‘Vande Mataram’ before Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu? Vijay’s 1st day as CM begins with controversy over song selection

A controversy over the order of songs played during the swearing-in ceremony of Tamil Nadu’s new government overshadowed the first day in office of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Sunday (May 10), with the CPI demanding an explanation and the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) distancing itself from the decision. The row erupted after the state invocation song, “Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu”, was played third during the ceremony at the Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium in Chennai.

Traditionally, government functions in Tamil Nadu begin with the Tamil invocation song and conclude with the National Anthem. However, according to the official programme announcement at Sunday’s ceremony, “Vande Mataram” was played first, followed by the National Anthem, “Jana Gana Mana”, while “Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu” came third. The altered sequence quickly drew criticism from opposition leaders as well as allies of the ruling TVK government.

CPI questions departure from tradition

M Veerapandian, the Tamil Nadu state secretary of the CPI, strongly objected to the order of songs and said “Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu” should retain the foremost place in official state ceremonies. Referring to the long-standing state convention, Veerapandian alleged that the decision violated established practice and questioned the role of Raj Bhavan in the matter.

“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, according to PTI.

He further argued that “Vande Mataram” had historically faced objections because of its religious associations. “It had been established during the freedom struggle itself that ‘Vande Mataram’ could not serve as the national anthem because the song is dedicated to a specific deity and possesses a sectarian religious character,” PTI quoted him as saying.

Veerapandian also demanded that the Tamil Nadu government publicly clarify how the change occurred and identify those responsible. “The Tamil Nadu government must provide a public explanation identifying those responsible for this error,” he said.

TVK distances itself from controversy

The ruling TVK also moved swiftly to distance itself from the sequence followed at the ceremony. In a post on X, newly sworn-in minister Aadhav Arjuna said the party did not support the Tamil invocation song being played third and backed the “usual practice” followed in Tamil Nadu.

Describing “Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu” as a symbol of Tamil pride with a history spanning more than a century, Arjuna noted that it had been officially recognised by the Tamil Nadu government as the state anthem and therefore naturally held precedence at state functions.

“This very prestigious Tamil invocation song is the first to be played at events in Tamil Nadu, including government functions. At the end of the event, the national anthem is played. That is the usual practice; the appropriate practice,” he wrote.