NEW DELHI: A political firestorm erupted in Tamil Nadu when governor RN Ravi boycotted his annual address to the assembly ahead of the winter session and left the House.
Raj Bhavan, the governor’s official residence, said in an official issue that Ravi left the assembly because the House “refused” to play the national anthem as part of the norm.
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The governor’s office alleged that chief minister MK Stalin and assembly speaker “cussedly” snubbed Ravi’s request to play the national anthem after Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu was sung.
“The Constitution of Bharat and the national anthem were once again insulted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly today. Respecting the National Anthem is among the first fundamental duty as enshrined in our Constitution. It is sung in all the state legislatures at the beginning and the end of governor’s address. Today on arrival of governor to the House only Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu was sung. Governor respectfully reminded the House of its constitutional duty and fervently appealed to the Hon’ble Chief Minister who is the Leader of the House and the Hon’ble Speaker for singing the National Anthem. However, they cussedly refused,” Tamil Nadu’s Raj Bhawan wrote on X.
It further wrote: “It is a matter of grave concern. Not to be a party to such brazen disrespect to the Constitution and the National Anthem, governor in deep anguish left the House.”
Meanwhile, state Congress chief K Selvaperunthagai said the governor was “against” the people of Tamil Nadu as he “doesn’t accept any resolution from the assembly”.
“Governor is against the Tamil Nadu people, against the police. He doesn’t accept any resolution from the assembly… The only thing I can say is that the vice-chancellor of Anna University has not been appointed and hence we are protesting, ” K Selvaperunthagai told news agency ANI.
Also, AIADMK leaders staged a protest at the Secretariat against the alleged Anna University sexual assault case.