Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay had not even begun his first day in office when a political row erupted over the state song “Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu”, which fell to third place after the national song and national anthem, during his swearing-in ceremony in Chennai.
Government events in Tamil Nadu traditionally begin with the chanting of the Tamil prayer song and end with the national anthem. But at the ceremony held at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, the sequence was changed. The song “Vande Mataram” was played first, followed by the national anthem “Jana Gana Mana”, while the song “Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu” came in third, according to the official program announcement.
The change in protocol quickly drew criticism from opposition voices as well as allies of the ruling Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) party.
1. CPI questions Departing from tradition
M Veerapandian, Tamil Nadu state secretary of the Communist Party of India, strongly objected to the order in which the songs were played and said that ‘Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu’ should retain the first place in government celebrations in the state.
Referring to the state’s long-standing protocol, Veerapandian alleged that the decision violated established practices and questioned Raj Bhavan’s role in the matter.
“In this context, the decision, allegedly taken on the directions of Lok Bhavan, to give primary status to ‘Vande Mataram’ while placing the Tamil supplication third on the agenda of the swearing-in ceremony organized by the Tamil Nadu government constitutes a violation of long-established traditions,” news agency PTI reported.
2. ‘Vande Mataram has a sectarian religious character’
Veerapandian also said that Vande Mataram has historically faced objections due to its religious associations.
“It was proven during the freedom struggle itself that the song ‘Vande Mataram’ cannot serve as the national anthem because the song is dedicated to a particular deity and has a sectarian religious character,” the news agency quoted him as saying.
The Communist Party of India leader called on the Tamil Nadu government to publicly explain how the change occurred and identify those responsible for it.
“The Tamil Nadu government must provide a public explanation identifying those responsible for this error,” he said.
3. TVK distances itself from serialization
The ruling TVK party also moved quickly to distance itself from the controversy.
In a post on website
Describing the supplication song as a symbol of Tamil pride with a history spanning more than a century, he said the Tamil Nadu government has officially recognized it as a state anthem and therefore naturally takes precedence in state functions.
“This prestigious Tamil song is the first to be played at functions in Tamil Nadu, including government functions. At the end of the event, the national anthem is played. This is the standard practice, the appropriate practice,” he wrote.
4. TVK has no different opinion
“In mother Tamil Nadu, the Tamil Nadu government, formed under the leadership of Tamil Nadu Vetri Kazhagam, does not agree to play the Tamil supplication song at third place,” Arjuna said.
He stressed that the new TVK-led government “has no different opinion” on the existing agreement and described Sunday’s scene as “inappropriate for Tamil Nadu”.
5. Governor cited central government circular, says TVK
The TVK leader further said that the matter was raised with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlikar after the ceremony. According to him, the governor’s office said it acted in line with the circular issued by the Union government, making the arrangement inevitable.
“When we pressed the Governor’s side on this matter, we were informed that the Governor, as the responsible authority, should act in accordance with the new circular issued by the Union government,” he wrote.
But he said the practice would not continue in state functions in the future.
“In future times, this new practice will not be followed. Instead, as per the previous practice, the Tamil supplication song will be played at the beginning of the event, and the national anthem at the end,” the circular read.
Arjuna also argued that protest songs in the state language should be given importance across India. He added that the Union government “must take appropriate measures for this.”
