‘Tamil Is not just a language’: Vijay takes stand for Tamil Thaai Vazhthu

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay moved a government resolution in the Assembly on Monday mandating the rendition of Tamil Thaai Vazhthu at the commencement of government events.

Piloting the resolution, he 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."

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.

The move comes in 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.

It may be recalled that the Tamil Nadu government issued an order on November 23, 1970, insisting that the Tamil Thaai Vazhthu 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.