Political uproar as Kanchi pontiff ‘meditates’ during Tamil Anthem

Kanchi Mutt’s junior pontiff Vijayendra Saraswathi is caught in the eye of a political storm in Tamil Nadu for not standing up when the Tamil anthem was played at a function attended by Governor Banwarilal Purohit in Chennai on Tuesday evening.

The pontiff, who was an invitee at the function to release a Sanskrit-Tamil lexicon compiled by the late father of BJP national secretary H Raja, was seen sitting with eyes closed and holding his religious staff when the Tamil anthem was played. All the others on the dais and members of the audience were standing for the anthem. However, in contrast, the junior seer stood up for the national anthem played at the end of the function.

In Tamil Nadu, the Tamil anthem is traditionally played as invocation song at all State functions and many private events and the national anthem is played towards the closing ceremony.

Seeing red over the Vijayendra Saraswathi’s action, political party leaders issued strong statements demanding an apology from him.

To make matters worse, the Kanchi Mutt issued a statement claiming that the junior pontiff was “meditating” at that time and added that it has not been the practice for the pontiffs to rise for the Tamil anthem.

With Tamil Nadu being a Dravidian heartland where the Kanchi Mutt is largely seen as a preserve of the Brahmins, leaders were quick to condemn the seer.

“The junior pontiff’s action amounts to insulting Tamil language and the Tamil people,” MDMK leader Vaiko said.

Dravidar Kazhagam leader K Veeramani demanded an apology from Vijayendra Saraswathi and the Kanchi Mutt for the insult to Tamil society caused by him.

Former Union Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss said the Kanchi Mutt’s statement that the junior pontiff was “meditating” during the Tamil anthem and that traditionally the pontiffs don’t stand up when the song is played cannot be accepted even for argument sake. He pointed out that even Prime Minister Narendra Modi had stood up for the Tamil anthem at functions in the State. He said that the junior seer must express “regret” for his actions.

National award winning poet Vairamuthu, who is faced the ire of the BJP and Hindu groups recently for “disrespecting” Andal, a seventh century mystic, also disapproved of the pontiff’s action.

However, Tamil Development Minister Ma Foi Pandiarajan, refused to comment on the incident claiming he was not sure if the junior pontiff stood up for the national anthem alone. “He must have had some health issues,” he said when asked about the disrespect shown to the Tamil anthem.