The Tamil Nadu assembly has mandated the rendition of Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu at all official events, reinforcing the state's linguistic and cultural identity amidst national directives.
Key Points
- Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay introduced a resolution mandating Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu at government events.
- The resolution underscores the Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government's commitment to linguistic and cultural rights.
- The state song is now compulsory at educational institutions, universities, government offices, and public sector undertakings.
- This move follows a Union home affairs ministry advisory on playing Vande Mataram before the National Anthem.
- Tamil Thaai Vazhthu was officially recognised as the state song in 2021, making its rendition compulsory at official functions.
The Tamil Nadu assembly on Monday unanimously passed a resolution mandating the rendition of Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu at the commencement of government events in the state.
The resolution, piloted by Chief Miniy, was supported by several legislature parties, including the opposition DMK and AIADMK, who endorsed the government's stance that the state song should be sung first in the sequencster C Joseph Vijae of songs to be rendered at government functions.
As per the resolution, the state song should be sung at the commencement of programmes conducted at educational institutions, universities, government offices and public sector undertakings in Tamil Nadu.
'No compromise on TN's linguistic, cultural rights'
Moving the resolution, Vijay said his Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam government will not compromise on Tamil Nadu's linguistic and cultural rights.
"Tamil is not only a language but also our life and emotions," Vijay said in an emotive speech and stressed that the "mother tongue is as pure as one's mother."
"Singing the Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu 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 Vaazhthu first into a political debate," he said.
"This assembly proudly records that Tamil is the ancient classical language of the world and Tamil civilisation is one of the oldest cultural traditions in the world. Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu taken from the play Manonmaniam written in 1891 by Manonmaniam Sundaranar, must be sung first at government functions from November 23, 1970," the resolution stated.
The government has issued an order which has come into effect, it noted.
"It has been officially recognised as the state song from December 12, 2021, and it has been ordered that Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu will be sung before the start of the event at all educational institutions, universities, government offices, public sector undertakings and other public organisations located in Tamil Nadu," the resolution further said.
Announcing that the resolution had been passed unanimously, Speaker J C D Prabhakar informed the House that its implementation required no permission from anyone.
"This is an assembly resolution and the chief minister's voice represents the entire Tamil population," the speaker emphasised.
Understanding the TN resolution
The move comes against the backdrop of the latest advisory from the Union home affairs ministry asking the 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.
The Tamil Nadu government had issued an order on November 23, 1970, insisting that the Tamil Thaai Vaazhthu be sung at the beginning of official events.
The state government officially recognised it as state song on December 12, 2021, making it compulsory to render this first in the sequence of songs to be played at official functions.
