Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi walked out of the Assembly on Monday without delivering his customary address, which is read out in the House on the first day of the first session every year.

Ravi’s move was to protest the House’s alleged refusal to sing the national anthem before his speech, immediately after Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu – the state anthem of Tamil Nadu – was played.

“The Constitution of Bharat and the National Anthem were once again insulted in the Tamil Nadu Assembly today,” the Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan wrote on X. “Respecting the National Anthem is among the first Fundamental Duty as enshrined in our Constitution.”

The Raj Bhavan claimed that the national anthem is traditionally sung in state legislatures at the beginning and end of the governor’s address. However, only Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu was sung on Monday upon the governor’s arrival.

The Raj Bhavan said that the governor reminded the House of its constitutional duty and appealed to Chief Minister MK Stalin, Leader of the House Duraimurugan and Speaker M Avappu to sing the national anthem.

“However, they cussedly refused,” the post claimed. “It is a matter of grave concern. Not to be a party to such brazen disrespect to the Constitution and the National Anthem, the governor in deep anguish left the House.”

Ravi was in the House for just three minutes. His address was read out by the speaker, reported The Hindu.

In February 2024, Ravi refused to deliver the customary address in the Assembly, alleging that his request to sing the national anthem at the beginning and end of the address was ignored. He also said that the address contained several passages with which he disagreed on “factual and moral grounds”.

In January 2023, Ravi walked out of the House after Stalin disapproved of his digression from the scripted address and moved a resolution to take on record only the transcript distributed to MLAs.

After Ravi’s exit on Monday, members of the Opposition All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam shouted slogans and displayed placards demanding justice for a student who was recently sexually assaulted on the campus of Chennai’s Anna University, reported The Hindu.

Congress members also walked out of the House to condemn the governor’s actions.

The proceedings of the House eventually concluded with the playing of the national anthem, reported The Hindu.