The Tamil Nadu State Assembly witnessed high-voltage drama as Chief Minister MK Stalin and Speaker M Appavu refused Governor RN Ravi’s request to play the National Anthem after the State’s Tamil Thai Vaazhthu song. This led the Governor to walk out of the Assembly without delivering his customary address.
Governor RN Ravi left the state Assembly following the alleged omission of the National Anthem after the Tamil state anthem, which he had requested to be sung.
The DMK-led Tamil Nadu government, headed by Chief Minister MK Stalin, has been at loggerheads with the Governor over several issues, including his refusal to give assent to Assembly bills, such as the one appointing the Chief Minister as Chancellor of universities, and his objection to the exclusion of a UGC nominee from the selection panel for Vice-Chancellors.
Assembly Speaker M Appavu had invited Governor Ravi to address the first Assembly session of 2025, set to begin on 6th January. The invitation was extended during the Speaker’s visit to Raj Bhavan on 3rd January. Speaker Appavu recently clarified the Governor’s constitutional role, citing Article 176(1) of the Constitution, which mandates the Governor’s address at the beginning of the Assembly’s first session each year. Comparing the Governor’s role to that of the President in Parliament, Appavu stated that the Governor must read the full text prepared by the State government without omissions or additions.
According to reports, the Governor raised objections to portions of the draft speech presented to him by the Speaker. These included references to the state’s law-and-order situation and matters related to Anna University. Governor Ravi reportedly asked for the deletion of such sections, asserting they were inaccurate and that he could provide intelligence reports to substantiate his position.
When the Assembly session began, Governor Ravi walked out without delivering his address. He had arrived at the Assembly at 9:29 am and was received with customary honours by Chief Minister Stalin. The session began with Tamil Thai Vaazhthu, the state anthem, as per convention. However, after some brief exchanges, the Governor exited without reading the prepared text.
Following his departure, Speaker Appavu announced that the Governor’s remarks about House conventions would not be included in the Assembly records. Meanwhile, BJP members staged a walkout. The AIADMK also began protesting against the alleged sexual assault of a student at Anna University. Marshals were deployed to remove the protesting MLAs, and PMK and BJP members joined the walkout.
This marked the second consecutive year in which Governor Ravi left the Assembly without delivering his customary address.
In a statement, Raj Bhavan explained the Governor’s decision, stating: “The National Anthem was not played after Tamil Thai Vaazhthu, despite the Governor’s insistence. Respecting the National Anthem is a fundamental duty. It is traditionally sung in state legislatures at the beginning and end of the Governor’s address.”
In a subsequent social media post on X, Raj Bhavan clarified: “The Constitution of Bharat and the National Anthem were once again insulted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly today. Respecting the National Anthem is among the first Fundamental Duties enshrined in our Constitution. Today, only Tamil Thai Vaazhthu was sung upon the Governor’s arrival in the House. Despite the Governor’s respectful appeal to the Chief Minister and the Speaker, the National Anthem was not played. In deep anguish, the Governor left the House, not willing to be a party to such brazen disrespect to the Constitution and the National Anthem.”
The earlier post, which was deleted, carried a similar message, with Raj Bhavan tagging the official handles of the Prime Minister, Home Minister, and various news agencies to maximise its reach.
The Congress and DMK protested the Governor’s actions, while the Speaker continued to read out the translated version of the Governor’s prepared address. Critics argued that the DMK and its allies succeeded in deflecting attention from the Anna University rape case.
In 2023, TN Governor Ravi abruptly left the Assembly after deviating from the prepared text. In 2024, he shortened his address and delivered parts of it extempore.
The DMK government’s repeated actions show a clear disregard for constitutional norms, even though they claim to respect them. Their ally, the Congress, has added to this by spreading the idea that constitutional heads are working against state governments. This is a dangerous tactic by regional parties, especially the DMK, as it undermines constitutional governance and creates unnecessary conflict between the Centre and states.
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