A controversy erupted in Tamil Nadu on Sunday after the traditional Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu was sung third — after Vande Mataram and the national anthem Jana Gana Mana — at the swearing-in ceremony of new Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay in Chennai.
The departure from long-followed state protocol immediately triggered sharp reactions not just from the opposition DMK, but also from parties supporting Vijay’s government, forcing the ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) to publicly distance itself from the decision and blame it on a “new Union government circular”.
Traditionally in Tamil Nadu, Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu, the invocation song in praise of Mother Tamil, is sung at the beginning of government functions, while the national anthem is played at the end. But at Sunday’s ceremony at Chennai’s Jawaharlal Nehru Indoor Stadium, Vande Mataram was played first, followed by the national anthem, and Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu third.
The same sequence was followed earlier in the swearing-in ceremony of TVK MLA M V Karuppaiah as pro-tem Speaker, as per a PTI report.
The move sparked criticism from several allies whose support helped Vijay cross the majority mark in the 234-member Assembly.
CPI state secretary M Veerapandian strongly objected to the order of songs, saying the Tamil invocation had always held the foremost position in state functions and demanding an explanation from the government.
He argued that Vande Mataram had historically not been adopted as the national anthem because of its “sectarian religious character”, and said giving it precedence over Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu violated Tamil Nadu’s established traditions.
VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan also condemned the move, while PMK founder S Ramadoss urged the government to ensure that due importance is accorded to Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu at all official events.
The DMK too launched a sharp attack on the new government. DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan alleged that the Governor had insisted on Vande Mataram being sung first and claimed the development showed Vijay was “going towards the BJP”.
“In Tamil Nadu, the Tamil anthem is played first, followed by the national anthem at the end. This is the established procedure here,” Elangovan said.
Facing mounting criticism, TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna issued a lengthy statement defending the party’s position and asserting that the Vijay-led government did not support the altered sequence.
Calling the new format “unsuitable for Tamil Nadu”, he said TVK had objected to the Governor’s office over Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu being pushed to third place. However, according to him, Raj Bhavan informed the party that the Governor was required to act in accordance with a new circular issued by the Union government.
In January this year, the government had issued fresh guidelines mandating the singing or playing of Vande Mataram at designated government functions. The guidelines stated that when both Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana are played, the national song will be rendered first.
On Sunday, however, Vande Mataram was played before the national anthem, with Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu being played last.
TVK’s Arjuna said the arrangement was accepted only under “unavoidable circumstances” and promised that future state events would revert to the earlier practice — Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu at the beginning and the national anthem at the end.
He also argued that every Indian state should begin official functions with its own state language invocation song.
Sunday’s controversy is the latest in a long-running political and cultural battle surrounding Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu, which has repeatedly become a flashpoint in Tamil Nadu’s larger tussle over language, identity and federalism.
The song, which begins with the words “Neerarum Kadaludutha…”, comes from Manonmaniam, a Tamil drama written by scholar P Sundaram Pillai. In 1970, the Tamil Nadu government directed that it be sung at the commencement of government functions, educational events and public programmes. In 2021, the Stalin government officially declared it the State Song of Tamil Nadu and made standing during its rendition mandatory, except for differently-abled persons.
The issue, however, has generated repeated controversy in recent years.
One major flashpoint came in 2018, when Kanchi seer Vijayendra Saraswathi remained seated while the song was played during an event in Chennai attended by then Governor Banwarilal Purohit. The incident triggered outrage and protests from Tamil nationalist groups.
The controversy later reached the Madras High Court, which observed in 2021 that Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu was essentially a “prayer song” and not technically an anthem. While the court said the song deserved the “highest reverence and respect”, it ruled there was no statutory requirement for people to stand while it was sung.
Another major confrontation emerged during the tenure of former Governor RN Ravi, whose repeated clashes with the DMK government over Assembly traditions brought the issue back into national focus.
In both 2024 and 2025, Ravi walked out of the Tamil Nadu Assembly claiming the national anthem had not been played at the beginning of the Governor’s address. Raj Bhavan accused the state government of disrespecting the Constitution and the national anthem because only Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu had been sung before the session began.
The DMK government in power then had countered that Tamil Nadu had long followed the practice of beginning official proceedings with Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu and ending them with the national anthem. The then Chief Minister MK Stalin had accused the Governor of repeatedly violating Assembly traditions and unnecessarily provoking confrontation.
The controversy during Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony on Sunday is the latest in a series of political flashpoints involving Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu in Tamil Nadu.
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