Chennai: Madras high court on Friday directed the Union govt to respond to a public interest writ petition challenging the circular directing playing of the national song and national anthem before Tamil Thai Vaazhthu in functions attended by the state governor.Admitting a plea moved by Ananya Radhakrishnan, the first bench of Chief Justice Sushrut Arvind Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan directed the Union to respond to the plea in eight weeks.The petitioner submitted that the affidavit is made with utmost respect and reverence towards the national anthem, the national song, and the constitutional values they represent. “This affidavit does not seek to undermine or diminish the dignity attached to the National Anthem or song in any manner. The grievance raised herein is confined solely to the deviation from the long-standing constitutional and ceremonial protocol consistently followed within the state of Tamil Nadu concerning Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu,” she said.“For several decades, official govt functions, public ceremonies and state events conducted within Tamil Nadu have traditionally commenced with Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu, followed by the national anthem at the conclusion of the function. The practice has attained the status of a long-standing ceremonial convention consistently recognized and followed by successive govts and constitutional authorities within Tamil Nadu,” she said.The Tamil Nadu govt through an official notification dated Dec 17, 2021, formally declared Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu as the state song of Tamil Nadu in recognition of its immense historical, cultural and linguistic significance, she added.The Union’s circular is completely silent with regard to officially recognized state songs, including Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu. In the absence of any express reference to state songs, the circular cannot be interpreted or expanded to mean that a state song must necessarily be rendered only after the national song and the anthem, she said.
