CHENNAI: The Madras High Court allowed the withdrawal of a plea over the placement of Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu at the CM’s swearing-in ceremony and gave liberty to challenge a Union government circular on event protocols.
The division Bench comprising Chief Justice SA Dharmadhikari and Justice G Arul Murugan permitted the withdrawal and gave liberty to the petitioner to challenge the Union government circular regarding events attended by the Governor of the State.
The petition filed by Ananya Radhakrishnan stated that by placing the Thamizh Thaai Vaazhthu in the third position during the CM Vijay’s swearing-in ceremony, deep anguish and concern was created in the minds of the people who perceived it as an unwarranted dilution and subordination of the ceremonial dignity traditionally accorded to the State Song. She further stated that deviations could dilute the ceremonial status of the song, reducing it to a symbolic formality and affecting the cultural sentiments and emotional attachment of millions of Tamil speaking people.
The petitioner had thus sought directions to the Union and State governments to condemn the relegation of the song to a third position during the swearing-in ceremony despite absence of any express constitutional, statutory or executive prohibition against commencing state functions with a state song.