Mon Jan 06 08:14:35 UTC 2025: ## Tamil Nadu Governor Walks Out of Assembly Over National Anthem
**Chennai, January 6, 2025** – Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi walked out of the state Legislative Assembly on Monday, January 6th, protesting the absence of the national anthem before his scheduled address. This is the second consecutive year the Governor has taken this action, citing the same reason.
The Raj Bhavan issued a statement condemning the omission as a “brazen disrespect to the Constitution and the National Anthem,” highlighting the fundamental duty of citizens to respect the national anthem as enshrined in Article 51(A)(a) of the Indian Constitution. While the state anthem, “Tamil Thai Vaazhthu,” was played as per convention, the national anthem’s absence at the beginning of the Governor’s address prompted his departure.
The Governor’s actions highlight differing conventions across Indian states. While the playing of the national anthem before the Governor’s address is customary in many states, the Raj Bhavan statement noted that even in states like Nagaland and Tripura, the practice was only established in recent years (2021 and 2018 respectively).
A previous Madras High Court case, citing a petition regarding the absence of the national anthem at a 2019 function attended by the Prime Minister, Chief Minister and Governor, ruled that while the playing of the national anthem is customary, there’s no legal mandate requiring it. The court dismissed the petition seeking action against officials for not playing the anthem.
The incident has sparked debate regarding constitutional obligations, state conventions, and the role of the Governor in upholding national symbols.
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