Daijiworld Media Network – Chennai
Chennai, May 21: A fresh political controversy erupted in Tamil Nadu on Thursday after ‘Vande Mataram’ was sung before ‘Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu’ during a swearing-in ceremony, triggering strong reactions from opposition parties and reviving the debate over protocol and Tamil identity.
The issue surfaced days after similar objections were raised regarding the sequence of songs played during the swearing-in ceremony of the Tamil Nadu government led by actor-politician Joseph C Vijay. Critics alleged that the traditional precedence accorded to the Tamil invocation song had been sidelined.
The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) strongly criticised the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK), accusing the party of failing to safeguard Tamil identity and traditions despite earlier assurances.
DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai described the development as “unfortunate” and stated that the controversy continued even after TVK ministers had reportedly promised that ‘Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu’ would receive priority at official functions.
He asserted that the Tamil invocation song should hold the “pride of place” in all government events and accused TVK of being unable to “stand up and fight for the rights of Tamil”.
According to critics, the ceremony began with ‘Vande Mataram’, followed by the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’, while ‘Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu’ was rendered third, sparking outrage among sections of political parties and Tamil groups.
The Communist Party of India (CPI) also objected to the protocol followed during the event.
CPI state secretary M Veerapandian said government functions in Tamil Nadu have traditionally begun with ‘Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu’ and concluded with the national anthem. He alleged that altering the sequence violated established convention.
Veerapandian further claimed that during the freedom struggle, it had already been decided that ‘Vande Mataram’ could not serve as the national anthem because the song was associated with a specific deity and carried a “sectarian religious character”.
He demanded that the Tamil invocation regain its “rightful place” in official events and sought an explanation regarding who authorised the sequence followed during the ceremony.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), however, defended the decision and termed it part of “national protocol”.
BJP leader Tamilisai Soundararajan stated that singing ‘Vande Mataram’ before other songs at such ceremonies followed national convention.
“Nobody can insult Mother Tamil. Mother Tamil always respects nationalism,” she said while accusing the DMK of engaging in anti-national politics.
The controversy in Tamil Nadu has also coincided with a similar debate in Kerala, where the full rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ during the Congress-led UDF Cabinet swearing-in ceremony drew criticism from the CPI(M).
The Left party in Kerala termed the move “inappropriate in a pluralistic society” and argued that only approved portions of the song should be used officially.
The BJP countered the criticism by accusing Left parties of insulting the national song and indulging in appeasement politics.