CHENNAI: PWD Minister Aadhav Arjuna on Friday said that the TVK government is consulting legal experts on the possibility of moving the court against the recent Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) circular mandating that Vande Mataram (National Song) and Jana Gana Mana (National Anthem) should be rendered first at official functions.
Addressing a press conference at the state secretariat, the minister said Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has already taken up this issue with Governor Rajendra Arlekar. The CM insisted that since his party’s name is Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, the party gives first priority to Tamil, and hence the Thamizhthai Vaazthu (invocation to Mother Tamil) should be recited first.
However, the governor has maintained that all events conducted under his leadership at Lok Bhavan would have to follow the MHA directive.
Responding to questions regarding the charges that the Thamizhthai Vaazhthu had been pushed to third place during the swearing-in ceremonies for new ministers, Aadhav Arjuna said DMK leader Kanimozhi has also tweeted about this issue. “The policy of the DMK and ours on the Thamizhthai Vaazthu is the same,” he said, adding that the TVK government is yet to begin any official functions.
The minister also pointed out that when DMK president M K Stalin, as the CM, attended the swearing-in of Chief Justice of the Madras High Court, the same procedure was followed.