T.N. CM Vijay cites 2021 Assembly centenary event to counter Opposition over National Anthem row

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay on Tuesday (June 23, 2026) told the Legislative Assembly that theTamil Thaai Vazhthu (Invocation of Mother Tamil) was sung in the House after the National Anthem during the centenary celebrations of the Assembly in 2021 and that the National Anthem was rendered twice at the time — both at the beginning and end of the function.

Referring to the controversy over the rendition of the National Anthem in the Assembly twice — once at the beginning and again at the end — during Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar’s address to the House on June 18, Mr. Vijay said it is a long-standing practice in Tamil Nadu for government and school functions to begin with the Tamil Thaai Vazhthu.

“The Tamil Nadu government has clearly conveyed its position to the Union government. There has been no change in the policy of the State government,” he said. However, the Opposition parties have been arguing it was wrong to render the National Anthem after the Tamil Thaai Vazhthu during the Governor’s Address and it was also wrong for the National Anthem to have been sung twice.

“They claimed such an event had never occurred in this Assembly before and an established convention had been altered. To those who portray themselves as champions of State rights and protectors of legislative traditions, I have only one question: do you remember what happened in the House on August 2, 2021?” he asked.

Mr. Vijay said that during the centenary celebrations of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly and the unveiling of the portrait of former Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi in the House, an event presided over by the then President of India, it was announced the programme would begin with the “National Anthem followed by the Tamil Thaai Vazhthu”.

“Do you remember that it was announced the Tamil Thaai Vazhthu would be sung after the National Anthem in the very Assembly where Kalaignar (Karunanidhi), who is celebrated as Muthamizh Arignar, was honoured through the unveiling of his portrait? Wasn’t Tamil relegated to the second place then?” he asked.

He further said that during the event, the National Anthem was rendered twice. The Chief Minister also displayed the souvenir released during the function. “If these questions are raised, they will say it was an event attended by the President. Their approach is to say one thing and do another,” he said.