TN Governor RN Ravi refuses to read out govt speech, walks out of Assembly, says national anthem must be respected

PTC Web Desk: A fresh constitutional flashpoint was witnessed in the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Tuesday after Governor RN Ravi walked out of the House, refusing to deliver the customary address prepared by the MK Stalin-led DMK government. This has triggered sharp reactions from the ruling party and reignited the long-running tussle between Raj Bhavan and the state government.

The Governor was present during the playing of the National Anthem at the start of the first session of the year but exited the Assembly immediately thereafter, alleging that the speech prepared for him contained “numerous inaccuracies, misleading statements and unsubstantiated claims”.

In a detailed 13-point explanation issued soon after, Raj Bhavan accused the state government of repeatedly switching off the Governor’s microphone and not allowing him to place his objections on record. The statement claimed the address ignored several issues affecting the people of Tamil Nadu and presented an exaggerated picture of governance.

Among the major objections raised was the DMK government’s claim of having attracted investments worth over Rs 12 lakh crore. The Governor’s office said most of these memorandums of understanding remained on paper, asserting that actual investments were “only a fraction” of the projected figures. It further claimed that Tamil Nadu’s position among Indian states in attracting foreign direct investment had slipped from fourth place four years ago to sixth at present.

Raj Bhavan also flagged what it described as a sharp rise in crimes against women and children, citing a more than 55 per cent increase in POCSO cases and over 33 per cent rise in molestation incidents. It alleged that atrocities against Dalits, particularly sexual violence against Dalit women, were increasing but found no mention in the Governor’s address.

The statement also highlighted concerns over declining standards in education, pointing to large-scale vacancies in faculty positions across institutions and unrest among guest lecturers. Discontent among lower-rung government employees across sectors was another issue the Governor said had been completely overlooked.

Governor Ravi alleged that the National Anthem had been “disrespected once again” and that a fundamental constitutional duty had been disregarded, referring to the sequence of events during the opening of the session. This marks the second consecutive year the Governor has walked out over the same issue after the state anthem was played at the start of proceedings.

On the other hand, Chief Minister MK Stalin reacted strongly, terming the Governor’s conduct unacceptable and contrary to constitutional conventions. He said the Governor had no authority to alter or reject a speech approved by the elected government. “The Constitution does not permit a Governor to tweak a government-prepared address. Such behaviour is deeply concerning and disheartening,” Stalin told the Assembly.

Quoting DMK founder CN Annadurai, Stalin remarked that repeated confrontations had undermined the dignity of the House and accused the Governor of acting against the interests and sentiments of the Tamil people. The DMK maintained that no disrespect was shown to the Governor or his office and insisted that established protocol had been followed.

Despite the walkout, Speaker M Appavu informed the House that the Governor had been formally notified of the proceedings. The Chief Minister subsequently moved a resolution to place the Governor’s address on record, which was adopted.