CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Speaker M Appavu on Monday walked out of a meeting at the two-day 85th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference in Patna after Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan Singh objected to certain remarks Appavu was making about the Tamil Nadu governor in his speech.
Singh said Appavu’s remarks would not be recorded in the minutes of the meeting. A release from Tamil Nadu government said the speaker was delivering a speech on the topic ‘75th anniversary of Constitution: Contribution of Parliament and State Legislative Bodies in Strengthening Constitutional Values’. He highlighted concerns over governors’ interfering in state’s governance matters beyond their defined roles and thereby violating constitutional principles.
He criticised Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi’s actions, including the latter avoiding his customary annual address to the Assembly, as prepared by the state government.
When Singh opposed his remarks, Appavu, asked, “The governor of Tamil Nadu is acting against the Constitution. If I cannot speak about this here, where else can I?”
Appavu also expressed concerns over governors increasingly overstepping their authority in opposition-ruled states, such as interfering in the functioning of state universities. He highlighted the recommendations of various commissions on centre-state relations in the past, including those of Rajamannar, Sarkaria, Punchhi and Venkatachaliah, have recommended consulting with respective CMs in the appointment of governors.
In his address, Appavu said federalism is being diluted and there is an increasing trend of the centre viewing state governments with a step-motherly attitude. “According to Constituent Assembly debates on November 25, 1949, the states are in no way dependent upon the centre for their legislative or executive authority. The centre and the states are co-equal in this matter,” Appavu said.