Governor Ravi repeats history by refusing to read address, walking out from House

CHENNAI: The year's maiden session of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly (TNLA) began on yet another Raj Bhavan versus government face-off with Governor RN Ravi walking out of the Assembly without delivering his customary address on Monday, opposing what he described as 'disrespect' to the Constitution and the national anthem by the ruling DMK.

Moments after the House proceedings began at 9.30 am with the customary rendering of Tamil Thai Vazhthu, the state song, and a few moments before Ravi began making his remarks, members of the main opposition AIADMK took to feet holding placards on Anna University sexual assault case. At the same time, as Congress MLAs too moved forward and raised slogans against Ravi, what the Governor was trying to say got lost in the din.

After the Governor walked out, the leader of the House and senior minister Duraimurugan moved a resolution stating that the Governor left the House without reading out the Address, sent to him by the government.

In order to uphold the dignity of democracy and safeguard tradition, only the government-prepared text for the Governor's Address should be part of the House record, he said in the resolution, which was adopted.

The Raj Bhavan, in a statement, said the Governor was compelled to leave the Assembly in "deep anguish" after his repeated requests to sing the National Anthem were callously disregarded by the ruling dispensation.

"In a glaring departure from established protocol, only the state anthem was sung, while the national anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana', was conspicuously ignored," said the statement adding, "Respecting the national anthem is among the first Fundamental Duties as enshrined in our Constitution. It is sung in all state legislatures at the beginning and the end of the Governor's address."

"The Governor respectfully reminded the House of its Constitutional duty and fervently appealed to the Hon'ble Chief Minister and the Hon'ble Speaker for singing the national anthem. However, they refused. It is a matter of grave concern. Not wanting to be a party to such brazen disrespect to the Constitution and the National Anthem, the Governor left the House in deep anguish," the Raj Bhavan said.

Chief Minister MK Stalin dubbed Ravi's behaviour 'childish' and accused him of continuously insulting the people of the state, the elected government and the Assembly as well, which was unbecoming to the post he holds.

Responding to the charge, Raj Bhavan said Ravi had always upheld the sanctity of the state song, Tamil Thai Vazhthu, and "sings it with reverence at every event".

After the Governor left the House, Speaker Appavu read out the Tamil version of the customary address.

Opposition leader Palaniswami, addressing the media, termed it "Speaker's address, not Governor's address, a first in history."

"Nothing inside the air-filled balloon except for DMK regime's self-publicity," the AIADMK chief alleged and stated that his party MLAs only wanted to get justice for the victim and punishment for the true perpetrators in the Anna University incident.

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