Tamil Nadu politics witnessed a dramatic and highly charged moment on Tuesday when Governor RN Ravi abruptly walked out of the State Legislative Assembly, refusing to deliver the customary address on the opening day of the first session of the year. The sudden exit triggered chaos inside the House and ignited yet another fierce confrontation between Raj Bhavan and the state government.

Moments after entering the Assembly, the Governor expressed strong displeasure, stating openly that he was “deeply disappointed” and could not proceed under the circumstances. According to him, the National Anthem was not accorded the respect it constitutionally deserves. Ravi asserted that he could not read out an official address that, in his view, contained serious factual inaccuracies and deliberately ignored grave social issues.

The situation escalated when the Governor alleged that his microphone was switched off while he was speaking. Calling the episode an outright insult to the constitutional office, he said he was not even allowed to complete his remarks. Tensions peaked when Ravi insisted that the National Anthem be played after the Tamil Anthem. Speaker M. Appavu declined the demand, following which the Governor walked out of the House without delivering the address, leaving legislators stunned.

This incident marks the third consecutive year that Governor RN Ravi has skipped the inaugural address of the Assembly. In both 2024 and 2025, he had similarly refused to read the government-prepared speech, staging walkouts over disputes related to protocol and the National Anthem. The repeated confrontations have now turned the Governor’s address into a flashpoint in Tamil Nadu’s already volatile political environment.

Shortly after the walkout, Raj Bhavan issued a strongly worded statement explaining the Governor’s decision. The release claimed that the Governor was repeatedly interrupted, denied the opportunity to speak, and subjected to deliberate disrespect. It further alleged that the Assembly address completely ignored what it described as a sharp rise in atrocities against Dalits and incidents of sexual violence against Dalit women. The statement also accused the state establishment of once again insulting the National Anthem and disregarding fundamental constitutional duties.

While the Assembly was still grappling with the fallout of the dramatic exit, a separate development added an ironic political twist. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla extended warm birthday wishes to Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu, praising him and wishing him good health and a long life in a public post.