A fresh political controversy has erupted in Tamil Nadu after the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, with objections being raised over the order in which songs were played at the event. The row began after CPI state secretary M Veerapandiyan criticised the ceremony protocol in which 'Vande Mataram' was played first, followed by the national anthem 'Jana Gana Mana', while the 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' was played third.
In a strongly-worded letter issued after the event, Veerapandiyan said the move violated Tamil Nadu's long-standing convention where official functions traditionally begin with the Tamil invocation song and conclude with the national anthem. "As per instructions issued by the Raj Bhavan, giving precedence to the song 'Vande Mataram' and placing Tamil in the third position in the programme schedule of the swearing-in ceremony organised by the Tamil Nadu government amounts to a violation of established convention. The Tamil Nadu government must explain to the public who was responsible for this lapse. Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam must ensure that the Thamizhthai Vaazhthu is accorded primacy," he said.
"Such an error must not be allowed to continue. TN Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and the Pro-tem Speaker are to ensure that the Thamizhthai Vaazhthu is sung first and the National Anthem played at the conclusion during tomorrow's Assembly session, convened for the swearing-in of MLAs, as well as at all government functions and ceremonies," the CPI leader added.
Veerapandiyan also linked the issue to historical debates around 'Vande Mataram'. "In this context, the decision, allegedly taken under the directives of Lok Bhavan, to accord the primary position to 'Vande Mataram' while placing the Tamil invocation third in the agenda of the swearing-in ceremony organised by the Tamil Nadu government constitutes a violation of established tradition," he said.
The criticism did not come from the Left alone. Vijay's own party leader Aadhav Arjuna too criticised the protocol and called it "inappropriate".
"At today's swearing-in ceremony for the Chief Minister and ministers, presided over by Tamil Nadu Governor Mr Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, first Vande Mataram was played, then the national anthem, and thirdly the Tamil invocation song. This new practice is inappropriate for Tamil Nadu. We do not agree with the Tamil invocation song being played third," he said.
Aadhav Arjuna added that the Governor's office had cited a new Union government circular. "However, in future times, this new practice will not be followed. Instead, as per the earlier practice, the Tamil invocation song will be played at the beginning of the event, and the national anthem at the end," he said.
Diana George is Associate Editor at Times Now, with over a decade of experience covering national and international news, crime, and local politics. S...View More
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