'Tamil is not just a language, but a culture, civilisation and identity', says CM Vijay

CHENNAI: Tamil was not merely a language but a culture, civilisation, thought and expression of love, Chief Minister C. Joseph Vijay said before moving the resolution in the Assembly making Tamil Thai Vazhthu mandatory before the commencement of programmes conducted by government institutions.

"Mother language is equal to our mother, and it carries great sanctity. When we consider our mother sacred, how can we leave our Tamil soil and Tamil Thai Vazhthu, which invokes and celebrates Tamil? We will never leave it," the Chief Minister said.

He noted that there were very few countries in the world without Tamil-speaking people.

"Which country does not have Tamil and Tamils? Tamil is not just a language; it is a culture, a civilisation, a thought and love. Tamil means hospitality; in short, Tamil means boldness (gethu). Tamil means power," he said.

Drawing an analogy, Vijay said every individual had a separate name and people would turn when their particular name was called. "But when someone calls out 'Tamil, Tamil', all of us turn and look. How can Tamil Nadu remain silent when the Tamil language is pushed backwards?" he asked.

He said Tamil represented the life and sentiments of the people and had survived for centuries, even as several other languages of the world had disappeared.

"The Tamil Thai Vazhthu is an identity of the Tamil language. It should have the first place in our State. It is a song that speaks about the multifaceted character of India. This is our State's right," the Chief Minister said.

Vijay also said singing Tamil Thai Vazhthu first did not go against the Constitution of India or the unity of the country.

"There is no need for a debate over singing Tamil Thai Vazhthu first. It is a common identity of Tamils. It does not differentiate us; it unites us," he said.