Speaker Appavu's conduct lowers the dignity of his chair: Guv Ravi

CHENNAI: Criticising Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly (TNLA) Speaker M Appavu for 'Godse' remarks against him, Governor R N Ravi on Monday said the Speaker with his unbecoming conduct lowered the dignity of his chair and the grace of the House.

Elaborating on the reason for the Governor's walk-out from the TNLA, Raj Bhavan said, "When the Speaker concluded the address, the Governor rose for the National Anthem, as scheduled. However, the Speaker instead of following the schedule, launched a tirade against the Governor and called him a follower of Nathuram Godse and more. The Speaker with his unbecoming conduct lowered the dignity of his chair and the grace of the House."

While the Speaker went on his tirade against the Governor, the Governor with due regard to the dignity of his office and the House left the House, it noted.

However, the Raj Bhavan's release explained that the Governor had returned the Draft Governor's address with two pieces of advice.

"The Draft Governor's address was received at the Raj Bhavan, from the government on February 9, 2024. The address had numerous passages with misleading claims far from the truth. Governor returned the file with two pieces of advice," Raj Bhavan informed.

"To show due respect to the National Anthem and play it at the beginning and end of the Governor's address. In this regard, the Governor had written letters to the Chief Minister and Speaker in the past also. Governor's address should reflect the government's achievements, policies, and programmes and inform the House of the 'Causes of its summons' and should not be a forum for peddling misleading statements and venting blatantly partisan political views," the two pieces of advice written by Governor Ravi read.

Further, Raj Bhavan said that the government chose to ignore the advice of the Governor.

During his address at the House, Governor Ravi with due regard to the Constitutional proprieties expressed his inability to read the address as it contained numerous passages with misleading claims and facts, and reading them would have amounted to the Governor's address becoming a Constitutional travesty.

He expressed his respect to the House, wished the session to be productive for the good of the people of Tamil Nadu, and concluded.