The Communist Party of India (CPI) on Sunday, 11 May 2025, criticised the conduct of the swearing-in ceremony of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay, questioning why the state song 'Tamil Thai Vaazhthu' was relegated to third place at the event rather than accorded its traditional primacy. The ceremony, held in Chennai, saw Vijay sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu by Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.

What the CPI Said

CPI State Secretary M. Veerapandian issued a strongly-worded statement asserting that it was against long-standing convention in Tamil Nadu to allow the rendering of 'Vande Mataram' during a government ceremony before the Tamil invocation was performed. "The Tamil invocation must always be accorded priority in Tamil Nadu government functions. Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam should ensure that what happened during the swearing-in ceremony is not repeated in future," he said.

Veerapandian maintained that the established practice in the state has been to begin official functions with the 'Tamil Thai Vaazhthu', followed by the national anthem at the conclusion of the programme. He further argued that introducing 'Vande Mataram' in between disrupted the accepted protocol traditionally followed in Tamil Nadu's political and administrative events.

The Protocol Dispute

The CPI leader stated that when newly-elected MLAs take oath in the Assembly, the Tamil invocation should be rendered first and the national anthem later, and that the same practice must continue across all official government programmes. Veerapandian also argued that 'Vande Mataram', being a song associated with a deity, could not be treated on par with the national anthem — a distinction he said the state's political culture has long upheld.

He stressed that Tamil identity and linguistic pride have historically occupied a central place in Tamil Nadu's political culture and should be respected by every government, irrespective of political affiliation.

Why This Criticism Carries Weight

The rebuke is notable given that the CPI was among the parties that extended support to Vijay's Tamilaga Vetri Kazhagam (TVK) after the Assembly election results produced a fractured mandate. Vijay's alliance crossed the majority mark of 118 in the 234-member Assembly after receiving backing from the Indian National Congress, the CPI, the Communist Party of India (Marxist) (CPI-M), the VCK, and the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML), taking the coalition's strength to 120 MLAs. A rebuke from a coalition ally this early in the government's tenure signals that the TVK administration will need to navigate Tamil cultural sensitivities with care.

Background and Context

The primacy of 'Tamil Thai Vaazhthu' in state functions is a deeply embedded convention in Tamil Nadu, rooted in the Dravidian political tradition that has shaped the state's governance since the mid-20th century. Successive governments — from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) to the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) — have upheld this practice as an affirmation of Tamil linguistic identity. Any perceived deviation, even at a ceremonial level, tends to draw swift political reaction in a state where cultural symbolism carries significant electoral weight.

The swearing-in ceremony was attended by senior political leaders, film personalities, and thousands of supporters, underscoring the high-profile nature of the occasion. How the new government responds to the CPI's criticism will be closely watched by its own coalition partners.