You could say the state is putting a month-old protocol dispute behind it. By having the Tamil anthem first on Thursday and the National one after, the new government is making a point of moving on from the storm that was made of the order at C Joseph Vijay’s swearing-in. It is all about optics and where the administration stands with its partners.
Why what happened on Thursday is of note
If you have been around for any length of time, you know how we do things here: state affairs are to be bookended by the Tamil and then the National anthem. When we strayed from that on May 10, it gave the opposition something to lunge at and made some of the allies who put together a majority for Vijay in this 234-seat house a little uneasy.
It was made into an issue of identity. The DMK would have you believe the Governor put his foot down for Vande Mataram to be first, and that Vijay was being drawn in the BJP’s direction. Even some of our own, like VCK’s Thol Thirumavalavan and PMK’s S. Ramadoss, wanted to be sure the Tamil anthem had its due.
The May 10th row
For the oath ceremony, they put on the full six stanzas of Vande Mataram, as per a 2026 edict from the Union Home Ministry. The Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu, according to some in the camp, was relegated to third in the running order.
Aadhav Arjuna of the TVK didn’t mince words, calling the arrangement a poor fit for the state and saying he had put in a word with Raj Bhavan. The party was at pains to make clear they were not on board with the change.
Back in the House: things are back to normal
When the 17th Assembly got under way on June 18, 2026, at 10 a.m., the convention was observed. We had the Tamil Thaai Vazhthu to start and the National Anthem later on, including at the tail end of the Governor’s Address.
Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar started in at 10.02 a.m. He made reference to C.N. Annadurai’s thought that the people are the nation’s true masters, and wove in a bit of Thirukkural and B.R. Ambedkar on the virtues of equality and liberty. It was a 37-minute oration that wrapped up at 10.39 a.m.
Then the Speaker, J.C.D. Prabhakar, read through the Tamil version from 10.39 to 11.10 a.m. After the National Anthem, the Governor put in a greeting to the Chief Minister and Udhayanidhi Stalin, Leader of the Opposition, and was out of the House by 11.11 a.m.
Some chamber politics
The DMK’s MLAs were in evidence with their black ‘Vaai Thiranga CM’ (Open your mouth, CM) badges, but there was no trouble. A few members had some trouble with their devices to get the Governor’s speech, but that was sorted in no time.
It was a far more even-keel affair than the controversy of the past, giving the government a clean slate while still allowing the opposition to have its say.
What is on the docket
The Business Advisory Committee has the next few days in order. Here is how the session will run:
– Sitting days: June 19, 22 and 23
– We’ll be in from 9.30 a.m. each day
– No Question Hour for three days
– Motion of Thanks: June 19
– Debate to follow on the 22nd
– Reply on the 23rd
– Obituaries and the like on the 19th
The Speaker was appreciative of the Governor for the smooth running of things and let on that they are looking into a live telecast of proceedings, for the sake of transparency.
Reading between the lines
The Speaker made it plain that there is no harm in playing the National Anthem twice, but that to begin with the Tamil one is what counts. A way of having it both ways for the traditionalists and the rule-bookers alike.
Vijay’s side has quelled a symbolic grievance and kept its friends in line. But we will see if they can hold the course at the next event or two, when every move in protocol is going to be interpreted as a message.
