The political row over Tamil Nadu's state song, Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu, has once again reignited after it was played in order defined by the Ministry of Home Affairs during the swearing-in ceremony of the newly inducted ministers in the Vijay-led government at Lok Bhavan on Thursday.
The song was played third after Vande Mataram and the National Anthem in the presence of CM Vijay, marking his first Cabinet expansion.
The oath of office and secrecy was administered to 23 new ministers, including 21 TVK and 2 Congress legislators.
The Left parties supporting the government have objected to the order of the song, arguing that the Tamil invocation should not have followed Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana.
Objecting to the order, CPI state secretary M Veerapandian emphasised that the sentiments of Tamil people must be respected and the state anthem should be given precedence.
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"We reiterate that the Governor should pay more attention to prioritising the Tamil Anthem. We respect India's national song and national anthem. But we reiterate that the Governor should give priority to the Tamil anthem," PTI quoted him as saying in Chennai.
He added that he wasn't opposed to either the National Song or the National Anthem, but the sequence at official functions.
This is the second time in less than a month that the issue has heated up the state politics. Similar concerns had been raised during the swearing-in of Vijay as the chief minister when the Tamil anthem was played in the same sequence.
Why was Tamil Anthem played third? CPI-M cites CM Vijay
CPI(M), another Left party and a TVK ally, said that CM Vijay has confirmed that the order of Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu will remain the same at any event attended by the Governor.
In the first instance, after CM Vijay's oath ceremony, TVK had distanced itself from the controversy. Minister Aadhav Arjuna had claimed that the party was opposed to the song being played third and supported the long-established practise instead.
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He had added that the Governor cited the Union government circular for the sequence. In a post on X, he said, "When we pressed the Governor's side on this matter, it was conveyed that the Governor, as the responsible authority, must act according to the new circular from the Union government".
Arjuna had claimed that the new arrangement would not be followed in the future events before the fresh controversy erupted on Thursday.
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