Speaker M. Appavu. File
| Photo Credit: SHAIKMOHIDEEN A.
Assembly Speaker M. Appavu on Friday (February 20, 2026) said the five years of the M.K. Stalin-led government would be recorded not merely as a political term, but as a period when Dravidian ideology was translated into practical governance.
Speaking during the final sitting of the Assembly, Mr. Appavu contended that the government had put into practice the principles advocated by Periyar E.V. Ramasamy and former Chief Ministers C.N. Annadurai and M. Karunanidhi.
Referring to Mr. Stalin, the Speaker said, “The greatness of a leader is not known by his words, but measured by his actions. We have witnessed in this Assembly the administrative prowess of the Chief Minister. Even when attempts were made to intimidate him by withholding funds, and when it came to safeguarding the dignity of our language, he refused to bow, and firmly rejected the National Education Policy.”
Without compromising the State’s rights, the Chief Minister had asserted Tamil Nadu’s stand on issues such as opposition to the NEET, the Waqf Amendment Bill, the draft regulations of the University Grants Commission, and mineral mining projects, Mr. Appavu noted.
The Speaker also said the Stalin-led government had demonstrated that power was not merely a tool to rule, but a responsibility to uplift people.
“The government placed righteousness at the core of governance and prioritised public welfare. These five years were marked not by the number of announcements made, but by the tangible changes they brought to people’s lives. This government viewed the progress of women as the progress of Tamil Nadu,” he said.
He thanked Mr. Stalin for giving him the opportunity to occupy the Chair, and said the Chief Minister ensured that Opposition members were given adequate time to speak.
“Even when situations arose warranting their expulsion, the Chief Minister intervened to enable their participation in the proceedings,” Mr. Appavu added.
Published – February 21, 2026 11:36 am IST
