"Smeared With Soot": DMK Jabs Vijay In Vande Mataram, Tamil Anthem Row

An editorial in DMK mouthpiece 'Murasoli' has taken sharp digs at Tamil Nadu's new chief minister - superstar actor Vijay - and the coalition government led by his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam, over the order of songs played at his oath-taking ceremony in Chennai last week.

"On the very first day, they have smeared the face of 'Mother Tamil' with soot!" the editorial raged in its dramatic opening line, before reminding Vijay that he had "failed to secure majority" and "only established his administration through the benevolence of DMK-allied parties".

Superstar actor 'thalapathy' Vijay was sworn in as the new chief minister of Tamil Nadu last week on the back of support from three of the opposition DMK's allies - the Communist Party of India and Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi.

The CPM, CPI, and VCK consulted alliance leader Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam before offering that support, and were given the green light by party boss MK Stalin, who also met and warmly welcomed Vijay at his home this week after the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam chief took his oath.

RECAP | Vande Mataram Vs Tamil Anthem: Vijay's Oath Sparks DMK-TVK Battle

The order-of-songs controversy broke at Vijay's oath-taking ceremony.

'Vande Mataram' was played before the national anthem - 'Jana Gana Mana' and the Tamil state song 'Thamizhthai Vaazhthu', prompting the DMK and other parties, including the TVK's new-found allies, to protest vociferously and remind the TVK of its pre-poll promises of secularism.

Accusing Vijay of having "nodded in compliance with the Governor's agenda", the DMK editorial said: "According to the laws of Tamil Nadu, the Tamil song must be sung at the beginning of any government function... while the National Anthem is to be sung at its conclusion."

The party mouthpiece also reminded Vijay and the TVK of flashpoints between the then-ruling DMK and then-governor, RN Ravi. The two clashed over various issues, including the latter delaying assent to bills passed by the state, a matter that wound up in the Supreme Court.

On the songs controversy, the mouthpiece said: "The conflict between Governor RN Ravi and Chief Minister MK Stalin stemmed from this issue... the invocation to 'Mother Tamil'. Ravi insisted the national anthem be sung at the commencement of official events... a stance Stalin refused to accept to the very end. Unaware of such past political precedents, the new government has foolishly chosen to act as a mere rubber stamp for the Governor's office."

In response to the criticism the TVK said the Tamil anthem would be played first in all events and the national anthem would be played at the end. Party leader Aadhav Arjuna said the Lok Bhavan - the Governor's office - cited a federal circular that led to the Tamil song being third.