TN Assembly Mandates Tamil Thai Vazhthu First, CM Vijay Calls Language State's Lifeline

The Tamil Nadu Assembly has unanimously passed a resolution mandating that the state song, 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu', be played first at the start of all government events. The move, moved by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, is widely seen as a direct challenge to the Union Home Ministry's directive that the national song, Vande Mataram, precede other anthems at official functions.

In an emotional address to the House, Vijay asserted that his government would not compromise on the state's linguistic and cultural rights. "Tamil is not only a language but also our lifeline and emotions," he said, adding that the mother tongue is as pure as motherhood. He stressed that giving the Tamil anthem the first place in the state is a matter of right and pride.

The resolution received support from both the DMK and the AIADMK. Speaker JCD Prabhakar announced that the resolution has been passed and requires no further permission for implementation.

The new mandate applies to educational institutions, universities, government offices, and public sector undertakings in the state. The 'Tamil Thai Vazhthu' has been a mandatory part of government events in Tamil Nadu since 1970 and was formally recognised as the state song in 2021.

The dispute traces back to a January directive from the Union Home Ministry, followed by a July advisory, which stipulated that the national song be played first, followed by the national anthem, when state songs are also performed. Tensions escalated in May when the Tamil song was played third at a university event, and again recently when it was reportedly relegated to the third position during the oath-taking ceremony of 23 MLAs from Vijay's party. The TVK had attributed that decision to the governor's office.

Additionally, 21 MPs from Tamil Nadu have written to the governor, requesting that the state song be played first at the conclusion of official functions.