After CPI, now VCK questions Vande Mataram priority at Vijay's oath

After the Communist Party of India (CPI) raised objections over priority given to Vande Mataram during Chief Minister Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony, ally VCK has now joined the criticism, with party chief Thol Thirumavalavan questioning both the change in protocol and the TVK government’s commitment to secular politics.

Traditionally, government events in Tamil Nadu begin with the state song, ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’, and conclude with the National Anthem, Jana Gana Mana. However, during Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony, Vande Mataram was played first, followed by Jana Gana Mana, while ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ was performed last.

In a strongly worded letter, Thirumavalavan questioned why Vande Mataram was played before the ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ during the oath-taking event, calling the decision “deeply shocking and disturbing.”

The VCK chief questioned whether the departure from convention was done to “appease” Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Arlekar.

“We find it impossible to attribute this occurrence to mere oversight or negligence,” Thirumavalavan said, adding that the Chief Minister must publicly clarify whether the sequence was changed at the Governor’s insistence.

He also raised concerns over what he described as the religious overtones associated with Vande Mataram, arguing that the issue had created unease among parties that backed Vijay’s government in the name of secular politics.

“The TVK sought support from the Congress, Left parties, IUML and VCK claiming it wanted to establish a secular government. But these actions during the swearing-in ceremony have raised considerable unease among supporting parties,” he said.

Thirumavalavan further said the controversy had triggered criticism not only against the government but also against the parties that extended support to TVK.

The VCK chief also criticised Vijay’s remarks about Tamil Nadu’s financial condition after taking office.

The Chief Minister had stated that the previous government left behind a debt burden of Rs 10 lakh crore and announced that a White Paper on the state’s finances would be released soon.

Responding to the statement, Thirumavalavan said highlighting only the absolute debt figure without comparing it to the state’s Gross State Domestic Product (GSDP) was misleading.

“Attempting to instill fear by highlighting only the absolute figures of the debt serves no purpose other than fulfilling narrow political agendas,” he said.

Shortly after the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday, CPI state secretary M Veerapandian had objected to the song sequence.

Veerapandian said the ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ must continue to receive the foremost place in all official government functions in Tamil Nadu. He alleged that placing Vande Mataram first violated long-standing state convention and demanded an explanation from the government.

Despite not winning a majority on its own in the 234-member Tamil Nadu Assembly, TVK managed to form the government after securing support from the Congress, VCK, CPI, CPI(M) and IUML, taking the coalition strength past the majority mark.