Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi exits Assembly over National Anthem controversy; CM Stalin condemns move | X
Chennai: A by now familiar scene played out in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Monday with Governor R N Ravi leaving the House without delivering his customary address on the opening day of the first session of the year, as the National Anthem was not played before the commencement of his address. Last year, he had refused to read out his address citing similar reason and walked out.
As per convention, the State Anthem hailing ‘Mother Tamil’ is played in the Assembly at the commencement of the session and the National Anthem is played at the close of the day’s session.
However, the Raj Bhavan alleged that the “Constitution of Bharat” and the National Anthem were once again insulted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly today.
In a social media post, shortly after the Governor left the House, his office said respecting the National Anthem is among the first Fundamental Duty as enshrined in our Constitution. It is sung in all the state legislatures at the beginning and the end of Governor’s address.
“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,” it said.
“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 said.
As was the case last year, this year too the Assembly adopted a resolution moved by the Leader of the House Duraimurugan to take on record only the approved text of the Governor’s address that is prepared customarily by the Government. Earlier, in 2022, the Governor had omitted certain portions of the text and also partially spoke extempore. On that occasion too, the House took on record only the approved address.
Reacting to the Governor’s action, Chief Minister M K Stalin said as per the Constitution, it is a tradition of legislative democracy for the Governor to read the address prepared by the Government at the beginning of the year.
“He (Governor) has made it his custom to violate it. It is childish that the Governor, who had (earlier) cut out what was there and added what was not (in the approved address, has left without reading it this time,” Stalin said.
The Chief Minister charged 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. “Why should someone who is unwilling to perform their political and legal duties remain in office, is the question on everyone’s mind,” he said.
