No Bar On Singing Tamil Anthem Before Vande Mataram: Madras High Court

The Madras High Court has clarified that there is no bar on singing the Tamil anthem, 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu', first at government functions in Tamil Nadu, stating a recent Union Home Ministry circular does not relegate the state song to a later position.

The clarification came during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by Chennai-based Ananya Radhakrishnan, who sought directions to ensure that government functions in Tamil Nadu begin with Tamil Thai Vazhthu.

The petitioner contended that starting government functions with the Tamil anthem and concluding them with the National Anthem had been a longstanding tradition in Tamil Nadu. She sought the quashing of the Union Home Ministry circular dated January 28, which, according to the petition, required government functions to begin with Vande Mataram.

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Appearing for the Centre, counsel referred to a fresh notification issued by the Union Home Ministry on July 9. It was clarified that the notification mandates Vande Mataram and the National Anthem to be sung consecutively, with Vande Mataram preceding the National Anthem.

The Centre also informed the court that the notification says nothing about state anthems and does not stipulate that Tamil Thai Vazhthu should be sung last.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murughan pointed out that this was precisely the sequence followed at the Madras High Court on Independence Day - Tamil Thai Vazhthu first, followed by Vande Mataram and the National Anthem.

The controversy over the order of the songs has been politically sensitive in Tamil Nadu, where government functions have traditionally begun with Tamil Thai Vazhthu. The issue intensified after former Governor RN Ravi insisted that the National Anthem be played before his customary address in the Tamil Nadu Assembly, a demand the then DMK government rejected.

The issue resurfaced at the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister Joseph Vijay, where Vande Mataram was sung first, followed by the National Anthem, while Tamil Thai Vazhthu was played third. The new state government blamed the Lok Bhavan and subsequently said the Tamil anthem would be played first at government functions.

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The sequence has also led to tensions at university convocations attended by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. The Lok Bhavan had ensured that Vande Mataram and the National Anthem were played before Tamil Thai Vazhthu. State Higher Education Minister P Viswanathan boycotted two such events, including a convocation at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, named after the poet who penned the Tamil invocation song.

The Tamil Nadu Assembly also recently adopted a resolution seeking to make Tamil Thai Vazhthu the first song at government, educational and public sector functions.

After hearing the submissions, the High Court reserved its orders on the petition.