Minutes after the Governor walked out of the 234-member House, the Raj Bhavan (Lok Bhavan) issued a detailed 13-point press release explaining the reasons behind his decision.
According to the statement, the Governor’s “mic was repeatedly switched off and he was not allowed to speak,” prompting him to step away from the proceedings.
‘Unsubstantiated claims’ in address text
The Lok Bhavan alleged that the government-drafted address contained “numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements” while ignoring several pressing public concerns.
One of the key objections related to the state government’s claim of attracting investments worth over Rs 12 lakh crore.
“The claim that the state attracted huge investments to the tune of over 12 lakh crores is far from the truth,” the statement said, adding that many memoranda of understanding “remain only on paper” and that Tamil Nadu’s position among top recipients of foreign direct investment has slipped from fourth to sixth place.
Law and order, social issues flagged
The Governor’s office also accused the government of bypassing critical social issues. It cited an “alarming increase of over 55% incidents of POCSO rapes and over 33% increase in incidents of sexual molestation of women,” while asserting that women’s safety was ignored in the speech.
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Rising drug abuse among youth, including school students, was described as a “very serious concern,” with the Lok Bhavan claiming that over 2,000 mostly young people died by suicide in one year due to narcotics addiction. It further alleged a sharp rise in atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women, which it said found no mention in the address.
Suicide, education and local governance
Highlighting mental health concerns, the statement claimed that around 20,000 people die by suicide annually in the state, describing Tamil Nadu as being referred to as the “Suicide Capital of India,” and accused the government of indifference.
The Governor also pointed to a “steady decline” in education standards, noting that over 50% faculty positions remain vacant for years. He further alleged that thousands of village panchayats are defunct due to the absence of elections, denying citizens their constitutional right to grassroots democracy.
Anthem row and political backlash
The controversy was compounded by the Lok Bhavan’s assertion that the “National Anthem is yet again insulted and the Fundamental Constitutional Duty disregarded”.
Chief Minister MK Stalin strongly criticised the Governor’s walkout, calling it a violation of “tradition and ethos,” and later moved a resolution declaring that the English version of the address be deemed as read.
He accused the Governor of deliberately undermining the House and said such actions amounted to “insulting the Assembly”, as per news agency PTI.
The face-off has further intensified tensions between the Raj Bhavan and the DMK government, setting the tone for a politically charged Assembly session ahead of Tamil Nadu elections scheduled to be held later this year.
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