Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi and Chief Minister M.K. Stalin. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on Saturday (January 24, 2026) said that he had faced pressure from the Governor, the scale of which, he claimed, had not been experienced even by former Chief Ministers C.N. Annadurai, M. Karunanidhi, and J. Jayalalithaa.
Replying to the Governor’s address in the Assembly, Mr. Stalin said that Governors during the tenure of his predecessors were different from the current one. “Though there were differences of opinion, they did not function in a manner that caused damage to the government. In that sense, I am facing many challenges,” he said.
Stating that he was no stranger to challenges, the Chief Minister said he had emerged stronger after overcoming them. “Those who provoke me may take pleasure in it, but their actions will not affect me,” he said.
Responding to the 13 allegations made by the Raj Bhavan, Mr. Stalin said that he lives every day for the people and conceives welfare schemes for their benefit. “I am not praising myself. This is the truth. I understand that the Opposition cannot stomach my achievements,” he said.
He said he was pained by the attitude of the Governor, who, instead of working for the welfare of the people, was acting against the DMK government, which had been elected to serve them.
Calling it strange that the Governor had left the House without reading the address meant for his delivery, Mr. Stalin said the act amounted to ridiculing the constitutional post he held. “By doing so, he has denigrated the Constitution, despite occupying a responsible position. His decision not to read the address should be deemed undemocratic,” he said.
Mr. Stalin said the government had been elected by crores of people and that, as per Assembly tradition, the Tamil invocation was rendered at the beginning of the session and the National Anthem at the end.
Referring to the Governor’s allegation that the National Anthem had not been rendered at the beginning, he said, “We have the highest respect for the nation and the National Anthem. I would like to firmly convey to the Governor that we are second to none when it comes to patriotism. No one is in a position to teach us lessons in patriotism.”
Without naming the BJP, he said that some parties had not fought for the country. “Instead, they seek to alter the tenets of the Constitution in an autocratic manner. The people know who the anti-national forces are,” he said.
Published – January 24, 2026 12:10 pm IST
