Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay’s very first day in office was overshadowed by a controversy over the order in which anthems were played during the swearing-in ceremony in Chennai on May 10.
At the oath-taking event, Vande Mataram was played first, followed by the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana. The Tamil state anthem, Tamil Thaai Vaazhthuwas played third. The sequence immediately triggered criticism from the Opposition DMK as well as some of TVK’s own allies.
In Tamil Nadu, official government functions traditionally begin with Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu and conclude with the National Anthem. Critics argued that placing the Tamil anthem third went against long-standing state convention.
Tamil row
Karti Chidambaram said Tamil Nadu has always maintained that Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu must receive precedence at official events in the state.
DMK spokesperson Saravanan Annadurai questioned the repeated deviation from convention. He said the issue had already been pointed out during the oath-taking ceremony, but the same sequence was repeated again during the appointment of the pro-tem Speaker.
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“Everybody wants to know whether this was deliberate. We want to ensure that the Tamil anthem is played first,” he said.
According to TVK, the sequence followed during the ceremony was based on directions from Raj Bhavan and a recent circular issued by the Union government.
Centre circular
The circular, issued as part of the 150th year observance of Vande Mataram, reportedly directed that the full version of the national song should be played first whenever both Vande Mataram and the National Anthem are included together at official events.
Responding to the criticism from Tamil Nadu parties, Dharambir Singh defended the importance of Vande Mataram and accused Left parties of politicising the issue.
“Our Constitution applies all over the country. Whenever an oath is taken, it is taken on the Constitution,” he said.
He also alleged that Left parties were attempting to create divisions by raising such issues and said national symbols should be respected across the country.
TVK response
TVK leaders said they raised the matter with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar after the ceremony and were informed that the protocol followed the Centre’s guidelines.
Newly sworn-in minister Aadhav Arjuna said the party did not support the Tamil anthem being placed third and insisted that the traditional Tamil Nadu practice would continue in future government events.
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In a social media post, Arjuna said Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu carries deep historical and cultural significance in the state and should always be played first, with the National Anthem played at the end of official functions.
The controversy comes at a sensitive moment for the new Vijay-led government, which has just come to power after a closely fought election and days of alliance negotiations to secure a majority in the Assembly.
With the government now officially in office, attention is expected to shift towards governance, welfare promises, and the political challenges ahead.
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