Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in Tamil Nadu on 19 January 2024 to inaugurate the Khelo India Youth Sports Games at the Nehru Sports Arena in Chennai. The event began with a warm welcome for the Prime Minister, followed by the opening ceremony of the Khelo India Youth Tournament.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin addressed the audience during the ceremony, emphasising the significance of sports in youth development. The inauguration ceremony was attended by prominent figures including Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi, Union Youth Welfare and Sports Minister Anurag Tagore, Tamil Nadu Sports Minister Udayanidhi Stalin, and others.
However, the event was not without controversy, as the rendition of the “Tamizh Thai Vazhthu,” deviated from the prescribed guidelines. The song, which was declared the state song by the DMK government in December 2021, was supposed to be sung in 55 seconds in the Mullaipani (Mohana) raga.
Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party head Annamalai raised concerns on his social media handle. He questioned why the song had deviated from the established guidelines. At the opening ceremony, the Tamil Thai congratulatory song was not only extended to approximately 90 seconds but was also performed in a Western musical style, drawing strong condemnation.
He wrote, “In December 2021, the DMK government declared the Tamil Thai Vazhthu song as the state song and issued guidelines including that the song should be sung in 55 seconds in Mullaipani (Mohana) raga. But yesterday, at the opening ceremony of the Khelo India Games, apart from singing a Tamil Thai Vazhthu song for about 90 seconds, it was also sung in a Western style, which drew strong condemnation. It has been DMK’s habit to issue announcements for the sake of publicity politics and then fail to follow them and violate them themselves. Singing Tamil Thai greetings in the form of Western music at a function attended by the Hon’ble Prime Minister of India will be seen as another attempt by DMK to destroy Tamil culture. #TNwithModi”
Netizens called out the alleged Christianisation of the Tamizh Thai Vazhtu on their posts in social media.
Ode to Mother Tamizh,
The paavadai remix…..pic.twitter.com/u48AcQnTcH— Vijaykumar Shanmugam (@vijayshan) January 19, 2024
The controversy adds a contentious layer to the otherwise celebratory inauguration of the Khelo India Youth Sports Games, which also saw how Chief Minister Stalin stumbled and it was Prime Minister Modi who supported him and prevented him from falling or stumbling further.
It is noteworthy to mention that the DMK scion Udhayanidhi Stalin who wished to eradicate Sanatana Dharma (aka Hinduism) has time and again said that he is proud to be a Christian.
CM Stalin himself had said that his government was formed because of Christians while participating in the platinum jubilee celebrations of the Church of South India in September 2021.
DMK MLA and Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker M. Appavu had declared that the MK Stalin-led government in the state was formed by Christians and for Christians.
Subscribe to our channels on Telegram, WhatsApp, and Instagram and get the best stories of the day delivered to you personally.