The Tamil Nadu Assembly on Monday unanimously adopted a special resolution, moved by Chief Minister Vijay, requiring that ‘Tamil Thai Vazhthu’ be sung first at functions organised by government departments, educational institutions and other state-run bodies.
Members from both the ruling and Opposition parties, transcending political differences, supported the resolution, which was passed by a voice vote.
Parties including the DMK, AIADMK, Congress, PMK, VCK, CPI, BJP and the Indian Union Muslim League expressed their backing. After representatives of the parties spoke in its favour, Speaker JCD Prabhakar declared the resolution unanimously adopted.
Moving the resolution, Chief Minister Vijay said that Tamil is inseparable from the identity, culture and emotions of the people of the state. Ensuring that Tamil Thai Vazhthu is given precedence at official events, he said, is a matter of safeguarding Tamil Nadu’s cultural traditions and rights.
The Chief Minister recalled that the song, taken from ‘Manonmaniam’ written by Manonmaniam Sundaranar, has been sung at the start of government functions ever since a government order was issued in 1970. It was formally granted the status of Tamil Nadu’s State song in 2021.
Chief Minister Vijay also referred to a communication issued by the Union Home Ministry on July 1, 2026, regarding state songs. He urged legislators to consider the matter beyond party lines and stressed that the status of Tamil Thai Vazhthu should not be turned into a political controversy.
Speaking on behalf of his party, DMK MLA Govi Chezhian recalled that former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi had introduced the practice of singing Tamil Thai Vazhthu at official functions through a government order.
Chezhian further noted that the then Chief Minister MK Stalin had issued an order on December 17, 2021, making the singing of the song mandatory. He stated that granting stronger legal protection to this practice would ensure its status could not be changed in the future.
AIADMK General Secretary Edappadi K Palaniswami also declared his party’s support for the resolution. He described Tamil Thai Vazhthu as more than a ceremonial song, stating that it embodied the Tamil language, culture and identity.
Palaniswami further emphasised that pride in Tamil and patriotism are complementary, not conflicting, sentiments.
With every party represented in the House backing the proposal, the Assembly unanimously adopted the resolution, reaffirming the primacy of Tamil Thai Vazhthu at state government and educational functions.
Bureau Report
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