Prelims: Current events of national and international importance | Polity
Why in News?
The Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) has not insisted that the State song Tamil Thai Vazhthu should be sung only at the last, after the rendition of the national song Vande Mataram and the national anthem, during official events.
- Additional Solicitor General (ASG) AR.L. Sundaresan told the Madras High Court.
- The first Division Bench of Chief Justice bench at Madras High Cour was hearing of a public interest litigation petition in this regard.
- The case had become infructuous since it had challenged a January 28, 2026 notification of the MHA whereas it had been replaced by a new notification issued on July 9, 2026.
- The ASG said that if the national song and the national anthem had to be sung together, then in which order should they be sung.
- The national song must be sung first followed by national anthem when they both have to be sung together.
- There is no directive issued by the Union with respect to the order in which the State song should be sung.
Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu
- The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly unanimously adopted a special resolution reaffirming that "Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu" must be sung first at all functions in the state.
- The resolution was placing the state invocation song to be placed ahead of the national song Vande Mataram and the national anthem, Jana Gana Mana.
- The opposition DMK in Tamil Nadu urged the state government to introduce a legislation to accord statutory status to Tamil Thai Vaazhthu.
- The DMK maintained that a mere resolution is not enough to make it legally binding on dignitaries such as the Governor or central authorities.
- A resolution and a law are completely different things.
- A mere resolution will not bind the Governor or central government authorities.
- To ensure that Tamil Thaai Vazhthu is accorded top priority across the state, it requires statutory recognition through a proper Bill passed in this Assembly session itself.
- Rejecting the Assembly Speaker's view that a resolution alone is sufficient, the DMK leader contended that without a legislative enactment, there are possibilities of the invocation song being bypassed or relegated to a secondary position during official functions attended by high dignitaries like the Governor.
- While a resolution might work in schools or basic settings, full official adherence across all institutions requires legal status.
Reference
The Hindu | Tamil Thai Vazhthu
