TN govt-Guv face-off leads to high drama at state assembly session
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Monday skipped key portions of the speech he read out at the inauguration of the assembly session, and walked out when chief minister moved a resolution against the deviation from the speech drafted by the government.
Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Monday skipped key portions of the speech he read out at the inauguration of the assembly session, and walked out when chief minister moved a resolution against the deviation from the speech drafted by the government.
The incident is a reflection of the near-complete breakdown in relations between Ravi and the state government, and comes against the immediate backdrop of the former’s recent comments that Tamil Nadu should be called Tamizhagam and that the 50-year rule of Dravidian parties in the state had been “regressive”. Ravi left even before the national anthem was played. His office did not respond to a request for comment.
In his speech, the governor omitted references to the Dravidian model of governance and references to leaders such as BR Ambedkar, ‘Periyar’ E V Ramaswamy, CN Annadurai and Muthamizh Arignar Kalaignar (M Karunanidhi). He also skipped the 65th paragraph of the speech which said the government is founded on the ideals of social justice, self-respect, inclusive growth, equality, women empowerment, secularism and compassion towards all. He also omitted portions of the 12th paragraph talking about the state taking all necessary measures to ensure that it continues to be a haven of peace and tranquillity, free from any form of violence.
Soon after, Stalin read out a resolution to the effect that only the printed version of the customary speech should be taken on record. In the resolution, the chief minister said that by not sticking to the written speech, Ravi had gone against the principles of the House. The resolution was adopted.
The speeches delivered by the governors at the beginning of assembly sessions and those delivered by the President at the beginning of Parliament sessions are prepared by the respective state governments and the central government. While governors have sometimes read out parts of the speech and said the rest can be taken as read, it is rare for a governor to selectively skip parts of a speech.
Stalin wore a wry smile as he watched the governor walk past him in a huff.The national anthem was played moments later, and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) said that the governor had insulted the national anthem.
The speech was prepared by the state government and sent to the Raj Bhavan on January 5 and it was approved on January 7, said industries minister Thangam Thenarasu. “If they wanted any changes, they could have discussed it with us but they accepted the draft and omitted portions today,” he said.
Earlier in the day, when Ravi began his address, lawmakers of the Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) and the Left parties who are allies of the ruling DMK, disrupted his speech. They raised slogans against Ravi for calling the 50-year rule of the Dravidian parties regressive and for suggesting the state’s renaming to Tamizhagam. Slogans of “Ravi Get Out” reverberated inside the Assembly as well as on social media. DMK lawmakers did not participate in this protect and Stalin pointed out in his resolution that the government sought to respect the governor despite his behaviour which was contrary to the “Dravidian model”.
Speaker M Appavu said in a press conference that the governor’s behaviour was unconstitutional. Since Ravi took charge as governor in September 2018, he has been at odds with the state government over a range of issues. There are around 20 bills pending in the Raj Bhavan. The DMK and its allies have accused Ravi of propagating Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Hindutva ideology. “The President reads what the Modi government prepares without changing a word,” said Appavu, adding that the President also gives immediate assent to the legislation passed by the BJP-led Union government. “But in non-BJP states like ours... the legislation passed to ban online rummy is still pending. We don’t know what happened to the anti-NEET Bill after it was belatedly sent to the Union government. So it seems like governors are pleasing the Union government to get higher positions.”
The reference is to the constant friction between elected governments and governors in states ruled by non-NDA parties.
The Opposition AIADMK, an ally of the BJP and the state unit of the BJP, supported Ravi.The Edappadi Palaniswami-led AIADMK also walked out of the Assembly before the national anthem was played. “It was wrong for a chief minister to move a resolution when the Governor was still seated,” Palaniswami told reporters outside the Assembly.