Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi walks out of Assembly over anthem row

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi walked out of the State Assembly, refusing to deliver his customary address. The move came after a disagreement with Speaker Appavu over the sequence of playing the national and state anthems, marking his third walkout.

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Tuesday walked out of the State Legislative assembly without delivering the customary address on the opening day of the first session of the year. Governor R N Ravi arrived to address the House, with leaders from multiple political parties present. The Governor demanded that the national anthem be played after the Tamil Anthem and when Speaker Appavu refused, the Governor walked without reading the opening address.

Third walkout by Governor

This is the third time that he staged a walk out after having skipped the customary address for the past two years. In the years 2024, 2025 too the Governor did not deliver the address to the Assembly. Last year, he staged a walkout from the assembly as the national anthem was not played at the start of his address.

Governor's office explains walkout

Lok Bhavan, Tamil Nadu, later issued a press release informing of the reasons why Governor RN Ravi walked out of the assembly before delivering his inaugural address. The release says, "The Governor's mic was repeatedly switched off, and he was not allowed to speak... Atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women are sharply increasing. However, it is totally bypassed in the speech... National Anthem is yet again insulted, and the Fundamental Constitutional Duty is disregarded."

Birthday greetings for TN Speaker

Meanwhile, separately, Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla sent birthday greetings for the Tamil Nadu Speaker. "Warm birthday greetings to Shri M. Appavu, Speaker of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. May you be blessed with good health, happiness, and a long life," Birla posted on X. (ANI)

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