Tamil Nadu Assembly Passes Resolution Mandating State Song Be Sung First at Public Events
The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution asserting that the state song, "Tamil Thai Vazhthu", must be sung first before the commencement of programmes conducted by all educational institutions, including universities, government offices, and public sector undertakings. The resolution, moved by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, was adopted through a voice vote with support cutting across party lines.
The resolution states that "Tamil Thai Vazhthu", an invocation to Mother Tamil, is taken from the literary work Manonmaniam, written by Manonmaniam Sundaranar in 1891. According to the resolution, the song is not merely a musical piece but an expression of respect for the Tamil language and culture. It further emphasizes that, consistent with the linguistic and cultural rights guaranteed by the Constitution, the song must be sung first at every event held by public bodies in the state before any other proceedings begin.
Historical Context and Legislative Precedents
The practice of singing the state invocation song first at government functions was originally introduced through a government order on November 23, 1970, during the first DMK government led by M. Karunanidhi. This practice was later extended to educational institutions, universities, government offices, public sector undertakings, and other public institutions in Tamil Nadu through another government order issued on December 12, 2021.
The latest resolution was necessitated after the DMK and other political groups raised objections to the state invocation being sung third in the order of proceedings at Raj Bhavan functions, such as swearing-in ceremonies and other events attended by the President and the Governor. In response, the TVK government committed to taking steps to ensure the state anthem would be sung first.
Union Home Ministry Directives and Protocol
The issue gained renewed attention following a notification issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) on July 9, which outlined the protocol for singing state songs alongside national symbols. The MHA directive instructed states and central ministries to strictly comply with the rule that the national song, "Vande Mataram", must be played before the national anthem, "Jana Gana Mana", whenever both are performed at official events.
Regarding the protocol for functions that include a state song, the Home Ministry notification clarified that in such cases, state songs should be sung first, followed by the national song and then the national anthem. Citing this notification, the Tamil Nadu Assembly resolution affirmed that singing "Tamil Thai Vazhthu" at the commencement of programmes aligns with long-standing traditions and existing government orders.
Political Support and Legal Proceedings
The resolution received broad support in the Assembly, with representatives from the DMK, AIADMK, and Left parties welcoming the move. During the discussions, DMK member Kovi Chezhian and PMK member S. Sivakumar suggested that a separate law should be enacted to make the singing of "Tamil Thai Vazhthu" mandatory.
Meanwhile, the legal aspects of the protocol were discussed in the Madras High Court. Additional Solicitor General AR.L. Sundaresan informed a Division Bench, comprising Chief Justice S.A. Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan, that the Union Home Ministry has not insisted that "Tamil Thai Vazhthu" be sung last. He clarified that the federal directive only specifies that when the national anthem and "Vande Mataram" are sung together, "Vande Mataram" must be performed first.
The Additional Solicitor General stated that the petition had become infructuous following the issuance of a fresh notification by the Union Home Ministry. The court was hearing a petition filed by Ananya Radhakrishnan, who argued that placing the state song in the third position during official ceremonies caused public anguish and diluted its traditional dignity. The petitioner had sought the quashing of an earlier Home Ministry circular dated January 28 and requested guidelines to ensure the state song is rendered at the commencement of official functions. The High Court bench has adjourned the hearing to next week.
