Reserve Bank of India on Thursday regretted certain officers of its Chennai branch refusing to stand up for Tamil Thai Vazhthu, the state’s official anthem, and making “unnecessary statements” regarding the song.
A row erupted on Wednesday during Republic Day celebrations at the RBI office in Chennai when a few officials refused to stand up when the anthem was played. Some of them said the song did not require them to stand up leading to the commotion at the event – a short clip of the argument between two sections went viral on social media.
As the issue snowballed into a major controversy, RBI Regional Director S M N Swamy led a senior-level delegation on Thursday to Tamil Nadu Finance Minister P T R Palanivel Thiaga Rajan and explained their position vis-à-vis Tamil Thai Vazhthu.
Hours later, the RBI said in a statement that Tamil Thai Vazhthu was sung on the occasion of Republic Day as a mark of deference for the Tamil culture and language.
“However, subsequently, in the commotion that ensued, certain unnecessary statements concerning the song had been made, which were uncalled-for and regrettable. We are aware that Tamil Thai Vazhthu is the state song of Tamil Nadu. We wish to reiterate that, as a regulatory body, we respect the customs and practices followed in each region of the country,” the RBI said in the statement.
The Tamil Nadu government had in December declared the song penned by renowned scholar Manonmaniam Sundaranar as the State Song of Tamil Nadu. While making the announcement, Chief Minister M K Stalin had said all should remain standing when the song is sung.
Meanwhile, an advocate with the Madras High Court filed a complaint with the Chennai Police for “disrespecting the anthem”.
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