a daily in February this year, it was claimed that the Governor of a southern state was accused of sexual misconduct and that the veracity of the allegation was being looke into by the Home Ministry. Subsequently, the ministry had said that it was not aware of any such alleged sexual misconduct by any Governor.
Tamil Nadu Governor denies knowing Tamil Nadu college sex scandal accused: Governor Purohit has categorically denied any association with the college professor arrested for asking her students to extend sexual favours to university officials in exchange for financial and academic rewards. Referring to the arrested teacher, Purohit told the media, "I've not even seen her face till date, she hasn't met me."
9) 'I am your grandfather's age', Governor Purohit told reporters: Purohit was at the receiving end of a number of questions by the reporters he had called. Stating that the arrested female teacher has made repeated references to him, the assembled reporters asked the Governor whether he would resign to stay away from the probe into the Tamil Nadu college sex scandal. He was also asked how the probe appointed by him would be fair. "My public life has always been transparent. You can also probe it. It is nonsense and rubbish," he said.
10) One-man committee formed to probe Tamil Nadu college sex scandal: Governor Purohit told reporters that a
one-man committee, led by retired bureaucrat R Santhanam, had been appointed to probe the Tamil Nadu college sex scandal. Referring to opposition parties like Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) questioning his action to appoint the one-man panel, Purohit quoted legal provisions and said that he was empowered to constitute the committee as chancellor of the varsity. Further, the Tamil Nadu Governor said that "without consulting him", the Madurai Kamaraj varsity had initially constituted an internal committee, adding that it was later revoked in view of the one-man panel being named by him.
ALSO READ: Guv says guilty will be punished in TN college sex scandal In a separate press release citing legal provisions and Supreme Court orders in various cases, the Raj Bhavan said that "the state government cannot advise the chancellor to act in a particular manner". Varsity Acts of the state legislature were "distinct from the provisions of Article 164 of the Constitution, which prescribes that the Council of Ministers will aid and advise the Governor", it said. Citing the alleged immoral behaviour of the arrested assistant professor of the Aruppukottai college, the Raj Bhavan said that the case warranted immediate action. "The Chancellor, acting on the report of the university, therefore ordered a high powered enquiry by retired IAS officer R Santhanam," it said.
Asserting that swift action was taken in an unbiased manner to bring out the truth, the Raj Bhavan said that the action was entirely in accordance with the constitutional and legal position. "There is and there will be no attempt to shield anybody and it shall be ensured that the guilty do not go without punishment," the release said.
Assistant professor Nirmala Devi arrested in Tamil Nadu college sex scandal: Nirmala Devi, an assistant professor in the Devanga Arts College in Aruppukottai in Virudhunagar district, has been arrested on the charge of suggesting to some girl students that they yield themselves to keep the "higher-ups" in the Madurai Kamaraj University happy. She is heard making the demand in an audio clip that went viral on social media. Devi was arrested on a complaint by the college and a women's forum after the audio clip of her purported conversation with students went viral. Devi had already been suspended.
In the audio tape, Devi is heard saying that the girls should adjust with some officials "
for getting 85 per cent mark and money" in what is seen as a suggestion for sexual favours. She, however, has denied a sexual angle to her advice and claimed she had made it "in the right spirit" and not with any hidden motive or agenda.
With agency inputs
 "Journalist accepts Tamil Nadu Governor's apology for pat on cheek: Updates")
