Thalapathy Vijay: C Joseph Vijay became the 23rd Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday. However, his swearing-in ceremony was not without drama. The Communist Party of India alleged that step-motherly treatment was given to Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu, which is the invocation song in praise of Mother Tamil. Similar views were expressed by DMK.
Interestingly, the West Bengal CM swearing-in ceremony had no mention of Vande Mataram despite the NDA itself putting a new Union government circular that all six stanzas of the National Song’s official version must be rendered first whenever the National Song and the National Anthem are performed together.
Swearing-In Ceremony Of Thalapathy Vijay
During the swearing-in ceremony of Vijay, Vande Mataram and the national anthem Jana Gana Mana were played before Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu in a departure from long-followed state protocol. This triggered widespread criticism and sharp reactions from the Communist Party of India and Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK).
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Traditionally, the Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu was played before the national anthem. But Vande Mataram was played first ahead of the national anthem and Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu at Sunday’s ceremony at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium.
Interestingly, the same sequence was followed in the swearing-in ceremony of TVK MLA M V Karuppaiah as pro-tem Speaker.
M Veerapandian, the CPI state secretary, objected strongly to the order of songs and said the Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu should be given the foremost position in state functions.
The sequence of songs was also condemned by VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan while PMK founder S Ramadoss urged the recently appointed government to make sure that due importance is accorded at all official events to Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu. It was alleged by DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan that the state governor insisted on insisted on Vande Mataram being sung first Elangovan claimed the song sequences showed Vijay was “going towards the BJP”.
