Drama in TN Assembly as Guv Ravi walks out without delivering opening address; CM Stalin says ‘disrespect’, AIADMK stages protest

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Tuesday walked out of the State Legislative Assembly without delivering the customary address on the opening day of the first session of the year.

Governor R N Ravi arrived to address the House, with leaders from multiple political parties present. The Governor demanded that the national anthem be played after the Tamil Anthem and when Speaker Appavu refused, the Governor walked without reading the opening address.

Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi walks out of House as Chief Minister M.K. Stalin objects to deviation from speech#TNgovernor #TamilNadu #TVKVijay #Noneedgovernor #stateautonomy pic.twitter.com/Wv18fqoPrD

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Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin, while addressing the Legislative Assembly on Tuesday on the opening day of the first session of the year, said that Governor R N Ravi had disrespected the House and that his action disrespects the house and is against the protocols of the Assembly.

Meanwhile, stating that law and order have deteriorated in Tamil Nadu, the opposition AIADMK staged a walkout from the Assembly and protested against the ruling DMK-led State government.

“Actions of the Governor insult the 100-year-old assembly. I would like to recollect the phrase of CN Annadurai who said before that, “Why does a goat need a beard, and why does a state need a Governor?” Stalin said.

“Both Annadurai and Kalaignar M Karunanidhi, when they were Chief Ministers before, had never disrespected the post of the Governor. My legislators and I have also followed these footsteps and never deterred against the Governor. However, the act of the Governor now and the previous occasions is saddening. Tamil Nadu assembly reflects the sentiments of crores of Tamils”, the chief Minister said.

Stalin, further said that the Governor should value the people of the state. “He should respect the majority government which is formed by the public vote. Governor is spreading malicious campaigns against the government in public platforms. His attempt to enact a similar move in the assembly is unacceptable”, the Chief Minister said.

Following this Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin moved a resolution. “The assembly doesn’t accept the fact that the Governor walks out of the assembly without reading the customary speech prepared by the state government. The assembly considers the speech in English of the governor once uploaded into the systems of the MLAs as speech delivered and will recorded as such in the assembly proceedings”.

Earlier this morning Governor R N Ravi arrived to address the House, with leaders from multiple political parties present. The Governor demanded that the national anthem be played after the Tamil Anthem and when Speaker Appavu refused, he walked without reading the opening address.

This is the third time that he staged a walk out after having skipped the customary address for the past two years.In the years 2024, 2025 too the Governor did not deliver the address to the Assembly. Last year, he staged a walkout from the assembly as the national anthem was not played at the start of his address.

Lok Bhavan, Tamil Nadu, later issued a press release explaining why Governor RN Ravi walked out of the assembly before delivering his inaugural address. The release said, “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, it is totally bypassed in the speech… National Anthem is yet again insulted, and the Fundamental Constitutional Duty is disregarded.” (ANI)