For the second year in a row, Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi walked out of the State Assembly on Monday (January 20) without delivering his customary address to the House in its maiden session of the year, alleging “inaccuracies” in the text prepared by the DMK government.
As soon as he entered the august House, Governor Ravi expressed displeasure, stating that the National Anthem was not given due respect. He said, “I am disappointed. The National Anthem must be duly respected.”
சட்டப்பேரவையில் அரசு தயாரித்த உரையை ஆளுநர் அவர்கள் வாசிக்க மறுத்ததற்கான காரணங்கள் கீழ்வருவன:
1) ஆளுநரின் ஒலிவாங்கி (மைக்) மீண்டும், மீண்டும் அணைக்கப்பட்டது மற்றும் அவர் பேச அனுமதிக்கப்படவில்லை;
2) தயாரிக்கப்பட்ட ஆளுநர் உரையில் ஆதாரமற்ற பல கோரல்களும், தவறான தகவல்களும்… pic.twitter.com/fBpjCYM1UZ
— LOK BHAVAN, TAMIL NADU (@lokbhavan_tn) January 20, 2026
Assembly Speaker M Appavu intervened, urging the Governor to restrict himself to reading the customary address prepared by the State government and to follow the established rules and conventions of the House. Speaker Appavu also asserted that only elected MLAs are permitted to express opinions on the floor of the Assembly.
Amid an exchange of words, Governor Ravi said it was unfortunate that his speech was interrupted and claimed that his microphone was switched off. “I am insulted. I cannot read out an address which is full of inaccuracies,” he said, before walking out of the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
Chief Minister M K Stalin slammed the Governor for “walking out in violation of tradition and ethos” and later piloted a resolution stating that the English version of the address was deemed to have been read. He said, “The Governor walked out in violation of traditions and ethos. In the State government–prepared address, there is no provision for the Governor to include his views or say something else.”
In a three-page note from Lok Bhavan explaining his action, the Governor said, “The National Anthem is yet again insulted and the fundamental constitutionality duly disregarded.”
Lok Bhavan, Tamil Nadu, issues a press release informing of the reasons why Governor RN Ravi walked out of the assembly before delivering his inaugural address.
The release says, "The Governor’s mic was repeatedly switched off, and he was not allowed to speak… Atrocities… pic.twitter.com/GOj6D7jWnF
— ANI (@ANI) January 20, 2026
He claimed, “The Governor’s mic was repeatedly switched off, and he was not allowed to speak. Atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women are sharply increasing. However, these are totally bypassed in the speech. The National Anthem is yet again insulted, and the Fundamental Constitutional Duty is disregarded.”
He further added that “the speech contains numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements. Several crucial issues troubling the people are ignored. The claim that the State attracted huge investments to the tune of over ₹12 lakh crore is far from the truth. Many of the MoUs with prospective investors remain only on paper. Actual investment is hardly a fraction of it. Investment data show that Tamil Nadu is becoming less attractive for investors. Until four years ago, Tamil Nadu, among the states, was the fourth-largest recipient of foreign direct investment. Today, it is struggling to remain at sixth place.”
Continuing his reasoning, the Governor said, “Women’s safety issues are totally ignored, though there is an alarming increase of over 55 per cent in incidents of POCSO rapes and over a 35 per cent increase in incidents of sexual molestation of women. Rampant prevalence of narcotics and drugs and a sharp increase in drug abuse cases among youth, including school students, is a very serious concern. Over 2,000, mostly youth, committed suicide in one year due to drug abuse. It is seriously jeopardising our future, yet it is casually bypassed. Atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women are sharply increasing. However, this is totally bypassed.”
On the alarming number of suicides, the Governor said, “About 20,000 people in our State committed suicide in one year—almost 65 suicides every day. Nowhere else in the country is the situation so alarming. Tamil Nadu is being referred to as the suicide capital of India. Yet, it does not seem to concern the government. It is bypassed.”
He said there was “a steady decline in standards of education and widespread mismanagement in educational institutions, adversely affecting the future of our youth. More than 50 per cent of faculty positions have been vacant for years, and guest faculty members are restive all over. Our youth are staring at an uncertain future. It does not seem to bother the government, and the issue is totally bypassed.”
Governor Ravi further said that “several thousand village panchayats are defunct because elections have not been held for years. They are directly under special officers of the government. Crores of people are denied their rights to grassroots democracy. This is against the letter and spirit of the Constitution.”
The Governor also said that “several thousand temples in the State are without boards of trustees and are directly administered by the State government. Millions of devotees are deeply hurt and frustrated with the mismanagement of temples. Crucial directions of the Madras High Court on the restoration and preservation of ancient temples have not been implemented even after five years. The sentiments of devotees are callously ignored.”
Lok Bhavan further said that “the MSME sector is under huge stress due to visible and invisible costs of running industry. This is a crucial sector for employment and growth. However, as against 55 million registered MSMEs in the country, Tamil Nadu has only 4 million, despite enormous potential for growth. Entrepreneurs from Tamil Nadu are forced to locate their enterprises in other states. This issue is completely ignored.”
Before concluding his statement, Governor Ravi said that “there is widespread discontent among the lower rungs of employees in almost all sectors. They are restive and frustrated. There is no mention of ways to address their genuine grievances.”
Reacting to the developments, Tamil Nadu BJP leader K Annamalai said that what he had stated a year ago still holds good. He said, “It has become customary for the DMK Government to divert public anger caused by their misgovernance and goondaism and blame the Hon. Governor of Tamil Nadu for pointing out the rules that must be followed. Today, our Hon. Governor of Tamil Nadu, after the Tamizh Thai Vazhthu, asked for the National Anthem to be played, but this was refused. The DMK Government should be reminded of the following.”
It has become customary for the DMK Government to divert the public anger caused by their misgovernance & Goondaism and blame the Hon. Governor of TN for pointing out the rules that must be followed. Today, our Hon. Governor of TN, after the Tamizh Thai Vazhthu had asked for the… pic.twitter.com/WcSM6Ba9Hq
— K.Annamalai (@annamalai_k) January 6, 2025
Critics say that for the DMK, its policy has been that there is no need for the post of Governor for states. Its founder, Annadurai, had said in the early 1960s, “Aatukku thaadium, nattukku governorum thevai illai” (a goat does not require a beard, nor does a State require a Governor). The DMK government has been taking a confrontational approach towards the Centre, Central agencies, courts, and constitutional institutions.
They also argue that no sensible person would read the fallacies, inaccuracies, and falsehoods compiled as the Governor’s address by the State government, which they claim amounts to nothing more than singing paeans to Chief Minister Stalin and his so-called “Dravidian model” and “social justice governance”, which they describe as a miserably failed model and constitutionally failed governance.
Since 2021, there have been repeated incidents of the Governor being insulted, dishonoured, and humiliated in the House. The DMK, critics say, has branded him an agent of the RSS and allowed its platform speakers and ministers to mount a sustained campaign against him.
