NEW DELHI: M. Veerapandiyan, the state secretary of the Communist Party of India (CPI), has called for the ‘Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu’ (the state song of Tamil Nadu) to be prioritized in the protocol for government ceremonies. His remarks followed the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister Vijay, where the order of songs played drew his objections.
The ceremony began with the national song ‘Vande Mataram’, followed by the national anthem ‘Jana Gana Mana’, with the ‘Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu’ played last. Veerapandiyan noted that this sequence contravenes long-established precedent in Tamil Nadu, where official events typically commence with ‘Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu’ and conclude with the national anthem.
In a letter addressed to the authorities, Veerapandiyan criticized the decision, stating that giving precedence to ‘Vande Mataram’ while relegating the Tamil song to the third position represents a breach of tradition. “The Tamil Nadu government must explain to the public who was responsible for this lapse,” he said. He urged that in future sessions, including the upcoming Assembly meeting for the swearing-in of MLAs, ‘Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu’ should be sung first, with the national anthem played last, as is customary.
Veerapandiyan highlighted historical and ideological concerns surrounding ‘Vande Mataram’, arguing that it is inappropriate to treat it as a national anthem due to its ties to a specific deity and its sectarian nature. He asserted, “This decision to place ‘Vande Mataram’ at the forefront of the agenda while positioning Tamil third contradicts established tradition.”
Moreover, the controversy arises in the context of guidelines from the Raj Bhavan and recent mandates from the Union Home Ministry that require the full version of ‘Vande Mataram’ at formal government events. This directive accompanies the government’s commemoration of the national song’s 150th anniversary.
Earlier this week, the Union Cabinet approved changes to the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act, which would equate ‘Vande Mataram’ with ‘Jana Gana Mana’, imposing similar penalties for insults against either.
Despite not achieving a majority in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, Chief Minister Vijay secured support from parties including the Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI(M), and IUML, enabling him to surpass the majority threshold of 118 MLAs and form the government.
