The face-off between the DMK Government and the Governer of the State, worsened on Monday as RN Ravi walked out of the Legislative Assembly without addressing the Budget Session 2025.

The Governor, a widely respected former Indian Police Service Officer, was upset over the non-playing of the national anthem at the beginning of the session. This is the fourth incident of such kind happening in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly since January 2022.

“The Constitution of Bharat and the National Anthem were once again insulted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly today. Respecting the National  Anthem is the first Fundamental Duty as enshrined in our Constitution. It is sung in all the State legislatures at the beginning and end of Governor’s address. Today on arrival of the Governor to the House only Tamil Thaai Vaazhthuwas sung. Governor respectfully reminded the House of its constitutional duty . He fervently appealed to the Hon’ble Chief Ministerwho is the Leader of the House and the Hon’ble Speaker for singing the National Anthem. However, they cursedly refused. It is a matter of grave concern. Not to be a party to such brazen disrespect to the Constitution and the National Anthem , Governor in deep anguish left the House,” said the Raj Bhavan in its post on X.

Members of the Congress (a partner of the DMK-led alliance) staged a walk out in protest against the Governor’s action. Sources in Tamil Nadu Congress Committee said that the walk out by party MLAs followed a directive by the High Command in New Delhi.

The refusal of Tamil Nadu Government to play national anthem has become a recurring point of contention between the Raj Bhavan and the government led by the DMK. The Dravidian major has made it known many times in the past that the party was against the post of Governor.

Stalin ensured that R S Bharati the party spokesman, issued statements after statements ridiculing the Governor, The Speaker on his part had declared that National Anthem was not part of the session’s proceedings.

“Many actions of the DMK Government point out to the truth that the party wants to secede from India. Stalin himself has made it known that he was for creating a Dravida Nadu and the party has put he agenda in the backburner for the time being,” said  a senior intelligence official.

The DMK is annoyed with the Governor for his support to the findings of an international research team of genetic engineers and scientists that the concept of Dravidian itself was bunkum. This is the fourth time in a row that the Governor left the House without reading out the address to the session.