Tamil Nadu Governor Walks Out Amid Row With MK Stalin Over His Speech

After Chief Minister MK Stalin moved a resolution urging the Speaker to solely record the speech prepared by the state administration and omit the parts the Governor added to or skipped from the customary address, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi today left the legislature. The Governor’s original speech, which was written by the state government and translated by the Speaker, was the only one that the Assembly agreed to record. Without even waiting for the singing of the national anthem, RN Ravi left in a huff.

The Governor left out portions of the speech prepared by the state government, which mentioned leaders like Periyar, BR Ambedkar, K Kamaraj, CN Annadurai, and Karunanidhi and made references to secularism and Tamil Nadu as a haven of peace. The Chief Minister then moved the resolution after these sections. Additionally, he failed to read the allusion to the “Dravidian model” that the dominant DMK advocates. MK Stalin claimed that the Governor’s actions were “against Assembly traditions” in the resolution.

Congress, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK), the CPI, and the CPI(M) boycotted the Governor’s speech earlier in protest over his delay in approving Bills, particularly those that would ban online gambling and limit the Governor’s authority to name vice chancellors to state colleges. 21 Bills passed by the Assembly are pending with the Governor.

The state administration and the governor have been at odds, with the ruling party charging Mr. Ravi with acting under the BJP’s direction. TR Balu, a member of the DMK, had criticised Mr. Ravi for his proposal to rename the state and advised him to quit acting like the “second state president of the BJP.”

“Governor RN Ravi on a daily basis passes some controversial comments to create confusion, separation and conflict. The governor said ‘people have been cheated during 50 years of Dravidian politics’. It is highly condemnable as he should say this from BJP State headquarters Kamalalayam and not from Raj Bhavan,” Mr Balu said.