Tamil Nadu Minister Aadhav Arjuna on Sunday (May 10, 2026) said the new government will continue the tradition of rendition of Tamil Thai Vazhthu (invocation of Mother Tamil) and National Anthem at the beginning and end of the official functions respectively.

The Minister’s statement on X came against the backdrop of rendition of ‘Vande Mataram’ at first, followed by the National Anthem, and then the Tamil Thai Vazhthu, at the swearing-in ceremony of the Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay-led Cabinet presided over by Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar. The ruling TVK’s allies including CPI, CPI-M and VCK, had criticised this.

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Mr. Arjuna said ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ carries with it the pride of a history spanning more than a century. The Tamil Nadu government declared it as the State song with the intention to spread it across the world. The State song is played first at the beginning of the government functions in Tamil Nadu, and the National Anthem is played at the end. This has been the customary and appropriate practice.

The new TVK-led government has no differing opinion regarding this long-standing practice. In such a scenario, this new practice is not in keeping with Tamil Nadu’s traditions. In Tamil Nadu, the rendering of Tamil Thai Vazhthu as the third song is not acceptable to the Tamil Nadu Government led by the TVK, he said.

“When we raised this issue with the Governor’s office, we were informed that the Governor was bound to act in accordance with a new circular issued by the Union Government. Under such unavoidable circumstances, the ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ was played as the third song. However, this new practice will not be followed in the future, and instead, the ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ will be played at the beginning, and the National Anthem at the end of the functions, as it was earlier,” he said.

Not only in Tamil Nadu, but in all States across India, the respective State song should be played at the beginning of official functions, and the Union Government must take appropriate steps in this regard. That is the collective sentiment and unanimous view of the people of Tamil Nadu, he added.