"Governor being used as political propaganda": TVK targets RN Ravi' over walkout from TN assembly

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], January 20 (ANI): Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) national spokesperson, Felix Gerald, on Tuesday criticized the recent walkout of Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi from the 2026 State Legislative Assembly winter session without delivering the customary address, claiming that he is being used as a "political propaganda secretary" by the opposition.
"They want to use the governor as a political propaganda secretary... They will not allow him to complete his speech, or he will make some controversial statement and walk out of the house", he claimed.
"We can also expect some glorified statements from the government and some announcements aimed at the election", he added.
Highlighting the goals of their election manifesto, he said, "We will tell the people what we can deliver and our main focus will be on the infrastructure, basic education, healthcare, housing and proper drinking water."
Earlier in the day, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Tuesday walked out of the State Legislative assembly without delivering the customary address on the opening day of the first session of the year.
Governor RN Ravi arrived to address the House, with leaders from multiple political parties present. The Governor demanded that the national anthem be played after the Tamil Anthem, and when Speaker Appavu refused, the Governor walked out without reading the opening address.
This is the third time that he staged a walkout after having skipped the customary address for the past two years. In the years 2024, 2025, the Governor did not deliver the address to the Assembly. Last year, he staged a walkout from the assembly as the national anthem was not played at the start of his address.
Lok Bhavan, Tamil Nadu, later issued a press release informing of the reasons why Governor RN Ravi walked out of the assembly before delivering his inaugural address.
The release says, "The Governor's mic was repeatedly switched off, and he was not allowed to speak... Atrocities against Dalits and sexual violence against Dalit women are sharply increasing. However, it is totally bypassed in the speech... National Anthem is yet again insulted, and the Fundamental Constitutional Duty is disregarded." (ANI)