'Deeply Shocking': TVK Ally Questions Vijay Over Vande Mataram Priority At Oath Ceremony

VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan has criticised the Vijay-led TVK government over the protocol followed during the Chief Minister’s swearing-in ceremony, where Vande Mataram was played before ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’, breaking the usual Tamil Nadu convention of starting official events with the state song and ending with the national anthem. He questioned whether the change was made to appease Governor Rajendra Arlekar and sought clarification from the Chief Minister. Thirumavalavan also raised concerns over the religious connotations linked to Vande Mataram, saying it had caused unease among allied parties supporting the government on secular grounds. He further criticised Vijay’s remarks on the state’s debt, saying selective figures without economic context were misleading and politically motivated.