Desk Correspondent , Chennai - The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly erupted into chaos on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, as Governor RN Ravi staged a dramatic walkout within minutes of the session's commencement. Declining to deliver the customary address prepared by the DMK government, the Governor exited the House after Speaker M. Appavu turned down his request to play the National Anthem immediately following the state anthem, Tamil Thai Vaazhthu. Following his departure, Lok Bhavan (Raj Bhavan) issued a scathing 13-point press release, alleging that the Governor's microphone was "repeatedly switched off" and that the government-drafted speech was filled with "unsubstantiated claims" intended for political propaganda.

Among the specific grievances listed by Lok Bhavan was the government's claim of attracting ₹12 lakh crore in investments, which the Governor labeled as "far from the truth," noting that many MoUs remain only on paper. The statement further accused the state of ignoring a "33% increase in sexual molestation" and "alarming" atrocities against Dalit women. Governor Ravi also criticized the omission of the National Anthem at the start of the session, calling it a "disregard for Fundamental Constitutional Duty." This marks the third year in a row that the Governor has boycotted or truncated the inaugural address, solidifying a deep-seated constitutional standoff in the state.

In response, Chief Minister MK Stalin moved a resolution to record only the approved English text of the address as "read," ensuring the Governor’s verbal objections were excluded from official minutes. Stalin condemned the walkout as an insult to the "100-year-old assembly" and the mandate of the people, even invoking the famous words of CN Annadurai: "Why does a goat need a beard, and why does a state need a Governor?" As the Assembly proceedings continue amidst a boycott by the opposition AIADMK over law-and-order concerns, the rift between the elected executive and the constitutional head has reached an unprecedented level of hostility.