13 Reasons Why Tamil Nadu Governor Refused To Read DMK Government Speech

Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Tuesday refused to read a speech prepared by the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam - highlighting its achievements over the past year - and walked out of the opening day of the year's first Assembly session in a huff, declaring the national anthem had been "insulted".

Shortly after his dramatic exit Ravi's office released a 13-point statement explaining why the Governor had walked out. The statement accused Chief Minister MK Stalin and his administration of having "repeatedly switched off" the Governor's microphone and making "numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements" about his government's achievements.

Among other points, the Governor's office also criticised the DMK for claiming Tamil Nadu had attracted Rs 12 lakh crore in industrial and business-related investments. This, Ravi said, was "far from the truth" since "many of the MoUs with prospective investors remain only on paper".

Reasons why Governor declined reading the Govt speech in the Assembly:

1- Governor's Mike was repeatedly switched off and he was not allowed to speak;

2- The speech contains numerous unsubstantiated claims and misleading statements. Several crucial issues troubling the people… pic.twitter.com/EebC7wDJHg

— LOK BHAVAN, TAMIL NADU (@lokbhavan_tn) January 20, 2026

"Actual investment is hardly a fraction of it… investment data shows that Tamil Nadu is becoming less attractive for investors. Until four years ago Tamil Nadu was the fourth largest recipient of foreign direct investment. Today it is struggling to remain at sixth position."

The speech – written by the state for the Governor – "totally ignored" the issue of women's safety despite an "alarming increase of over 55 per cent incidents of rapes (of minors) and over 33 per cent increase in incidents of sexual molestation of women", the Governor's office complained.

The "rampant prevalence of narcotics and drugs… and a sharp increase in drug abuse cases among young people, including school students, is a very serious concern", Governor Ravi said, also flagging "atrocities, including acts of sexual violence, against Dalits and Dalit women".

A "steady decline in standards of education and widespread mismanagement in educational institutions" and lack of elections to "several thousand village panchayats" were also flagged.

The long laundry list of complaints included claims that "millions and millions of devotees are deeply hurt and frustrated by mismanagement of temples" in the state and small and medium-sized businesses coming under "huge stress due to visible and invisible costs".

"There is widespread discontentment among lower rung employees in almost all sectors. They are restive and frustrated. No mention of ways to address their genuine grievances…"

The showdown between the Governor – appointed by the BJP-led centre – and Stalin's DMK comes less than three months before a critical Assembly election in which the two parties are at each other's throats and have already clashed over various issues, including law and order.

RECAP | "National Anthem Must Be Respected": Tamil Nadu Guv Skips Speech

The response from the DMK was swift.

Stalin said the Governor's actions had "disrespected and insulted 100-year-old traditions of the House" and he reflected on a pithy saying by DMK founder CN Annadurai, who once said, "Why does a goat need a beard… and why does a state need a Governor?"