Chennai: Reviving his beef with the ruling DMK government, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi cut short the customary address to the Legislative Assembly, claiming that he does not concur with the views expressed in the speech prepared by the state government.
Ravi made some remarks about the DMK government over the playing of national anthem and stormed out of the House even as Speaker M Appavu informed him that the national anthem will be sung as per the custom followed by the House.
The Governor's speech presented to the State Legislative Assembly is the extension of the policy statement and is prepared by the ruling dispensation. On Monday, the first day of the Budget Session, Ravi concluded his customary address, his maiden address for this year to the Assembly, within a few minutes.
He made certain remarks which were not part of the government approved version of the speech and over the singing of the national anthem. The Governor convened the House to meet on February 12 marking the beginning of Budget Session of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.
The Governor commented over the government-curated speech and how he felt about certain facts and messaging the speech will have had impact, if he spoke it.
Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M Appavu said that it is the culture of the Tamil Nadu government and Chief Minister MK Stalin to treat the Governor with honour and dignity.
"Everyone will have opinion, discussing about them (in the House) is not the tradition. It is the culture of the Tamil Nadu government, and Chief Minister Stalin and MLAs to treat Governor Ravi who is in a high position with honour and dignity notwithstanding the differences in policies, and ideology. There is no change in that," Appavu asserted.
The Speaker said despite the state facing unprecedented rains and floods recently, the Central government did not give 'a single paisa' of funds to Tamil Nadu though the PM Care Fund has 'several lakh crores.'
Referring to the Governor as 'Ayya' (sir), Appavu said he may as well ask him to get 'from that fund' about which the people "cannot pose questions," assistance to the tune of about Rs 50,000 crore to Tamil Nadu.
Earlier, Ravi offered his greetings in Tamil to Speaker Appavu, Chief Minister Stalin and the MLAs before ending his shortest speech in the Assembly. After Ravi's huffed exit from the Assembly, Leader of the House Durai Murugan moved a motion to expunge all the remarks made by the Governor and the request was complied with by the Speaker. Appavu read the Tamil version of the Governor's address.
On January 9, 2023, Ravi staged a 'walkout', scripting history in the Assembly for any Governor to 'walkout' of the Assembly. He was miffed after Chief Minister M K Stalin moved a resolution requesting the Speaker to expunge the speech of the Governor and to take on record the approved text of the Governor’s address.
During the motion, Stalin said he was forced to make the drastic step after the Governor skipped certain portions of the address.
