Tamil Nadu Higher Education minister K Ponmudy announced that he would be boycotting the convocation of Madurai Kamaraj University on 2 November as Governor RN Ravi had not consented to a proposal of the university to confer an honorary doctorate to Communist leader and freedom fighter N Sankaraiah.

According to a report by The Hindu, Ponmudy stated that Governor Ravi had not given his consent in spite of a resolution being passed twice by the Senate and Syndicate of the university. He said the power to confer the honorary doctorate is with the Senate.

Earlier, he had stated that the signature of the Governor would be required as he is the Chancellor of the university.

He added that while the Vice Chancellor and Registrar had visited the Raj Bhavan regarding the matter, he had asked the Governor twice.

Further, he said that Governor Ravi had not provided any reasons.

Referring to Governor Ravi's recent remarks about the DMK government's attitude towards freedom fighters, Ponmudy said that if the Governor respected freedom fighters, he should give his consent for the honorary doctorate to Sankaraiah who had spent five years in jail during the freedom struggle and was later imprisoned again due to his struggle for social justice and economic equality.

CPI(M) state secretary K Balakrishnan said that a black flag protest would be held against the Governor.

Ponmudy's statement comes days after the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) government moved the Supreme Court seeking directions to the Governor to give assent to Bills in a specified time frame.