Madras HC dismisses plea challenging revised version of Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu

The first bench comprising Acting Chief Justice Munishwar Nath Bhandari and Justice PD Audikesavalu dismissed the plea moved by J Mohanraj, general secretary, Jebamani Janata Party, who sought a direction to declare the current version of the song announced by the government in 1970 as illegal and malicious, as some lines from the original song written by Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai were omitted.

Dismissing the petition, the ACJ observed that the court could not interfere in the matter as it is the policy decision of the government to adopt a modified version. The bench also questioned the petitioner for challenging it after nearly four decades.

Representing the Tamil Development Department, government pleader P Muthukumar said in the counter-affidavit that the lines were not changed completely. Only the third and fourth lines were interchanged, without affecting the import of the poem, he submitted.

But the petitioner submitted several lines, including “Kannadamum Kali Telungum Kavin Malaiyalamum Thuluvum” and “Aariyam Pol Ulaga Vazhakkozhindhu Sidhaiyaa”, that were omitted. This disrespected the poet and neighbouring languages, the petitioner contended.

Denying the allegation, the government’s counter-affidavit said in a GO dated May 5,1972, the song was reconstructed omitting the lines in which the poet mentioned that Sanskrit had become obsolete and not a living language in use anymore. “The changes were made only to make it convenient to sing and have the meaning of the song better expressed. It was done with a view to acknowledge that Tamil as our mother tongue; it did not harbour any hatred towards other languages,” the government said.

The government counsel also pointed out that the petitioner did not possess any right over the song, and sought the bench to dismiss the plea.