TN Governor walks out of Assembly after tussle with CM

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi walked out of the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday when CM Stalin interrupted the governor’s speech after the former had omitted a few words including, ‘Dravidian model of governance’ from his govt-prepared address. 

In an unusual incident marking a showdown between the Governor’s office and Tamil Nadu government, Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi on walked out of the Assembly on Monday following chief minister M.K. Stalin moved a resolution which stated that only the customary speech by the government would go on record for the first day of the House’s winter session. 

The ongoing tussle between the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in Tamil Nadu and Governor R.N. Ravi escalated inside the assembly on Monday after the latter skipped portions of the government-prepared customary address. 

After the governor skipped a few words including, ‘Dravidian model of governance’, MK Stalin interrupted R.N. Ravi’s speech and expressed regret that the Governor had avoided certain portions of the prepared address. 

It is also alleged that the Governor had skipped parts of the address prepared by the state government which had references to secularism, describing Tamil Nadu as a haven of peace, and mention of leaders like Periyar, BR Ambedkar, K Kamaraj, CN Annadurai, and Karunanidhi, after which the Chief Minister moved the resolution. He also did not read the reference to the ‘Dravidian model’ that the ruling DMK promotes. 

The Chief Minister Stalin moved a resolution and it was adopted, following which R.N. Ravi left the House immediately. It is perhaps the first time that such an incident has happened in the history of the Assembly. 

The TN government and Governor Ravi have been at loggerheads over various issues, including his refusal to approve 20 bills. The DMK and its allies have accused Ravi of propagating Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)’s Hindutva ideology