Opening with a dramatic accusation, the editorial declared that “on the very first day, they have smeared the face of Mother Tamil with soot,” directly blaming the new administration for allowing “Vande Mataram” to be played before the national anthem, “Jana Gana Mana,” and the Tamil state anthem, “Thamizhthai Vaazhthu.”
The controversy emerged days after superstar actor Vijay assumed office as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu with the backing of three parties allied with the opposition Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam — the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi. The supporting parties reportedly consulted Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president MK Stalin before extending support to Vijay’s Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam. Stalin also met Vijay at his residence after the oath-taking ceremony and welcomed him warmly.
Despite that political support, the Murasoli editorial strongly criticised the new administration, reminding Vijay that his party had “failed to secure majority” and had formed the government only through the “benevolence” of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam-allied parties.
The editorial accused Vijay of aligning himself with the agenda of the Governor’s office and claimed that the Chief Minister had “nodded in compliance with the Governor’s agenda.” It argued that Tamil Nadu’s official protocol clearly mandates that “Thamizhthai Vaazhthu” must be performed at the beginning of all government functions, while the national anthem must conclude official ceremonies.
The publication also revisited earlier confrontations between the previous Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government and former Governor RN Ravi. Those disputes included delays in granting assent to bills passed by the Tamil Nadu Assembly, an issue that eventually reached the Supreme Court.
Referring specifically to the anthem controversy, the editorial stated that the conflict between RN Ravi and then Chief Minister MK Stalin had originated from the same issue concerning the invocation to “Mother Tamil.” According to the article, the Governor had insisted that the national anthem be played at the beginning of official functions, a position the Stalin administration consistently rejected.
The editorial further accused the new government of ignoring Tamil Nadu’s established political traditions and constitutional sensitivities. It described the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam administration as having “foolishly chosen to act as a mere rubber stamp for the Governor’s office.”
The sequence of songs at the ceremony triggered immediate criticism not only from the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam but also from the Communist Party of India, the Communist Party of India (Marxist), and the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, all of whom reminded the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam of its pre-election commitments to secularism and regional identity.
Responding to the backlash, the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam clarified that future government functions would follow the accepted Tamil Nadu protocol. Party leader Aadhav Arjuna stated that the Tamil anthem would henceforth be played first at all official events, while the national anthem would be performed at the conclusion.
Arjuna also explained that the Governor’s office, Lok Bhavan, had referred to a federal circular that influenced the sequence followed during the oath-taking ceremony.
The controversy has rapidly evolved into a larger political and constitutional debate in Tamil Nadu, reviving long-standing tensions surrounding federal authority, regional identity, language politics, and the role of the Governor’s office in state affairs. The dispute has also placed Chief Minister Vijay’s newly formed administration under immediate political scrutiny, despite the coalition support that enabled his rise to power.
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