In a surprising turn of events on Tuesday, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi refused to deliver the customary government address at the start of the first session of the Legislative Assembly for 2026. Instead, he walked out of the House, citing 13 objections, including concerns over misleading investment claims, rising crimes, drug abuse, Dalit atrocities, and governance lapses.
The decision by Governor Ravi has led to a fresh confrontation between Raj Bhavan and the DMK-led State government. In a statement, Ravi accused the Assembly of repeatedly preventing him from speaking, with his microphone being switched off, and not allowing him to place his views on record. He claimed that the government’s address contained several unsubstantiated and misleading statements while ignoring issues of serious concern to the people of Tamil Nadu.
One of Ravi’s main concerns was the government’s claim that Tamil Nadu had attracted investments worth over ₹12 lakh crore. He argued that many memoranda of understanding signed with investors remained only on paper, and that actual investments were only a fraction of the projected figures. Ravi also pointed out that Tamil Nadu, once the fourth-largest recipient of FDI among Indian states, was now struggling to remain in sixth place.
The Governor also flagged women’s safety as a major omission in the address. He accused the government of ignoring a more than 55 percent increase in POCSO cases and over a 33 percent rise in incidents of sexual molestation. Ravi expressed concern over what he described as rampant drug abuse, particularly among youth and school students, claiming that over 2,000 people, mostly young, had died due to drug-related incidents.
Chief Minister MK Stalin has accused Governor RN Ravi of deliberately violating constitutional provisions by leaving the Assembly without reading the Governor’s Address. The Assembly, however, deemed the address read, continuing a standoff that has been ongoing since 2023.
