Livid at national anthem not being sung, Governor Ravi exits TN Assembly without reading customary speech

CHENNAI: The year’s maiden session of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly (TNLA) began on a stormy note with Governor RN Ravi exiting the House without reading the customary address in protest of the House not singing the national anthem at the beginning. On the other hand, members of the Opposition AIADMK were forcibly evicted from the House for disrupting the Assembly proceedings.

Moments after the House proceedings began at 9.30 am with the customary rendering of the Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu in the House, Governor Ravi, who was received by Assembly Speaker M Appavu and offered the ceremonial guard of honour by the state police, rose to deliver his speech. He made what he later described on the microblogging site ‘X’ as a “fervent appeal” to the House to sing the national anthem at the beginning of the session.

As the Governor’s requests went unheeded, more so after the din caused by a few ruling alliance and opposition members in the House, Ravi stormed out in protest of the non-rendering of the national anthem at the beginning.

Brazen disrespect to Constitution; Left in anguish: Guv

A message posted on the official 'X' handle of the state Raj Bhavan minutes later said, “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. Not to be a party to such brazen disrespect to the Constitution and the National Anthem, Governor in deep anguish left the House.”

Resolution adopted to only take state-prepared speech on Assembly records

However, the statements made by the Governor in the House did not go in to the Assembly records after the House successfully adopted a resolution moved by the Leader of the House Duraimurugan to only take on record the speech prepared and circulated to the members by the government. The resolution was adopted successfully by voice vote. Later, Speaker Appavu read out the full Tamil version of the governor’s address in the House.

AIADMK members forcibly evicted

Earlier, members of the Principal opposition party AIADMK were forcibly evicted from the House for disrupting its proceedings. Speaker Appavu warned of action against the AIADMK members for disrupting the House business since the beginning of the session.

Around 9.35 am (five minutes after the commencement of the day’s proceedings), the Speaker summoned the assembly marshalls and ordered them to evict those members who “came with the intention to disrupt the proceedings of the house and engage in violence.”

The assembly marshals promptly evicted the unrelenting AIADMK MLAs including Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami moments later. 

Even as the Governor walked out of the House, the Congress and the Tamilaga Vazhvurimai Katchi - both part of the ruling alliance - and the opposition AIADMK occupied the well of the House and engaged in acts that Speaker Appavu barred from being aired by the media

Later, when the Speaker read out the speech prepared for the Governor, members of the opposition BJP and PMK were not present in the House.