'Don’t do BJP politics': DMK fumes as Vande Mataram played before state anthem at Vijay govt oath event

NEW DELHI: Controversy over the recitation of the national song Vande Mataram reignited in Tamil Nadu on Thursday as it took precedence over Tamil Nadu's state song during the swearing-in ceremony where 23 new ministers took oath in chief minister Vijay's cabinet.In a social media post on X, DMK IT cell warned DMK to not attempt BJP's politics in Tamil Nadu."In the times to come, this new practice will not be followed. Instead, just as in the practice that existed before this, the Tamil Thai invocation will be sung at the beginning of the event, and the national anthem will be played at the end of the event," you said, and yet today you have contributed by singing the Vande Mataram song first," it said."In the DMK regime, have you decided that the Tamil Thai invocation should only come third and gone home? Do not attempt to practise BJP's politics in Tamil Nadu," it added.DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan also accused the Vijay government of disrespecting Tamil and said that it has "no control.""They (Tamil Nadu government) have no control. They are under pressure from the governor, who is a BJP man. They will disrespect Tamil and the practices in Tamil Nadu," Elangovan said.DMK leader RS Bharathi also attacked the TVK government and said, "All the opposition parties raised this issue, but this has been repeated... They (state government) have got no interest in this issue and they are disregarding Tamil. In the days to come, I think Tamil Nadu will drop to third or fourth place, while it was in first place during the tenure of MK Stalin.""We opposed Hindi imperialism even before the party was formed and one of the reasons DMK came to power was the 1965 agitation... For the last 60 years, the three-language policy did not enter Tamil Nadu," he added.A similar row had surfaced when the Tamil anthem, which is always sung at the commencement of state government functions, was recited third after Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana when Vijay was sworn in as chief minister on May 10.'Vande Mataram' was played in line with the Union home ministry’s recent directive making it compulsory to play the full version at formal and government events. The development comes as the Centre marks the 150th anniversary of the national song.After drawing flak from the opposition as well as alliance partners, TVK leader Aadhav Arjuna criticised the order, calling the new protocol "inappropriate" and insisting that the earlier convention should be restored."At today's swearing-in ceremony for the chief minister and ministers, presided over by Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, first Vande Mataram was played, then the national anthem, and thirdly the Tamil invocation song," Arjuna had then said."This new practice is inappropriate for Tamil Nadu. We do not agree with the Tamil invocation song being played third. When we pressed the Governor's side on this matter, it was conveyed that the Governor, as the responsible authority, must act according to the new circular from the Union government. Accordingly, in an unavoidable situation, the Tamil invocation song was played as the third song," he added."However, in future, this new practice will not be followed. Instead, as per the earlier practice, the Tamil invocation song will be played at the beginning of the event, and the national anthem at the end," he said.