‘Brazen disrespect’: Governor RN Ravi walks out of Tamil Nadu assembly for second year in a row

RN Ravi alleged that the state assembly “disrespected” the national anthem by refusing to play it before the state anthem.

Tamil Nadu governor R N Ravi alleged “disrespect” to the national anthem and the Constitution and walked out of the state assembly without reading his customary address on the first day of the winter session.

Tensions between the DMK government and Governor RN Ravi is not new to the state. (File)(PTI)

In a post on X, the Raj Bhavan claimed that the governor made a “fervent appeal” to chief minister M K Stalin and speaker M Appavu which was “cussedly refused”.

“Today on arrival of Governor to the House only Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu was sung. Governor respectfully reminded the House of its Constitutional duty and fervently appealed to the Hon'ble Chief Minister who is the Leader of the House and the Hon'ble Speaker for singing the National Anthem. However, they cussedly refused. It is a matter of grave concern. Not to be a party to such brazen disrespect to the Constitution and the National Anthem, Governor in deep anguish left the House,” the Raj Bhavan's post added.

Why remain in office, asks Stalin

Reacting to Ravi's walkout, Stalin said the governor had made it his custom to violate the Constitutional practice of reading out the government's address.

“It is childish that the governor, who has cut out what was there and added what was not, has gone without reading it this time. The Governor's actions in continuously insulting the people of Tamil Nadu, the government elected by them, and the century-old Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly are unbecoming of the position he holds,” Stalin said in a post on X.

"Why should someone who is unwilling to perform their political and legal duties remain in office?" is the question on everyone's mind," Stalin asked.

House rocked by slogans

The legislative assembly was rocked by slogans from the treasury and the opposition members of the AIADMK over the alleged sexual assault of a female student inside Chennai's Anna University campus.

Members of the ruling DMK-led INDIA bloc demanded that the governor, as the chancellor of state universities, own responsibility for lapses that led to the incident. Opposition MLAs raised counter slogans, “Who is that, sir?” demanding the ruling DMK find the other accused alleged to have connections with the main accused arrested over the case.

Amid sloganeering, the governor urged the house to play the national anthem, following which the state anthem “tamizh thaai vaazhthu” was played, reported HT Tamil. Alleging that the assembly “insulted” the national anthem and the Constitution, Ravi quit the assembly before reading his customary address.

Condemning the governor for his actions, Congress MLAs, led by state chief Selvaperunthagai, also staged a walkout from the assembly.

Amid sloganeering, the speaker ordered the marshals to evict AIADMK members and read out the governor's address. The Speaker also defended the government, saying that the state assembly plays the state anthem before the national anthem as a matter of convention.

Tensions between the DMK government and the Raj Bhavan are not new to the state assembly.

In February 2024, Ravi refused to read out the inaugural address over disagreement with certain portions and staged a walkout. Later, the assembly adopted a resolution to adopt the version prepared by the government.

In January 2023, Ravi staged a walkout after chief minister Stalin disapproved of his decision to skip select portions of the address.

(With PTI inputs)