Sanskrit invocation song at IIT Madras event attended by 2 Union ministers triggers row

As the controversy surfaced, IIT-Madras Director Bhaskar Ramamoorthy, who was present at the event, clarified the institution does not issue any directions to students for a particular song to be sung. “We do not issue any directions to the students. It is they who choose the invocation song and render it on such occasions,” he said. He was reacting to questions from reporters on the rendering of the Sanskrit song instead of the Tamil anthem penned by Manomaniam Sundaram Pillai, sung during functions in the state.

Normally, the Tamil anthem “Tamil Thaai Vazhthu” (invocation song of mother Tamil) is played at the start and the national anthem towards the end of state government events. Vaiko condemned rendering of the Sanskrit song and said it was not acceptable to ‘impose’ it at the function. He demanded stringent action be taken against those responsible for it. “Both Nitin Gadkari and Pon Radhakrishnan, who were at the function, should publicly tender an apology as singing of the Tamil invocation song is the usual practice in any government function,” he told reporters in Coimbatore.

He alleged that the Centre was trying to impose Sanskrit and Hindi by various means. CPI-M and PMK also condemned overlooking of the Tamil invocation song. CPI(M) State Secretary K Balakrishnan charged that it was another form of ‘imposing’ Hindi and Sanskrit. PMK Leader S Ramadoss said the state government should take steps for making singing of Tamil anthem mandatory in all the functions of IIT, Madras.

“The Government of Tamil Nadu should take steps to ensure that IIT Madras tenders an apology. It should also be made mandatory that only Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu is played in functions held within its premises”, he said.