Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay's first day in office was overshadowed by a political row over the state song, 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu', being relegated to third place during the swearing-in ceremony in Chennai.
The traditional sequence of the Tamil invocation song, followed by the National Anthem, was altered, with 'Vande Mataram' being played first, followed by the National Anthem, 'Jana Gana Mana', while 'Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu' came third.
The change in protocol triggered criticism from opposition voices, including the CPI, which questioned the departure from tradition and demanded a public explanation from the Tamil Nadu government.
The ruling Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) also distanced itself from the controversy, with its leader, Aadhav Arjuna, stating that the party did not agree with the Tamil invocation song being played third and supported the 'usual practice' followed in Tamil Nadu.
Arjuna further stated that the matter was raised with Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, who cited a circular issued by the Union government as the reason for the change in protocol.
The TVK leader, however, assured that the practice would not continue in future state functions and that the Tamil invocation song would be played at the beginning of the event, followed by the National Anthem at the end.
