Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi Walks Out of Assembly Again, Citing Disrespect

Governor's Walkout on Assembly Opening Day

On Tuesday, RN Ravi, the Governor of Tamil Nadu, exited the state Assembly without delivering his traditional address during the inaugural session of the year.

This marks the fourth consecutive year that Ravi has chosen to leave the Assembly prematurely.

He expressed concerns that the Assembly had shown a lack of respect for the national anthem and claimed that his microphone was turned off during the session.

Ravi departed shortly after the state anthem, Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu, was played in the Assembly, as reported by a local media outlet.

“I feel let down,” he stated, as quoted by another news source. “The national anthem did not receive the respect it deserves.”

Following his exit, the Assembly passed a resolution introduced by Chief Minister MK Stalin to officially record only the text of Ravi's address that had been approved by the state government.

The Speaker, M Appavu, also called on the governor to adhere to the established protocols and traditions of the Assembly.

Later, the Lok Bhavan issued a statement outlining several reasons for the governor's refusal to present his speech, including claims that his microphone was repeatedly muted and that he was not permitted to speak.

The statement further accused the speech of containing numerous “unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements,” asserting that significant issues affecting the state's residents were overlooked.

“The assertion that the state attracted investments exceeding Rs 12 lakh crore is misleading,” the statement read. “Many memorandums of understanding with potential investors exist only on paper, with actual investments being a mere fraction of the claimed amount.”

Additionally, the Lok Bhavan highlighted that the speech failed to address women's safety, despite a concerning rise of over 55% in incidents of POCSO-related rapes and a 33% increase in sexual molestation cases.

It also pointed out the alarming prevalence of drug abuse among youth, noting that over 2,000 young individuals took their own lives in the past year due to substance abuse.

The statement mentioned a rise in atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women, which were not acknowledged in the governor's speech.

Concerns were also raised regarding the declining quality of education and mismanagement in educational institutions, with over 50% of faculty positions remaining unfilled for years.

“Our youth face an uncertain future,” the statement lamented. “This issue seems to be of no concern to the government.”

Furthermore, it noted that numerous village panchayats have become inactive due to prolonged delays in elections, and many temples lack boards of trustees, being directly managed by the state.

The micro, small, and medium enterprises sector is also under significant pressure due to various operational costs, which were not mentioned in the speech.

“The national anthem has once again been disrespected, and fundamental constitutional duties have been overlooked,” the statement concluded.

Aside from his inaugural address as governor in 2022, Ravi has walked out of the Assembly during sessions in 2023, 2024, and 2025.