The Tamil Nadu government, led by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay has made Tamil Thaai Vazhthu, the state's official song, mandatory as the first song to be sung at government events and official programmes across the state. The directive requires the state anthem to be rendered at the commencement of programmes held at educational institutions, universities, government offices, public sector undertakings and other public organisations in Tamil Nadu.
The order follows a resolution passed unanimously by the Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday, with CM Vijay saying his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) government would not compromise on the state's linguistic and cultural rights. The Assembly resolution was supported by several parties, including the opposition DMK and AIADMK, which backed the government's position that the state song should be sung first in the sequence of songs at official functions.
Moving the resolution, Vijay said Tamil was deeply connected with the identity and emotions of the people of the state. "Tamil is not only a language but also our life and emotions. The mother tongue is as pure as one's mother," he said.
Vijay also stressed that according precedence to Tamil Thaai Vazhthu was not opposed to India's unity or constitutional framework. "Singing the Tamil Thaai Vazhthu is not against the political system or India's unity. On the contrary, it reflects the nation's high principle of unity in diversity. There's no need to make this demand of singing the Tamil Thaai Vazhthu first into a political debate," he said.
The latest move builds on an existing government order issued on November 23, 1970, which directed that Tamil Thaai Vazhthu be sung at the beginning of official events.
The song was subsequently officially recognised as Tamil Nadu's state song on December 12, 2021, with the government making its rendition mandatory before the start of official programmes.
The latest government order reiterates and strengthens this requirement, specifying that Tamil Thaai Vazhthu must be sung first at programmes conducted by government institutions and other organisations covered by the order.
The resolution also noted that Tamil Thaai Vazhthu was taken from Manonmaniam, the 1891 play written by Manonmaniam Sundaranar, and highlighted Tamil's status as an ancient classical language and the long history of Tamil civilisation.
The Tamil Nadu government's decision 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 the National Song Vande Mataram be played before the National Anthem at official events.
However, Vijay said the demand to sing Tamil Thaai Vazhthu first should not be turned into a political controversy and instead reflected India's principle of unity in diversity.
Speaker J C D Prabhakar, while announcing that the Assembly resolution had been passed unanimously, said its implementation did not require permission from any other authority. "This is an Assembly resolution and the chief minister's voice represents the entire Tamil population," the Speaker said.
