Chennai: The Madras high court has dismissed a petition which sought a direction to the state government, to pass an order to the effect that only the original version of the “Tamil Thai Vizhthu” (Tamil anthem) as it is, shall be the official song of the Tamil Nadu government.
A division bench comprising Justices S.Manikumar and Bhavani Subbaroyan dismissed the petition filed by Ramaboopathy of Chennai. “For more than five decades the song has been sung by all in praise of Tamil language, culture, history and heritage. Therefore, there is absolutely no need to change at this length of time”, the bench added.
According to petitioner, he was hailing from a cultured Tamil family. His father was a freedom fighter and a Tamil teacher. He likes Tamil Thai Vazhthu very much. It was a song honouring the Tamil language, culture, history and heritage. Tamil as a language, culture and way living had stood the test of times since ages, overcome foreign invasions of all nature such as political, religious and cultural. To his shock and dismay, he came to know that this song had been cut short and edited in the year 1967 and a generation had grown up not knowing the original song. He took pains to do research and came to know that there was an original version, Government of Tamil Nadu version and an alternative version, he added.
He said the song in its original was wonderful, self explanatory. There was nothing objectionable, obscene and misconceived neither political nor social.
There was no need or necessity or any compulsion from any quarters to alter, modify or tamper with. The originality cannot be and should not be changed. It was our duty to preserve the original song. Therefore, it was unwarranted, unnecessary and uncalled for to edit or modify the original song “Tamil Thai Vazhthu” by any person or authority after about 100 years. Any modification, editing or duplication was a gross willful insult to the Tamil language, culture, heritage and history and its people. Hence, the modified, edited, duplicated version of the great Tamil Thai Vazhthu must be discarded and the original version should be restored, he added.
