On the second day of the oath taking ceremony, BJP MPs chanted Jai Shri Ram and Vande Mataram while many ministers were taking oath. Few MPs, interestingly responded with chants like Jai Bhim, Jai Mai Kali, Allahu Akbar and Constitution Zindabad.
Voices of dissent came from Tamil Nadu too, as always, where most MPs, irrespective of their political parties ended their oaths with ‘Tamizh Vazhga’ (Long Live Tamil). There were also chants of ‘Periyar Vazhga’, meaning ‘Long Live Periyar’ as a tribute to the social activist who is known as the father of Dravidian movement.
Shortly after, #தமிழ்_வாழ்க (#LongLiveTamil) began trending on Twitter.
CPI(M) MP Su Venkatesan ended his oath with ‘Long Live Tamil, Long Live Marxism’. One Twitter user thanked Tamilians for “keeping this country as diverse as it is”.
Twitter users from Tamil Nadu said they are proud of the language, no matter how many slogans are yelled in Hindi.
One Twitter user put out a drawing where Periyar is depicted as the teacher and DMK leaders K Stalin, Karunanidhi and CN Annadurai as his disciples. The blackboard has words like ‘self respect’, ‘women’s respect’, ‘equality’ written on it.
“Show me a community in India which comes together with no organisation and only for the pride of their language,” said another Twitter user. “And BJP thinks saying Jai Shree ram when saying Tamil Vazhga will benefit them,” she added.
Some explained to the non-Tamil speakers what the hashtag meant.
Why does the BJP get irritated when Tamil Nadu says ‘Long Live Tamil’, asked Twitter. “When you have Right to say ‘Bharat Mata ki Jai’, ‘Jai Sriram’, then why don't we have the right to say ‘Vazhga Tamil’ (sic)”, asked one Twitter user.
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