Plea in SC seeks recall of Governor over his walkout

A writ petition has been filed in the Supreme Court seeking the recall of Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi, following his walk out from the Assembly on January 6 this year over singing Tamil Thai Vazhthu instead of the national anthem ahead of his customary address.

The petition, filed by Supreme Court advocate and petitioner-in-person C.R. Jaya Sukin, called the Governor’s conduct “shameful” as Tamil Thai Vazhthu was being sung at the beginning of functions since 1967.

“In 1991, the State government introduced a rule that Tamil Thai Vazhthu would be sung at the beginning of functions and the national anthem at the end. This has not been a point of confrontation for 10 Governors since 1991. It is Governor Ravi who has made an issue about it,” the petition said.

It pointed out that Tamil Thai Vazhthu was the State’s anthem. “State anthems are sung as per tradition in States, including Maharashtra and Odisha,” Mr. Sukin said.

A statement issued by the Governor’s office had said that Speaker and the Chief Minister had refused to listen to a request by the Governor to play the national anthem. “The Constitution and the national anthem were once again insulted in the Assembly today. Respecting the national anthem is among the fundamental duties enshrined in the Constitution. It is sung in all the State legislatures at the beginning and the end of the Governor’s address...,” the Governor’s office had stated.

The petition said, “Tamil Thai Vazhthu is sung not only at the beginning of every government programme, but also at private, social and individual meetings throughout Tamil Nadu. Governor Ravi also knows this, and he deliberately violated his Constitutional duties...”

Mr. Sukin said the Governor, in 2023, had skipped portions of the address prepared by the State government pertaining to the ‘Dravidian model of governance’.

In 2024, he had expressed his inability to read out the address, citing “misleading claims and facts”.

The petition referred to how Mr. Ravi sat on Bills for unreasonable periods of time despite requests from the State government for assent, and had received adverse comments from the Supreme Court.

The Governor had also made “charged political comments”, ignoring the rules of gubernatorial conduct, the petition said.

Published - January 12, 2025 12:37 am IST