After TN Guv's Assembly Walk Out, Stalin Says DMK Will Amend Constitution To Drop 'Customary Address'

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin said the government will work with like minded regional parties in the Parliament to amend the Constitution to abolish the custom of Governor's address every year to begin the maiden session of the Assembly, on Monday.

He also slammed Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi of insulting the House and its dignity after the latter walked out of the State Legislative Assembly on the first day of the maiden Assembly session of this year on Monday.

Ravi left without delivering his customary new year address to the legislators, alleging his demand to change the conventions of the House to play the National Anthem in the beginning of the proceedings. This is the third consecutive year that Governor Ravi has skipped his customary new year address and it will be his fourth consecutive year walk out from the Assembly.

By convention, the session opens with the Tamil Thaai Vazhthu, invocation song to Mother(Goddess) Tamil. The same was followed this year ignoring Ravi's request to change the convention, prompting him to take exception. He left the House in a huff later sending a statement reeling out a list explaining why he did not deliver his customary address in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly.

Governor was earlier seen having a word with Speaker M Appavu while he was accorded ceremonial reception at the Assembly premises and was led to the Speaker's chair.

Speaker M Appavu informed the House that the Governor had insisted the session should begin with the National Anthem. "I explained him the Assembly has been functioning according to its conventions and procedures, which makes Tamil Thaai Vazhthu to be sung first. He did not accept it and exited the House," Appavu said.

Stalin in a strongly worded speech criticised the Governor’s decision to stage a walk out from the House. He accused the Governor of insulting the Legislative Assembly, whose history and tradition spans beyond a century.

Stalin quoted former Chief Minister and the DMK founder C.N. Annadurai of questioning the necessity of the gubernatorial post. "Yet, Anna had always respected the office and its dignity as long as it existed," Stalin said, adding that the incumbent Governor had failed to respect the Assembly.

The Chief Minister then moved a resolution stating that the Governor’s address should be deemed as having been delivered, despite him walking out. The resolution was passed unanimously by the House. The Tamil version of the address was read by Appavu, as resolved.

The CM accused the Governor of "walking out yet again in violation of rules, traditions and ethos," adding that it was unbecoming of the high office Ravi holds. "It is an insult to the House and its dignity," he said.

Stalin announced that his party "would take efforts to delete from the Constitution, by way of an amendment, the provisions mandating governor's address at the start of the year".

"At the beginning of every year, Governor will read out the government's policy statement (to the House). This is a practice being followed. When a governor repeatedly violates this, a question naturally arises 'as to why such a rule/practice should exist'. Therefore, the DMK would make efforts in the Parliament with the support of like-minded regional parties to drop provisions mandating governor's address at the start of the year from the Constitution by way of an amendment," he said.

Later, in a post on his social media handle, Stalin said he would prompt the Opposition ruled states to raise a demand to abolish the practice of the governor's customary address.

It's not good that the Governor refuses every year to read out the government prepared speech, the CM said, adding that the Governors causing trouble is not isolated to Tamil Nadu but also in several (opposition-ruled) states.

Citing Article 176 of the Constitution, the CM said "the customary address is prepared by the state government and it should be fully read out by the governor. There is no scope for the Governor to express his personal opinion on the address or omit content from the state government prepared address".

He regretted that the Governor's action of recurring walk outs from the House which reflects the sentiments of the 8.5 crore Tamil people.

"A Governor must be concerned about the state's welfare, interested in the people's development, and must speak the truth. He must cooperate with the government which has come to power with massive public support and a majority, on its decisions. The Constitution expects the same from the person who holds that office. However, he acts against it and spreads slander by speaking politics in public and tries to scuttle the state administration. He is making a similar attempt here (in the Assembly and this) is unacceptable."

Appavu further announced that only the text of the Governor’s address would go on the Assembly records, and that no other proceedings of the day would be recorded.

Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi (X/@lokbhavan_tn)

Meanwhile, the Raj Bhavan issued a statement explaining the Governor’s decision to leave the Assembly. According to the statement, the Governor cited 13 reasons for not delivering his address and for walking out of the House. The last one in the list read: "National Anthem is yet again insulted and the Fundamental Constitutional Duty disregarded.(sic)"

He also accused that his microphone was "repeatedly switched off" and was not "allowed to speak", while claiming that the speech given to him contained numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements.

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