Madras High Court Issues Circular For Singing Vande Mataram On Independence Day, Bar Body Raises Concern On Exclusion Of State Song
The Madras High Court has issued a circular for the playing of the National Song – Vande Mataram during the Independence Day celebration to be held at the Principal Bench of Madras High Court at Chennai, the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court and the District Judiciary in the State.
A circular issued by the Registrar General said that as per the advisory issued by the Government of India under the Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign 2026, commencing 150 years of the national song, the national song would be played at the beginning of the celebration, followed by the hoisting of the flag and the National Anthem.
“It is hereby informed that on the Advisory issued by the Government of India under Har Ghar Tiranga Campaign 2026, commemorating 150 years of the National Song "Vande Mataram", the Independence Day Celebrations organized by the Madras High Court at the Principal Seat in Chennai, Bench in Madurai, Tamil Nadu State Judicial Academy in Chennai, Regional Centre at Madurai and Coimbatore, District Judiciary Units and Union Territory at Puducherry will include the singing/playing of the National Song "Vande Mataram". The sequence of events is playing of National Song "Vande Mataram", hoisting of the National Flag, followed by the National Anthem,” the circular reads.
However, following the circular, the Madras High Court Bar Association at Madurai has written a letter to the Registrar General expressing displeasure over the exemption of the State song - Tamil Thai Vaazhthu, from the Independence Day celebration.
The letter by the association states that there is a long-standing convention that in all programmes organised by the High Court, the Tamil Thai Vaazhthu is played at the beginning of the ceremony. The association also pointed to a recent government order issued by the TVK government mandating all educational institutions, Universities, public sectors, etc to play the Tamil Thaai Vaazthu in the beginning of every event. The association thus said that when there was no prohibition on playing the State song, excluding the same from the Independence day celebration has hurt the sentiments of the members.
"We respectfully place on record our deep disappointment regarding the omission of Thamizh Thaai Vazhthu in the Independence Day Celebrations. Thamizh Thaai Vazhthu is not merely a song but an enduring symbol of Tamil identity, language and cultural pride, and revered expression of respect of Tamil language, culture and heritage of Tamil Nadu. The Madras High Court, being one of the foremost Constitutional Institutions of Tamil Nadu, has a special responsibility to uphold the dignity of the State, its Constitutional Values and its rich linguistic and Cultural Heritage. We make it clear that our disappointment is not intended to question the importance of the National Anthem / National Song. But on the contrary, respect for the Nation and respect for the Tamil language and the cultural identity of the State must coexist with equal dignity," the letter says.
The association has thus requested the Registrar General to consider the representation and include the Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu during the Independence Day celebrations.