CHENNAI: As Governor Rajendra Arlekar prepares to deliver his customary address to the Tamil Nadu Assembly on June 18, all eyes are on whether he will ensure a smooth start to the session or follow in the footsteps of his predecessor, R N Ravi, whose addresses were frequently overshadowed by controversy. The question has assumed significance amid the continuing dispute over the order in which ‘Vande Mataram’, ‘Jana Gana Mana’ and ‘Thamizhthai Vaazhthu’ are rendered at official functions of the Governor and Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay.
The days when the Governor’s customary address to the state Assembly passed off as a routine affair, attracting little attention beyond a handful of policy announcements, are long gone. Since former Governor R N Ravi assumed office in Tamil Nadu, his addresses to the Assembly have often been tarnished by controversy, with the exception of 2022. One of the recurring grievances raised by Ravi was the alleged “disrespect” shown to the National Anthem (‘Jana Gana Mana’), as it was not rendered at the commencement of the Assembly session.
Since the formation of Vijay’s TVK-led government, the protocol governing the order of ceremonial songs and the National Anthem at official functions has become a contentious issue. The relegation of ‘Thamizhthai Vaazhthu’ (invocation to Mother Tamil) to the third position had drawn sharp criticism from Opposition parties, particularly the DMK, which has accused the government of undermining Tamil cultural identity.
A recent incident proves that Arlekar may take it seriously if ‘Vande Mataram’ is not rendered at the beginning of the Assembly session. During the opening session of the 16th Kerala Legislative Assembly on May 29, only a short version of ‘Vande Mataram’ was played by the police band before and after the Governor’s address, triggering objections from Arlekar, who is also the Governor of Kerala.
However, Kerala Chief Minister V D Satheesan defended the government’s position. He said that singing ‘Vande Mataram’ in full was not mandated by any law and that the state’s approach was consistent with the Congress party’s long-standing position.
Against this backdrop, whether the Governor’s address on June 18 will proceed smoothly or mark the beginning of a fresh round of friction between Lok Bhavan and the state government over the ‘Thamizhthai Vaazhthu’ issue remains an open question.
On May 10, during the swearing-in of Vijay and nine of his ministers, the ‘Thamizhthai Vaazhthu’ was rendered last after ‘Vande Mataram’ and the National Anthem. Later, during the expansion of the Cabinet, a similar procedure was adopted at the Lok Bhavan. Opposition parties, particularly the DMK and a few of its allies, strongly opposed this.
Meanwhile, ministers, including Aadhav Arjuna, said despite the CM taking up the issue with the Governor, the Lok Bhavan said they would go by the circular issued by the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) in January. Arjuna also said the state government is consulting legal experts on the possibility of moving the court against this circular.
Since this issue of Tamil cultural pride has taken centre stage, the CM – during his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi on May 27 – sought the PM’s intervention for the issuance of a suitable clarification/modification to the MHA order enabling state invocation songs, including ‘Thamizhthai Vaazhthu’, to be sung at the beginning of government functions. The CM also pointed out that the January circular does not bar playing the state song at the beginning of the functions.
When asked whether precedence will be given to ‘Vande Mataram’ at the beginning of the Assembly session on June 18 or whether the government has placed any request to the Governor in this regard, Assembly Speaker J C D Prabhakar said, “You (the media) will witness what is going to happen when the Governor delivers his address to the House.”