The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: Tamil Nadu assembly Speaker M. Appavu on Monday (January 20) walked out of the meeting of the 85th All India Presiding Officers’ Conference in Patna after accusing Tamil Nadu Governor R.N. Ravi of continuing to disrespect the people of the state, elected government and the legislative assembly.
Appavu termed Ravi’s activities as “deeply worrying”, reported the Press Trust of India.
He cited the recommendations of the Punchhi, Sarkaria, Rajamannar and Venkatachaliah Commissions, on appointment of Governors, and said that the state legislature should be empowered to ‘remove’ the Governor through a resolution.
Appavu also said that wording that the ‘Governor shall hold office during the pleasure of the President’ from Article 156 of the Constitution should be deleted.
Deputy Chairman of the Rajya Sabha Harivansh Narayan objected to Appavu’s comments and said that his remarks would not be included in the minutes of the meeting.
“If I cannot speak about this in this conference, then where else can I speak,” said Appavu in response before staging a walkout.
“Recently, there has been an increasing trend of Governors unnecessarily meddling in many matters not defined in the Constitution. The activities of the Governor of Tamil Nadu are deeply worrying,” Appavu said at the conference.
He added that state autonomy has become questionable and philosophy of federalism has also been diluted.