Tamil anthem sung 1st in Assembly, reversing order that sparked Vijay oath row
The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Thursday followed the state's long-established protocol by beginning proceedings with the rendition of the Tamil anthem, 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' and
The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Thursday followed the state's long-established protocol by beginning proceedings with the rendition of the Tamil anthem, 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' and concluding with the Anthem. This comes just over a month after a major political controversy erupted over the order of songs at Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's swearing-in ceremony on May 10. At Thursday's Assembly session, the Tamil anthem was rendered first before proceedings commenced, while the Anthem was played later in accordance with the convention followed in the state for decades. Read Full Story Traditionally, government functions in Tamil Nadu begin with Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu — the invocation song in praise of Mother Tamil — while the Anthem is played at the end of the programme.
The departure from this practice immediately triggered objections from opposition parties as well as several allies supporting the TVK. The controversy was further amplified because the full si stanza version of Vande Mataram was played during the swearing-in ceremony in line with a January 2026 directive issued by the Union Home Ministry. Several allies whose support helped Vijay secure a majority in the 234-member Assembly questioned the decision. CPI state secretary M Veerapandian argued that Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu had always occupied the foremost position in official state functions and sought an explanation from the government.
While VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan also criticised the sequence, PMK founder S. Ramadoss urged the government to ensure that the Tamil invocation song continued to receive due prominence at official events. The DMK launched an equally strong attack. Party spokesperson TKS Elangovan alleged that the Governor had insisted on Vande Mataram being sung first and claimed the development suggested Vijay was moving closer to the BJP. Facing mounting criticism, TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna issued a detailed clarification, insisting that the TVK government did not support the altered sequence. He described the format as "unsuitable for Tamil Nadu" and said the party had raised objections with Raj Bhavan after Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu was placed third in the programme.
According to Arjuna, Raj Bhavan informed the party that the Governor was required to act in accordance with a new circular issued by the Union government. Ends
The BriefWire