Chennai: Tamil Nadu Minister Aadhav Arjuna has criticised the order of events followed at the swearing-in ceremony of the Chief Minister and ministers, held under the supervision of Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar.
In a post on social media, Arjuna said that at the ceremony, "Vande Mataram" was played first, followed by the national anthem, and then the Tamil invocation song. He described this sequence as "inappropriate" for Tamil Nadu, adding that the state does not agree with the Tamil invocation song being placed third.
He further stated that when concerns were raised with the Governor's office, it was conveyed that the Governor, as the competent authority, was acting in accordance with a new circular issued by the Union government. As a result, he said, the Tamil invocation song was played third "in an unavoidable situation".
However, Arjuna noted that this arrangement would not be accepted going forward. He said that in future events, the earlier practice would be restored, with the Tamil invocation song played at the beginning of ceremonies and the national anthem played at the end.