No Bar On Singing Tamil Anthem Before Vande Mataram: Madras High Court
The Madras High Court clarified that there is no legal requirement to prioritize 'Vande Mataram' over the Tamil state anthem, 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu', at government functions. The court noted that the state anthem can be sung first, provided it is followed by the national anthem.
Why it matters
This ruling addresses a sensitive cultural and political debate in Tamil Nadu regarding the balance between state identity and national symbols.
The Madras High Court has clarified that there is no bar on singing the Tamil anthem, 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu', first at government functions in Tamil Nadu, stating a recent Union Home Ministry circular does not relegate the state song to a later position.The clarification came during the hearing of a public interest litigation filed by Chennai-based Ananya Radhakrishnan, who sought directions to ensure that government functions in Tamil Nadu begin with Tamil Thai Vazhthu.The petitioner contended that starting government functions with the Tamil anthem and concluding them with the National Anthem had been a longstanding tradition in Tamil Nadu.
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