Stalin talks tough on Governor’s address

Minutes after Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi walked out of the Assembly without delivering his customary New Year Address, Chief Minister and DMK President M K Stalin announced that his party would take steps along with like-minded parties across the country in bringing in necessary Amendments in Parliament to do away with the traditional Governor address. Speaking after the House adopted an unanimous resolution moved by him stating that the address prepared by the state government alone should remain in Assembly records, Mr Stalin said it was unfair that every year the Government preparing the address, sending it to the Lok Bhavan and the Governor refusing to read it in the House. The act of Governors posing obstacles and acting against the interests of the duly elected State governments was not only taking place in Tamil Nadu, but was also happening in other states. Observing that it could not be left out as a one day news, the Chief Minister noted that it was the tradition and norms of the Assembly that the Governor should deliver his address prepared by the State goverment to the House. “If a person (Governor) continuosusly violated this tradition, it was natural that doubts arise in the minds of the people, why such an act should be in force”, Stalin said. Hence, in an effort to do away with the tradition of the Governor delivering his address to the House at the start of the New Year, the DMK would take steps to bring in necessary Constitutional Amendments in Parliament, by holding consultations with all like-minded parties in the country and with their support, Mr Stalin assured the House, amid loud thumping of desks by the members of the Treasury Benches. Earlier, speaking after moving the resolution, the Chief Minister said it was unacceptable to the House, the Governor leaving the Assembly without reading the address prepared by the government. He said the House believes that the English version of the address given to all the members was deemed to have been read by the Governor and the same should remain in the Assembly records, besides the Tamil version read out by Speaker M Appavu and the contents of the resolution moved by him. Stalin noted that the act of the Governor does not augur well for the post held by him and said as per Article 176 of the Constitution and Assembly traditions, the Governor must read in toto the address prepared by the Government in the Assembly. Stalin also said there was no provision in the Constitution that allowed the Governor to impose his personal views or to deviate or delete the address prepared by the State government. Terming the Governor’s action as an insult to the 100-year-old Assembly norms and traditions that reflected the voice of the people, the Chief Minister recalled his address made in the House on April 10, 2023 citing DMK Founder Anna’s words and said despite this, former Chief Minister and DMK Patriarch M Karunanidhi had always given due respect to the post of Governor and the present DMK regime continued the same tradition. However, it was regrettable that the Governor once again walked out without reading the address reflecting the sentiments of over eight crore people of the State. Stating that the Governor should support decisions of the elected government as per Constitutional norms, Mr Stalin said the Governor was acting contrary by indulging in political speeches and making defamatory allegations. Since he had the responsibility of protecting Assembly traditions, the Chief Minister said he moved the resolution which was later adopted unanimously. @@@@