Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Vijay has moved a resolution in the state Assembly seeking to make the rendition of the state’s official anthem, Tamil Thaai Vazhthu, mandatory at government events and a wider range of official programmes across Tamil Nadu.
Moving the resolution, Vijay said Tamil was not merely a language but was deeply connected to the life, emotions, cultural identity and heritage of the people of the state.
Under the proposed resolution, Tamil Thaai Vazhthu will be sung at the beginning of programmes organised at educational institutions, universities, government offices and public sector undertakings across Tamil Nadu.
The proposed move seeks to strengthen and expand the existing practice of singing the state anthem at official functions and ensure that it becomes a mandatory part of government and educational programmes across the state.
The development comes against the backdrop of a recent advisory from the Union Home Ministry asking states and Union Territories to “strictly comply” with its January 28 directive that Vande Mataram be played before the National Anthem at official events.
Tamil Nadu already has a longstanding practice of beginning government functions with Tamil Thaai Vazhthu. The state government had issued an order on November 23, 1970, directing that the song be sung at the beginning of official functions in Tamil Nadu.
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Tamil Thaai Vazhthu was formally recognised as Tamil Nadu’s state song on December 12, 2021. Following the recognition, the state government made its rendition mandatory as the first song in the sequence at official functions.
During the Assembly proceedings, Leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami (EPS) also expressed support for the resolution. He said the Tamil anthem represented respect for Tamil language and culture and noted that it had already been sung at government events in the state.
Palaniswami said his party would support the resolution by keeping political differences aside. He also pledged to continue working towards the development and preservation of Tamil language and culture.
The resolution, if adopted, would reinforce the existing practice while extending the requirement to a broader range of government, educational and public-sector programmes across Tamil Nadu.
The move places renewed emphasis on the cultural significance of Tamil Thaai Vazhthu and its role in official functions, while also coming at a time when questions surrounding the playing of national and state songs at government events have gained wider attention.
