Hours after Joseph Vijay was sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Sunday, May 10, a controversy erupted over the order in which songs were played at the swearing-in ceremony in Chennai. The Tamil national song, Thaai Vaazhthu, was sung after Vande Mataram and the national anthem Jana Gana Mana during the ceremony.
The song sequence was a departure from long-held state protocol and immediately drew sharp reactions not only from the opposition DMK but also from parties supporting the Vijay government. TVK distanced itself from the decision and instead blamed the “new circular of the Union government” for it.
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CPI Tamil Nadu secretary M Veerapandiyan has issued a letter taking exception to the Tamil song being relegated to third place, next to Vande Mataram and the national anthem, at the oath-taking ceremony. He called it a “violation of established convention”.
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The controversy arose because Vande Mataram was played before Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu, a traditional invocation song for Tamil Nadu that is usually sung at the beginning of government functions. This sequence was a departure from established state protocol.
Traditionally, the Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu, an invocation song in praise of Mother Tamil, is sung at the beginning of government events in Tamil Nadu, followed by the national anthem at the end.
The Minister of TVK said that the change was due to the new circular of the Union Government. However, he assured that this practice will be stopped and the traditional order will continue to be followed.
The song sequence has often become a flashpoint for Tamil Nadu’s larger struggle over language, identity and federalism, reflecting ongoing political and cultural debates about the state’s relationship to national symbols.
Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu is an invocation song in praise of Mother Tamil, originating from Tamil drama. It was officially declared the state song of Tamil Nadu in 2021 and is traditionally sung at the opening of government functions.
He demanded an explanation from the state government, saying that the Tamil invocation is traditionally sung at the beginning of government functions and should be given due importance.
He also stated that a similar mistake should not be repeated in the future.
Traditionally in Tamil Nadu, Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu, an invocation song in praise of Mother Tamil, is sung at the beginning of government functions, while the national anthem is played at the end.
PMK founder Dr. In his statement, S. Ramadoss also urged the state government to ensure that ‘Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu’ is given due importance in all official events and functions.
VCK head Thol Thirumavalavan also condemned the incident.
The Minister of TVK answers
Tamil Nadu minister Aadhav Arjuna said the song was relegated to the third position during Chief Minister Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony due to a “new circular from the Union government” and confirmed that the practice would no longer be followed in the state.
In a post on X, Arjuna recognized the Tamil invocation song as the national anthem, which naturally takes precedence in the state. He clarified that TVK does not agree with the new practice of playing the song third and resonates with the “usual practice”.
Arjuna said that after taking the matter to Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, the responsible authority, they were informed that the Governor was acting only as per the Union Government’s circular, so it was an “unavoidable situation”. He emphasized the importance of invocation songs in the national language and said that the Union Government must take appropriate measures.
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The minister assured that the exercise will be discontinued and the Tamil invocation song will be played at the start of the event and the National Anthem at the end as was the custom earlier.
Why is the sequence controversial?
‘Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu’ (invocation), traditionally given at the start of government functions here, was sung third after ‘Vande Mataram’ and ‘Jana Gana Mana’ at the ceremony where Vijay was sworn in as CM of Tamil Nadu on Sunday.
Sunday’s controversy is the latest in a long-running political and cultural battle over the Tamil state’s national anthem and national song. This sequence has often become a flashpoint for Tamil Nadu’s larger struggle over language, identity and federalism.
The Tamil national song which begins with the words “Neerarum Kadaludutha…” is from Manonmaniam, a Tamil drama written by Scientist P Sundaram Pillai. In 1970, the Tamil Nadu government mandated that it be sung at the commencement of government functions, educational events and public programmes.
In 2021, the MK Stalin-led DMK government officially declared it the National Song of Tamil Nadu and made standing compulsory during its rendition, except for persons with disabilities.
The major flare-up of the song was 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 sparked outrage and protests from Tamil nationalist groups.
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The dispute later reached the Madras High Court, which observed in 2021 that Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu was essentially a “prayer song” and not technically an anthem.
Past flash points
State governments also had issues with state governors over the song. A major confrontation emerged during former governor RN Ravi’s tenure under CM MK Stalin. Ravi, who is now the governor of West Bengal, had repeated clashes with the DMK government over the assembly.
In 2024 and 2025, Governor Ravi walked out of the Tamil Nadu Assembly claiming that the national anthem was not played at the beginning of the Governor’s speech. The Raj Bhavan accused the state government of disrespecting the constitution and the national anthem as only the Tamil thaai vaazhthu was sung before the session began.
