TN Minister's Swearing-In Sparks Tamil Anthem Row

A fresh political controversy erupted on Thursday when the Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu (Tamil invocation song) was rendered last in the sequence of songs recited during the swearing-in of the newly inducted Tamil Nadu ministers at the Lok Bhavan here on Thursday.

The Left parties took exception to the Tamil anthem being sung after Vande Mataram and the national anthem at the swearing-in ceremony held in the presence of Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay to mark his maiden



cabinet expansion. 

As many as 21 TVK MLAs and two Congress legislators were inducted in the Cabinet on Thursday.

Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar administered the oath of office to the 23 newly inducted ministers. A similar row had surfaced when the Tamil anthem that is always sung at the commencement of state government functions was recited third after Vande Mataram and Jana Gana Mana, when Vijay was sworn-in as Chief Minister on May 10.