Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 20 : Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M Appavu on Tuesday defended the conduct of the state assembly after Governor RN Ravi walked out before delivering his inaugural address, saying the Governor has a constitutional duty to read the government's speech.
"You all watched who switched off the mic. There are 234 MLAs inside the Assembly. It is the duty of the Governor to read the government speech," Appavu said.
On the 13 points of objection raised by the Governor, he said, "It is for the people to criticise the government. The Governor is not a politician. If he wants to do so, he should come out of the Governor's post and talk. He has a duty to work under the Constitution and its framework."
Appavu added that the assembly had asked the Governor humbly to read the speech and that no unparliamentary language was used during the proceedings.
He also questioned, "If the Vice President or President do not read or walk out, will you (BJP-led Union Government) accept it? What did former VP Dhankar do wrong? Why partiality? Why different justice for you and us?"
The remarks come after Governor RN Ravi walked out of the state assembly before delivering his inaugural address, citing multiple issues, stating the Governor's microphone was reportedly switched off repeatedly, preventing him from speaking.
Lok Bhavan, the office of the Governor of Tamil Nadu, released a detailed press release explaining why Governor RN Ravi walked out of the state assembly before delivering his inaugural address.
In a press release issued by Lok Bhavan, the Governor's office elaborated on the reasons for his decision. It stated that the speech contained numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements while ignoring crucial issues affecting the people. Claims of over ₹12 lakh crore in investments were described as inaccurate, with many MOUs still on paper, and Tamil Nadu's foreign investment ranking having dropped from fourth to sixth among Indian states.
The release pointed to the sharp rise in crimes against women, including a 55% increase in POCSO rapes and a 33% rise in sexual molestation, as well as widespread narcotics and drug abuse among youth linked to over 2,000 suicides annually, all of which were unaddressed.Other concerns highlighted included nearly 20,000 suicides in the state in one year, declining education standards with over 50% faculty vacancies, defunct village panchayats, temples without boards of trustees, and MSME sectors facing operational challenges. The release also noted widespread employee discontent across sectors.
Earlier today, the Governor demanded that the national anthem be played after the Tamil Anthem, and when Speaker Appavu refused, the Governor walked out without reading the opening address.
This is the third time that he staged a walkout after having skipped the customary address for the past two years.
In the years 2024 and 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.