Governor’s Two-Line Address Triggers Row in Karnataka Assembly

A controversy broke out in the Karnataka legislature after Governor Thawarchand Gehlot concluded his customary address to the joint session of the Assembly and Council with just two lines, instead of reading the full text approved by the state government.
Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said the governor did not deliver the cabinet-cleared speech, calling it a violation of constitutional convention. He said the address read out by the governor was not prepared or approved by the elected government.
The governor briefly greeted the House, spoke about development and ended his remarks with “Jai Hind, Jai Karnataka,” before leaving the chamber. Congress legislators protested the move, raising slogans inside the Assembly.
The incident has added to the growing friction between Raj Bhavans and elected governments in several non-BJP ruled states over the role of governors during Assembly proceedings.