Chennai, July 26 The Communist Party of India and PMK have condemned the Lok Bhavan’s proposed direction of starting the upcoming 33rd convocation of Manonmaniyam Sundaranaar University with the patriotic song ‘Vande Mataram’ to the state anthem ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’.
They said it violates state independence and constitutional rights.
Communist Party of India state secretary P Shanmugam and TDP chief Anbumani Ramadoss, in separate statements late on Saturday, described the move as an “insult to the state anthem and its author”, demanding that the Tamil Nadu government intervene immediately to ensure Tamil Thai Vasthhu gets primacy in the July 28 meeting.
Vice Chancellor N Chandrasekar claimed that following clear and strict guidelines issued by the Governor’s Office, Vande Mataram will be performed first, followed by the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’, while the state anthem Tamil Thai Vazhthu will be sung only third.
The announcement has drawn sharp reactions from across the political spectrum in Tamil Nadu, with political leaders criticizing Lok Bhavan for violating state rights and disrespecting Tamil linguistic pride.
Ramadoss pointed out that Manonmaniyam Sundaram Pillai wrote the famous state song, making it completely unacceptable to demote the national anthem at his university of the same name.
Echoing the same, Shanmugam said that giving third priority to Tamil Thai Vazhthu in a government university named after Sundararar is an act of direct disrespect to his historical legacy.
They criticized the governor’s office and the vice chancellor’s office for joining directions that contradicted the Union ministry’s guidelines.
Anbumani noted that while the Union government’s February circular placed Vande Mataram first, the Union Home Ministry issued a clarification on July 9 explicitly stating that the state anthem should be sung first, followed by the national song, and then the national anthem.
He condemned the governor’s office for ignoring this clarification, calling it a “blatant display of tyranny.”
Shanmugam highlighted Vice Chancellor Chandrasekar’s statement that non-compliance with the Governor’s circular would invite disciplinary action.
The Left Party leader claimed that this shows how the governor is using coercive tactics to unnecessarily interfere in the state administration and university affairs.
The party also raised constitutional objections, stressing that imposing certain lines on Vande Mataram violates individual freedoms, secularism and pluralism guaranteed by the Indian Constitution.
He demanded the withdrawal of a mandatory circular from the Union Home Ministry requiring Vande Mataram to withdraw it.
The two parties urged the state administration not to remain silent.
They demanded that the Tamil Nadu government and university officials stand firm against Lok Bhavan’s stance and mandate that Tamil Thai Vasthhu be presented first in the July 28 meeting.
This article was generated from an automated news feed without any modifications to the text.
