TN Governor RN Ravi walks out of Assembly, yet again, amid anthem row

In a dramatic escalation of the longstanding tensions between Raj Bhavan and the Tamil Nadu government, Governor RN Ravi once again walked out of the House on Tuesday (January 20) without delivering the customary address, citing disrespect to the national anthem and profound disagreements with the government-drafted speech.

The session commenced as per tradition with the rendition of Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu, the state anthem. Expectations were high for the Governor’s address, but Ravi refused to proceed, alleging that the national anthem had not been played at the outset.

Sources indicate that he insisted that the national anthem should replace Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu in the proceedings. Without reading any part of the address, he exited the chamber, sparking widespread commotion and uproar among the members. In the aftermath, the assembly unanimously passed a resolution deeming the Governor’s address as having been read, in line with procedural norms.

Stalin reiterates Annadurai's words

Speaking in the House following the resolution, Chief Minister MK Stalin launched a scathing critique of Ravi’s actions. Quoting the late DMK patriarch and former Chief Minister CN Annadurai, he remarked, “A goat doesn’t need a beard, and a state doesn’t need a governor: these words ring true once more today.”

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He condemned the walkout as a blatant violation of legislative rules and longstanding parliamentary traditions, labelling it as “utterly contrary to the spirit of the Constitution”.

This incident marks the third consecutive year of such confrontations, with Ravi having abbreviated or boycotted his addresses in 2024 and 2025 over similar anthem disputes and content objections.

A press release from Raj Bhavan (now called Lok Bhavan) elaborated on the Governor’s refusal, highlighting repeated microphone interruptions and accusing the speech of containing “numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements” while sidelining critical public issues.

What Lok Bhavan says

The detailed reasons claimed were:

Mic switched off: The Governor’s microphone was repeatedly switched off, impeding his ability to speak. The speech featured unsubstantiated claims, ignoring several urgent concerns affecting the populace.

Inflated investment claims: Assertions of attracting over Rs 12 lakh crore were labelled fictitious, with many MoUs unmaterialized. Tamil Nadu's FDI ranking has dropped from fourth to sixth nationally.

Omission of women’s safety: A 55 per cent surge in POCSO rape cases and 33 per cent rise in sexual molestation incidents were overlooked.

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Drug crisis: Rampant narcotics abuse, linked to over 2,000 youth suicides in a year, was dismissed casually.

Dalit atrocities: Escalating violence, including sexual assaults on Dalit women, received no mention.

Suicide epidemic: With 20,000 annual suicides—65 per day—Tamil Nadu’s tag as India’s “Suicide Capital” was bypassed.

Education woes: Declining standards, 50 per cent-plus faculty vacancies, and institutional mismanagement threatening youth futures were ignored.

Panchayat dysfunction: Thousands of village panchayats remain unelected, under government officers, denying grassroots democracy to millions—in breach of constitutional principles.

Temple administration failures: Thousands of temples lack trustees, with devotees aggrieved by mismanagement and non-compliance with Madras High Court orders from five years ago.

MSME distress: High operational costs driving entrepreneurs away, with Tamil Nadu hosting only 4 million MSMEs against a national 55 million.

Employee grievances: Widespread discontent among lower-level workers across sectors went unaddressed.

National anthem disrespect: A repeated disregard for this “fundamental constitutional duty.”

Anthem issue

Stalin, responding to the broader impasse, reiterated his party’s intent to ally with like-minded national parties for constitutional amendments to eliminate the Governor’s address tradition, calling it archaic and prone to conflicts.

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Appointed in September 2021 by the Modi government at the Centre, Ravi, a former IPS officer, has been at odds with the DMK government over federal issues, cultural symbols, and policy delays. Past flashpoints include bill assent holdups, leading to Supreme Court rebukes in 2023.

The anthem controversy, pitting national unity against state pride, has become a recurring theme, mirroring similar governor-state tussles in other opposition-ruled states.