Tamil Nadu leader vows to remove state song when in power: ‘What will you do?’

Naam Tamilar Katchi leader Seeman on Sunday sparked a controversy after he said that he would remove the Tamil Thai Vaazthu, the revered Tamil Nadu state song, if his party comes to power in the state.
Seeman’s remark came amid the ongoing uproar over the omission of the word Dravidam from Tamil Thai Vaazhthu at a recent event where Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi was the chief guest.
Speaking to reporters in Erode, Seeman reacted to the omission of the line “Thekkanamum Adhir Sirandha Dravida Dal Thirunaadum”, which was left out by a singer during the event.
Seeman argued that several lines had already been removed when the anthem was first adopted as the official state song. “You’re upset over the removal of two lines, but when I come to power, I’ll remove the entire song. What will you do then? This is my country,” Seeman said.
Seeman further questioned the origins of the word “Dravidam” used in the anthem, claiming it was derived from Manu Smriti by scholar Caldwell. According to Seeman, the term originally referred to Brahmins who migrated from the North to the South.
“When the Pancha Dravida meeting was held in Kerala, it was cricketer Rahul Dravid who attended, not me. I am not a Dravidian,” he said.
The remarks have drawn sharp criticism from Tamil Nadu Education Minister Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi, who slammed Seeman for disrespecting the very essence of Tamil culture.
“It is deeply disheartening to hear such comments from a fellow Tamilian. By speaking this way, Seeman is disrespecting the very essence of Tamil culture,” Poyyamozhi said.
While rendering the Tamil Thai Valthu at the valedictory of Hindi month held at Doordarshan Tamil office in Chennai on Friday evening, where the Governor participated, the troupe reciting the anthem inadvertently skipped a line. The Doordarshan Kendra had clarified and tendered an apology.
The omitted line: “Thekkanamum Adhil sirantha Dravida Nal Thiru naadum” refers to the greatness of the Dravidian land in the Deccan.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin slammed the Governor over the issue and called skipping of the line ‘Dravidam’ from the state song an insult to Tamil Nadu and the Tamil language.
He also demanded from the Centre to immediately remove Ravi, saying that he suffers from ‘Dravidian allergy’.
“Removing the word Dravidam and chanting Tamil Thai greetings is against the law of Tamil Nadu! A person who does not go according to the law and acts according to his will is not fit to hold that office. In the guise of celebrating India, the Governor is insulting the unity of the country and the people of different races living in this land”, Stalin had said.
“Will the Governor who suffers from Dravidian allergy ask them to leave out Dravidian in the national anthem? The Union Government should immediately recall the Governor who is deliberately insulting Tamil Nadu and the sentiments of the people of the state”, he added.
However, a statement said that Governor RN Ravi was only attending the function and had no role in skipping ‘Dravida’ from the state song.