An office-bearer of Thanthai Periyar Dravidar Kazhagam (TPDK) has moved the Madras High Court seeking a direction to the Chennai city police to book a case against Kanchi Acharya Vijayendra Saraswati for not having stood up when the State song, popularly known as Tamil Thai Vazhthu, was played during a private event here on January 23.
In his affidavit, the petitioner, S. Doraisamy, 75, stated that he was a practising advocate for the past 48 years and was now holding the post of vice-president of TPDK, a non-political organisation. According to him, the State song penned by Tamil scholar Manonmaniam Sundaram Pillai was treated on a par with the national anthem in the State.
Claiming that every government function held in the State before 1970 used to commence and end with the playing of the national anthem, the petitioner recalled a Government Order passed on June 17, 1970 through which it was ordered that every government function should begin with the playing of the State song and end with the playing of the national anthem.
Since the Prevention of Insults to National Honour Act of 1971 prescribes a maximum imprisonment for three years to whoever intentionally prevents the singing of the national anthem or causes disturbance to any assembly engaged in such singing, the same yardsticks must be applied to those who disrespect the State song too, the petitioner claimed.
Pointing out that Governor Banwarilal Purohit too had participated in the private event and he stood up in reverence when the State song was played, the petitioner alleged that Vijayendra Saraswati “had deliberately insulted the Tamil Thai Vazhthu in front of the Governor of Tamil Nadu.”
Going a step further, Mr. Doraisamy claimed that the Kanchi Acharya’s decision to remain seated during the playing of the State song would tantamount to exhibiting contempt and exciting disaffection towards Tamil language and the State Government and thereby attract the offence of sedition too under Section 124-A of the Indian Penal Code.
Stating that he had lodged a complaint at the Esplanade police station on January 25 itself, the petitioner said the police were yet to register a First Information Report with respect to the incident. Justice M.S. Ramesh on Wednesday directed a government advocate to obtain instructions from the police and adjourned the direction petition by a week.
