The opposition would not allow Tamil Thai Vazhthu to be sidelined as it happened at the swearing in when it was pushed to the third position as it was sung after the singing of the national anthem and ‘Vanthe Madaram,’ the national song, he said.
Chennai: Leader of the Opposition in the State Assembly Udhayanidi Stalin stoked the dying embers of the more than three-year-old controversy over his earlier call for abolishing ‘Sanatana Dharman’ by reiterating on Tuesday that ‘Sanatana Dharma’ should be eradicated as it divided people.
In his maiden address to the House as the Leader of the Opposition on Tuesday, Udhayanidhi Stalin referred to the precedence given to the national song ‘Vanthe Madram’ over ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ on the swearing in ceremony of the Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay and said that the Tamil invocation should be given due importance in all government events.
The opposition would not allow Tamil Thai Vazhthu to be sidelined as it happened at the swearing in when it was pushed to the third position as it was sung after the singing of the national anthem and ‘Vanthe Madaram,’ the national song, he said.
Normally events in Tamil Nadu traditionally would start with the ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ and conclude with the national anthem. Udhayanidhi hinted that the change was made by diluting the importance of ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ due to ‘Sanatana Dharmam.
Warning the new government to be cautious against such faux pas in future, he said it was important to protect the State’s rights and traditions.
Though no one inside the Assembly raised any objections to Udhayanidhi Stalin’s reference to ‘Sanatana Dharmam,’ many other leaders, particularly those from the BJP outside of the House, launched a broadside against him.
Inside the Assembly, when Udhayanidi Stalin said that the DMK, as the senior batch in governance, was prepared to teach the juniors, Vijay was smiling at the remark.
