Tamil Nadu Assembly Resumes Traditional Protocol Amid Political Controversy

Assembly Session Begins with Traditional Songs

On Thursday, the Tamil Nadu Assembly commenced its proceedings by adhering to the state's long-standing traditional protocol. The session opened with the singing of the state anthem, 'Tamil Thai Vaazhthu', and concluded with the national anthem. This event comes just a month after a significant political controversy arose regarding the order of songs during Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay's oath-taking ceremony.

During the assembly session, the decades-old tradition was upheld. In Tamil Nadu, it has been customary for all government and official events to begin with the song 'Tamil Thai Vaazhthu', which pays homage to the Tamil language, and to end with the national anthem.

Opposition Voices Concerns Over Changes

Opposition parties and several allies supporting the TVK quickly raised objections to the deviation from this tradition. The controversy intensified when, during the oath-taking ceremony, the full six-verse version of 'Vande Mataram' was played, as per the directives from the Ministry of Home Affairs issued in January 2026.

Many allies who helped Vijay secure a majority in the 234-member assembly questioned this decision. CPI state secretary M. Veerapandian argued that 'Tamil Thai Vaazhthu' has always been given precedence in government events and demanded clarification from the government.

Criticism from Various Political Leaders

VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan also criticized the order of songs, while PMK founder S. Ramdas urged the government to ensure that the Tamil praise song receives appropriate recognition in official events.

The DMK expressed strong opposition as well. Party spokesperson T.K.S. Elangovan accused the governor of prioritizing 'Vande Mataram' and claimed that this incident indicates that Vijay is aligning more closely with the BJP.

TVK Leader Responds to Backlash

In response to the growing criticism, TVK leader Aadhav Arjun issued a detailed clarification, emphasizing that the TVK does not support the altered order. He deemed the format 'inappropriate for Tamil Nadu' and stated that the party had raised objections at the Raj Bhavan after 'Tamil Thai Vaazhthu' was placed third in the sequence. According to Arjun, the Raj Bhavan informed the party that the governor had to act according to the new circular issued by the central government.