Tamil Nadu Governor Walks Out Of Assembly Over National Anthem Row, Sparks Fresh Controversy

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi staged a dramatic walkout from the state Assembly today, refusing to deliver his customary address over what he termed as "disrespect" to the National Anthem.

The Governor objected to the Assembly's tradition of playing only the state anthem, Tamil Thai Valthu, at the beginning of the session while reserving the National Anthem for the end.

Governor's Protest and Raj Bhavan's Statement

In a strongly worded statement, the Raj Bhavan accused the Tamil Nadu Assembly of once again "insulting" the Constitution and the National Anthem.

"Respecting the National Anthem is a fundamental duty under our Constitution. It is a practice followed in all state legislatures to sing it at both the beginning and end of the Governor's address. However, today, only Tamil Thai Valthu was played. The Governor respectfully reminded the House of its constitutional obligation and appealed to the Chief Minister and Speaker to sing the National Anthem, but they refused. In deep anguish, the Governor left the House, refusing to be part of this blatant disrespect," the Raj Bhavan statement read.

Following his exit, Assembly Speaker M. Appavu proceeded to read out the customary address that was originally meant to be delivered by the Governor.

Ongoing Clashes Between Raj Bhavan and DMK Government

This latest controversy is not an isolated incident but part of an ongoing tussle between the Tamil Nadu government and the Governor's office. In February 2024, Governor Ravi had similarly refused to deliver his address, citing "misleading claims far from the truth" in the drafted speech. The Raj Bhavan had also insisted at the time that the National Anthem should be played at both the beginning and end of the session.

The friction dates back even further. In 2022, the Governor had omitted references to figures such as B.R. Ambedkar, Periyar, and C.N. Annadurai, along with the phrase Dravidian Model, from his speech. He had then walked out without waiting for the National Anthem to be played, after the Assembly passed a resolution recording only the official speech rather than his version.

Legal and Political Implications

Since taking office in 2021, Governor Ravi has maintained a tense relationship with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin's DMK government. The ruling party has accused him of functioning as a "BJP spokesperson" and deliberately delaying bills and appointments. The Governor, on the other hand, has asserted that the Constitution grants him the authority to withhold assent to legislation.

The ongoing power struggle between Raj Bhavan and the state government has even reached the Supreme Court and Rashtrapati Bhavan. Both the Supreme Court and the Madras High Court have reaffirmed that Governors must act on the aid and advice of the state Cabinet.

With tensions escalating once again, this latest controversy is likely to add fuel to the already strained relationship between the Tamil Nadu government and the Governor's office.