Chennai, June 7: The Madras High Court has granted permission for a petitioner to file a new petition challenging a circular issued by the Ministry of Home Affairs. This circular mandates that government programs begin with the singing of ‘Vande Mataram.’ The court clarified that no specific directives would be issued until the validity of the circular is directly challenged.
This case is linked to a petition filed by Chennai resident Ananya Radhakrishnan. The petition seeks to restore the tradition of starting government programs in Tamil Nadu with the singing of ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu.’ Radhakrishnan filed this petition following the oath-taking ceremony of Tamil Nadu’s new Chief Minister, Vijay, and his cabinet on May 10.
The petition states that the oath-taking ceremony commenced with ‘Vande Mataram’ and the national anthem, while ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ was sung afterward. The petitioner argues that government programs in Tamil Nadu have traditionally begun with ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ and concluded with the national anthem. Changes to this tradition could impact the state’s cultural identity and sentiments.
Additionally, the petition mentions that ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu,’ written by Tamil scholar Manonmaniam Sundaranar in 1891, is considered a symbol of Tamil society’s cultural heritage and identity. The petitioner clarified that their opposition is not to ‘Vande Mataram’ or the national anthem, but rather a demand to uphold the established traditions of the state.
During the hearing, Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G. Arul Murugan noted that the Home Ministry’s circular is not limited to Tamil Nadu but applies to states across the country. Therefore, seeking directives from the court without challenging the circular’s validity is inappropriate.
Following this comment, the petitioner’s lawyer requested permission to withdraw the current petition to file a new one directly challenging the central government’s circular. The court accepted this request, allowing the withdrawal of the petition and granting permission to initiate new legal proceedings.
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