Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi Monday walked out of the Assembly without delivering his customary Address, opposing what he described as ‘disrespect’ to the Constitution and the national anthem.
A few moments before Ravi began making his remarks, members of the main opposition AIADMK gathered in front of the chair and raised slogans and they were evicted en masse by marshalls following Speaker M Appavu’s directive.
At the same time, as Congress party members also raised slogans against the Governor by wearing black badges, nothing could be properly understood in the din. Subsequently, members of the BJP and PMK staged walked out.
In a tweet, Raj Bhavan alleged, the Constitution and the national anthem were once again insulted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.
“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 (Invocation to mother Tamil, state song) was sung.”
Further, the tweet said the Governor respectfully reminded the House of its Constitutional duty and fervently appealed to the Chief Minister, the Leader of the House and the Speaker to sing the National Anthem.
“However, they cussedly refused. 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.”
Leader of the House and senior minister Duraimurugan said the Governor has repeated what he did in previous years, which was not reading the Address fully in the House.
On Ravi’s allegation vis-a-vis national anthem, the minister said that when the Governor sent a letter to the Speaker last year on the same subject, it was made clear then that the practice followed was to sing the state song ahead of the address and the national anthem was played upon the conclusion of the address.
“Still, the Governor again mentioning the same thing as an issue and walking out without reading out the Address raises a question mark about his true intention,” he said.
The people, the House and the government always showed great respect towards the nation, the national anthem, national leaders, and greatly valued patriotism and national integration.
PTI
