Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay on Monday moved a government resolution in the Assembly making the rendition of Tamil Thai Vazhthu mandatory at the beginning of official programmes across the state. The measure received support from DMK and AIADMK legislators.
Moving the resolution, Vijay said his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government would not compromise on Tamil Nadu’s linguistic and cultural rights and appealed to legislators to support the measure across party lines.
“Our mother tongue is as pure as our mother,” Vijay said, adding that, “Tamil is not only a language but also our life and emotions.”
The resolution requires Tamil Thai Vazhthu to be sung first at programmes held by educational institutions, universities, government offices, public sector undertakings and other public institutions in Tamil Nadu.
The resolution describes Tamil Thai Vazhthu as an expression of respect for the Tamil language and Tamil culture and links its mandatory rendition to the linguistic and cultural rights guaranteed under the Constitution.
The resolution states that the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly “unanimously resolves” that Tamil Thai Vazhthu shall be mandatorily sung first before programmes begin at the specified institutions and public bodies.
Vijay said, “Tamil means pride, Tamil means power. The moment you say 'Tamil', the entire Tamil Nadu will come together and stand as one.”
He also said, “Tamil Thai Vazhthu must hold the first place in Tamil Nadu. Giving first place to Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu is our state right.”
Appealing to legislators across party lines, the Chief Minister said, “Saying that Tamil Thai Vazhthu should be sung first does not need to become a political debate.”
The resolution also notes that Tamil is one of the world’s oldest classical languages and describes Tamil civilisation as one of the world’s oldest cultural traditions.
The move comes amid recent communications from the Union Home Ministry concerning the playing of Vande Mataram and the singing of state songs at official programmes.
The Home Ministry had asked states and Union territories to comply with its January 28 directive on playing Vande Mataram before the National Anthem at official events. The resolution also comes against the backdrop of a July 9 communication from the ministry regarding the singing of state songs at official programmes.
The resolution received support from legislators of both the DMK and AIADMK, with members backing the government’s move to mandate Tamil Thai Vazhthu at official functions.
Tamil Nadu first directed that Tamil Thai Vazhthu be sung at the beginning of official functions through a government order issued on November 23, 1970.
The state government formally accorded the song the status of the state song on December 12, 2021, making its rendition mandatory at official programmes and institutions across the state.
Tamil Thai Vazhthu is an invocation to Mother Tamil from Manonmaniam, a play written by Manonmaniam Sundaranar in 1891.
