CHENNAI, Feb 12:
In yet another instance of his confrontation with the DMK dispensation in Tamil Nadu, Governor RN Ravi on Monday concluded his customary address to the House within a few minutes, making certain remarks over the content of the address that were ‘expunged.’
As Ravi made some mention about the national anthem, Speaker M Appavu said it is played at the end in the House on the day when the Governor delivers his customary address, and cited House rules in this regard.
In a statement later, the Raj Bhavan alleged Ravi’s advice to the Tamil Nadu government to show due respect to the national anthem and play it at the beginning and end of the Governor’s customary address to the Assembly was ignored by the DMK regime.
It also alleged the Speaker launched a tirade in the Assembly against the Governor and called him a ‘follower of Nathuram Godse’ and hence Ravi, with due regard to the dignity of his office, left the House.
After Appavu raised the issue of flood relief to the state and made some remarks, the Governor walked out of the House, before the national anthem was played to mark the completion of proceedings for the day.
In the history of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, this is the first time a Governor has not read out his customary address to the House at the start of the session for a year. Last year, on January 9, Ravi omitted some portions of the government prepared address and also included some points on his own.
This was Ravi’s inaugural address for the year to the House.
Ravi, after quoting a couplet from Tamil classic ‘Tirukkural’ and offering his greetings in Tamil to Speaker Appavu, Chief Minister M K Stalin and legislators ended his speech within a few minutes.
Immediately, Speaker Appavu read out the full Governor’s Address in Tamil and said Ravi approved the government prepared draft text. Though Ravi did not read out the full address, Appavu said he would not term it as a ‘lacuna.’
Governor opined that the national anthem should have been played at the beginning, the Speaker said.
“Everyone will have opinion, discussing about them (in the House) is not the tradition. It is the culture of the Tamil Nadu government, and Chief Minister Stalin and MLAs to treat the Governor Ravi who is in a high position with honour and dignity notwithstanding the differnces in policies, ideology. There is no change in that,” Appavu asserted.
The Speaker said despite the state facing unprecedented rains and floods recently, the Central government did not give ‘a single paisa’ of funds to Tamil Nadu though the PM Care Fund has ‘several lakh crores.’
Referring to Governor as ‘Ayya’ (sir), Appavu said he may as well ask him to get ‘from that fund’ about which the people “cannot pose questions,” assistance to the tune of about Rs 50,000 crore to Tamil Nadu.
As soon as Appavu completed making this statement in the House, Governor Ravi quickly walked out of the House even as the Speaker said on the microphone that the national anthem will be played after the passage of the resolution on including the customary address. However, Ravi continued and moved out of the House with officials in attendance. (PTI)
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