The Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly has unanimously adopted a resolution making it compulsory to sing the state anthem 'Tamizh Thai Vazhthu' first at the beginning of all government functions. This move is widely viewed as a direct challenge by Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay against the central directives instructing authorities to play the national song 'Vande Mataram' first in the sequence of opening anthems. While presenting the resolution on the floor of the assembly, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay emphasized that the Tamil invocation must be given the utmost priority within the state. Both major political parties, DMK and AIADMK, came forward to support the resolution. Assembly Speaker JCD Prabhakar announced that the resolution had successfully passed and required no further approval for implementation.
A Tribute to Tamil Identity and Culture
Following the passage of the resolution, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay took to the social media platform X to share his thoughts, stating that Tamil is not merely a language but a thought, a culture, and a civilization. He added that Tamil is our life and emotion, a reality fully embraced by the government of Tamil Nadu. According to him, this historic resolution serves as the greatest tribute offered to Mother Tamil, protecting the sentiments of the Tamil people while upholding the antiquity, uniqueness, pride, and excellence of the language. He expressed heartfelt gratitude to all political factions for unanimously endorsing and passing the resolution, concluding with hopes that the fame of Mother Tamil resounds worldwide.
Prioritizing the State Anthem in Tamil Nadu
While tabling the resolution, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay stated that 'Tamizh Thai Vazhthu' deserves the primary position in the state. He remarked that Tamil signifies pride and power, and the mere mention of Tamil unites the entire state. He asserted that granting the top spot to 'Tamizh Thai Vazhthu' is the rightful prerogative of the state. Urging all legislators to set aside political differences and back the measure, he underscored that the TVK government will make no compromises in safeguarding the dignity of the state anthem.
Historical Background of Tamizh Thai Vazhthu
The assembly resolution noted that Tamil stands among the world's most ancient classical languages, with a civilization representing one of the oldest cultural traditions. It also detailed the history of 'Tamizh Thai Vazhthu', which traces back to the play 'Manonmaniam' written by Manonmaniam Sundaranar in 1891. A government order issued on November 23, 1970, had previously directed that this song be sung at the very beginning of official functions. Subsequently, on December 12, 2021, 'Tamizh Thai Vazhthu' was formally designated as the state anthem, making its rendition mandatory prior to events across educational institutions, universities, government offices, public sector undertakings, and other public bodies throughout Tamil Nadu.
